Afflicting Fate

Chapter 19

Ano ka ba Dana? Andito naman ako a? Anong ikinababahala mo? Don't worry I'll be the one to visit lola."

Nakangiting pahayag ni Kate.

Well, hindi ko naman talaga ninais na ipabantay si lola kay Kate kasi nahihiya akong maabala siya, pero wala na akong ibang option kundi ang tanggapin ang alok niya.

Ito ang unang pagkakataong tumanggap ako ng tulong mula sa kaibigan.

"Talaga Kate?"

Hindi ko pa ring makapaniwalang sagot.

"Oo naman. Para naman kayong iba ni Lola sa'kin. Basta sumama ka na bukas at ako na ang bahala kay lola."

Paghawak niya ng kamay ko bilang sign na ayos na ang lahat at para hindi na ako mabahala.

Ang sarap pala sa feeling na may nagrereassure sa'yo sa mga time na sobrang kailangan mo talaga nito.

"Salamat talaga Kate." Abot taenga kong ngiti sa kanya na ikinagalak at ikinagulat niya naman.

"Woah!"

sabay turo sa mga ngiti ko.

"Ngayon lang yata kita nakitang ngumiti ng ganyan..."

Dahil doon ay bigla kong binawi ang saya sa mga labi ko.

"You're beautiful when you smile like that Dana. Kaya sana naman huwag ka puro busangot kagaya niyan."

Pagtuturo niya ulit sa busangot kong mukha at tumawa.

"Di ba lola?"

"Hahahahah. Oo nga apo. Smile ka naman diyan..."

Panunukso na ni Lola sa'kin kaya biniro at ginawa nila akong katatawanan matapos ang ilang oras.

"Lola, pasensya na po kayo at kailangan ko nang umalis kasi may mga ihahanda pa po akong mga gamit para sa flight bukas."

"Walang problema apo. Mag-ingat at mag-enjoy ka sana. First time mo pumunta abroad, kaya sana maging memorable ito para sa'yo."

Huling pahayag ni Lola bago kami tuluyang makaalis ng hospital.

Tama siya.

Eto ang unang pagkakataon na makakapag-abroad ako at sa Beijing, China pa na isa sa mga lugar na binalak kong mapuntahan.

Kaya sa kabila ng pangamba ko sa kung paano ko ehahandle si Sir Evan nang mag-isa ay na eexcite rin naman ako kahit papaano.

Sana lang talaga maging okay lang ang lahat at walang maging problema.

•

•

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Evan:

"Hana, can you send me the profile of the employee I'll be with?"

"Yes sir. I'll send it to your email. Just a moment."

"Alright. Thanks."

"Just message me if you already received the file sir..."

"Sure. Goodbye."

"Goodbye sir. Have a good rest for tomorrow's trip and see you at the airport."

"Yes."

After calling Hana, I immediately checked my email and opened the file she sent.

Wide-eyed, I scrolled the pages ...

"I'm sure I have seen her before."

A COUPLE OF TIMES???

I tried remembering her...

I don't know why I felt like knowing more about this woman.

Maybe, I should be coz she'll be with me for three or more days.

Is she trustworthy???

Hmmmm. I should trust Hana coz she chose her.

Dana...

Dana Maylie...

Dana Maylie Pandova.

PANDOVA???

I've heard this surname many times before.

Hmmmm.

WAIT.

FLASHBACK

"AHHHHHHHH!!!"

I was walking towards the elevator when I've heard a loud scream.

That's when I've found out that someone's falling!

I don't know what push my body to run and stop her from falling.

I CLOSED MY EYES.

I've felt my back soring because of the tiled floor.

I'm insane.

Very insane to bring myself on this awkward situation.

I opened my eyes and saw her lying above me.

What the f*ck!

This is embarrassing...

I felt the heat releasing from my body when I saw her there.

I wanted to push her...

But, I'm too embarrassed to do that.

Why she's not moving???

Please move now!

I wanted to shout at her, but seems like my lips are zipped that I can't utter any word.

I felt my whole body numbing...

Is she crazy???

Why she's not moving yet?

I haven't controlled myself to move.

"What the f*ck!"

I've heard her say that.

She's unbelievable.

Afterwards, I saw her face when she already stood in front of me.

Curly black hair, shouldered length

Brown eyes

Rosy cheeks

White teeth hidden behind her sweet light pink lips.

Hmmmm. Beautiful, but...

I stood.

She said sorry for what happened. Tss.

"Clumsy." I uttered.

End of FLASHBACK

I can't believe I will be with her tomorrow.

Tss.

I don't like her.

Dana:

Maaga akong gumising para sa flight namin. Naiayos ko na naman ang mga kakailanganin ko, kaya madali na lamang para sa'kin ang umagang 'yon. Kailangan ko na lamang makarating sa airport on time. Doon na lamang kami magkikita ni Sir Evan at may mga ibibilin din daw si Miss Hana sa'kin kaya magkikita rin kami bago tuluyang makaalis.

Nang papaalis na ako ng apartment ay may natanggap akong text mula kay Miss Hana.

"Are you on your way Dana?"

Siguro ay hindi pa rin nakakampante si Miss Hana. Iniisip niya sigurong baka mag back out pa ako. I texted her back.

"Yes Miss."

