The Mayor's Paragon

05

Yes btches, the dormant dinosaur is back heeehawwww ~ tugudogtugudogtugudog sheeshhhh

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I TAPPED my finger on the desk as I bite my lower lip. My gaze is fixed on the wall as I keep thinking about the call I received earlier. Hanggang ngayon hindi ko pa rin alam kung anong gagawin ko.

Should I tell him or not?

Kapag sasabihin ko sa kaniya, alam kung hindi maganda ang kahahantungan no'n pero kapag hindi ko naman sinabi, alam kung pareho lang ang kalalabasan. In both ways, everything will end up bad or maybe even worst.

Napabuntong hininga ako nang malalim at halos gusto ko ng mapasabunot sa aking buhok dahil sa stress. I kept on tapping my fingers on the table and didn't notice a figure standing in front of me.

"Kitten."

"Huh?" I asked before unconsciously looking up and I almost choked on my own saliva when I saw Riez standing in front of me with his hands tucked in his pockets.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at mabilis na tumayo. Mahina akong napadaing noong tumama ang tuhod ko sa may mesa dahil sa biglaan kong paggalaw. Nakatingin lang sa akin si Riez at pinag-aaralan ang aking ekspresyon. Napalunok ako sa klase ng pagtingin niya sa akin at halos gusto ko ng maglaho na parang bula.

"K-Kanina ka pa riyan?" Ngumiti ako nang pilit, sinusubukang itago ang kabang nararamdaman ko.

He didn't answer for a minute or so and just kept on staring at me like he was trying to get into my head and read what's on my mind. Binasa ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko dahil nararamdaman kong tuyo na iyon dahil sa nerbyos. Halos hindi ko na nga maramdaman ang sakit sa aking tuhod dahil sa kabang nararamdaman ko.

"Not that long," he finally answered.

Hindi ko alam pero bahagya akong nakahinga nang maluwag noong narinig kong sumagot siya. It's so scary when he's just looking at me and not saying anything. I gently nod at what he said, still keeping the small smile plastered on my lips.

"M-May kailangan ka ba?" Pag-iiba ko ng usapan.

"It's already one in the morning. No plans of going home?" he asked, making my eyes widen.

One? Agad akong napatingin sa isang digital watch na nasa tabi ko at mapasinghap noong nakita kong ala una na nga. Gano'n na ba ako kalutang na hindi ko man lang namalayan ang paglipas ng oras?

I silently cursed under my breath and had a little panic. Wala na akong masasakyan na jeep sa ganitong oras. Ang mahal pa naman mag-commute sa taxi at kahit na may taxi man, natatakot ako sumakay sa taxi dahil sa mga naririnig at napapanood ko sa mga balita. Should I just sleep here? Tawagan ko na lang si Eli bukas at magpapadala ako ng mga damit bukas.

"A-Ano, mauna ka na lang. May tatapusin pa kasi ako." Pagsisinungaling ko kay Riez.

His eyes squinted a little while staring at me. His face says it all. He is looking at me with doubt and I swallowed my saliva nervously. I wanted to avert my eyes away from him but that would make him become more suspicious of me that is why I tried to mask my emotions and give him the same intensity that he was giving me.

"You're lying, aren't you?" he asked me.

Umiling ako sa kaniya.

"Nope. May tatapusin talaga ako. I also need to check your schedule for tomorrow and I need to sort some documents, especially for your projects."

I heard him sigh before turning his back on me and started walking away with his hands still stuck on his pocket. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag noong nagsimula na siyang maglakad papalayo sa akin at akmang uupo na ako pero narinig kong nagsalita siya kaya napaayos muli ako ng tayo at napatingin sa kaniya.