Beyond The Square One (BTSO2)

S q u a r e E l e v e n ( H E )

I wake up with a sharp, stabbing headache and heavy chest. When I open my eyes, the first thing I notice is the empty side of the bed. Where's Ariel? Making breakfast, perhaps?

I struggle to stand up, remembering how I've been trying all my might yesterday to tell Ariel that I hired Aurora. Yes, I did. Out of need, I temporarily put Aurora in charge of the bank as she has offered a helping hand. I understand that her motive is to make sure that the funds for the foundation is restored before its big event. No more, no less. Even when Ariel doesn't need to know, I still have plans on telling her. But yesterday was a complete mess from her silence in the morning on that damned rooftop to the disastrous family dinner. I had been constantly distracted yesterday but today, I shouldn't have any more excuses to say. Ang gusto ko lang naman talaga, more time with Ariel. And with me, taking care of the bank and the Fuentebella Domaines at the same time, I'll crack up my schedule. Especially with the Fuentebella General Hospital's construction going on under our empire and my new house, with me, being the personal Engineer of both.

"Ariel?"

No answer. I take my phone from the bed side table and dial her number, but she's out of reach. Where could she possibly be?

It's 7am, I'm pretty sure she's not in the office yet but I'll take my chances.

"Hello, Pamela? Have you seen Ariel?"

"Boss, wala pa ako sa office. I'll let you know once I get there."

I walk into the living room, kitchen, and lastly, the dining room. That's when I finally find this small sticky note that smells like her signature Vanilla scent.

"Gone for a jog. Be back by 7am for breakfast then work. Good morning, Macchiato! ;)"

It's 7:15 and she's not here yet. I wonder what she's keeping from me. I know Ariel so much that the thought of jogging doesn't even cross her mind. Or am I just frightened of my own shadows? Because I know that there's something I'm not telling her YET, too.

A buzz on the door suddenly jolts me from brief reverie. When I check on the security lens, it's Ariel.

"Hi! Caramel macchiato for my fiancé?"

I stare at her with an impassive face. She's wearing jogging shorts, sweatshirt, and running shoes, alright. "Where have you been? Nasaan ang susi mo?"

"Nag-jogging sa BGC. Nainggit

lang ako sa mga tao do'n kaya nakitakbo din ako."

"Nainggit ka din sa tattoo ni Regis pero hindi ka nagpalagay no'n. Saan ka talaga galing? Don't make me repeat that."

She raises a brow. "Umagang-umaga, may topak ka? Mag-kape nga muna tayo."

Walking past me, she heads straight to the dining table and places the to-go cups of the rich-smelling caramel macchiato from Tiffany's. I hate it when she's using my weaknesses against me.

"You smell nice," I say to her ear as I hug her from her back and sniff on her neck.

"Nag-jogging ako, Eric. How can you say that when I just got back in sweats?"

I find it odd, too, that she still smells like she's fresh out from her Vanilla shower rather than a polluted jog in BGC. Instead of arguing, I try to tug her conscience with the all time dramatic blow... "I love you. Remember that."

She stops whatever she's doing and faces me. "May problema ba?"

Then the thought starts kicking in. Aurora. Once Ariel finds out, she'll flip the bejesus out of me. It will definitely break her heart. But I had no choice. I needed someone who could understand the book-keeping and accounting responsibilities other than myself and she was there. "Do we need to have a problem before I can tell you I love you?"

"Hindi naman. It's just that... The way you say it, parang calm before the storm ang dating na sa sobrang kalmado mo, kinakabahan ako na may kasunod siyang hindi maganda. Unlike how you used to say it as a confession of a feeling, now it sounds more like... Like a warning."

"It's a reminder, Ariel. Kasi gusto kong maalala mong mahal kita. With all of what's left in me. I love you."

She places both of her warm hands on either side of my face and gives me a chaste kiss. "Kinakabahan ako sa'yo. Baka kung anu-anong kalokohan na naman ang naiisip mong impakto ka, ha?"

Suddenly, I feel melodramatic. Like minutes before, I feel so mad for not seeing her when I open my eyes. Now I feel emotional remembering how she saved my ass for the second time last night. Nope, today is not the day to tell her about the Aurora News Flash. "That will never happen again. I promise."

Without another word, she wraps her arms around my nape and I hug her back. Si Ariel na lang ata ang dahilan ko para mabuhay. With what I did last night to my parents and my brothers, I don't think I still have the face to show up.

"I love you, my caramel. Kahit anong mangyari, 'wag mo 'kong iiwan. I will never attempt to do that in Magsaysay again. Maybe next time I'll try it in Roxas Station but that's in another life."

She giggles. "Dapat lang, Eric. Kasi kapag ginawa mo 'yon, magsasabay na tayo. Magpapaiwan ba naman ako sa'yo dito?"

I squeeze her even more, closing my eyes in a tight shut. "Can't you just say you love me, too?"

"I love you more."

Perhaps I really need to hear that as an assurance. Nothing beats the feeling of being loved back by the person you love the most. I don't say it very often and today makes a difference but I love Ariel more than myself. I'm fvcking sure of that.

"Sa bangko ka ngayon, 'di ba?"

The breakfast talk was very light compared to these past few days when we had to argue about a lot of things. Today seems like we've finally restored our seamless sync.

