CHAPTER 4: DIFFICULT

SORCHA'S POV

May nagbaba ng paper bag sa harapan ko na may tatak ng pamilyar na takoyaki snack bar dito sa Tagaytay. When I looked up, I was greeted by the annoying, handsome face of the man who committed murder yesterday. And why am I calling him handsome?

"Are you attempting to pay me off again for ruining a plant that I owned again?" I glanced at the other paper bag he's holding, which has the logo of Flower Chimp, a flower shop in Manila. "And are you about to give me a bunch of dead flowers?"

Not wilted. As in dead since flower bouquets are all bundles of flowers that have been cut off from plants.

I'm not a bouquet hater. It's not like follower shops are not taking care of their plants. They know how to harvest flowers in a sustainable manner. I also understand the purpose of their business.

But I kept and nurtured the plants I own for the purpose of fully enjoying their lifecycle. Isa pa, Daze rash action could have damaged the plant. Mamaya hindi na mamulaklak 'yon.

His eyes widened a bit, and he shook his head quickly. "No." Mabilis na inilabas niya ang laman ng paper bag. He placed a small ceramic pot on my desk that was designed to look like a woman with her eyes closed and her forefinger in front of her face, saying "shh". The plant, which I recognized as Ghost plant, looks like a crown on top of her head. "I'm really sorry about yesterday. I was thinking that you would like it.... well..." Napakamot siya sa ulo niya. "Obviously, I didn't think. I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise."

I have a feeling that he's the kind of person who's not used to apologizing. That was clear from the start, given how we met.

I don't think he's a bad person. Annoying? Yes. Entitled? Yes. But I've seen him around people, and he seems nice. Until he said that I look like a troll behind my back, which I happened to overhear.

I still don't like him. Siya lang ang nag-iisa sa mundo na nakakapagpakulo ng dugo ko. But my brother and I have been taught by our parents not to ignore a sincere apology. Whether I want to admit it or not, his apology seems sincere.

Bumuka ang bibig ko para magsalita pero naunahan niya ako nang may inilabas siya mula sa paper bag at ipinakita niya sa akin iyon.

"I'm going to put this around the cafeteria. Para hindi gawin ng iba ang ginawa ko kahapon."

I want to tell him that aside from him, no one will attempt to touch the flowers since everyone in Dagger knows that I take care of the plants. He has good intentions, so begrudgingly, I need to be nice about it.

Itinuro niya ang chibi drawing na may chat bubble sa tabi na may nakalagay na "don't pick the flowers". The chibi looks like me, and it even has a lab coat on. "I asked my artist friend to draw one that looks like you. It's cute, right?"

A vein on my temple throbbed. "I'm cute now? I thought I was ugly as a troll?"

"Ha?"

"You said that before. That I look like a troll." Napanganga siya na ikinabuntong-hininga ko. Whatever. "I don't want to talk about it. Let's go. You're scheduled for a tour."

Hindi ko na siya hinintay at nauna na ako. Rinig ko ang nagmamadaling mga yabag niya para makasunod sa akin. Dumiretso ako sa elevator at pumasok doon. Daze followed, and I noticed that he was carrying a paper bag with takoyaki in it.

"Hindi na masarap 'to kapag hindi na mainit." Inilabas nya ang lalagyanan no'n at tumusok siya ng isang bilog gamit ang stick. "Say ahh."

Of course I didn't. Kinuha ko sa kaniya ang stick at isinubo ko ang takoyaki bago ko ibinalik sa kaniya iyon.

Sinilip niya ang lalagyanan na hawak niya. "I wonder what this tastes like. Your brother told me that you liked it so I looked for it, but this is the first time I'm seeing one."

"Did you have breakfast today?"

"Nope." Kinindatan niya ako. "I was excited again."

Yeah, right. "Then try one."

He seemed to think about it for a second, and then he shrugged and speared one takoyaki ball and popped it inside his mouth. Nagsalubong ang kilay ko habang nakatingin sa kaniya. Bakit mukha siyang nag-co-commercial ng takoyaki? Papikit-pikit pa siya na para bang ligayang-ligaya sa kinakain.

The elevator pinged, and then it opened. We stepped out at the same time that Daze tried to feed me another bite. Katulad kanina ay kinuha ko lang sa kaniya ang stick at isinubo ko ang pagkain. So sue me. I'm addicted to takoyaki.

"I'll tour you to the secure interview room on the ground floor next time. The bosses are interviewing someone there at the moment, so we can't go. We can't go to the basement either since may inaayos sila roon." I glanced at him, and I saw him looking around excitedly. "This is the training floor. Nandito rin ang armory."

Sumunod siya sa akin at binaybay namin ang pasilyo. Soundproof lahat ng kuwarto kaya wala kaming naririnig.

