When she met Mr. Gangster(COMPLETED)

Chapter 32

Dumalas ang pag-aaya ni Zed pero 1 out of 5 na aya lang ako pumupunta. May gusto pa ba to sa akin? 

"Cassie.", sabi niya. "Ilang araw na tayong nagd-date, pero ang cold mo pa rin sa akin."

DATE?!

"Date?", tanong ko. "Anong date? Lunch o dinner lang 'to ah." It's been two months simula noong nandito ako at halos once every two weeks kaming nagkikita dahil sinusundo niya ako mismo sa ospital, madaling araw man ako matapos o gabing-gabi na. 

"Hindi mo pa rin ba makalimutan 'yung taong gusto mo?"

"Zed kung ang interpretation mo sa pagsama ko say kung nag-aaya ka eh dahil gusto kita, I'm sorry but I think I have to decline future meetings. And this is not a date."

"But it feels like a date."

"Zed, stop. Hanggang ngayon ba gusto mo parin ako?"

"Hindi kita gusto, may iba akong gusto."

"But I changed because of you, because you like guys like this." Tinignan ko uli siya at kaporma niya nga si Job  years ago. 

"Are you insane?"

"I'm obsessed with you." Tumayo ako. 

"You're creeping me out.", sabi ko. "Quit this. Huwag mo na akong puntahan.", sabi ko. Umalis ako at blinock ang number niya. 

Umuwi ako sa bahay at tinawagan si Ellaine para ikwento.

"What? 'Yung weirdo na 'yon?", tanong niya. "Nakakatakot naman. Nandito si Job beb, ikwento mo ulit." Kinwento ko ulit kay Job kung anong nangyari. 

"Ha? Ang balita ko nangibang bansa yan ah, kakabalik niya lang last 3  or 4 months ago ata.", sabi ni Job. 

"Ha? Eh sabi niya dito siya lumipat simula nung nawala siya diyan eh."

"Balikan kita Cassie ha, kakilala ko 'yung pinsan niya, alamin ko kung anong nangyari talaga."

"Sige, please do so natatakot na ako.", sabi ko. Ibinaba ko ang phone ko. Sa tuwing papasok ako sa ospital, lagi akong nagpapasama sa mga kaklase kong lalaki. Ilang linggo naman nang hindi niya ako pinupuntahan. 

Patulog na ako nang may tumatawag. Nagising ang diwa ko nang makita ko kung sino. Si Joshua?! Sinagot ko agad iyon. 

"Hello?! Josh?!"

"Come out."

"Huh?"

"Out.", sabi niya. 

"Out? Like outside the house?", sabi niya. Tumakbo akong papuntang bintana at nakita siya sa labas. Halos lumipad ako pababa ng floor namin at palabas ng building. 

Seryoso siyang nakatitig sa akin habang tumatakbo akong palapit sakanya. Niyakap ko sya. "Bakit ngayon ka lang?", sabi ko pero hindi siya nagsasalita. Hindi niya rin ako niyakap pabalik. 

"Bakit? Hindi ka ba masaya na makita ako?"

"What's this?" Pinakita niya ang isang litrato sa facebook. Nag post si Zed ng picture nung nag selfie kami, ang caption "mi amor"

"Hey, that's not true."

"It looks true to me.", sabi ni Josh.

"Yes, it's true. Kumain kami for a few times but I found him creepy."

"Then why did you hung out with him in the first place?"

"How did you even know? Tsaka, teka nga, we haven't see each other for so long tapos ganyan ang iaasta mo sa akin?", tanong ko. "Kung hindi mo ba nakita 'yan hindi ka pupunta dito?"

"Don't make this about me.   I know that he's been stalking you. Job called me." Napangiti ako.

"Oh, so you're here because you're worried about me?"

"Why else would I come here in the middle of the night?" Niyakap ko uli siya. "Pinupuntahan ka pa rin ba niya?" Umiling ako. "I found out something about him. Let's meet again tomorrow, take a rest, I 'll pick you up at 10 am.", sabi niya. 

Nagpaalam na ako at natulog. Eto na ata ang pinakamasarap na tulog ko dito sa Baguio. 

Sinundo niya ako sa dorm ng 10 am. "Is this yours?"

"Nope, I rented it.", sabi niya. 

"Alam mo ang dami kong gustong itanong at ikwento sa'yo.", sabi ko. 

"Fire away.", sabi niya. 

"Bakit hindi mo ako tinatawagan o video call? Ganoon ka ba talaga ka busy?", tanong ko. 

"Cassie, ipapaalala ko lang sa'yo, hindi pa tayo." 

"Gago ka ba? Eh kung hindi tayo ano 'to?"

"Kung tayo na, mararamdaman mo kung paano ako maging boyfriend. Dapat hihintayin ko munang maka-graduate ka bago ako magpapakita sayo pero bwisit yang Zed na yan.", sabi niya. "The reason why I don't want to see you or hear your voice because it makes me want to come to you.", sabi niya. Feeling ko ang ganda ganda ko nung sinabi niya 'yon. 

"Hala.", sabi ko pero nangingiti. 

"But, before I can even formally court you, I need to fulfill my promise to your father. Na babalik ako as someone na matatanggap niya."

"Now, I want you to understand that this day is not me courting you and I don't want you hugging me or holding my hand. We will reserve that once we're already official. Gets?". tumango ako. Wow, he really changed. 

Dumating kami sa cafe at nagorder ng coffee at drinks.

"Listen carefully and please don't be shocked. Zed was lying when he told you he was staying here in Baguio since three years ago. He came back months ago from the US. His cousin said her underwent rehab and therapy there for drug abuse."

"Oh my god, sabi ko."

"It's not also a coincidence that you're here in Baguio." 

"What?"

"You're supposed to be assigned in Tuguegarao but he used his connections to assign you here. Para mapalapit sayo. We confirmed this with your department. The Department Head is Zed's Uncle. "

"Matatakot ba ako?"

"No, he underwent therapy and he is harmless. Job already talked to his uncle and explained what happened. After the rehab, nagkaroon siya ng selective amnesia, and one of the memories retained was when he started college.", sabi ni Josh. "I'm here to talk to him."

"What? Why?"

"Para layuan ka niya."

"Are you sure? If what you've said is true at naalala niya ako, there might be a chance na maalala ka rin niya." Nagtinginan kami. "I know what Slayers did to him Josh."

"It was not me, it was his classmates."

"Kahit na, you're still the image of Slayers back then and he hates you as much as he hates Job because I like him." 

It was an unknown story, what happened to Zed. After nila magbugbugan ni Job noong araw na 'yon, tinambangan uli siya ng ibang kaibigan ni Job sa Slayers at tinakot siya. Hindi ko na alam kung ano pang ginawa nila but that caused Zed to go. Sometimes, they really could be scary, 

"He hates Slayers."

"I can protect myself." 

"Really?", tanong ko. 

"Oh, isusumbat mo nanaman sa akin 'yung nangyari 3 years ago ha." Tumawa ako. I missed him.