Stonehearts 4: Diamond

Thirty

"Good morning sunshine." Ferris greeted. I sandwiched my phone in between my shoulder and head as I make my way to my office.

Nakakainis ngang isipin na kung kailan natapos ang sick leave ko, siya naman ang alis ni Ferris papuntang Cebu. Nagkaroon daw kasi ng problema ang opisina nila roon at kailangan niyang puntahan. Wala naman akong magawa, hindi ko naman kayang makipagkompetensiya sa trabaho niya.

"Good morning. Nasa office na ako." I huffed out, bleaked, before I gazed at the door that connects his office to mine.

"Oh, 'wag ka ng malungkot Aya. I will be back soon." He coaxingly countered.

I pouted some more; him calling me and telling me these things doesn't help with my longing for him. Nasanay kasi ako na lagi ko siyang nakikita at nakakasama. "Kasalanan mo 'to eh. Sinanay mo kasi ako." Mapagtampong ani ko.

I heard him chuckle before sighing. "Well, I miss you more Minerva Diamond. So much more." He said, his voice travelling bone marrow deep.

"Kailan ka uuwi?"

"I still have two days to go."

I frowned upon hearing what he said pero tulad nga ng sabi ko. Wala akong magagawa. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako saka tumango.

"Okay. I will be missing you big time. Magiging clingy ako sayo pagkarating mo. Sinasabi ko na sayo para 'di ka magreklamo."

Natawa naman siya sa kabilang linya kaya nahawa na rin ako. "Don't worry, hindi naman ako magrereklamo. Sige na, I have to go back inside."

We said our goodbyes before I dropped the line first. Ayaw naman kasi niya na siya ang nagbaba ng linya.

My day at the office went slower than it should. I spent most of my time staring blankly at Ferris' office. Damn, I had it bad for that guy. Napailing na lang ako. Wala na rin siyang naging text o kung ano man sa mga sumunod na oras. Mukhang busy-ng busy siya.

Kinahapunan, sinundo ako nila Ate Amy at Ate Q para mabisita namin si Ate Garnet, na-discharge na kasi sila ng mga kambal mula sa ospital. Akala ko nga light lang ang atmosphere kaso si Ate Q pala may problemang pinapasan.

"Aalis ka na talaga? Parang biglaan naman Q." Ate Gie inquired while she was swaying one of the twins into sleep.

Though Ate Q remained calm and composed, alam naming may mali sa kanya. "Tambak na rin kasi ang trabaho ko sa sa Italy Ate, saka miss ko na rin sila Daddy."

Ate Amy sighed kaya napalingon agad si Ate Q sa kanya. ""Yan ba talaga ang rason Q?" She asked while she runs her hand on her big belly.

"O-oo naman Ate. Ano ba dapat?" Ate Q stuttered.

"Si Kuya Brinx." I immediately supplied. She stopped playing with Warren before she jerked her head up to look at us. Her eyes dulled the vibrant colors it had the first time we saw each other after four years.

Ate Gie groaned before palming her forehead, her tone picking up a pitch. "Ayan na nga ba ang sinasabi ko sa iyo Marina."

"Gie, 'wag mo namang sigawan si Q." Mabilis na suway ni Ate Amy. Ate Gie scowled nowhere. "May nangyari ba na dapat naming malaman?" Ate Amy again asked.

"W-wala naman ate." Ate Q answered back, her quivering voice giving everything away. Alam naman naming hindi siya okay. Then she went on with her frustrations with Kuya Brinx. She even ended up crying.

Mahirap nga naman talaga kasi ang posisyon ni Ate Q, imagine working with your exboyfriend. Kahit namang sabihin niya ng ilang beses na nakamove-on na siya, malaki pa rin ang posibilidad na magbabalik ang nakaraan.

"Pwede kitang ipahatid kay Ferdi, Aya." Prisinta ni Ate Gie nang nagpapaalam na kami.

Umiling lang ako, kasunod noon ang pagpitada ng isang sasakyan sa labas. "Okay lang Ate, nagpasundo ako kay Bryce." Tugon ko sabay bitbit sa bag ko.

Ate Gie gave me a sly smile when he saw Bryce treading to where we were. "Akala ko ba strictly bestfriends kayo." Hindi napigilang tanong ni Ate Gie.

I felt my cheeks flare while Bryce laughed the matter off. "Hindi niya pa ba nasasabi sa inyo Ate?" Bryce commented. I nudged him on the side before he draped his arm over my shoulder.

"Wag niyong sabihing kayo na." Ate Gie cajoled coupled with a sheepish smile.

Muli kong siniko ang bestfriend ko sabay suway. "Bryce!"

Pero hindi niya ako pinansin. "Manliligaw niya ang boss niya Ate." Pagpapatuloy nito.

Pakiramdam ko mas mapula pa ako sa kamatis. I covered my face with my palms before peeking through the slit in between my fingers. Ate Gie has that mocking grin on her face before she pulled me into a hug.

"Dalaga na ang bunso namin." Tugon niya habang humahagod sa likuran ko. "Next time kwentuhan mo naman kami, okay?"

I was left with no choice but to say yes. Si Bryce kasi!

I was scowling at nowhere when Bryce and I ended inside his car. I heard him chuckling before he turned to face me. "Baby, akala ko kasi nasabi mo nasa kanila. Sorry." He said with a peace sign.

I looked at him for a while, determined well enough to keep the silent treatment going but his adorable smile was hard to ignore. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Alam naman naming dalawa na hindi ko siya kayang tiisin.

"Libre na lang kita ng ice cream." He wagered before giving my nose a pinch.

I smirked and crinkled my nose. "Ako ang manlilibre sa'yo. 'Diba usapan natin 'yon? Kaso hindi nga lang first sahod."

He chortled before he purred the engine to life. We ended up sitting in front of each other inside an ice cream parlor. Bryce was asking me non-stop about Ferris.

"What? Kailangan ko lang malaman kung sa matinong tao ko ba ipapaubaya ang bestfriend ko. Hindi kita inalagaan ng ilang taon para lang magpabaya siya ano." Katwiran niya.

I kicked him smartly at the ankle. "Para mo naman akong ginawang pet dog mo."

Another laugh echoed from his throat. "Sinasabi ko lang naman."

I rolled my eyes at him before I excused myself to get another bowl of the sweet sugary stuff. But when I stood up, the walls and the floor suddenly skewed. Napahawak ako agad sa dulo ng mesa. Mabilis na tumayo si Bryce at napatakbo sa tabi ko. I looked at him, gusto kong sabihing okay lang ako but before I could even say a thing, darkness already took over.