When Blue Descends

CHAPTER 14

“So, for the past months, our performance has been great and I believe it will be better for the next month. I am proud to all of you, especially to our beloved president, Miss Maia”

I smiled forcefully as I heard Zeke utter my name which is then followed by the other members of the executive officers smiling at me.

I then gently tap my finger on the paper in front of my showing the monthly performance of our company. I didn’t manage to say any word until the meeting ended as the other officers goes out of the meeting room leaving me with Zeke who’s now looking at me with both of his hands resting against his hips.

“What’s wrong?” he asks as he walks closer to me and sits beside me.

“Sorry, I’m just a little tired,” I answered and look at him.

He’s just looking at me directly in my eyes with no expression on his face as if he doesn’t believe me.

“Personal,” I uttered as I don’t want to share my problem with him and don’t want to burden him and it is not that much of a big problem.

He smiled at me and slowly nods.

I then look at my wristwatch and then stands as I tidy up my things.

“School?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered and inaya na siyang lumabas ng meeting room. Sumunod naman siya sa akin at sinabayan ako ng lakad kahit pa tahimik lang siya at wala namang sinasabi.

“What is it, Zeke?” tanong ko sa kaniya nang makarating na kami sa tapat ng opisina ko.

“My birthday is on Friday…” he started.

I look at him patiently even though I already know what he’ll say.

“I kinda want to invite you to dinner?” he asked hesitantly.

I smiled at him and nod my head. I kind of feel bad though for forgetting that his birthday is coming while he never forgets mine.

“Alright, just message me the details,” I said and walks into my room leaving him smiling in front of my door.

I took a deep sigh as soon as my door shuts as I went into my office and saw the bouquet that had been delivered here in my office earlier with my mother’s name on the card asking how I am despite what she said yesterday when she called.

Mama

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A sudden rush of mixed emotions bothered my emotions as I try to pick up my phone and answer her call.

“Ma! Napatawag po kayo?” tanong ko nang sagutin ko iyong tawag niya.

“Anak, nasaan ka?” diretsong tanong niya sa akin.

Napakamot naman ako sa batok ko saka pinaandar iyong sasakyan patakbo sa loob ng gate nang bumukas na ito.

“Nasa bahay na po,” sagot ko at hindi na lamang pinansin iyong naramdaman kong kaunting disappointment dahil hindi man lang niya ako tinanong kung kamusta ako.

“Birthday na ng kapatid mo sa Sabado, pupunta ka ba or magpapadala ka nalang ng pera?” tanong niya ulit sa akin.

Ipinindot ko naman iyong mute button saka ipinarada ang sasakyan ko at napabuntong hininga pagkababa ko ng sasakyan. Nakita ko naman si Nanay Neli na tumatakbo palabas ng bahay para ako ay salubungin kaya naman napangiti ako sa kaniya nang bahagya. Mukha namang napansin niyang hawak ko ang phone ko kaya naman nag-bow siya saglit at pumasok na ng bahay.

Pinindot ko na iyong unmute button sa phone kosaka sinagot iyong tanong ni mama.

“Hindi ko po alam, titignan ko po muna iyong schedule ko,” sagot ko saka muling napabuntong hininga dahil sa bigat ng nararamdaman ko.

“Ahh, ganoon ba? Oh sige, balitaan mo nalang kami kung pupunta ka o magpapadala ka nalang ng pera,” saad niya saka ibinaba na agad iyong tawag kaya naman napakunot ang noo ko at napatingin sa telepono kong ngayon ay nakapatay na.

I then bite my lips and went in my messages and typed in my feelings for her but then decided to just erased everything and went straight to my house.

I asked Kimberly earlier if my schedule will be free on Saturday and she said no which somehow disappoints me. I know, immature. I'm immature that I don’t want to go to my sister’s birthday because whenever I go to Cebu and tries to spend time with them, they just make me feel that all they care about is my money and my siblings. I am just nothing but a piggybank to them.

“Ma’am?”

I turn around only to see Kimberly with her head peeking behind the door. I then furrow my brows and take a step forward.

“Hindi ka pa po ba papasok?” she asked making me smile lighter at her and nod my head as I told her that I will be just changing my outfit to my uniform.

Agad na akong umalis ng Ethereal saka dumiretso sa school. Compare na nakagisnan kong oras ng pagpasok ay mas-late ako nang kaunti at medyo maliwanag na.

I noticed that when I parked my car, some students are looking at me and whispering something making me curious about what's wrong with me. I then jump out of my car and saw the pool of students crowding around the bulletin board.

Hindi ko alam kung assuming lang ako pero nakaramdam na ako na it might have something to do with me since napapatingin sila sa akin na para bang isa akong multo. Kalmado ko namang hindi na lamang pinansin iyong mga tinginan nila saka naglakad papalapit doon sa bulletin board na pinagkakaguluhan nila para makita kung ano bang nangyayari.

“Khatalina, buti nandito ka na!” salubong sa akin ni Pauline na nasa tapat din ng bulletin board na nakikipagsiksikan sa mga estudyante.

I didn’t manage to respond to her as my eyes immediately darted at the bulletin board and saw pictures of me and Jaxen at the La Cotta Garden. There is a huge picture of Jaxen on top of me when he was taking picture of me last time but the way the image is captured makes it look like we were doing something inappropriate.

I took a deep breath and take every picture posted on the bulletin board.

“Khatalina, boyfriend mo na ba iyong transferee na si Jaxen?” tanong ng isang estudyante.

I then took my phone and show pictures of Jaxen that I take last time to the students looking at me.

