#COMM

Chapter 16

"So... will I see you again?" Aidan asked.

I shrugged. "Why?"

"Come on. I thought we're finally fine? We had a great time, right?"

I frowned at him. "You basically shadowed me the entire time, Aidan. That's bordering on you being my stalker."

He laughed and then slightly shook his head. "I'll just see you tomorrow, then. Your guards don't seem to like me," he whispered at napa-tingin naman ako kina Nico at Kellan na nakatayo sa likod ko.

And true enough, naka-kunot iyong noo nung kambal.

When Aidan left, I finally faced Nico and Kellan. I was expecting them to be all smiles. Almost one month kaya ako na nawala! One week in Madrid, a week in Paris, then side trip in Norway then back to Paris.

"Ano'ng meron sa inyo?" I asked them when they remained silent and just stared at me. "Here's your pasalubong," I continued and then handed them the paper bags. Nahirapan kaya ako! Hand carry from Paris to Manila! Kung hindi lang sila cute, hindi ako mag-e-effort na dalhin 'yun.

"Thank you, Ma'am," seryoso na sabi ni Kellan.

"Hala. Ano'ng meron? Why are you two serious?"

Nico sighed. "Hindi, Ma'am... Pagod lang kami."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Pagod? E 'di ba vacation mode kayo since I was gone for 3 weeks?" I asked. I remembered specifically giving them instructions to just go home for the mean time. I mean, I know naman na sobrang demanding ng job nila. They had to be around me 24/7... Kahit nga si Evan Sungit, alam ko na deserve niya rin magkaroon ng break. I mean, he has a wife. Syempre he should spend time with his wife.

"Hindi kaya, Ma'am! Sabi sa inyo pag-iinitan kami ni Sir, e!" Kellan whined. Yeah, that's more like him. Medyo kinabahan ako when he was all serious! Akala ko something bad happened while I was away! Buti naman he's kinda back to his normal self.

My forehead creased. "What did I do again? Wala akong ginagawa sa Sir niyo!" I defended myself. Two weeks kaya na wala akong phone! I mean, I had lots of photos to post sa IG, but I stopped myself. Knowing Kellan and Nico kasi, malamang kung ano na naman ang itetext nila sa akin.

Sobrang confusing kaya pagdating kay Jasper.

I made a deal with myself din. Hanggang hindi ko mismo naririnig sa bibig niya mismo na he likes me, I would try my bestest not to assume. Ang hirap din kasi na nag-assume lang ako based sa reaction niya sa mga ginagawa ko. Idagdag mo pa 'yang si Nico at Kellan na malalaking paasa.

Sobrang confusing lang talaga niyang si First Lieutenant!

Kellan just sighed. "Wala akong energy mag-explain, Ma'am," sabi niya tapos tinulungan ako sa dala ko na gamit. He really looked beaten, so I just let him be. But seriously, I was really curious kung ano ba ang ginawa nila at mukha silang pagod na pagod.

When we got in the car, I wanted to ask where's Jasper, pero I decided against it. I pretended to sleep na lang habang nasa byahe ako. And since it was traffic, as per usual, after a few minutes of pretending to sleep, narinig ko na mahinang nag-uusap iyong dalawa. I even pretended to snore para hindi sila magduda that I was evesdropping!

Hello! Almost one-month kaya ako na nawala! I wouldn't believe na walang nangyaring interesting while I was away!

"Ano gagawin natin mamaya?" Kellan asked.

"Hindi ko alam. Kinakabahan din ako," Nico replied. Bakit naman sila kakabahan?

"Kasi naman si Sir, sobrang pakipot. Ayan naka-hanap ng foreigner na katapat."

"Patay na naman tayo," Nico replied, sighing. "Pagod na ako, Kellan. Pakiramdam ko bumalik tayo sa PMA."

I heard Kellan sighing, too. Ang bigat lang ng buntong-hininga niya! What really happened while I was away ba?!

"Malapit na hindi magkasya 'yung mga t-shirt ko dahil sa kaka-pa push-up ni Sir sa atin. Wala pa naman akong pambili. Hiningi ni Mama lahat ng sweldo ko..." Nico said, sighing again.

Hala. I felt bad. Kasalanan ko ba? I was just taking a vacation naman! Hindi ko alam na ganito pala ang nangyayari sa kanila! At ano ba ang naisip ni Jasper at sila Nico ang pinagdiskitahan niya?

"Okay lang 'yan. Nandito na ulit si Ma'am. Kakalma na siguro si Sir," Kellan said.

Hanggang makarating kami sa bahay, I pretended to be asleep kahit sa totoo lang, they almost killed me with curiosity! I wanted to shake their shoulders and make them tell me what the freak happened! But maybe fault ko rin naman? Kasi I basically cut communications, e. I just didn't want Jasper confusing me! He's a grown man! He should be able to tell himself what he really wants, hindi 'yung push and pull siya.

"Ah... sige, I'll rest na muna. Tomorrow pa naman start ulit ng work ko," I said and then excused myself. I wanted them to rest din muna kasi mukha talagang magcocollapse na silang dalawa sa sobrang pagod.

Pagpasok ko, dumiretso ako sa kitchen. I asked Manang to prepare food for the protection squad. I was just really worried because if it's true na pinagpupush-up sila ni Jasper to the point na hindi na magkasya iyong shirts ni Nico, grabe naman!

I went to my room to rest. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but as annoying as it may be, hindi ako maka-tulog! I sat on my bed and then sighed.

