Ramdam ko ang init ng hininga ni Andrew na mahimbing na natutulog habang nakayakap sa akin. Ngayon ko lang naranasan ang sabay na maguluhan at mgaing payapa. Andrew beside me makes everything seem easy. Pero kapag naiisip ko ang maaaring mangyari kapag nalaman na niya ang lahat ng mga nangyayari, hindi ko alam kung magiging ganito pa ba ang pakikitungo niya sa akin.
Bumangon ako sa aking kama at agad nagtungo ng banyo upang makapaghilamos. It was 6 AM and I have to go to work. Pero si Andrew, na may-ari ng kompanyang pinagtratrabahuan ko ay mahimbing parin ang tulog. I wonder how he manages a big company while being like this at the same time?
Agad naman akong nagtungo ng kusina to cook breakfast for us pero nagulat nalang ako nang may naamoy na akong nilulutong pagkain galing sa kusina. Si Henry! Nasa apartment ko siya ngayon?!
Lalo akong kinabahan nang marinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto ng aking kwarto. It was Andrew without any clothes worn. Yumakap siya sakin mula sa likod at para ba akong mababaliw sa susunod na mga mangyayari.
"Edrian? Gising ka na ba? Nagluto na ako ng breakfast natin." rinig ko ang boses ni Henry mula sa kusina at napalingon ako kay Andrew only to find out the confusion in his face.
Agad niya akong nilagpasan at nagtungo siya sa kusina. Sinundan ko siya at tila ba naging semento ako sa mga sumunod na pangyayari.
"Who the hell are you? Anong ginagawa mo dito sa apartment ni Edrian?" mataas ang tono ni Andrew na nagpapahiwatig lang na may hindi magandang mangyayari.
Nakita ko kay Henry ang pagkalito din while he was changing his glances from me and Andrew. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ihahandle ang ganitong sitwasyon.
"Edrian? Why is this man naked? At anong ginagawa niya dito sa apartment mo?" galit ang tono ni Henry at iyon na ang hudyat para hingin sa lupa na sana lamunin niya nalang ako.
Biglang kwenilyuhan ni Andrew si Henry at galit na galit siya dito. Agad ko naman silang inawat at pumagitna ako sa kanilang dalawa.
"Andrew calm down, this is Henry. My best friend. Hindi ko alam na pupunta siya dito ngayon."
Nakita ko kay Henry ang pagkagulat sa mga narinig niya mula sa akin. But I really don't know how to handle this. Wala na akong maisip gawin o sabihin. Ayokong magkagulo sila dito ngayon.
"Really? Best Friend? Ganun na ba ang definition mo sa akin ngayon? Well, para sa kaalaman mo, Sir.. I am Henry Liam Veneracion and Edrian's boyfriend." madiin niyang sambit na nakadagdag lang sa kaba na nararamdaman ko.
"Boyfriend? Huh! So you are the one who is messing around with Edrian habang wala ako?" at tumingin si Andrew sa akin with the look that he can kill someone at the moment.
"Andrew.. Please just calm down okay? Magpapaliwanag ako. Hindi ko ginusto lahat ng ito."
Hinablot ako ni Henry palayo kay Andrew at mas lalong nagalit si Andrew and tried to punch Henry in his face pero nakailag ito at sinuntok din naman ni Henry si Andrew sa may tiyan nito bago ko siya malakas na hinawakan sa kanyang mga kamay bago pa siya makagawa ng kung ano.
"Please stop this!!!" sigaw ko at doon lang siguro nila naramdaman na hindi na tama ang ginagawa nila.
"Kaya pala palagi kang busy. You are screwing someone while you also fuck with me. I should have known na ganung klase kang tao. You will pay for what you did to me, Edrian." sabi ni Andrew while he stood up and rushed into my room at kinuha ang mga damit niya. Sinuot niya ang mga ito at agad na umalis ng aking unit.
"Siya ba ang dahilan bakit gusto mo na tumigil na ako? Yung lalaking yun?"
Napatingin ako kay Henry at puno din ng galit ang mukha niya. Hindi ko alam kung paano pa ba ako makakapagsalita. Sa harapan niya, isa na akong maduming tao. And why would I even complain? It is true. Isa akong maduming tao.
"Oo.. Siya ang dahilan at marami pang iba. Ngayong nalaman mo na kung gaano ako kaduming tao, gusto mo pa ba akong makasama? You see how fucked up my life is?"
"I don't care! Hindi ba sinabi ko sa'yo? I loved you because I know who the real you is.. Alam kong hindi ka ganung tao. Alam kong may mas malalim pang dahilan kung bakit ka nagkakaganito. And I want to help you out. But you are pushing me away. Ano ba talaga ang gusto mo sa buhay, Edrian? Ang patuloy kang matakot? You always live in fear and you will never be free kung palagi mong tatakbuhan ang mga kinatatakutan mo."
