Stonehearts 9: Sapphire

Seven

"Arcie, hello. Hindi naman. Napatawag ka?"

"Yes." She sighed. "I don't want to do this, especially with Sage being this tenacious. Kasi isa lang ang ibig sabihin no'n, he's brewing something and I'm not going to like it. At ayaw ko sanang ma-involve sa mga kagaguhan."

"I'm sorry? I don't follow at all."

"He mentioned you haven't talk or discussed anything with Reid. He wanted to know why but he isn't sure if you'll tell him if he went directly to you, kaya ako ang kinausap niya. I don't want to pry on your business so I shrugged him off, stating that he should stop looming over his friend's affairs. But that's not him. Knowing Sage, hindi siya mapapakali kung wala siyang gagawin."

Resting my upper body, I swayed from left to right on my chair while I wait for her to get to her point. She's been blabbering about an acquaintance I haven't met before and it's extremely confusing me.

"Anyway, I formulated that he'd already spoken with Reid about it and I think he concluded that since you've been quite reserved about Reid's help, he thought it's best to stick with the original plan."

"So, he's again extending his help to me?" I finished, not even bothering masking my relief, but carefully tucking the hint of disappointment there.

"Yes. Hindi ko pa rin ma-gets kung bakit nagbago nanaman ang isip ng ungas but I have a theory that he's reeling off over the idea that he couldn't fix your problem and in turn, he had let me down. And he hates it, makes him crazy."

"Wait, ano mo nga siya ulit?" Because I'm sure he isn't her fiancé.

"A childhood friend and a forced big brother figure. With forced being the keyword since he had elected him the position himself." She gruffed, annoyance perfectly clear in her voice but I can tell she's also fond of him as well.

Laughing at her remarked, I switched our conversation back to the original path. "So, when will I meet him? Ako ba ang tatawag sa kanya o sekretarya niya ang hahagilap sa'kin. My guess is the latter for I don't posses his number, unless you give it to me?"

"Oh, no. It won't be necessary. He wants to meet you personally."

Taken aback, I stopped swinging on my seat and planted my feet on the floor. Why does this feel off?

"Okay. Kailan?" I asked, mentally reminding myself to check his office address via Google.

"Tonight. The other person in their group, Claus, is having a party and he wants to meet you there."

Okay, something is definitely off-grid. "He wants to discuss business? While in a party? Ewan ko, Arcie. Not to offend you or your friend, pero parang ginagago ata ako?"

Napabuntong-hininga siya, "None taken. I have the same thoughts. But fret not, Sage swore to me that he would never do you harm. His defense was that he's running on a tight schedule and this is his only opening."

"Kung busy siya, bakit naman niya kikitain ang isang tao sa oras lang ng pahinga para lang pag-usapan ay trabaho?"

"Dahil kaibigan daw kita, you're an exception."

She sounded so torn as we speak. It clearly says that she's not liking this as much as I do but she's compelled to pass this information to me.

"So, will you go, Fire?"

"Yes, I will. Text mo sa'kin address and I'll be there." Even though I have this hefty, gwaning feeling in my gut, telling me not to go.

"Don't worry. I'll be there, too. I'll keep an eye on you in case Sage tries something funny." Boy, she did try to sound tough but with her baby-cooing voice, it really isn't working.