Undying Flame (Nathan Kyle & Jhauztine Chloe Story)

Chapter 12

With the sudden shift of the things in my career, I got really busy. It helped that I'm working under someone I know, it made me feel at ease, not anxious whether I'm doing my job right or not.

The only thing I hated about it is that I had less and less time for Kyle. Ilang beses niya kasi akong inaya na lumabas for lunch pero hindi na kaya, malayo kasi sa opisina ko ang bago kong deployment. Kapag sinasabi ko naman na magkita kami ng gabi, laging hindi siya puwede kasi ang oras daw na 'yon ay para kay Reena.

I felt cheap whenever he tells me that. Para akong kabit na nakikihati sa atensyon at oras niya. Pero wala ako sa tamang lugar para magreklamo, dahil ginugusto ko naman lahat ng ito.

"Chloe, puwede ikaw na lang magtanong kay Sir Ric kung paano ang gusto niya rito? Naka-leave raw kasi ang Head ng IT Department niya, wala namang may alam na iba. Ang advice sa'kin do'n, si Sir Ric na lang daw ang kausapin."

Napahinto ako sa pagbabasa ng emails at nagtaas ng tingin sa ka-team ko. It's already no secret that Ric and I go way back. Hindi ako ang nagsabi pero si Ric mismo. I got no violent reaction, contrary to what I've been thinking. Sinabi pa ng ani Sir Anton na maganda nga raw dahil ibig sabihin may advantage kami sa paghandle ng account nila.

Ric treats me differently compared to his other employees. Pansin ko 'yon at pansin ng lahat 'yon. He's usually pissed everything, yells a lot, and pretty much glowers at everybody, except me. When I told him that he should put me in the same category with the others, he just laughed at my face and told me "I can't do that to my baby sister".

Which explains why everyone thinks of me whenever sh!t starts to hit tha fan around this place. Or kapag may kailangan silang tanungin kay Ric, sa'kin sila lumalapit. You can call me the modern Mercury, the messenger of Ric.

"Okay, sige. Tapusin ko lang 'to." tugon ko saka ko sinabi na i-send niya na lang sa'kin 'yong mga tanong niya.

I was skimming my emails, targeting the most important when my phone vibrated. I mindlessly took it and swiped to read. I almost dropped my phone when I saw Kyle's name there.

Kyle: Clo, can we meet at six pm today? Reena's going to go to a party with her boss and I need to keep myself busy just so I won't think much about it."

My hands shook upon reading it. The rational part of me wanted to turn him down. Pakiramdam ko para akong pampalipas oras, a distraction from the real thing.

But the stupid side of me battled, if I don't grab this one. Ano lang ang mayroon kami? Ito lang naman talaga ang kaya niyang ibigay sa akin.

Me: Sure. Saan tayo mamaya?

Kyle: Baskin-Robbins na lang.

Anywhere with you is far more than okay.

Me: Sure, just tell me which branch. I'll see you there.

Hinintay ko munang i-text niya sa'kin kung saan bago ako tumayo at magpunta kay Ric.

I stepped inside his office once his secretary announced me in, "What's up?" he asked without looking at me.

"May questions daw kasi 'yong kasama ko tungkol sa isang memo. Wala raw kasi ang IT Head mo kaya sa'yo na lang ako magtatanong."

"Wala bang bibig mga kasama mo? Bakit ikaw na lang laging nagpupunta sa'kin?"

Bahagya akong natawa saka inukopa ang upuan sa harap ng mesa niya. "Ang sungit-sungit mo kaya. Malamang lahat sila takot sa'yo."

He stopped working on his laptop to glare at me. But I stuck my tongue out which made him chuckle. "Una, maarte ako. Ngayon masungit naman? Ano pa ba ang mga puwede mong sabihin sa'kin?"

Umiling na lang ako at inabot sa kanya ang iPad kung saan dati ng nakabukas ang email na kailangan kong ipakita sa kanya.

"I think I sent an email regarding this. Sabihin mo sa kasama mo i-double check.ang thread."

I nodded my head. "Okay, sige." Aalis na sana ako kaso naalala ko 'yong sinabi ni Mama na imbitahan minsan si Ric sa'min for dinner. "Ay, Ric. Tinatanong ni mama kung puwede ka raw mag-dinner one time sa bahay. Curious siya kung ano na itsura mo, kung uhugin ka pa rin."

