ANGUISH OF VENTURE (HIGH UNIVERSITY SERIES #2)

CHAPTER 42

Chapter 42

CEARA POV

"Panglimang beses na iyan na tawag sa iyo ni Marcus, ah? Bakit ayaw mong sagutin?" hindi an napigilan ni Charlotte na tanungin ako.

I quickly turned off the call and turned off my cellphone. I put it next to the computer and continued what I was doing at work. I clicked my mouse there and here on my desktop computer, but I didn't really press anything. I did that to divert my attention to other things and not to the call.

"Are you okay, Cessy?" she asked me worriedly and grasped my hand holding the mouse.

"I. Am. Okay."

Ginalaw ko ang kamay ko para tanggalin ang kamay niya na nakapatong sa akin at pinagpatuloy ang ginagawa. Natahimik si Charlotte, but she is observing me.

"Did you and Marcus fight?"

Tumigil ang kamay ko sa paggalaw at lumingon kay Charlotte para tignan siya nang masama. I resisted the urge to yell at Charlotte at work and just avoided looking at her. I don't want to yell at her because she's just worried about me. Hindi ko siya masigawan. Hindi ko puwedeng ibunton sa kaibigan ko ang galit na nararamdaman ko kasi walang siyang alam sa mga nangyayari ngayon sa akin.

"Basta... Basta nandito lang kami, ha?" kausap niya ulit sa akin. "You can talk to us... kung gusto mo lang naman."

Bumalik sa pagkakaharap sa computer si Charlotte at hindi na ako kinausap. I feel guilty for treating her cold, so I closed my eyes to calm myself down.

"I'm sorry, Char," paghingi ko ng tawad. Natigilan si Charlotte at bumaling ang ulo niya sa akin.

"I want to be serious and accept your sorry, but I want to laugh at the nickname you gave me," she said while holding back a laugh. Her lips were closed and a bit curved, suppressing a laugh.

The edge of my lip lifted with a grin and I replied, "What's the matter with 'Char,' Char?" I asked her. "Mas pangit kung, 'Lotte, Lotte' ang itawag ko sayo."

"Eeeh!" pagtataas ng boses nito kaya napatingin ang iba sa amin at naistorbo. "Charlotte. Call me 'Charlotte.' Iyon lang."

"Ang haba naman kasi ng pangalan mo," pagrereklamo ko.

"Si Mama ang pumili ng pangalan para sa akin. Huwag kang magreklamo riyan," saway niya sa akin.

Magsasalita na sana ako pero nahagip ng mga mata ko ang manager namin na naglalakad at isa-isang ch-in-e-check ang ginagawa namin. I quickly tapped Charlotte on the arm and she saw our Manager approaching us. We turned to our computer and pretended to be busy. Kinabahan ako nang makalapit na ang manager namin dahil malapit ako sa aisle kung saan nakaupo si Grace. But since Grace is absent today, the manager's attention went to me first. He approached me and peeked at my computer. His two eyebrows furrowed slightly as he looked at my screen. My heartbeat seemed to stop when he took a long look at my computer. I simply pinched Charlotte's thigh, so she jumped into her seat.

"Are you alright, Ms. Garcia?" our Manager asked Charlotte nang mapansin niya ang pagtalon nito sa kinauupuan.

Palihim niya akong tinapunan ng tingin bago sumagot sa manager namin. "Yes, Sir. I'm okay. Kinagat lang ako ng lamok. Hehe."

Mariin kong pinagdikit ang mga labi ko nang si Charlotte naman ang ch-in-eck ng manager namin. Habang busy si Sir, busy din siyang tapunan ako ng masamang tingin.

"Gaga ka," pabulong na mura niya nang makaalis na si Sir at hindi kami maririnig.

"Kinakabahan kasi ako."

"Bakit kailangan mo akong kurutin?" inis niyang sabi at hinimas ang hitang kinurot ko. Naka-skirt siya kaya nakita kong namula ang parte kung saan ko siya kinurot.