Imperious Series 3: As Always

Chapter 7

Ilang araw nang iniiwasan ni Lyka ang boss niya simula nang mangyari ang insidenteng iyon. She doesn't know if her boss was out of his mind, maybe crazy, or he was just joking around. Who would be in the right mind asking her to be his girl with his status in life and with her status in life? Mala-Cinderella ang peg ganoon? But she was not that ambitious. Like what her Yaya Mila said, they will live a new life. Until now, she hasn’t ask her yaya about the real reason why they were here. Not that she doesn't want to, but her yaya was quite avoiding the topic. Ayaw naman niyang i-pressure ito dahil maayos pa rin ang trato nito sa kanya at inaalagaan siya nang sobra-sobra like she was her own blood and flesh.

Going back with her boss, she was now summoned in his office. Not really though, but it's like that. Dahil ilang araw niya itong iniiwasan, she was ordered to check on him because he was not feeling well. Not. Feeling. Well. She rolled her eyes when she heard that from them. She wanted to refuse but that would be useless so she obliged, anyway she will just check on him then her work is done.

She knocked three times first before pushing the door open. At iyon nga ang bumungad sa kanya na labis niyang ikinadismaya. Her boss was standing in front of the door with a bouquet on his hands grinning like he won the lottery as he saw her. She thought he was not feeling well? Again, she rolled her eyes and didn't hide it from him making him grin so wide.

"I thought your sick, Sir?" she said sarcastically and entered the office. She didn't give a single glance at her boss as she took the seat in front of his table.

"Well, I am energized now that I saw you," madamdaming wika nito sa kanya. Seriously?

Kung ibang babae lamang siya ay baka na-fall na siya rito but she was not one of them. But she won't deny that her boss was charming and handsome and manly and... Hephep! awat ng isip niya. Why so many adjectives, good ones to be exact, to describe him? She sighed.

"I'm here to check on you, Sir." She placed kit on the table and took the thermometer then she motioned him to cooperate with her and he did for he leaned closer to her.

His body temperature was normal but why does she felt him hot as her skin touched his. Then he took his blood pressure. Normal. She clinged her head. Is something wrong with him? Or it was her? When she was finished, she stood up and headed towards the door.

"I'm not done yet," tawag nito sa kanya.

She sighed and faced him. "Aside from checking on you, may ipapagawa pa po ba kayo?" walang buhay na tanong niya rito.

"Why don't you sit down?"

Parang wala siyang narinig sa sinabi nito dahil hindi siya gumalaw sa kinatatayuan niya. "Mabalin sa pag-check-up sa inyo ano pa po? Kung hindi naman related, pwede na ba akong umalis?"

"You're avoiding me," he said firmly.

"Isn't it obvious?" she didn't deny it. Halatado naman. Manhid lang ang hindi nakakahalata. At manhid ito o sadyang hindi lang ito makaintindi na hindi niya ito gusto.

"Why?" He was hurt. The look on his eyes shows he was hurt or was disappointed. No he was hurt. It wasn't disappointment. She was sure of that. "Am I not attractive to you? Bagay naman tayo sa tingin ko."

She sighed. She doesn't know what to say to him but she needed to start and tell him what's on her mind. "Sa totoo lang, Sir gwapo kayo, aside from mayaman kayo, walang babaeng hindi magkakagusto sa inyo pero---"

"But you're not one of them," putol nito sa sasabihin niya.

"I am one of them but I don't have time for it. I like you but liking you isn't my priority. Aside from that, we're not in the same level. Mayaman ka, mahirap lang ako. You see we're not in the same boat. So stop it. Mapapagod ka lang. At marami riyang iba same as you. I don't want any problem in the future," she said then turned around, walked out the door.

She sighed. Again. Well, she just told was she's thinking. She'll be a hypocrite if she denied she didn't like him. For the first time in her life, she liked someone and it was him. Siguro dahil gwapo ito. Marahil dahil tinulungan siya nito pero hanggang doon lamang iyon. Her heart was racing everytime she saw him. But getting deeper than liking him, she didn't think of that. Wala siyang planong palalimin ang nararamdaman niya. Her priority was to finish her studies and be a doctor and she will do anything to do so. Anything for her to become a doctor.

"Then give me a try?" narinig niyang wika ng boss sa likuran niya. "A month," hirit pa nito. "I'll court you for a month and if you feel nothing then I'll stop. Just please. Please give it a try. Wala namang mawawala sa iyo kung susubukan mo."

She didn't take a look at him and continued walking out on him. Wala nga rin namang mawawala sa kanya but she doesn't want to risk something, her future and her feelings. She has a goal to achieve and she wanted to focus on it.

Natapos ang maghapon niya ng hindi na siya iniistorbo ng boss and she was thankful to that but she was mistaken because when she came out of the building, her boss was there leaning on his car waiting for her. How did she know? Because the moment he saw her, he immediately went to her and took her bag. Eyes were on them and she doesn't want to cause a scene. She wanted to work peacefully but her boss was making it complicated, so complicated.

"Hindi ka ba nakakaintindi?" angil niya rito habang hinihila ang hawak nitong bag niya.

"Not until you give me an answer, a try." He was so cool not minding the eyes and the ears around them. "Just a month," dagdag pa nito sa kanya.

"Kung bored ka, maghanap ka nalang nang ibang mapaglalaruan mo," muli niyang angil dito at pilit pa ring hinihila ang bag niya sa binata.

"I'm not bored. It's you that I want."

"Well, I don't want you. Hindi mo ba maintindihan iyon." May kalakasan na ang boses niya dahil sa inis sa lalaki.

Bryan took a deep breathe feeling defeated. "Ihahatid na kita." At may kalakasan nitong hinila ang bag niya at nagpatiunang maglakad sa sasakyan nito.

Akala siguro nito ay mapapasunod siya nito. We'll no, so she headed to the opposite direction not minding her bag at him. Nasa bulsa naman niya ang cellphone at may pera pa naman siyang dala, kasya na siguro iyon sa pamasahe. She walked on the street and hailed a taxi. Saktong makapasok na siya sa taxi nang ma-realize nito na hindi siya susunod and saw him went out of his car. He looked for her and even asked someone, pointed her direction, inside the taxi. May pagmamadali ang kilos nitong tinungo ang sasakyan at hinabol siya. When his car disappeared from her sight, she felt relieved. Tomorrow is another day so she must relax for now. Batid niya kasing hindi siya nito tatantanan so she must braise herself.

"Good luck, self!"