As we walk to the parking lot, I hold her hand and carry her small bag on the other. "I can stay in BGC for the first couple of hours, if you want," I suggest.

"Okay lang ba? Namiss ko kasi 'yung halos hindi kami makapagsalita kapag nandiyan ka kasi takot silang lahat sa'yo."

I smirk, opening the passenger door for her, "Sila? So ikaw, hindi ka takot sa'kin?"

She waits until I'm buckled in my seat, too, before answering playfully with... "Takot din ako. Takot akong mawala ka."

With a stupid grin, we drive away the fifteen-minute distance from my unit to BGC.

"Madam, dumating na 'yung requested applicant mo..."

The girl's voice starts shrinking when she realizes I'm just behind Ariel. Technically, I still own the company but it's up to Ariel now if she has to reprimand the employee for speaking in vernacular.

"Talaga? Nasaan na daw?"

And of course, she wouldn't. Ako lang naman ang sinisita ni Ariel sa EOP na 'yan. Masyado siyang mabait sa empleyado kaya mas gusto nila sa kaniya kasi siya, kayang-kaya nilang i-approach. That's initially what I'm trying to avoid— being all too approachable until it becomes difficult to say 'no' to their requests. Tumitigas ang mga ulo at kumakapal ang mga mukha ng mga empleyado kapag masyado kang mabait.

I have a lot of things going on in my mind, like what I said. There's the bank, there's the news about Aurora, there's the San Juans that could possibly be related to Ariel biologically, and the most important detail of my life which is our wedding. That should happen anytime soon before she changes her mind about me. And now, I have to add another one. Whoever this applicant is, I'm freaking sure this has got to be a part of Ariel's life that I have not seen yet.

"Dito ka muna, boss. May applicant ako ngayon. Okay?" she says, leaving me in my office.

Out of curiosity, I check on this 'applicant' only to see that she's from Republic Mortgages, another person from Ariel's past. And I have to make sure that our pasts will not interfere with what's ahead of us so before she can make this mistake, I have to do something about it. You know, take over the interview and find something unlikeable in her background to dig in and push her to withdraw her application herself.

But instead of finding flaws, I find something even more interesting about this girl that makes me want to meet her.

Ten minutes later, I find myself walking into Conference Room C to see for myself if she's a legit Girbaud. And sitting across the long conference table with Ariel is a girl wearing high ponytail for her straight jetblack hair. Her back is on me.

"Cyrene, I want you to meet the owner of Fuentebella International Housing and Mortgages. Mr. James Eric Fuentebella."

Slowly yet with poise and finesse that I've expected when I glanced at her profile, she turns to face me and that signature Girbaud smile is plastered on her face. She stands up straight, reaches a hand out to shake mine. On a normal day, I'd refuse to shake hands with an applicant unless I'm sure I have a box of sanitizer under the table. But because it's so smooth of a move from an applicant who doesn't even seem intimidated by me, I shake hands with her.

"Welcome to Fuentebella International Housing and Mortgages, Ms. Cyrene Chanel Girbaud."

She's wearing a floral loose blouse that matches her plain carnation high-pencil-cut skirt and peach towers, all in pastel colors. By the way she stands and carry her dress, I'm sure she's a legit French girl.

"Thank you, Mr. Fuentebella."

"So, how are you related to the Girbauds in France?"

If not for my observant eye, I wouldn't have noticed that glare she shoots Ariel with that my little mermaid just laughs off.

"I told you. You can't hide anything from this man, Pusheen. Trust me," Ariel says with a grin.

Cyrene looks back. "Let's just pretend you don't know about it. Because I'm dead once they figure out I'm here in the Philippines."

I lock the glass doors of Conference Room C and walk around the table to sit beside Ariel. "Have a seat, Cyrene. Let's just talk, casually, about random things, instead. Sigurado naman akong hired ka na sa CEO after this interview, right?" I glance at Ariel to see her face turning red from blushing.

"Eric," Ariel mutters.

"Ikaw pala 'yung nagpapaiyak sa bestfriend ko, e," Cyrene says.

"Oo, Pusheen, pero 'yan din ang nagpapasaya sa'kin," Ariel says, smirking.

If not for the other person, I would've showered her with kisses for saying that.

"Kayo na nga ba talaga nitong kaibigan ko, Mr. Fuentebella?" Cyrene asks with bulging eyes. Hey, relax. I'm not a monster.

"Yes. She's my fiancé."

Her eyes grow larger. "Hindi mo man lang sinabi sa'kin! Alam na ba ng mga kuya mo? Sigurado ka na ba? Fiancé mo na ba talaga 'yan?"

Cyrene's fine etiquette vanishes when she learns about Ariel's engagement to me. Ariel laughs at her again. With a deep after-sigh, she looks up at me with an inexplicable smile. "Yes. He's my life."

For the second time, I want to kiss her for saying that. And now I've literally lost my restraint. Despite my awareness that someone is in the same room with us, I carefully lift her chin so she looks up at me and the same excitement I feel whenever we're about to kiss is still there. Growing, burning. I look into her almond eyes, her cute little nose, her cherry lips, and with eyes peacefully closed, I kiss her.

Who says struggles can murder our fairytale-like relationship? This is the Caramel-Macchiato-Love-Team. No single fvcking thing can come between us, remember that.