Nang makarating kami sa bandang dulo ay binuksan ko ang pintuan. Kaagad sumalubong sa amin ang malalakas na putok ng baril. The sound is always described as sounding like thunder, but in fact it isn't. It has a more prolonged impact, a hint of danger that creeps right through you.

Akmang papasok na sana ako ng kuwarto nang maramdaman ko ang paghawak ni Daze sa braso ko. I don't know what happened, but suddenly I found myself facing his wide back.

"What are you doing?!" Pinilit kong pagkasyahin ang sarili ko sa tabi niya para makapasok ako at kunot na kunot ang noo na nilingon ko siya. To my confusion, he looked pale as if he'd seen a ghost. "What's wrong with you?"

He massaged his neck and gave me a small smile. "Nothing."

He's hiding something from me. I could force him to tell me, but I chose not to. Ayoko na pinipilit ako sa mga bagay na hindi ako handang pag-usapan o harapin. I don't want to do the same to other people. Even if it's the annoying plant-killer giant.

I tugged on his shirt, and I pulled him out of the room. Tinanguhan ko lang si Eden na kasalukuyang nag-pa-pratice shoot na napatingin sa direksyon namin bago ko tuluyang isinarado ang pintuan.

"Follow me," I told him.

We went to the two-doored room, and I placed my ID in front of the scanner to open it. I heard Daze mutter a sound of amazement when the lights opened one by one inside, revealing an expansive rack of different firearms, less lethal weapons, tactical gear, surveillance equipment, communication devices, training simulation gear, and other miscellaneous equipment.

"Don't touch anything," I reminded him.

Namimilog ang mga matang nilingon niya ako. "Or something might explode?"

"No. Everything here is expensive and has been worked on by the Spine Point for months. I don't want you to break them."

Ngumuso siya. "I'm not that clumsy." Nagpalingon-lingon siya. Just from watching him, I could tell that he's deliberately avoiding getting close to the rack of guns. Hmm. "So... you don't have any umbrellas that turned into guns or explosive chewing gums?"

I blinked at him slowly. "This is Dagger, not Charlie's Angels."

He chuckled. "Right."

Sandali lang kaming nagtagal sa kuwarto at pagkatapos ay bumalik na kami sa elevator. Lumabas kami ng second floor at tinuro ko ang mahabang hallway na daan papunta sa mga kuwarto. Hindi na ako nag-abalang ipakita sa kaniya ang mga iyon. "Mga kuwarto lang ang mga nandito at shower rooms. We're allowed to stay here permanently as long as we work for Dagger."

"Like live here?"

Tumango ako. "Depende sa employee kung gusto nila. Lalo na iyong malalayo ang mga bahay at walang malapit na tinutuluyan dito sa Tagaytay."

"How about you?"

"Dati, oo, but my brother and I bought our own house. I want a garden, and I can't have that here." Well not to the extent of what I imagined. Dumami ang halaman dito sa Dagger dahil sa akin. Dinagdagan ko rin ang mga nasa roof top. Hindi naman nagrereklamo ang mga katrabaho ko o ang mga boss ko. I even gave some of the bosses plants for their offices. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung buhay pa ang mga iyon.

Plants are good for the environment. They can also help purify the air. It's such a small thing, but it can contribute so much.

I turned to the left side of the floor, which led to another hallway. Pagliko pa lang ay kita na ang mahabang section na inilaaan para sa fun room. I opened the frosted glass door, and we found some of the employees lounging on bean bags while watching a movie on the large screen.

A movie that Daze happened to star in.

"Well... this is awkward," the man beside me murmured.

A moan filled the air, and I froze where I was standing. Nanggaling kasi iyon sa babaeng kapareha ni Daze sa pelikula na kasalukuyan niyang sinasalya sa kung saan-saang parte ng hotel room na kinaroroonan nila.

I don't know why, but the movie pisses me off more than I am usually annoyed at Daze. I was probably emitting a dark aura because it seemed like a lot of them felt my presence at the same time.

Siniko ni Leo ang katabi niya na si Warrick pero abala ang lalaki sa panonood. Inulit niya ulit iyon pero nang hindi kumilos ang lalaki ay malakas niya na iyong binatukan.

"Aray! Ano—" Warrick took one look at my face, and he immediately reached for the remote and turned off the television. "Uy kayo pala! Kumain na kayo? Nagpadala ng pagkain si Ma'am Lia. Marami pa sa taas."

"I'm just touring this... this caveman." I glanced at Daze, and my lips curled when the image of him with his tongue down on a woman's throat flashed in my mind. I should eat. I'm probably just hungry that's why I'm this irritated. Inagaw ko sa lalaki ang hawak niya at isinubo ko ang natitirang takoyaki na nandoon. Bahala kang magutom diyan. "Seriously, who wants to get thrown into a wall just for a kiss? Isn't that a bit extreme? Who would want that?"

