Air and Fire

EPILOGUE

"Kuya, hinay-hinay lang naman. Gusto mo bang mamatay?" Bawi ni Eprain sa pang-apat na bote ng alak na iniinom ko.

"Pwede ba?" I sarcastically asked.

Eversince she left, I never lived a normal life anymore. It just does not make any sense.

"Kuya, if malalaman niya 'yan, you think she'll be happy? She's a graduating student. Sige ka, baka next pagkikita niyo, you're in a casket already," pagbibiro ni Lawrence.

"Where's my Air..."

Call me weak, but everynight, I keep on crying. I knew from the start that maybe, what she said that night was not true.

And I was right all along. After a while, I found out that she was just lying because of her father.

"Akala ko ba alam mo na kung nasaan siya?" It was Pain's voice.

"Yeah..." halos bulong kong sabi.

"Then go get her, Kuya," si Lawrence naman ang nag-suggest.

"How? I'm engaged, I'm fucked, I'm... I'm..." Sumukob na lang muli ako. I don't want my cousins to see me crying.

"Start with the Mendozas. Buy the company, then let fate do the rest." Ever since Pain suggested that, it never left my mind for a while.

It took me weeks before I decided to call Jayce Mendoza—the CEO of the former company of the Facentos.

I consulted my dad about this. Of course at first he was angry. But since from the start, he saw how big of a help I am to our business, as well as how great our company is as of now, he had no choice but to give me a chance.

A chance to prove him that Aeian, my Air, is unlike his father.

She would not let me down.

"Ikaw na ang bahala riyan, Frederick. Do not let me question why I chose you as the CEO," matigas na sabi ni dad habang naka-upo sa office niya sa bahay namin.

"You do not have any other choice, dad. Ako lang ang anak mo," I playfully replied to him, he just shrugged and smiled.

After arranging all the files needed and as I was about to contact Jayce, a thought came into my mind.

She's a graduating student... What if she gets distracted by me? I became even more frustrated by that thought. I badly want to see her already!

"I think it will be better if you'll wait until her graduation. Bakit hindi mo muna ayusin ang mga problema mo?" Pain and I are in a meeting, kasama niya iyong secretary niya ata ito.

"I think so, too. I mean, do you think she still loves me?" I asked him habang hindi pa nagsa-start ang meeting.

"I don't know, Kuya. Ano niya ba si Jayce?" Umigting ang panga ko sa tanong niya.

Wala namang masyadong balita sa kanila kung ano nga ba ang meroon. Basta ang alam lang halos ng lahat ay sa mga Mendoza na siya nanirahan matapos makulong ang dad niya.

"Isn't it just weeks away from her graduation? If you are that eager, Kuya, then go ahead. I think four years were enough for you to wait. Goodluck na lang, sana walang iba," he mockingly uttered those last words.

"Do you want me to find out if she already has someone special?" Narinig kong sinabi ng secretary or editor-in-chief ni Pain at ngumiti.