A Miserable Romance

Chapter 4 - Join you

"Sino 'yun?" Kaye asked as she went to his table.

"Kaibigan ng roommate ko." He replied.

"Hm..." Kaye hummed at pumwesto sa bakanteng upuan sa harapan niya.

"Akala ko kanina pagkakita ko sa inyo..." before she could continue her words, Chase's eyes warned her.

She giggled, "Syempre akala lang 'yun! Ano ba. First time ko kasing makita kang mag interact sa ibang tao aside sakin. Lalo pa nakasakay ka sa kotse niya."

Chase ignored her sentiments and kept typing on his laptop.

"Nagmessage pala sakin si Mama." Kaye said looking at Chase, "Mukhang pindalhan na naman sila ng pera at agriculture supplies."

In that moment, Chase stopped. His fingers trembled.

Kaye scratched her hair, and it was just then he noticed that she had eyebags under her eyes. Halatang nagpuyat ito.

"Sinabihan ko na si mama na ano mang bagay ang ibigay sa kanya ulit ng baliw na 'yun, tanggihan niya nalang pero 'yun nga! Sayang raw kasi mukhang may magandang motibo! Uuwi nga ako this weekend para echeck ang bahay, baka hindi ko alam bahay at lupa na ang binigay." Kaye spoke in frustration.

"Hindi ba kayo nag-uusap?" she asked, "Hindi ba talaga siya titigil sa pagiging anghel? Alam kong may utang na loob kami sa kanya pero hindi naman niya kailangan dagdagan pa iyon!"

Chase lost him focus and tried to breathe to cool his tension, "Kailan lang?"

"Kahapon." Kaye answered. "Rinig ko komokontak pa rin siya sa mga magulang mo doon."

Kaye flinched when Chase punched the table.

Chase massaged his head in frustration and stayed in that position for a while.

Kaye sighed, "Nagpapansin, mukhang may balak na naman."

Chase didn't want to think and just clenched his fist in anger.

"Kailan nga ulit siya dadating?" Kaye asked.

Chase didn't want to talk about him but since things started again, he couldn't longer stay indifferent, "Next week."

"Hindi kayo nag usap?"

Chase shook his head.

Kaye sighed again, "You better talk these out to him. Hindi pwede ang ganyan, kukuha ng pabor sa mga taong nakapalibot sayo para ano? Kukunin ang loob mo at lolokohin ka ulit?"

Chase glared at her, "Ang boses mo Kaye."

"Totoo naman ah. Parang pader ang kakapal ng mukha. Kapag tapos na, dapat tapos na." she said

"I'm telling you this now Chase, he is still manipulating you and not only you, your whole world. Your family and friends pati nga pamilya ko nadala na sa plano niya. You are the center of this."

"Tapos na kami." He spoke.

"Kaya nga Chase, may balak ang baliw na yun—teka, may customer. Babalik ako, diyan ka lang." Kaye stood when he saw a dozon of customers went in. While Chase tried to ignore the disturbing feeling as he try to peel the skin on the tip of his finger. He started to overthink again when something blocked his view with a Nutella frappe.

"Gusto mo?" he lifted his head just to see Ofius slurping his own frappe. "Macharap."

Chase blinked as his mind made a reset. But Ofius's silly expression made him snap out of it.

"Mukha ka ng feeding program." Chase finally spoke. Wala itong may ginastos na kahit piso mula pa kaninang umaga.

But his statement made Ofius laugh, "Charity nalang." he suggested, "Pwede bang umupo dito?"

Chase already took the frappe and nodded, "It's free."

Ofius smile widened and immediately took the free seat. "Hindi ako sanay 'dun."

Chase looked at him, "Saan?"

Ofius places his empty plastic cup on the table, "D'un sa spot, ang ingay."

Chase turned around and saw that the spot he sometimes sat in was surrounded by occupied tables and chairs, full of young girls. That spot was usually isolated but this time, it wasn't kaya pala maingay. Chase turned back to him, looked at the man's messy hair and casual look that made all the guys around still petty, and finally understood why.

"Dito kana lang muna." He said that made Ofius smile widely.

"Pwede ba?" he asked, "Hindi na ako tatanggi."

Chase nodded and continued on with his work while Ofius sat idly by, playing with his phone before resuming his work.

"Hello." Ofius raised his head only to see the same lady who Chase has been talking to.

"Ah, hello po." He said politely.

Kaye smiled and turned to Chase then back to him, "Hindi mo ba nagustuhan yung spot na binigay ko?" she asked.

"Hindi naman po, naging hindi lang ako komportable." He scratched his head with a smile.

Kaye giggled, "Mabuti lang at pinayagan kang umupo dito, minsan kasi nangangagat yung nakaupo."

Chase frowned at her but ignored her words and continued on his work. Since Kaye was used on entertaining her customers, the two talked for a while, mostly Kaye asking about him.

