The One That Got Away

one.

"What a small world huh?" Sabi ng lalaki habang naka smirk sa akin.

"You guys know eachother?" Mr. Juarez asked us. I was about to answer noong inunahan nya ako.

"We just saw eachother at a mall earlier today." He said as he smiled. Mr. Juarez just shook his head.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Juarez." Bati namin ni Roxanne kay Mr. Juarez. Nginitian niya naman kami.

"I thought hindi ka dadating, mukha kang busy these past few days," Biro niya.

"We'll excuse ourselves sir," Sabi ng dalawang lalaki na kausap ni Mr. Juarez. Niyakap naman sila ni Mr. Juarez bago sila umalis. Yung lalaki naman na nakita ko kanina sa mall ay nginitan ako bago umalis.

"Sir naman, hindi kami pwedeng mawala sa special day mo." Biro ni Roxanne.

"Salamat Architect," Sabi naman ni Mr. Juarez. "Architect Rivera, magkakilala na pala kayo ni Engineer Tan." Dagdag pa nya.

I just smiled at him, "No sir, nagkita lang po kami sa mall kanina habang naghahanap po ako ng ireregalo ko sa inyo," Sabi ko sabay taas ng paper bag.

Ngumiti naman si Mr. Juarez, "Ay naku! Nag abala ka pa, Doon mo ilagay yung dala mo." Sabi niya sabay turo sa isan table kung saan nakalagay lahat ng regalo.

"Mag start na ang party, I'll talk to you later." Sabi ni Mr. Juarez. Ngumiti naman kami sa kanya bago siya umalis.

Nilagay muna namin ni Roxanne yung regalo namin bago kami humanap ng table. Pinili namin ang table sa likod para malapit sa pagkain. We sat there debating if we should get food already or mamaya nalang.

"Clara, tara na gutom na ako." Reklamo ni Roxanne. I sighed before standing up to get some food.

I didn't get many food because I'm trying to get fit kaya naman konting pasta lang ang kinuha ko tsaka garlic bread. I also took a little bit of lengua.

"Nakakahiya naman yang plate mo sa plate ko," Roxanne said as she stared at my plate. I just laughed at her. Napatigil kami sa paglalakad noong nakita namin na may nakaupo na sa table namin.

"Excuse me, that table is ours." I said to the two guys that are sitting at our table. Sinaway naman ako agad ni Roxanne kaya tinignan ko siya ng masama.

"Clara naman, the table is good for 6 persons." Roxanne said as she sat on one of the chairs. "I'm sorry for her behavior, she's hungry." Biro ni Roxanne.

I sighed and took a seat beside her. Nagulat ako nang makita ko ang lalaking nakaupo sa harapan ko.

"Ikaw nanaman!?" Sabay namin sabi kaya nagulat ako. Siya naman ay natawa, napansin ko rin na siniko siya nung kaibigan niya.

"Allow me to introduce myself then, I am Engr. Kyle Tan of Juarez Corporation." He said as he let out his hand.

"I am Architect Clara Faith Rivera of Alvarez Corporation." I said as I shook his hand. "This is my best friend, Architect Roxanne Lim." Agad namang nakipag kamay si Roxanne sa dalawang lalaki.

"This is Engineer Sebastian Corpuz." Pakilala niya sa binatang kasama niya. I can already tell na magka edad lang sila. Nakipag kamay naman kami kay Engr. Corpuz.