"So... nothing changed naman," I told myself. "You're still you... and he's still a dull boy. You still shouldn't push yourself towards him hanggang walang verbal confirmation of what's really happening," I reaffirmed. "Wag kang magpapadala sa mga sinasabi nila Kellan and Nico. They're paasa."

And repeat until I fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up five hours later and it was already 8pm. Yawning, I made my way down and asked the maids bakit wala kahit sino sa fam. Apparently, may function pala sa Malacañang and I was left kasi tired pa raw ako sa flight.

"Kumain na ba sila Kellan, Manang?" I asked.

"Ay, hindi pa po."

I frowned. "Hala, Manang, I told you na kaya na feed them on time," sabi ko. I know naman na work nila na pakainin kami pero kawawa naman sila Kellan! Kailangan din kaya nila kumain!

"E, Ma'am... nagjojogging, e. Mamaya pa pagbalik magsisikain iyong mga 'yun.'

Kumunot ang noo ko. "They're jogging?"

Manang nodded. "Opo. E halos isang buwan kayo na wala kaya laging nagjojogging at exercise ang mga iyon. Ke-lalaki na lalo ng katawan lalo na iyong si Jasper."

Hala. Totoo na kaya iyong sinabi ni Kellan? Mukha na ba talagang biceps na tinubuan ng tao si Jasper?

I was tempted to actually fish for information pero biglang narinig ko iyong boses ni Kellan from outside. Ang lakas kasi ng boses niya. Like he's always joining a rally.

"Ay, ayan na pala sila. Paki-sabi na dadalhin ko na iyong pagkain nila."

"Dito na lang sila kumain," I suggested. Wala naman buong family, e. At saka hassle pa if dadalhin pa sa guest house 'yung food.

"Oh, sige. Patawag na lang sila," Manang said. After that, I took a deep breath. Gosh. After almost a month, I'd see Jasper again? Ready ba ako? Bakit ang arte ko?

Slowly, I made my way outside. Napaawang ang labi ko nang makita ko sila. Nico and Kellan were dripping in sweat—and they looked like they're going to die—habang si Evan at Jasper, parang wala lang. Hindi pa nila pansin na naka-tingin ako sa kanila.

"Routine again tomorrow. What time will Siobhan leave?" Jasper asked Evan.

My heart began its abnormal beating. Again. Why was he calling me Siobhan?!

"9am," I replied. Napa-tingin silang lahat sa akin. Jasper's face had this unexplainable expression upon seeing me. I bit my tongue and willed myself to act as normal as I possibly could.

They're all looking at me that it made me feel weird. It felt like I'd been gone for a year by the way they're acting.

"Uh... hi?" sabi ko kasi hindi ko alam sasabihin! Ni hindi man lang ako matulungan nila Nico kasi mukha na talaga silang mamamatay anytime! Grabe, ano kaya ang pinagawa sa kanila ni Jasper para mapagod sila ng ganito?

I waited for Jasper to say anything, but all he did was stare at me.

"Uhm... let's go inside. Kain na raw kayo," sabi ko sa kanila. Tumalikod ako and began to walk, but even then, I still felt Jasper's stares. Grabe, may power kahit stares lang ni First Lieutenant!

I placed my hand on top of my chest. "Ang landi, Maggie," I whispered to myself and kept on walking hanggang sa makarating kami sa dining area. Marami akong pinaluto kay Manang nung narinig ko kung ano ang pinapagawa ni Jasper sa kanila. Dahil nga feeler ako, I'd take responsibility na ako 'yung dahilan why he's being like this.

"Slow down naman," I said when Nico and Kellan began to devour the food. They didn't listen to me at diretso lang sila sa pagkain. I poured them a glass of water kasi baka talaga ma-choke sila sa bilis ng pagkain nila.

"I thought I said na vacation habang wala ako?" I asked Jasper kasi feeling tapang-tapangan ako in front of him. I was gone for three weeks, no! Kunwari moved on na ako.

"You never confirmed that you'll be gone for that long, Ma'am," Jasper replied. Monotonous. Like I'd be surprised.

"Ikaw kaya 'yung hindi nagreply," sagot ko sa kanya. Usually kaya ako 'yung hindi nagrereply! Naunahan ako ni Jasper 'dun!

"Wala ka rin kasing matinong sagot," sabi niya kaya napaawang talaga 'yung labi ko. He spoke in Tagalog again! And how dare he say that to me! Siya kaya 'yung paasa sa aming dalawa! And ako 'yung umaasa!

He, then, reached for the utensils and began to eat. Hindi ako makagalaw because of shock.

"Ma'am, paabot nga nung ribs," sabi ni Nico. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin pero focused talaga silang dalawa ni Kellan sa pagkain. I saw Evan who was ignoring me. Tss. Why was he even working for me if he hated my guts that much? Which I found so unfair kasi wala naman talaga akong ginagawa sa kanya.

I was about to begin to eat, but my phone vibrated. It was Aidan.

Hindi ko alam bakit ako kinabahan nung nakita ko na naka-tingin si Jasper!

"I'll take this call," I said and then stood up. But truth was, I just needed to get away from him and his stares. Ang bigat sa pakiramdam. Parang sumisikip 'yung dibdib ko.

As I began to walk away, I could still hear them talking.

"You done?" Evan asked.

"I lost appetite," Jasper replied.

"Jasper—"

"I know. But let me deal with this my own way," Jasper replied and that made my heart beat even faster.