He reached for a paper, crumpled it and threw it to me, hitting me by the shoulder. I glared at him, but he shrugged it off with a chuckle. "Of course, puwede ako ngayong gabi."

Napakagat ako sa ibaba kong labi sabay iling. "Di puwede ngayon. Bukas ng gabi?"

Sandali siyang napahinto sa pagbabasa at napatitig sa'kin. He squinted his eyes, "Bakit? May date ka ngayon 'no? Alam ba ni Tita iyan?"

I felt my cheeks flaring while I did my best to hide it withmy hair. "H-hindi! W-wala. . .hindi date. Lalabas lang ako kasama 'yong kaibigan ko."

"Kaibigan? Kailangan ko na bang makilala 'yan para matakot ko na? So, I can tell him where and what he'll end up with if he ever hurts my baby sister."

"Hindi nga! Kaibigan lang. Iss!"

He chuckled before he handed me back the iPad. "Okay, sige. Sabi mo eh. But tomorrow night, I'll join you for dinner. I'll let Maureen clear my schedule."

Wala na akong sinabing iba, basta nagmadali na lang akong lumabas ng opisina niya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako nahihiya na naiinis nang sinabi niya ang mga 'yon. Siguro dahil alam kong hanggang pagkakaibigan lang naman talaga ang mayroon kami ni Kyle?

Na ako lang si tanga na umaasa na baka naman, baka sakaling magiging higit pa roon ito?

"Hay, ang tanga tanga ko."

Like what is planned, I went to Baskin-Robbins as soon as my shift ended. Kinakabahan pa nga ako nang una dahil wala pa si Kyle. Natatakot ako na baka na-indian na naman ako, but he arrived. Ten minutes late but I didn't mind.

He started our ice cream with heavy silence dominating. Hanggang sa nauna siyang nagsalita.

"Sorry, hindi ko natanong kung mahilig ka ba sa ice cream. Reena loves going here kahit hindi siya masyadong pinapayagan ni Tita ng maraming matamis. Siguro, 'yon din ang dahilan kung bakit ito ang unang pumasok sa isip ko."

Napatikhim ako at pinilit-lunukin ang sorbetes na kakasubo ko. Ano bang dapat kong isagot sa sinabi niya?

"S-sobrang mahal mo siya 'no?" I gulped, the lump in my throat getting bigger and I say more. "Kasi parang lahat ng ginagawa mo kung hindi para sa kanya, ay may koneksyon sa kanya."

Napatango siya at napangiti habang nakatitig sa ice cream sa harap niya. "I guess, that's the way to put it. Ever since, I met her when we were kids, my world revolved around her. She's precious to me, like her name Reena Diamond. And just like how valuable that name means, ganoon ako katakot na mawala siya sa'kin."

"Reena Diamond pala ang pangalan niya, nickname lang pala yong first name niyang Reena."

He smiled wider. "Yup. Parang sayo lang. Pagkakaiba nga lang ang second name mo ang gamit mong nickname. Which remind that both your names are biblical. Kaya siguro mabilis kong naalala pangalan mo no'n"

Napatingin ako sa labas para hindi niya makita ang pagkadismaya sa mukha ko. All this time, I thought I was something he remembered on his own. Hindi pala.

"If there's one thing from the past you're going to take here in present, what is it?"

I slowly turned to face him and saw how intently he's staring at me. My heart started to race, "I-I don't know. . .maybe my doll house?"

"Doll house?" he looks like I piqued his interest.

I nodded my head and fished my phone. I mindlessly showed him the snap I took from the family album. "This doll house. Papa made this himself and gave it to me when I was seven. Nawala kasi nang umuwi kami rito sa Pilipinas, I never saw it since."

Sandali siyang nakatitig doon. I wonder what he's thinking.

"Ikaw ba? Anong babalikan mo sa nakaraan?"

His silence went on for about a minute. Saka niya binuksan ang cellphone niya at pinakita sa'kin ang picture ng isang babae. May hawak ito na ice cream at ngiting-ngiti sa camera.

"Is. . .is that her? Is that Reena?" sobrang ganda niya. She has a face of an angel.

Napatango siya. "I want to relive the times when I'm only the reason why she smiles this way."

I tried my hardest to smile at him even though my heart was breaking. "Oo yan. Ikaw pa."