Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ARAW na naman ng linggo at bagot na bagot na si El sa pagbabasa at pagpirma ng mga papeles. She's been fully loaded with paperworks, approvals and meetings that she has to monitor through Cloud's CCTVs. Mahirap talaga tuwing kailangang umalis ni Tanda, lalo na't pumunta ulit ito sa ibang bansa. 

He's also busy going in and out of the country this days. Kaya hindi na nagrereklamo si El at ginagawa na lamang ang mga kailangan nyang tapusin. It's her duty after all. 

Without removing her eyes on the papers she's been reading, she reached out for the bottled water. She's thirsty and tired. Umangat ang kanyang tingin sa tambak pang mga papeles sa harapan nya. 

Basa... Pirma

Basa... Pirma

Basa... Pirma

"Kaya pa, El?" 

Gulat nyang inangat ang tingin kay Sky Cristos. 

"You should've knocked first." May diin nyang sabi dito.

"Pasensya na mahal na reyna." Sky said sarcastically. "You were so focused with those papers, you didn't even heard me calling your name for four times." Pinakita nito sakanya ang apat nitong daliri.

"I'm tired you know." Hinilot nya ang magkabilang sintido. 

"Halata nga." Nakangiwing sabi ni Sky.

Napunta ang tingin ni El sa hawak nitong paperbag. 

"What's that?" curious nyang tukoy sa hawak ni Sky.

Kumunot ang noo ni El ng bigyan sya nito ng mapanuksong ngiti't tingin.

What's with this guy and his teasing grins? 

"This, Empress.." bahagya muna nitong inangat ang paperbag bago ito ipinatong sa bakanteng espasyo ng mesa ni El. 

Eleanor's eyes followed the bag's movement. 

"...is from your sweet husband. We had a meeting earlier, and he asked me if you already had your lunch." Sky continued. 

Biglang naalerto ang pandinig ni El sa sinabi nito. 

"Kay Ycarius?" She asked.

Her hands automatically let go of documents to reach out for the bag. 

"Why do always have to ask if it's him everytime I say 'your husband'?" anito, "Tell me El, may iba ka pa bang asawa na hindi namin alam?" 

'This guy's really noisy.' reklamo nya sa isipan. Binalewala na lamang nya ang mga sinasabi ni Sky, at patuloy na kinukuha ang mga laman ng paperbag. 

Foods. Yan ang mga laman nito. She felt touched for some reason. Dahil ba may nagbigay sakanya ng pagkain? Or because Fourth Ycarius gave it to her? Well, maybe she can say both, right? 

"He wanted to bring those to you personally but, he have meetings piling up so..." Patuloy na pagkukwento ni Sky.

"It's fine." wala sa sariling aniya. 

"Grabe yung ngiti ha." Sky teased once again.

She looked up to him with her brows raised, "Dapat ba umiiyak ako?" Sarkastiko niyang balik rito.

Sky Cristos gasped and covered his mouth, while the other's pointing towards her, "Ang mean mo talaga sakin!" Parang bata nitong reklamo. 

Maayos na tinupi ni El ang paperbag pagkatapos mailabas ang lahat ng laman nito. She placed it on the side of her table while chuckling at her friend's reaction. Palaging sinasabi ni Sky ang linyang yun sakanya simula ng mga bata pa sila, hanggang ngayon ay hindi parin nababago. 

"No I'm not. You know you're my favorite, Sky." As what she'll always say since they were young.

In a blink of an eye, Sky grabbed the intercom from her table. Muntikan pa itong malaglag dahil sa sobrang excitement nito. For a twenty-seven year old, he still has that mind of a child. Napailing nalang si El sa kabaliwan ng kababata nya. 

"Did you hear that, Twinnie?! I'm her favourite! Hindi ikaw!" Anunsyo nito sa kakambal nya. 

"As long as I can remember, you were also there when El started to master the art of lying, Twin.nie." Cloud teased him back.

El stayed sited to watch for a bit. 

"I can't believe you have the same handsome face as mine!" Singhal nya sa kakambal bago ibinalik ang intercom, "Kakambal ko ba talaga yun? He's so cold." Wika nito, kahit alam na nya ang sagot. 

El laughed at him, "Palagi din naman nyang nerereklamo ang kaingayan mo."Chuckling, she stood up and walked towards her kitchen to get a pair of utensils. 

"That guy! I will destroy his computers!" Anito.

"Have you had your lunch?" She asked, "Ang dami ng mga 'to. I can't finish this all by myself." 

Sky raised both his hands on the air, "I'll say no today, Empress." He declined.

"May pupuntahan ka?" Casual nyang tanong. 

"I remembered, I still have a naughty girl to check on." Malokong sagot ni Sky. 

Eleanor grimaced. 

