The Hater 3: Hated to Love You (The Hater Trilogy #3) [SPG]

7 [Part 2] | Someone Beside

"Ayusin mo talaga, kung hindi, ikaw ang aayusin ko, makikita mo," Cera fiercely commanded her boyfriend. She looked at Allen who was just silently looking at the door. "Ang tahimik mo ata?"

"Wala lang," Allen replied while smiling back to Cera. "I'm actually happy that I'll get to leave this place already. Pero you know this, somehow, I'll miss the bland taste of the foods here."

"You'll miss the place and the bland taste of the food in this hospital or..." Cera looked at him intently. "You'll miss that particular someone na palaging bumibisita sa 'yo?"

"That, of course," Allen replied that made Cera almost shriek his lung out. "I'll miss Serim and his bluntness, for sure."

"Sabi na, e," Cera uttered before pointing her fingers to Allen's side. "Mam-miss mo naman pala, e. Denial ka pa diyan."

"SS na lang po, separate sooner," Alvin kidded. A piece of shoe immediately landed on his face, it was thrown by Cera. "Aray naman, nagj-joke lang ako, e."

"Mukha ba kaming nakikipagbiruan?" tanong ni Cera sa kaniyang jowa. She turned his gaze to Allen who was still looking at the door. "Kaya ka ba palaging nakatingin sa pinto kasi hinihintay mo siya na pumasok?"

"Kind of," Allen replied that made Cera knot her forehead. "I'm thinking if he'll be able to go here today. Hindi rin ako sure kung pupunta ba siya o hindi. I'm just hanging onto my hopes that he'll come here."

"Ay, bakit?" tanong ni Cera habang nakataas ang kaniyang mga kilay. "Is he not coming? May problema ba? Kung kailan aalis ka na tuloy, saka siya mawawala. Ang gulo talaga ng mga lalaki."

"Wala naman," Allen replied and smiled bitterly. "I guess we should not wait anymore, Cera and Alvin. Tara na, alis na tayo."

Cera stopped him from standing up. "No, hintayin muna natin si Serim. Baka naman na-traffic lang o ano."

"Huwag na tayong umasa na pupunta siya rito, Cera," Allen replied before heaving a deep sigh. "I did something that hurt his pride. Dapat lang sa 'kin na ma-snob."

Minutes later, they saw themselves sitting inside the car Alvin is driving. Alvin and Cera are both on the front seat while Allen remained at the back, looking outside the window. "Ayos ka lang talaga, Allen? Mukhang maputla tapos matamlay ka kanina pa."

"Gutom lang siguro ako," Allen replied and smiled. "By the way, hindi dito ang way papunta sa bahay ko. Sa'n tayo pupunta?"

Alvin looked at the mirror which Allen looks at as well. "Dadalhin ka namin sa headquarter. Mr. Ciete has something to tell you ata."

"Si Mr. Ciete? May sasabihin sa 'kin?" tanong niya. Agad rin naman siyang tinanguan ng dalawa. "Okay." He nodded before looking away from both of them.

Hindi rin naman nagtagal ay kaagad silang nakarating sa headquarter ng PRG. There, Allen was left alone by the two and was told to go to their boss' office.

"Mr. Ciete," he casually said as he entered the room where there is his boss sitting on his own chair. "Alvin and Cera told me that you have something to tell me po, so I headed here first."

"I have something to talk with you?" Mr. Ciete asked. He was also confused, by just looking at the reaction of his face. Allen raised his brows. "Wala akong maalalang sinabi ko sa kanila."

"Wala po?" Allen asked while raising his brows respectfully. "But, they told me that you have something to tell me. I must have misheard it. I shall go, sir. I'm sorry for interrupting."

Mr. Ciete stood up even before him. "Wait, 0079," the boss called him and looked at him intently. The boss walked pass the member before turning his gaze to him. "Follow me, then. I'll take you to somewhere."

"Po?" Naguguluhan pa rin si Allen that time pero kaagad niya na lang rin sinunod ang tinuran ng kaniyang boss. They were in the middle of walking through the corridor when Allen talked once more. "Where are we going, Mr. Ciete?"

"How long have you been here, 0079?" the boss asked the question. Though he is the one who asked it, he continued the statement with the answer. "You have been serving my gang for almost four years already. Nakalakad ka na sa pathway na 'to, ilang beses na. If you really know this place, you'll know where we are headed to."

"This is the way to the hall, sir," Allen replied while turning his gaze from left to right. "This is my first time to go here, Mr. Ciete. Is there a celebration we should celebrate?"