“I know this isn’t the right proof to justify that I and Jaxen have no relationship but remember that Jaxen asked some students that we were going to have a competition and that is why we’re there. As for the pictures you have seen on the bulletin board, the angle made it look like that we were doing something inappropriate but trust me, we’re not. Jaxen was just taking a picture of me that time, only if Jaxen’s here to show it—”

“Here is the picture I took,” pagputol ni Jaxen sa sinasabi ko saka ipinakita sa amin iyong phone niya at iyong kuha niya sa akin from the above.

“Huwag kayo magpapaniwala agad sa mga picture na nakikita niyo. The one posted that probably just wants to make Khatalina look bad,” he added.

“Yeah, and just to be clear, I won’t allow anyone of you to post pictures of me that might spread bad images and rumors about me. This already happened twice, the culprit will next time see me in court,” I said and walks out of the crowd.

Muli akong bumuntong hininga saka napahilamos ng mukha. Narinig ko naman na hinahabol ako ni Jaxen kaya napahinto ako para lingunin siya.

“Hindi ba kinausap mo na iyong Olivia noon? Bakit inulit na naman niya?” tanong niya.

I then look straight into his eyes.

“Why are you so calm?” he asked again.

“Jaxen, do you believe in hypnosis?” I asked not bothering to ask his question.

His face then changed into a confused one definitely not expecting what I just asked. I then told him what happened when I tried talking to Olivia.

“Olivia,” I uttered as I saw her come out of her classroom.

She then looked at me and seems surprise. Naiiling naman siyang nanlalaki ang matang nakatingin sa akin saka sinubukan pang tumakbo mabuti na laamng ay nahawakan ko agad iyong braso niya saka hinila ko siya paakyat sa rooftop.

“K-Khatalina, b-bakit? A-ano bang kailangan mo?” nauutal-utal niyang tanong nang makarating na kami sa rooftop. Humarang naman ako sa pinto matapos ko itong isara para hindi niya ako matakasan.

Mabuti na lamang at malamig ang simoy ng hangin dito sa rooftop at medyo nakakalma na iyong katawan ko sa pagtitimpi kong hindi magalit sa kaniya.

“Why are you stuttering? Nervous?” I asked and take a step closer to her making her step backward.

“I’m n-not…” she said and avoided my gaze.

“Sorry, I can’t look straight into your eyes… you are a bit intimidating…” she said honestly.

“So, I’ve seen the bulletin board earlier. Good thing there’s a little number of students here in school every dawn and Jaxen and I were the only ones who saw what is posted on the bulletin board. Do you know what’s posted on it?” I asked.

She then shakes her head with her eyes still glued to the floor.

“It’s a picture of me with Jaxen trying to make us look that something is going in between us—so, we did a little bit of investigation,” I continued.

Agad naman siyang nag-angat ng tingin sa akin na para bang nabigla siya at may takot sa kaniyang mga mata.

“K-Khatalina…”

“Hmm?”

Ikinagat naman niya iyong labi niya saka napaiwas ng tingin sa akin at mukhang kinakabahan siya.

Naalala ko naman iyong kinuha kong video sa record ng cctv kanina kaya naman naisip kong kunin iyong phone ko sa bulsa ko saka ipakita sa kaniya iyong video kung saan kita siya na inilalagay iyong mga pictures namin doon sa bulletin board.

Mukha namang maiiyak na siya sa itsura niya dahil namumula na iyong pisngi niya at maluha-luha na iyong mata niya. Naglakad naman siya papalapit  sa akin saka hinawakan ang magkabila kong kamay.

“S-sorry, Khatalina. H-hindi ko alam ang ginagawa ko. Maniwala ka sakin!” depensa niya dahilan para mapakunot ang noo ko.

“What do you mean?” tanong ko sa kaniya saka binawa ang mga kamay ko at ibinalik na iyong phone ko sa bulsa ko.

“I think I was hypnotized…” parang nahihiya pa niyang sagot saka napahawak sa kaniyang batok.

Hindi ko naman maiwasang titigan lang siya as I am waiting for her to revoke what she just said and say that it is just a joke but she didn’t and is just waiting for my response.

“I- I know it is just nonsense but believe me, I was just hypnotized!” pamimilit pa niya.

“Who hypnotized you then?” I asked.

Doon naman para siyang natauhan sa kung gaano ka-nonsense iyong mga pinagsasabi niya kaya naman disappointed akong tumingin sa kaniya saka tinalikuran na siya.

“I hope this will never happen again,” I said as I stopped for a bit to say it and later continue to walk down the stairs leaving her standing on the rooftop.

“But she did it again,” saad ni Jaxen matapos marinig iyong kwento ko sa kaniya.

“We’re not sure if it’s her though,” I said as I look around the gloomy hallway.

“So, naniwala ka sa kaniya?” tanong niya sa akin kaya naman sinuklian ko siya ng hindi makapaniwalang tingin.

“Right…” saad niya saka nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad.

“Should we look at the CCTV footage again?” he asked.

Napatingin naman ako sa mga picture na kanina ko pa hawak na tinanggal ko sa bulletin board kanina. Gusot-gusot na ito pero tyinaga kong titigan iyong larawan naming dalawa. Kuha ang anggulo mula sa kabilang side noong pond kung saan nakaupo iyong dalawang matandang sumita noon sa amin ni Jaxen.

“Ano, gusto mo ulitin natin ‘yan? Titig na titig ah?” pang-aasar ni Jaxen na sumilip mula sa balikat ko at nakapamewang pa.

Napaawang naman ang labi ko nang may maalala saka dahan-dahang nilingon si Jaxen na napakunot ang noo nang mapansin iyong itsura ko.

“Bakit?” tanong niya.

May halong kaba at pagkalito naman ang aking nararamdaman saka binanggit ang pangalan ng taong tanging nakakakilala sa akin noon doon sa La Cotta Garden maliban kay Jaxen.

“Arnold…”