At bago paman ako makasagot, umalis na rin si Henry sa apartment ko. I was left cold and ashamed of myself. Hindi ko alam kung mahaharap ko pa ba silang dalawa. I hurt them so much because of my own stupidity.
Hindi ko alam kung hanggang saan pa ako dadalhin ng aking katatagan. Kaunti nalang talaga at bibigay na ako.
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"Mr. Barrameda wants you in his office now, Ed.." sabi sa akin ni Jericho while I was at my working desk. May inabot siya sa aking file folder at agad din naman akong sumunod sa utos niya.
Kinakabahan akong pumasok sa elevator and thinking that this will be my last day in Andromeda. I will be okay with that pero alam kung hindi ako titigilan ni Andrew.
My heart started pounding so hard that I feel like suffocating. Nakalabas ako ng elevator and I grabbed something in my pocket. It starting again. My panic attacks. Agad kong linabas ang maliit na paper bag and I started blowing inside it. Slowly and trying to control my breathing. It helped me enough and I was trying to pull myself together.
When I entered Andrew's office, two men were on his office couch laughing and I really can't explain why I am being bombarded with so much problem in just one day.
The man on the couch with Andrew was Ryan.. And this just made everything more complicated than ever.
"Oh.. You're finally here, Edrian. Kanina ko pa hinihintay ang files na 'yan. Would you mind waiting for a moment. May pinag-uusapan pa kami ni Ryan." sabi ni Andrew like he was doing it on purpose.
Nakita ko ang kakaibang ngiti ni Ryan habang nakatingin sa akin. I know he is trying to make something. Alam na kaya ni Andrew ang tungkol sa nakaraan? Sinabi ba sa kanya ni Ryan na kilala niya ako? Or did he even go further and revealed something that shouldn't be?
"So Ryan, kelan magsisimula ang project mo? I hope it will be sooner. You have enough funding for that, right?"
"Ofcourse.. I am laying out the details of the hotel project. Its a big step since my real state company leaped from just condominiums and apartments. This will be something different."
Nakatingin lang ako sa kanilang dalawa and the tension is getting higher that I am starting to panic again.
"Speaking of the project, I really need a new assistant. My assistant was kind of not doing the job for me. And I hope I can borrow one of your employees here. Alam kong magagaling ang mga empleyado mo because you only hire the best of the best. Its just a small favor from a good friend. What do you say, Andrew?"
Napatingin sa akin si Andrew and a smile in his face just sent shivers inside me. Is he trying to sell me out? Hindi ko alam ang gagawin sa mga oras na iyon. Aalis nalang ako sa Andromeda huwag lang akong mapunta sa kamay ng hayop na katabi niya ngayon.
"Why not Edrian here? He is a very good marketing associate. Magaling siya sa strategies and I am sure he will do well as your assistant? What do you say?" the smirk in his face telling me that this is his punsihment for doing him wrong.
"Sigurado ka ba? It seems like he is your favorite?" nakangiti si Ryan sa akin and he is telling me by his looks that he will have me in his hands again.
"Yes, I am sure of that. You can take him with you. I will approve his transfer to Highrise. Its just a small favor. And he is not my favorite anymore. I am willing to give him away."
Nabitiwan ko ang file folder na hawak ko and my eyes were starting to burst out into tears. Nahihirapan na akong huminga pero pinipilit kong magpakatatag.
"I am quitting my job, Sir." bigla kong sinabi sa harapan nilang dalawa at nagulat si Andrew sa aking sinabi.
"What did you just say? Quitting your job?" pagklaro niya sa sinabi ko but I remained composed wile trying to hold back my tears.
"This company is not the best for my skills and I want to quit my job right at this moment."
Napatawa pa ng malakas si Andrew and he stood up and walked towards me. Hinawakan niya ang mga balikat ko and he whispered in my ears.
"Hinding hindi ka makakaalis sa kompanya ko, Edrian. You will never get away from my eyes. You will suffer for the sins that you did to me. Akala mo ba, pakakawalan kita ng ganun na lang?"
And he wiped my tears and smiled like a devil. Hindi ko alam na ito pala ang kapalit ng lahat ng mga gagawin ko.
"Ryan, he is all yours. Edrian would be happy to be your assistant."
Nakita ko ang pagliwanag ng mukha ni Ryan. The more that I want to get away, the more that things are clinging into me.
Kahit sabihin ko man kay Andrew na nakulong si Ryan noon dahil sa kahayupang ginawa nito sa akin, hindi siya maniniwala sa akin dahil mas may tiwala siya kay Ryan kumpara sa akin na niloko siya at hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ba ang gagawin.
But I will get out of this hell. Maybe they want to play a game with me. Then I will do whatever it takes to win this game that they want me play.
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