Both of them stopped upon seeing the door of the hall in front of them. "I do not know what will happen next," the boss replied and smiled. "I'll walk until here. You should be the one to open the door for now."

"Hindi ka po papasok sa loob?" Allen asked before turning to Mr. Ciete with confusion in his eyes. "What is happening?"

"You'll know once you open that door and enter eventually," Mr. Ciete said. "What I can tell you is that, enjoy."

Kaagad ring tumalikod si Mr. Ciete at naglakad papalayo kay Allen. Wala namang nagawa si Allen kung hindi ang buksan ang pinto ng hall at pumasok sa loob mag-isa niya.

What greeted him is the pale black surrounding. He tried to find the switch on the wall but he failed, so he just shouted. "Hello," he called to the nowhere. "Is someone out there?"

The pale black place eventually lit up when someone talked. "Welcome back, Allen!" It was a voice of a girl. It is surely Cera. "We're glad to see you back in the camp."

There were even some made men who popped the party poppers before they all yelled in chorus. "Welcome back, Allen!"

Allen slowly walked through where they are. "Oh," he muttered in surprise. "Thank you, guys..."

"You're in shock, right?" tanong ni Cera at niyakap nang mahigpit si Allen. "Sorry na, gusto kasi namin na maganda ang pagbabalik mo dito sa headquarter kaya nag-abala kami."

"And of course, hindi namin sinabi sa 'yo kasi nga surprise," sagot naman ni Alvin at natawa. "Mukhang nagulat ka naman."

"Nagulat talaga ako," Allen replied and smiled. "Hinatid ako sa harap ng hall ni Mr. Ciete tapos papapasukin niya ako dito mag-isa."

"Natakot ka ba?" tanong ni Cera at natawa. "Hindi ka takot makipalitan ng bala tapos takot ka sa dilim. By the way, kasabwat namin si Mr. Ciete kaya kung ano mang sinabi niya sa 'yo, part 'yon ng plano."

Allen nodded in realization. "Kaya pala sabi niya sa 'kin, enjoy. Hindi ko inaasahan na para sa 'kin pala lahat ng 'to."

"Actually, si Mr. Ciete ang may plano nito. Kung may pasasalamatan ka, dapat si Mr. Ciete 'yon. Favorite ka talaga ng boss natin, dude. How ba kasi?" Cera uttered and laughed. "By the way, sabi mo kanina gutom ka. Tara punta tayo sa catering."

The crowd has been hyping to the music since the start of the welcoming party, but the one who came back and is the very reason why they are celebrating is just sitting on the corner, holding the glass of his juice.

Cera noticed how silent Allen is, so she immediately approached her friend. "Allen," she called. Kaagad lang naman siyang tinignan ni Allen. "Can I sit beside you?"

Allen nodded. "Go lang."

"Kanina pa kita napapansin na tahimik ka lang rito." Cera looked at him with worry. "Anong mayro'n? Sabi ka lang sa 'kin."

"Wala lang naman, naninibago lang ako nang slight," Allen replied and smiled, though Cera knows that smile is not Allen's legit smile. "Actually, hindi pala. It feels something new. I don't know what I'm feeling."

"You don't know what you're feeling?" tanong ni Cera at napaawang ang kilay. "Kapag ganito siguro ako katahimik, for sure, may iniisip ako or may nam-miss ako. It's either one of the two palagi. Baka kasi applicable rin sa 'yo. So, sino bang iniisip mo?"

"Kung iniisip mong si Serim ang taong nam-miss ko..." Allen paused and looked at Cera. "Well, I won't deny."

"Sabi na, e. Na-attach ka rin sa tao," ani Cera at ngumiti. "May nasabi ka kaninang may nagawa kang masama ba 'yon? Ano bang nangyari kasi?"

"About that, Serim actually..." Allen hesitated at first in continuing. "Serim actually confessed to me... that he liked me."

"Talaga?" tanong ni Cera na tila gulat na gulat. "Nis-ship ko lang kayo, hindi ko alam na may gusto pala siya sa 'yo."

"'Yon nga, and I dumped him." Allen and Cera both were surrounded with silence. "I don't know why I did that, pero alam kong hindi naman magw-work. Lalo na sa line of work natin na 'to."

"Well, I agree. This line of work really is a hindrance for a good romantic relationship," Cera replied and rubbed Allen's back. "Matanong lang kita, if you dumped him already and you know that you don't like him, bakit mo nam-miss?"

"Hindi ko rin nga alam, e. Even I, myself, is regretting with my own life decisions." Allen heaved a deep sigh before looking at Cera with worry in his eyes. "I am confused. I don't know if I'm thinking of him because of the guilt or because I do also like him..."