"Just go, Sky." She simply said while moving her hand, shooing her friend. 

Pinanood nyang sumara ang pintuang nilabasan ni Sky bago sya naupo sa kanyang yuswal na upuan. 

Dahan-dahan ang pagnguya nya ng pagkain, savoring it's great taste. Tutok ang mga mata at isipan nya sa binabasang dokumento. She wonders where did Fourth Ycarius bought this foods? 

At gaya ng inaasahan, hindi nya nga kayang ubusin ang lahat ng pinadalang pagkain ni Fourth. Her stomach always gets full so easily. She walked her way to her refrigerator, carrying the remaining tupperware of foods. 

Ng bumalik sya sa kanyang mesa, kaagad nyang napansin ang paperbag na nakapatong sa gilid non. Kinuha nya ito at binuksan ulit. She was about to fold it back for her to throw it but, her eyes caught something. 

A small brown note stuck on the edge of the paperbag. Hindi nya ito napansin kanina, maybe because she was too focused on the foods and her thoughts about them. She flipped the note over and her mind automatically read what's written on it. 

I hope you'll like them:)

—your husband

Napataas ang parehong gilid ng labi nya. Then again, she felt those tiny skips on the center of her chest. 

She likes him. That she can confirm. Hindi naman seguro masamang maramdaman yun habang nasa kalagitnaan ng plano nya? 

She's so close to bringing everyone who's involved on her parent's death down. Base on her character, Eleanor can't afford to make any mistakes. Hindi pwedeng madistract sya nang ganito. 

"Ate El!" 

Nabitawan nya ang hawak na note dahil sa pagkabigla. Pinulot nya muna ito bago sinalubong ng ngiti si Kael na buong sayang tumatakbo papunta sakanya. 

Cloud who's walking behind Kael looked at her then to the paper on her hand. Mabilis nya itong itinago sa bulsa ng pantalon nya. She gave him a small smile like nothing happened. 

"What was that?" Kyuryusong tanong ni Cloud.

"Love letter po ba yun ate El?" Kael innocently asked. 

She messed his hair before bending down to level their eyes. Mahina syang natawa ng makita kung paano ngumuso ang pang-ibabang labi ni Kael, habang inaayos nito ang ginulo nyang buhok. 

"Ang sabi po ni Kuya Sky, wag daw po guluhin ang buhok ko! Kailangan daw po palaging pogi!" The child exclaimed. 

"Palagi ka namang pogi kahit magulo yang buhok mo." She said pinching his cheeks. 

"Pero, sino po nagbigay sayo ng love letter Ate El? Si Kuya Fourth po ba?" Sunod-sunod nitong tanong. 

Stunned, El felt her cheeks turning red, "Ah..." Why can't she answer a question of a child?! 

"Her cheeks answers it all Kael. Can't you see?" Lumapit si Cloud kay Kael at tinuro ang pisngi nya. She immediately gave him a warning look. 

"Ang bilis na naman po mag-english ni Kuya Cloud." Reklamo ng bata, "Pero oo nga po! Ang red ng pisngi ni Ate El!" 

She cupped both of her cheeks, "Hindi kaya." Binaling nya ang tingin kay Cloud, "They're natural." Madiin nyang sabi. 

Tinawanan lang sya nito. 

"Alam nyo, may mga pagkain pa ko dito. You guys should eat this—"

She stopped midway from walking to get the foods when her phone placed on her table started to ring. El gestured the boys to sit first, then she walked towards her table and picked up her phone. 

Sasagutin na nya sana ang tawag, pero napatigil sya ng makita ang pangalang nakalagay sa screen. Ycarius, iniisip nya lang ito kanina, and not all of it was a good thought. 

"Are you not going to answer it?" Nabaling sya kay Cloud. 

Ng bumalik ang tingin nya sa screen ay namatay na ang tawag. Hindi man lang nya namalayan. It ranged again, but she just stood there holding the phone without answering it. 

She felt Cloud walked beside her, "It's your husband, why aren't you answering it? Did you had a fight?" He asked continuously. 

Umiling lamang sya saka inilapag ulit ang cellphone sa mesa. It ranged once again, and maybe Fourth gave up on calling her because it didn't rang after that. Nagpatuloy na lamang syang maglakad papunta sa ref para kunin ang inilagay nyang mga tupperware na may lamang mga pagkain.

He gave those to her. Yet she can't even answer his calls and say a simple thank you. 

Nagulat si El ng biglang sumulpot si Cloud sa gilid nya. 

"Did you had a fight?" Pang-uulit nito. 

She grabbed the tupperwares and  hand it to him, "We didn't." May diin nyang sagot. 

Mabilis syang naglakad papunta sa dining at naupo sa tabi ni Kael. She can't afford to answer another question from Cloud. 