There were clearings of throats coming from the direction of my co-workers. Nang binalingan ko sila ay kita ko kung paanong nagpalitan sila ng mga tingin.

Daze ears turned red. "It could be enjoyable."

"Sinong may sabi?"

He looks baffled for a moment, as if he doesn't want to tell me that the ones who told him that are the women he's been with.

"There's no right answer, man," a voice coming from behind us said. Lumapit siya sa amin at tinapik niya sa balikat si Daze. "Trace Dawson."

They shook hands, and I stood on the side, letting them talk. My boss turned to me afterwards, and he grinned at me. "How's our favorite little cloud? Hindi naman kayo siguro nag-away ulit ngayong araw na 'to ano?"

"Hindi—"

"Hindi naman po kami nag-away kahit kahapon," putol ni Daze sa sasabihin ko. "Tort— Sorcha and I are just joking around. She's been so patient and good to me, even though I'm disturbing her. Siguradong ang dami niyang kailangan na gawin pero sinasamahan pa rin niya ako. You have a gem of an employee right here, Mr. Dawson."

He was laying it on too thick. Trace Dawson knows it, I know it, everyone knows it. But Daze didn't mind, and he just kept on singing me praises as if we were the best of friends.

"You seem to be on good terms. Nabanggit ka kasi sa libro namin ng asawa ko dahil nakita nila kayo sa The Dawson's Nook na nag-aaway ni Sorcha."

A flicker of recognition sparked in Daze's eyes. "Gano'n lang po kaming magbiruan. Sorcha and I went a long way back so we could joke around like that with each other."

Bumaling sa akin si Trace. "Marami ka palang kilalang artista, Sorcha. I remember you mentioning Caleb Riley."

"Umm..."

"You know Caleb Riley?" Daze asked.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Trace beat me to it. "Yep. Sorcha likes him. He's probably her celebrity crush. And Sam Lorenzo as well."

I don't watch a lot of movies. I rarely have the time. Talagang pamilyar lang ako sa kanila dahil madalas silang mabanggit ng mga katrabaho ko. Hindi ko nga matapos ang Dagger Series eh. Palabas na ang pangwalong libro no'n pero hindi pa ako nakakalahati.

Lahat kasi kami ay may kopya niyon. Libre pa dahil bigay lang ang mga iyon ni Ma'am Lucienne.

"Uhh... mauna na po kami. We need to finish the tour."

Kumaway ang lalaki at ganoon din ang mga iba ko pang mga kasamahan. Hinila ko na palabas ang tahimik na si Daze at muli kaming bumalik sa elevator. I skipped the third floor, and instead we went straight to the fourth floor.

Nang makalabas kami ay binigyan ko ng maliit na ngiti si Ragelle o kung tawagin namin ay Rage na nasa desk niya. Siya kasi ang official receptionist ng fourth floor. Hindi kasi gusto ng mga boss namin na nasa ground floor siya. In case of a security breach, they don't want her to be the first they get to.

"This is where Dagger officially handles their clients." Itinuro ko ang malaking kuwarto na napapalibutan ng salamin na haligi. "That's the conference room." I started walking, and Daze followed me. "May mga kuwarto rin dito na pwedeng tuluyan ng mga kliyente in case of urgent situations." I pushed on the door on the right leading to the pantry, and I walked right in. "This is the kitchen and the pantry. Pwede kang pumunta rito kung may gusto kang dalin na pagkain. Lagyan mo lang ng label para walang gumalaw. Kung for sharing, iwan mo lang na walang pangalan. Pwede ka ring kumuha ng kung anong gusto mo rito. The Dawson wives always bring something for everyone—"

"You like Caleb Riley? And Sam Lorenzo?"

Kunot ang noo na nilingon ko ang lalaki. The smile that he usually has is gone. Something that seems impossible since he's the kind of person who never runs out of it.

"Ha?"

"You have a crush on them?" he asked.

"I... I don't know."

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. He almost looks angry. The closest to being angry that I have ever seen him. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Hindi ko pa naman sila nakikita sa personal. I'm not the type of person to have a crush on someone just because I've seen them in movies." Which I haven't.

"But you've seen me."

"Ha?"

He took a step toward me. Napaatras ako at naramdaman ko ang malamig na counter na dumikit sa likod ko. "I'm here in front of you, in the flesh. Not on the TV screen. But why do you like them and you hate me?"

"I don't hate..." Natigilan ako. I do hate him. But not hate hate him. "Hate is a strong word." You killed my plant, and you called me a troll. "We just have different personalities, which makes it difficult to like each other—"

"But I don't find it difficult," he murmured.

"What?"

"I don't find it difficult to like you."

____________________End of Chapter 4.