Control The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 53

#CTG53 Chapter 53

Agad na napa-kunot ang noo ko nang buksan ni Katherine iyong pinto ng apartment niya. My nose immediately smelled the familiar smell...

"Hi," Katherine replied, smiling awkwardly at me.

"Welcome to Alaska," I replied, handing her a small potted plant. Hindi ko kasi alam kung ano ang ibibigay. Medyo weird. I invited her here, but I really didn't know where to start. Ngayon lang kami nagkita pagkatapos kong manggaling sa ospital.

I didn't even know what came to me when I suggested that she came here. All I remembered was Gracey telling me that I should go make friends habang nandito ako sa Alaska... And I tried. I really did try... But I sucked at being friendly. Iyong mga kaibigan ko, naging kaibigan ko lang dahil wala akong choice dahil ka-block ko sila.

And Iñigo basically weaseled his way into my life.

So, when Katherine told me that she wanted to leave the Philippines for a while, I quickly suggested Alaska. She's friendly—maybe she could help me become friendly, too.

"Pasok ka," she said, widening the door's opening.

I looked around and saw that she hadn't fully unpacked yet. Ang dami niyang dala. Gaano ba siya katagal dito? Dalawang maleta lang ang dala ko nang pumunta ako dito samantalang siya, lima na malalaki na agad iyong nakita ko.

"I cooked," she said.

Kumunot ang noo ko. I perfectly remembered Jax telling me that Katherine couldn't cook. Hindi ko alam kung bakit niya sinabi sa 'kin 'yun.

"Wait, patapos na ako," she continued. "Make yourself feel at home. I'll just finish that and we'll eat."

I looked around and saw all her things lying around... pero kahit na magulo pa ang lahat, agad na nakita ko na isa lang iyong naka-ayos na—iyong picture nila ni Jax nung nasa law school pa sila. I knew that it's from law school days dahil iba pa iyong buhok ni Katherine. And her smile... it's different before.

Ngayon, parang kahit naka-ngiti siya, malungkot pa rin.

And I honestly couldn't blame her.

I wanted to sit on the couch pero ang daming naka-patong kaya naman naka-tayo lang ako sa isang gilid. I was bored and getting hungry dahil sa amoy ng niluluto ni Katherine. I got my phone and saw that Gracey texted me.

"Hi!" she greeted.

"Why?" I asked because she told me sa text na tawagan ko agad siya. I knew that Iñigo wouldn't tell me everything, so I asked Gracey to look after him. And she's very happy to oblige.

"Tinanggap na ni Iñigo 'yung sa Jimenez Law Firm," she said, frowning. "Kausapin mo naman..."

I pursed my lips.

Iñigo and I already talked about it. Because of everything that happened, he's kind of blacklisted from the good firms in the country... Iba talaga iyong influence ng dati niyang frat. Pati sa government hindi siya maka-apply dahil na rin sa laki ng ginawa niyang gulo nang irecommend niya iyong dismissal.

"I'll talk to him," I told Gracey. Ayokong sabihin kay Gracey iyong sinabi sa akin ni Iñigo. I knew how hard it must be for him... He used to be one of the most sought-after lawyers... Tapos ngayon, wala ng gustong tumanggap sa kanya.

"Okay... Pero start na kasi siya bukas talaga. One-year contract lang naman. Sabi niya kaysa wala siyang ginagawa habang hinihintay ka."

I nodded. "I know."

"Sige, may gagawin pa ko. Ingat ka d'yan, okay? Balik ka agad dito kapag okay ka na," Gracey said, smiling before ending the call.

Nang matapos kaming mag-usap ay at saka ko lang napansin na kanina pa pala naka-hain iyong pagkain. I caught Katherine watching me. I put my phone back inside my pocket.