Tadhana

- 10 : Reflection -

The economist pulled up at the front of the house. His brown hair swayed in the wind as he took a breath, preparing himself for the talk, for communication. Sure, it was not with her, but... this would be a good start.

Asher walked up to the house's door, and rang the doorbell.

Almost instantly, his eyes were met with glowering yet solemn ones, almost as grey as his. As he was "welcomed" into the home, another pair of eyes casted their look on him, shocked and appalled this time. Despite the differences in their expressions towards Asher, both Sonia and James led him to the living room.

"Ano ba nangyari?" the brown-eyed accountant asked, raising a brow at her best friend's crush and childhood friend. Worry was evident in her tone as well, "Delikado ba? Do we need to go there...? Okay lang ba siya?!".

The one in the hot seat couldn't help but run his fingers through his own brown crown in frustration, "To be honest... hindi,".

"Edi bakit nandito ka at hindi mo siya kasama?!" she retorted.

"Eh kasi naman tumakbo siya palayo sa akin! Anong magagawa ko if she doesn't what to talk to me about what happened?!" he panicked as he replied.

With his frenzied statement, Sienna's friends looked at Asher with similarly shocked expressions. "Papunta saan?" Sonia continued to question him. "Nakita ko siya papunta sa may West Hall, so possible yung garden... at yung library, siguro." he replied, now even more worried.

The accountant looked at her phone's contacts, checking if Sienna called her. There was no notification, and subsequently, no call. "P*ta, wala," she shook her head, "Asher, anong ginawa mo sa kanya?".

The grey-eyed student heaved a sigh, looking at James and Sonia once again before reiterating the events that occurred earlier.

"Tapos, tumakbo na siya... Naalala ko pa noong ni-let go niya yung kamay ko..."

He couldn't help but feel as if the world was on his shoulders, as if he were the titan, Atlas, who carried the entire sky in Greek myths. His hand balled into a fist, wishing that he held her hand more gently, or perhaps... didn't stop her at all. 'Oo nga 'noh? Baka hindi siya tumakbo dahil sa ak---', his ravaging inner-voice was put to a halt by James, who had remained silent until now:

"Yung ginawa mo is... eh," Coffee Fever's owner used hand gestures to show the uneasiness that he felt towards the situation, "It's... sa totoo lang? Mali siya, Asher. Dapat hindi mo siya binigla, lalo na't hinawakan mo kamay niya? Ano kayo? Nasa k-drama, nasa movie? Walang ganunan dapat, sana tinawagan mo nalang siya't kinausap nalang.".

The one on the receiving end of the talk was static as his old classmate continued.

"Pero, sa same lang, si Sienna dapat sinabihan ka nalang na di pa niya kaya makipag-usap sa'yo kaysa na tumakbo paalis bigla. Tingnan mo ngayon, kinakausap mo kami dahil hindi kayo nakipag-communicate ng maayos. 'Yan yung pareho ninyong mali sa sitwasyong ito, at kahit from the start pa."

Once again, Asher remained silent, because he had nothing to really... say. There was no doubt that James was right, pointing out the wrongs in both his and Sienna's actions after the lecture.

Dead, awkward silence filled the air, until Sonia spoke up this time:

"Agree naman ako kay James, Asher. Pero sa ngayon, kailangan mong... alam mo 'yun? Kailangan mo alamin na kailangan ninyo mag-communicate ng maayos din... pag ready nga lang kayo." she advised, regarding a possible solution, "Asher, alam mo, hindi ako magaling mag-advice, pero naalala ko yung isang sinabi sa akin ni 'Ma noon,"

"Luh, di daw magaling mag-advice, tapos ito siya," James jokingly raised his brow at her. The spirit of the room lightened up a little as Sonia let out a chuckle, "I mean... sige na nga, thank you nalang," she laughed once again before continuing.