Maikli kong sagot sa kanya at mabilis din naman siyang nakapagreply.

"Thank you Dana. I'll see you later. Take care."

Hindi na ako nag reply sa text ni Miss Hana. Hindi naman dahil cold ako or arrogant, I'm just making boundary in case. Para kasi sa'kin ay kapag nagkaroon ng mahabang conversation ay pagsisimulan din ng malalim na relasyon. It's either friendship or the other serious one. Kaya hindi ako masyadong nakikipag-usap sa mga chat or text.

Pagkatapos ng mahigit kalahating oras ay nakarating ako sa airport. Tumungo kaagad ako sa kinaroroonan ni Miss Hana, ayon sa text niya hindi pa raw dumarating si Sir Evan kaya may time pa kami makapag-usap. Malayo pa lamang ay natanaw ko na si Miss Hana at ganoon din siya sa'kin. Nang makita ko siya ay kumakaway na 'to sa'kin sabay guhit ng isang malaking ngiti. Humakbang ako ng mabilis para makarating kaagad sa kanya at ng makalapit na ako sa kanya.

Nagkaroon kami ng seryosong pag-uusap ni Miss Hana. May mga ipinagbilin siya sa'kin at kagaya ng mga una niyang bilin ay hindi dapat ako makipag-usap kay Sir Evan kung hindi kailangan. Kailangan ko ring dumistansya sa kanya at kung pwede ay hindi ako direktang titingin sa mga mata niya. I don't know what she really means about that... Should I interpret that one literally? Or Is she trying to tell something beyond?

"Please Dana. I'm trusting you. Before I forget, this is the information you will need as her assistant for the meantime." Pag-abot niya sa'kin ng ilang documents at isang flash drive.

"Sige Miss Hana. I'll do my best." Matapos kong masabi 'yon sa kanya ay narinig ko ang phone niyang nag ring. Someone is calling her and she picked it up immediately.

"Hello Sir Evan. Where are you?" Si Sir Evan pala ang tumawag sa kanya. I'm sure that he's already here.

"Yes. Yes. I'll see you here Sir. Goodbye." siguro ay hinahanap na niya ang kinaroroonan namin.

After maibaba ni Miss Hana ang phone niya ay muli niyang ipinako sa'kin ang atensyon niya.

"He's here Dana." sabay layo ng paningin niya sa'kin papunta sa tinutukoy niya na alam ko naman na si Sir Evan.

I glanced at him too. Malayo pa lamang siya ay natatanaw ko na muli ang different soul niya. I just can't get myself used to it. Kahit na parati ko na 'yong nakikita sa office. He's now walking towards us and as always he got that look. Arcane yet charismatic. I just can't get my eyes off of him as he moves closer. His steps just unbelievably making my heart races with them.

"You're here Sir. Let's go." Miss Hana said, but she seems different now or this is the first time I saw her acts when she's with him? She's not looking at him directly and when I look at him... His glances are far.

We quickly move and followed Miss Hana, we are walking as if we don't know each other. It is as if we're strangers from each other that we should not talk nor touch each other. There is just BOUNDARY.

Evan:

Malayo pa lang ay tanaw ko na ang pamilyar niyang mukha.

I don't know.

I don't like her, but I don't hate her.

Iba kasi siya kung tumingin.

After remembering her last night, naaalala ko rin na ilang beses ko na rin naman pala siyang nakasama.

Siya pala 'yon.

Hindi ko alam at sa tuwing tinitingnan niya ako ay para siyang may nakikitang iba sa'kin.

Simula pa noong una ay pansin ko na ang kakaiba niyang tingin sa'kin. I don't know kung ano ba ang nakikita niya sa mukha ko at ganoon na lamang niya ako tingnan.

The way she looks at me feels like I'm someone different. Hindi kaya't alam na niya ang tungkol sa sekreto ko?

Dana:

We immediately landed on Beijing and of course nagmadali kaming dumeretso sa hotel na nabook na naman in advance.

I thought that there will be someone who will welcome and accompany us here, but there's no one.

Maybe it's because Sir Evan is native in this place. He knows everything about it.

I followed everything that Miss Hana said.

I kept myself distant with him.

Wala nga namang problema 'yon sa'kin kasi naman wala talaga akong right na makipag-usap sa kanya or just even look at him in the eye.

He's my boss and I'm very much far out from his league. Hindi pa kasali do'n ang nagawa kong pagkalaglag sa kanya.

After few hours in my room I went outside to wait for Sir Evan at the lounge.

He's out for a meeting with the investor. He needs to close this deal after three days and this is the first day.

I don't know what will be the procedure of their talk, but I'm sure that this investor is very much needed in the company the reason why Sir Evan brought himself here personally.

I was waiting for him for few minutes and then he came wearing his brown long coat and a suit inside.

He's just amazingly beautiful in my eyes right now.

It's the first time I saw the physical look of a person rather than the shade of his soul. I totally forgotten all about that and was captivated by his mere appearance.

Ngayon ko lang din mas na appreciate ang gwapo at nakakahumaling na hitsura ni Sir Evan.

Pilit kong inaalis ang paningin ko sa kanya, pero parang may sariling buhay ang mga mata ko at panay ang pagsulyap sa kanya.

Dammit.