The Fall of Autumn

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"Ma'am, ako na diyan.. kumain na po muna kayo." one of the staff told me.

I look at my wristwatch and it says that it's already one pm. Hindi pa naman ako nakakaramdam ng gutom ngunit hinayaan ko na lang ito. Umalis ako sa counter at akmang papasok na sa opisina ng harangin ako ni Monica ng may nakatagong ngiti sa mga labi.

"Uh-Ma'am, ano kasi.."

"What?"

"I'll take it from here.." a shadow fell across me.

Mabilis na umalis si Monica at iniwan kaming dalawa. Kunot noo kong tiningnan ang lalaki.

"I want to ask if you would like, to join me for lunch." nakangiting tanong nito.

Saka ko lamang na-isip kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin kahit na obvious naman, na inaaya niya talaga akong kumain ngunit doon ko lang naintindihan ang mga tanong nito kanina.

Is this why he asked what pasta I prefer? He even asked what beverage I want.

"Why?"

"Because I want to have a meal with you." diretsang sabi niya.

"And if I say no?"

"I hate to point it out to you but wasting food isn't good for the economy and environment." nakangising sagot niya.

Saglit akong nag-isip. Oo at may punto ito pero hindi ibig sabihin niyon ay papayag ako. I'm not gonna let him manipulate me into saying yes.

"Mr. Zapanta I suggest you go find another girl who can entertain you because I'm certain that I am not that girl."

I quickly turned my back on him but he caught me and held my wrist making me stop in my tracks.

"It's just a friendly meal, it's all I ask." I heard him say.

Slowly, I turned to face him. I lifted my gaze up to his face and met his hopeful eyes.

"Don't touch me." I said very coldly, running out of patience for him.

Mabilis naman nitong pinakawalan ang pulsuhan ko. I hate being touched. I really do. Especially by strangers. My family knows how much I don't like being touched. They would wait for me to make the first move and not them. They understand that.

"I already said no, Mr. Zapanta. If you don't want the food to get wasted then eat it or give it to someone else."

I immediately walked into my office and told Monica to bring me my usual food inside. Wala pang ilang minuto akong nasa loob ng opisina ay bumukas ang pinto ng at iniluwan niyon ang kapatid kong si Rain.

"Hi, Ate." with a wide smile on her face, she sat down on the couch.

"I heard from Monica that you turned down that handsome man outside." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Poor guy." she even added.

"Do you know him?" panimula ko.

"Not really." umiiling na sagot niyo.

And yet, she gave him an apron and waited here at the cafe.

I heaved a sigh.

"Kumain ka na ba?" I asked, trying to avert my mind from complicating things.

"Yeah, I ate with Lucas and I dropped by just to say hi." bigla itong ngumuso. "And you, you turned down that guy's invitation.. paano ka naman magkaka-lovelife niyan Ate!"

"I don't know the guy, Rain."

What if he's a serial killer? Or a kidnapper? What if he's a bad person? And besides, that love that my sister is talking about is the least of my concern. It never, not even once, that falling in love entered my mind.