Lorch Crown

Chapter 8

SUKBIT ANG bag ay nagmamadaling lumabas ng building si Saskia para makapaggrocery siya.

Siya ang hindi masyadong busy sa kanilang magkakaibigan kaya siya na ang umako na maggrocery para sa linggong iyon. Samatalang ang isa niyang kaibigan na si Encar ay wala sa isla. May history tour daw ito.

Saskia placed her shoulder bag on the shotgun seat and was about to start her car when she hears her phone ring.

Kinuha niya iyon at napataas ang kilay ng makitang numero lang iyon. But she answer it anyway.

"Luv, how's your entire day?" Salubong sa kanya ng boses na kilalang-kilala niya.

Hmm... my moody boss now her...

Boyfriend?

Man?

Ewan, hindi niya talaga alam kung ano niya ang binata. Basta nasa relasyon sila. Ayaw niya naman i-claim na boyfriend ito dahil mukhang hindi naman. Tawagin niya na lang itong karelasyon. If that makes sense.

"Hello, Lorch. This is Saskia," Saskia greeted with sarcasm. Hindi man lang mag-hello 'tong isang 'to.

Narininig niya itong nagbuga ng hininga. "Hey, luv, sorry for the rude prelude."

Umangat ang isang gilid ng labi niya dahil sa sorry nito. Mukhang natututo na ito magsorry sa kanya.

"How's your day, luv?" Muling tanong nito.

"It was fair."

"You should be after work by this time, are you home yet?"

"Nope. I'll be doing grocery so I'm heading to the nearest grocery store."

"Ingat." Lorch sighed.

"Sure," sagot niya dito habang pinanood niya ang mga dumadang sasakyan at nag-iisip kung ano dapat niyang bilhin.

"That it?"

Nabalik ni Saskia ang atensyon kay Lorch ng marinig niya ang dismaya sa boses nito.

"What—"

"Is this how it is to be in a relationship, luv?" Tanong nito na nagpataas ng dalawang kilay niya.

Okay?...

"No how are you? How was your day? Are you doing great? No question at all from you?" anito sa dismayadong boses.

Oo nga 'no? Saskia bit her bottom lips when she felt guilty for not inquiring about his day.

"Luv—"

"I'm sorry." Saskia inhaled deeply. "I was thinking about what to buy so I didn't ask about how are you doing. Um..." she trailed, thinking what to ask. "Anyway, how are you?"

Ilang sandali itong hindi umimik.

"This relationship sucks," Lorch commented then tsked, tone really disappointed.

Napangiwi siya. Sino ba naman kasi ang may gusto sa ganito?

Saskia slyly sighed. "Ano ka ba, syempre sa una nag-a-adjust pa tayo," she explained for him not to get disheartened.

Kailangan niya mapamukha sa isang 'to na may kakaiba sa relasyon. That it is worth the time, love, emotion, and even pain.

"No. You should have given me your attention when I talked to you just like what I'm doing right now. Buong atensyon ko na sayo."

Nakagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi sa narinig at nakaramdam siya ng guilt dahil hindi ganon ang ginagawa niya. She has a lot going on in her mind and Lorch was not one of them.