Burning Attraction (BLA #1)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ring

The contract is signed. There is no turning back now.

Ngumuso ako habang nakasakay sa elevator. He insisted earlier that I should stay in his office while he's in a meeting but I declined. Kasi bakit pa ako magsstay doon? Our matters are done. Napag-usapan na namin ng maayos ang kontrata at nasabi na namin ang mga gusto naming sabihin.

It's not like we have to stay with each other for 24 hours a day just to prove that we are really in a relationship!

Bumukas ang elevator sa 3rd floor. Sa lobby ang tungo ko kaya siguro ay may sasakay mula dito sa floor na ito.

It was a group of women employees that are laughing but when they saw me, they immediately caught their breath and zip their mouths like I am some ticking bomb that will explode when the surroundings are noisy. Pumasok naman sila kaya umatras ako sa dulo.

"Magandang araw po, Miss Castillo," pagbabati nila na tinanguan ko lang.

Tahimik sila at tila natuod lang sa kinatatayuan sa buong minutong nasa elevator kami kaya napailing na lang ako. Alam kong ngayon lang 'yan habang nandito ako at mamaya ay puro chismis agad ang mga iyan pagkaalis ko!

And I'm right. The moment I stepped out of the elevator, they immediately gossiped with each other. Napailing na lang ako at halos matawa.

Natigilan nga lang ako sa lobby nang makita ang isang pamilyar na babae na mukhang inis sa receptionist. If I remember her right, she's the date of Theo the night I kissed him. Iyong hindi ko pinansin noon at bigla-bigla na lang hinalikan ang lalaki kahit nasa tabi pa niya!

I only realized now that what I did is just plain rude!

Papalabas ako ng lobby kaya napalapit ako sa kanila.

"He's in a meeting? Again? Kakasabi mo lang kanina na nasa meeting siya! Iba na naman ngayon!" She almost created a commotion while talking angrily with the receptionist.

Nakayuko lang naman ang receptionist at halos hindi alam ang gagawin. I don't want to get involved but I can't stop my ears from listening because it is its job.

"Ma'am, pasensiya na po. May meeting po talaga ngayon si Architect—"

"Liar! Ano? Utos niya ba 'to? Is he avoiding me?!"

"Hindi po, Ma'am! May meeting po talaga—"

"You've just told me he's in a meeting earlier! A very important meeting! Tapos ngayon meeting ulit?!"

"Pasensiya na po, Ma'am... hindi po talaga free si, Architect."

Nakalayo na ako kaya hindi ko na sila gaanong narinig pero bahagya ko pa ring naririnig ang sigaw noong babae kaya naman sa tingin ko'y hindi pa siya natatapos sa mga reklamo niya hanggang ngayon.

Good thing that the receptionist knows her job and knowledgeable enough to not disclose any informations to just anyone. Bakit ba kasi mapilit iyon? Hindi nga pwede diba? Bakit pa kailangang ipagsiksikan ang sarili?

She looks so damn rich but there she is, getting angry for some petty stuff.

I was about to call for a taxi when my phone rang for a call. Agad ko iyong kinuha sa dalang bag. It was an unknown yet familiar number calling and I realized that I haven't registered Theo's number in my phone yet.

Pinaningkitan ko iyon ng mga mata. Why is he calling?

Sinagot ko naman iyon kahit nagtataka pa.

"Where are you?" Iyon ang bungad niya.