400 Days After Fina

Day 468

400 Days After Fina by JellOfAllTrades
Chapter 19

The day had gone by fast and as I stack the finished documents I have on my desk, the door opens to reveal a tired yet cheerful-looking Kate.

"Hi, ma'am. OT po ba ulit tayo today?"

I shook my head. "Hindi. Tapos na ako. Pauwi ka na ba?"

"Yes po." She looked relieved at my answer as we've been working hard for the past couple of weeks.

"Pauwi na rin ako. Nag-aayos lang ako."

"Okay po."

Kate left the room to return to her desk and I thought about going to see Angel as it's been two weeks since we last saw each other. Maybe it's time I go talk to her about what happened last time we went out.

I pack my stuff and leave my office just in time to see that Kate is also now ready to leave.

"Pupuntahan ko si Angel. Gusto mo bang sabay na tayo?"

Kate's eyebrows raised for a moment, not expecting my offer but she quickly agreed. "Sige po!"

I smile at her and we take the elevator down to the basement parking.

"Kumusta si Angel?" I asked after we entered my car. "I hope di siya katulad ng last roommate mo."

Kate chuckled. "Ay, hindi po! Masipag si Angel bahay. Halos siya na nga gumagawa ng lahat ng gawaing bahay sa amin. Mahilig rin siya magluto kaya minsan binibigyan ko na lang siya ng pera pambili ng groceries."

"That's good. Buti na lang sayo ko siya dinala."

"Nakwento po sakin ni Angel yung tungkol sa tita niya saka kung pano niyo siya tinulungan."

I looked at both sides of the road as we exited the building and then crossed to the other lane. "Angel's better off away from her aunt."

"Mukhang masaya rin siya sa trabaho niya. Palagi siyang gumagawa ng visual aids sa sala."

I smile, imagining Angel hunched on the floor and carefully writing in large letters on a piece of cartolina. She seemed like the type to go all out on her materials.

"Parang may crush din siya sa school nila." Kate continued.

I give Kate a quick glance. "May manliligaw na siya?"

"Hindi ko alam. Pero lately napansin ko puro love songs pinapatugtog niya tapos parang palagi siyang masaya." Kate described. "Minsan nahuhuli ko siyang nakatulala tapos nakangiti."

The thought of Angel smiling to herself made me chuckle. "Baka naman good mood lang siya?"

"Nako, ma'am, di naman yun ganun nung una. Ngayon-ngayon lang. Siguro mga two weeks na?"

Two weeks? The last time I saw her was two weeks ago.

"Bakit, pano ba siya nung una?" I tried to maintain a mildly curious tone. Kate can be a bit perceptive and I don't think it would be a good idea for her to know that there's something going on between me and Angel.

"Ma-kwento lang."

Is it possible that after what I did, Angel had developed a crush on me? Surely that's not the case. Maybe she's crushing on someone at her school.

"Chinichika ko nga nung minsan," Kate added, "kaso ayaw naman magkwento."

"Eh ikaw ba?" I asked, diverting the topic.

"Nako, ma'am, saka na ako magla-lovelife! Career muna tayo ngayon." Kate replied enthusiastically. "May patatapusin pa akong kapatid sa probinsya."

"Ano nga ulit course ng kapatid mo?" I asked conversationally.

For the rest of the drive to their apartment, we talked about Kate's family in the province. While I appeared to be listening to her, I was also thinking about Angel. I know kissing her on the forehead was an act of impulse and I shouldn't have done it. And yet, I did it anyway because she reminded me so much of Fina and I genuinely had a good time with her that day.

Hopefully, Angel is crushing on someone else because if I accidentally led her on that night, rejecting her might cause some issues.

I park the car in front of Kate's apartment and we both got out. Kate fished her keys from her bag and opened the door.

"Andito na kami!" Kate yelled to the empty living room before letting me in.

The door to Angel's room opened and she went out. Upon seeing me, her eyes widened, she covered her chest with her arms and then returned to her room. "Di ka naman nagsabing may bisita kang kasama! Wala akong bra na suot!" She shouted from inside.

"Sorry na!" Kate shouted a reply before facing me and lowering her voice. "Pasensya ka na, ma'am. Upo ka na po muna."

I give Kate a smile and went to sit on their sofa to wait for Angel.

"Gusto niyo po bang tubig?" Kate offered as she opened the fridge in the kitchen.

"Hindi na, salamat na lang."

Angel finally came out of her room, still quite flustered from earlier. "Hi."

"Hello," I greeted. "Kumusta ka?"

Kate is still within earshot so I can't openly talk to Angel without giving away what happened to us. Until she's nearby, I'll have to settle to making small talk with Angel.

"Okay naman." Angel replied, avoiding eye contact with me. "Ikaw?"

"I'm doing fine."

Angel is clearly uncomfortable with me. Whether she's embarrassed that I saw her in her homely outfit or that she's crushing on me, I've yet to know.

"Sa kwarto lang ako," Kate announced, taking a cup of water to her room. After the door locked behind her, I turned to Angel. 

"I think we need to talk about what happened."

Angel bowed her head, refusing to show me her face. "Anong paguusapan natin?"

I look away, equally uncomfortable with the topic. "The, um, the kiss I gave you."

Angel didn't say anything. She just played with her fingers, her head still bowed down so I can't see her face.

"I'm sorry if I kissed you on the forehead," I mumbled. "Hindi ko alam kung anong nasa isip ko nun. I shouldn't have done it."

"Okay lang." Angel finally lifted her head and I saw that she's biting her lip. "Noo lang naman yun. That means you care di ba?"

I bite the inside of my cheeks, unsure about what to say.

Angel smiled widely, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Crush mo na ako, noh?"

"Wow ah, kapal ng mukha mo?" I retorted. "Bakit ako magkaka-crush sayo? Ew."

"Ew?!" She repeated, giving me a dirty look. "Lugi ka pa sa ganda kong to?"

I roll my eyes at her and we both laugh at the absurdity of the conversation.

"Pero seryoso, okay lang." Angel said after we stopped laughing.

I smile at her, the weight on my chest finally disappearing. "Thank you."

Angel returned my smile and then stood up. "Dito ka na kumain. Magluluto na rin ako ng hapunan."

"Kahit hindi na."

She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. "Tinanong ba kita?"

I shook my head.

"Manuod ka na muna ng TV." She opened the TV and switched the channel to the news. "Okay lang ba adobo sayo?"

I'm not sure if I can eat much tonight but it looks like there's no escaping Angel Mercadejas this time. "Adobo is fine."

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A/N:

Napapakamot na lang ako ng ulo sa dalawang to. Jusko.