Entangled Deceptions

Chapter 19

Mababakas ang gulat sa mukha ni Dash nang makita niyang sumulpot bigla si Brix sa aming usapan. 

"Sir! Good afternoon." Dash greeted Brix as I also turned to face him. Dinaanan ko lang siya ng tingin at nakita kong nakatuon pala sakin ang mga mata niya.

"Good afternoon, sir." I also greeted and quickly avoided his stares. 

Sabagay, ito naman talaga ang dapat kong gawin. He neither wants me near him nor talk to him. 

"Good afternoon." Isang tipid na pagbati ang kanyang isinagot samin nang makita ko si Monica na tumabi sa kanya. 

I tried my best to avoid myself from frowning and ended up turning back on them.

"You're Elizabeth?"

Marahan akong tumango kahit hindi ako komportable sa mga taong nasa likuran. I focused my attention on Dash. 

"Nice to meet you, Dash. You can call me El for short."

Naikunot ko ang noo nang marinig si Brix na tumikhim. Monica immediately came to his rescue as I almost rolled my eyes in irritance.

"Oh." Dash chuckled lightly as he seemed nervous after glancing back at Brix behind us. "So ikaw pala sana dapat ang isa pang teacher na nasa top list but you didn't come yesterday."

"Nasa top list ka din?" 

"Well, fortunately."

"Wow! Congrats!" Laking gulat ko na sabay kaming nag-apply at pagkatapos ay pareho pang nasa top list of excellent teachers ang mga pangalan namin. 

"I actually have seen you in the same building where I'm teaching. I thought namalikmata lang ako but then, you're here, in flesh in blood."

Natawa ako dahil sa kadaldalan niya ngunit mabilis naman itong natigil nang malakas na umubo si Brix sa likuran namin. 

Problema nito? Masasabunutan ko talaga si Monica kapag nahawa ng germs niya ang asawa ko!

"Kuya... are you really alright? Do you want some water ba?"

Nawala na parang bula ang pag-aalala ko dahil sa kaartehan ng boses ni Monica at ibinalik na lang ulit ang tingin kay Dash na tila hindi pa din mapakali sa kinatatayuan.

"By the way, if we're in the same building, then that means... you're also a preschool teacher?"

He nodded silently as I smiled more. Wow! What a coincidence!

"You're right next in line yet you still keep chatting." Nabaling ang aming tingin kay Brix na ngayo'y hindi na maipinta ang pagmumukha. Tsaka ko lang din namalayang kami na pala ang susunod na o-order. "You're not the only ones here. Others are waiting too. You should keep moving."

I bit my lip in irritance with the way he acts towards us. A lot of people here are starting to get curious about what's happening. Nalingat lang naman kami sandali! Kakaalis lang nung nauna eh!

"We apologize, sir." Dash nervously apologised as I threw Brix daggers. Mukhang naalarma naman si Dash sa ginawa ko at nagdalawang-isip pa kung kakalabitin ba ako o hindi.

Inirapan ko sila pareho nina Monica at ibinaling ang tingin sa counter.

"Why are you so nervous? Is there something wrong?" Hindi ko na natiis tanungin kay Dash na parang namumutla pa matapos naming umorder.

He moved closer beside me then whispered, "If only looks could kill, kanina pa ata ako humandusay sa sahig. I'm dead meat, El. Your husband is freaking scary!"

W-What?! He knew?!

"H-How--"

"Stop looking at me like that." Pagputol niya at kaagad na ibinaling ulit ang tingin sa likuran habang dala-dala na namin ang mga kanya-kanyang trays. "Iyan kasi at hindi ka pumunta kagabi. Everyone in that dinner last night got to know you." Eh?