"Then why are you avoiding him?" 

Natigilan sya sa pag-abot ng kutsara kay Kael ng marinig ang tanong ng lalaki. It's like that, that question hit a part of her. 

"I-i'm not avoiding him." She denied. 

"Guess like, you never perfect the art of lying after all, Empress." Naupo ito sa kabilang bahagi ng mesa. 

"Just eat, Cloud." It was a command. Madiing utos. 

Cloud just shrugged, and ate just like she said. 

Maybe that's it. She will avoid him. That way, she can focus on her work, and her next plan that can finally give justice to her parent's death. The original purpose of all the hard work she's been doing this long years. 

She doesn't need any distraction. 

DAYS PASSED, at gaya ng napagdesisyonan nya, she continued avoiding Fourth. Not answering his calls, his texts, informing everyone that she'll be busy, and most of all, taking ang absent from school! Just look how far she can go. Ni hindi na nga sya lumalabas dito sa pad nya sa Scarletti. Yes, she's been here for days. Gusto na nyang sabunutan ang sarili. 

Pinindot nya ang intercom para magbigay ng utos kay Cloud.

"Track Fourth Ycarius, I need his location." Kaagad nyang sabi sa kabilang linya. 

"Why do want to track your own husband? You can just ask him you know." 

"Just do it, Cloud." Naiinip na aniya.

"Ok, ok." He replied, "As usual, he's on his company. Currently on a meeting. Why do you need it anyway?" Tanong na naman nito. 

Great, this can be her chance to go out. She doesn't want to run on to him on her way. She can't yet.

"Are you finally going to show up to him?" Pahabol ni Cloud. 

Obviously, her answer's a big NO, "Thanks, Cloud. And kindly prepare my car." 

Nagmamadali nyang dinampot ang cellphone at kinuha ang bag na nasa loob ng kwarto nya. 

Muli nyang narinig ang boses ni Cloud mula sa intercom, "The car's ready, El. Twinnie is waiting for you."  

Just like Cloud, Sky fired so many questions at her. Tanging mga yes or no question lang ang nasagutan nya. She remained silent everytime he asks her the why questions. Till, he surrendered and stopped asking. 

"He's worried, you know." Simpleng saad ni Sky bago nya maisara ang pinto ng kotse.

"I know, and my guilt is already killing me as it is." She wanted to answer. 

She closed the car's door and turned her back without answering. Tuloy syang naglakad papunta sa kanyang condo. Pagkadating at pagkadating nya sa loob a itinapon nya ang sarili sa malambot na sofa. 

"Finally." Relieved, she said.

Namiss nya ang condo na to! This place is her safe haven. El stretched her body like a cat, she felt comfortable. 

After a couple of minutes resting on her sofa, she finally decided to take a short half bath, and put on some comfy clothes. She was busy humming while combing her long hair when she heard knocking on her front door. 

Inilapag nya ang hawak na suklay bago tumayo at naglakad palabas ng kwarto nya. When she arrived at the front of her door, she held the doorknob but stopped halfway from opening it. But some part of her gut doesn't want her to open the door. 

She regretted the moment she opened the door. Dapat ay nakinig sya sa gut feeling nya. Her brain keeps throwing her curses. 

"El..." Fourth uttered. 

"I thought you still have meetings." Wala sa sarili nyang naisabi. 

She bit her lower lip for accidentally saying those words. Fourth Ycarius looked like he run to get here. Magulo ang buhok nito, maging ang kanyang polo.

"I tried calling Sky to ask about you but he's not picking up, so I..." Hinihingal nitong sabi, "I called Cloud Cristos and he said you just left Scarletti to go here, that's why I drove here immediately and..." hindi nito magawang ipagpatuloy ang sinasabi.

Cloud you traitor! She shouted on the back of her mind. 

She wanted to say something, but she can't even get herself to open her mouth. Just as awkward as the first time they met. 

"I miss you." 

Her eyes widened. Nagsimulang maghaharanturo ang puso nya dahil sa biglang sinabi nito. How can he say those words so suddenly?! It was so sudden that she can feel her cheeks burning. 

What should she reply? That she missed him too? 

Of course I do!

God, she wants to beat up herself for thinking that! 

"Please look at me, Eleanor." His voice suddenly sounded sweet and pleading. 

Kaagad nyang inangat ang tingin nya. She can't even settle looking him in the eyes. 

"I'm sorry, I uhm... It's just that I...." Wala syang may maisip na pwedeng idahilan!

"You're not answering my calls and replying to my texts— it's not that you always have to but, I'm worried." Anito, "You're not avoiding me, right?" 

And finally, he threw the bomb. 

Yes, I'm avoiding you...

"El?" 

Because I'm falling for you, and something in me tells that I shouldn't.