"Hm...ang galling, bilib talaga ako sa mga tao na nakaka survive sa Architecture. Tanda ko pa noon nung college ko, dahil malapit lang yung department nila sa 'min, lagi naming nanonotice yung mga sangkadamak-mak na mga gamit na dala nila. May espadang mahaba, may mga mini house, tapos yung mga maiitim nilang eyebags."

Ofius laughed along with her, "Hindi kasi arki kapag hindi 'yan na e-experience."

"Trademark yarn?" she laughed.

"Ano po ba yung kinuha niyo nung college?" he asked.

"Marketing. Solid marketing." She said proudly.

Ofius couldn't help but to slip with the question, "Si Chase po? Magkaklase ba kayo?"

"Chase took Pharma..." Kaye didn't expect that the discussion would divert to Chase but it will be awfully awkward if she cut it off there, "...Chase was so good on his field but unfortunately, things happened at..."

Kaye just ended it with a silence since Chase isn't planning to join them.

"Ofius?"

Ofius and Kaye turned just to see a beautiful lady smiling, "Nandito ka?"

Ofius beamed a smile, "Stacy!" he was surprised, "Wala kayong pasok?"

The lady cutely shook her head, "Vacant ulit."

Kaye knew her face and also beamed in happiness, "Ikaw si Pretty Matcha Girl diba? Yung laging matcha ang inoorder?"

Stacy giggled, "Opo."

"I should prepare a table, excuse me first." she said.

Stacy then just smiled and walked towards Ofius, "The customers of this place were mostly girls and I seldomly see boys, meron ka sigurong inaabangan dito. Ikaw ha." She lightly punched his shoulder to tease him.

"Hindi ah," Ofius smiled, "Sadyang gusto ko lang ng bagong workplace."

Stacy giggled, "Talaga lang ha."

"Gusto mo bang umupo?" Ofius offered.

Stacy then looked around and finally saw that there was an extra person on the table. She pointed at him then turned to Ofius, "Who...?"

"Si Chase, um, roommate ni Kyle." He said and turned to Chase only to see that the man had no plans on introducing himself.

"He looks busy." Stacy said and took a chair to sit beside Ofius. "Dito nalang muna ako habang pineprepare table namin."

Ofius smiled stiffly, he felt like he was doing something wrong.

Stacy continued to talk, on how her day went on as Ofius would respond enthusiastically. They giggled and chuckled that when Stacy's friends called for her, the lady refused to come and said that she will stay on the table for a while since the ventilation was good in this area.

Ofius was very happy to have Stacy sit beside him, smiling and laughing but he really felt the strange discomfort.

Only when Stacy got thirsty did she go back to her friends and ordered together with them. Ofius finally sealed his lips and nervously looked at Chase's direction but he saw the man still working on his laptop. There was a bit of relief inside him and was about to apologize to Chase for the noise they made when he heard another call.

"Ofius!!"

Kyle and Jin ran towards him, "Wala sa usapan yung solohan diba!?"

"Na excite ata at binantayan si Stacy dito—Uy!" nagulat si Jin ng makita si Chase. Along with Kyle na biglang tumahimik.

"Anong nangyari? Bakit nandito?—" Kyle tried to ask him in a low voice but Ofius is aware that Chase could hear them so he both dragged his friends out.

But Stacy and her friends spotted them, "S'an kayo pupunta? Join na muna kayo dito!"

Kyle and Jin's attention was immediately diverted and it was their turn to drag Ofius towards table of the ladies.

Ofius wanted to excuse himself since his eyes were still locked on Chase but his friends were teasing too much that he needs to give attention to Stacy or else, he'll end up loveless with his crush.

Chase finally finished the epilogue and twist his neck gently, the place had become unusually noisy so he stood.

"Lunch kana?" Kaye asked as she passed by his table.

Chase nodded.

Kaye smirked understanding him well enough, "Lipat lugar na naman? Notice ko rin na naging maingay na ang shop compared to its early days. Baka mawala yung badge mo as our number 1 customer kapag lumipat ka ng lugar." she said teasingly.

"Maglulunch lang ako sa labas, babalik rin." he said.

"Okay, happy lunch. Sold out rin kasi chicken meals namin."

Chase went out and just after he got out did Ofius glanced at his table and was shocked to see that he disappeared. He stood and tried to find him.

Kaye noticed him and asked, "May nawawala ba?"

Ofius turned to her, "Yung kasama ko?"

"Ah si Chase? Umalis na siya." sagot nito.

And as what Ofius feared, Chase left in anger! He must have become uncomfortable because Ofius kept meeting with his friends and were being loud.

Kaye observed his expression and understood, "'Wag kang mag-alala, sanay na 'yun na walang kasama. Bumalik ka nalang sa mga kaibigan mo, tinatawag kana."

But Ofius was worried, "May sinabi po ba siyang babalik siya? Baka po kasi..."

Kaye smiled and patted Ofius on the shoulder, "If you really want to befriend him, just stay still." she said, "Don't make such effort."

She then left leaving Ofius in confusion.

"Oy Ofius! Ano pa ginagawa mo dyan?" his friends called him back.

He turned to them but he was strangely troubled.

...............

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