Chapter 25

I explained everything with Berk, but I exclude all the parts where I know he'll react the most. At iyon ang mga part kung nasaan nag-stay ako sa bahay ni Connagh. I just had to say to him na nakitulog ako sa bahay ng amo ni tita telling him that she was almost fired. That's true naman. Iyon ang sinabi ko just to get away with discussing about our boss because it's get awkward when we have to do that every time.

This morning din ay niyaya ako ni Berk na mag-jogging just around the park, but I have to decline his invitation dahil nga meron akong period and I don't wanna be a trouble for him because of my situation.

Good thing he didn't ask about who clothes am I wearing. Nagpalit kasi kaagad ako ng damit at naglagay na ng pad sa aking underwear. I know it's normal, but it gets embarrassing every time a guy saw it. It feels like they saw us through our souls and that kind of make me feel so less of myself. Opposite of that thought, Connagh never made me feel anything because he was there to help me from last night until this morning.

Parang ang laking perwisyo nang nagawa ko sa kanya, but he didn't seem mind about it. Sana lang talaga ay hindi iyon maka-apekto sa performance ko from last night. I was doing great and then the unexpected happened.

I kept myself busy by doing the report from the event yesterday. At first, I struggled on how to start the presentation and I'm still uncomfortable, but then I manage to think straight and do what I should be doing rather than laying on the bed all day.

I reached for the cup of tea I prepared. I sipped slowly 'cause it already burned my tongue earlier. Bigla-bigla na lamang akong na-i-space out and as I'm recalling everything that had happened last night and to the past few days, I thought I shouldn't be so hard to Connagh and he actually deserved to be treated right—as if I didn't, but I won't avoid him once again.

A moment later, I heard knocks from the door and I had to leave my desk for a quick second to see who's behind the door. Pagkabukas ko ng pinto ay bumungad sa akin ang pawisan at bahagyang hinihingal na si Berkeley. Napakunot-noo naman ako at natawa na lamang siya dahil sa lagay niya.

"Why are you so sweaty? Did you run all the way here?"

"Well, I run around the area and it's exhausting, really. But I've brought us some lunch." Pinakita naman niya sa akin ang hawak niyang plastic na naglalaman ng take away food.

"Is this for us or for me alone?" I questioned.

"We could share it if you want," aniya.

Tumango naman ako. "Yeah, I think we should. I mean, I won't be able to eat all of these alone so please join me in."

"Oh, no! I gotta go back to my room and take a quick shower. And then I'll be back so we can both eat, is that alright?"

"Yeah, of course! I'll wait for you."

Nang tumalikod na si Berk ay bigla naman itong humarap at lumapit sa akin para bigyan ako ng mabilis na halik sa pisngi. He laughed it off running away from me. Napailing na lang din naman ako saka ako tumungo sa kusina para ihanda ang binili niyang pagkain. I'm actually still full of what I have eaten back in Connagh's home. He cooked a lot of meal and I feel bad not to eat all of it when he prepared it for me.

His help he did to me last night was beyond of cooking breakfast for me. And I still don't know how to say to Berk that Connagh invited me to be at his parent's house tonight for dinner. He might think Connagh's creating tension between them, but I believe he won't do that because after all, he has no interest of me.

While waiting for him, I continued working on my report. I added some photos to the presentation for visuals. I just listed all the things that I've learned and experienced last night and if I did make a mistake, I know he'll correct me at some point. I'm still learning and ever growing.

"Kiersten," I heard Berk outside and had to open the door quickly to let him inside the room. As I open the door for him, I grabbed his hand and lead him into the living room. "What do we have here, my love?"

"Well, we'll both have lunch," sagot ko pagkaharap ko sa kanya. Naamoy ko naman ang sabong ginamit niya. He smell so fresh and manly. Mas inilapit ko pa ang sarili ko sa kanya at inamoy ko siya. Natawa na lang din naman siya sa pinaggagawa ko.

"Oh, well, I think you have your lunch already," he laughed.

"It's unbelievably crazy how you smell good."

"And you just noticed it now?"

"Well, we never hugged intimately back in the office, so yeah, this could be the first time."

He chuckled. "Well, you can have me anytime, my love."

"Even if I went back in the Philippines?"

He hummed and took a deep breath as he puffed his chest out. "We'll sort that out, but for now, let's have lunch?"

"Okay, stay here and I'll get it from the kitchen."

"Sure," he said and sits comfortably on the couch.

Mabilis akong tumungo sa kusina at dinala ko ang mga dinalang pagkain ni Berk sa aming dalawa. Pagbalik ko sa sala ay naabutan kong tinitingnan niya ang screen ng laptop ko. Tumapon din naman sa akin ang tingin niya saka niya tinuro ang ginagawa ko sa laptop.

"What are you doing? You're busy?"

"Well, a little," sagot ko at saka ko inilapag ang pagkain sa center table. "It's my report for Sir Connagh. I had to do a presentation about what happened in the trade event last night. It's stressing me out a little bit, but I'm enjoying it 'cause I'm reliving all the moments we did."

"That's cool..." komento niya. "Sure Sir Connagh will give you an A+ for your performance. I know you're doing great at all your tasks, so I believe you did ace it."

"I hope so," ngiti ko pa.

"But what about Gina now? Is she fine there?"

I nodded. "I know she'll be fine there. She says she will be."

"Good to know that. I love her personality, even though she hated me on meeting me the very first time."

I scoffed. "No? She doesn't hate you. Why did you say that?"

He shrugged off. "Remember our first meeting? She basically want Sir Connagh for you and I just felt it."

"But she likes you now, right?"

He nodded. "Maybe? Yeah? I don't know."

"She likes you so don't worry about it."

We started eating our lunch and I'm asking for his suggestion on what I could add on my report. His suggestions are quite good kaya naman dinagdag ko na rin ang mga sinabi niya.

After our lunch, I had to continue my report and suffer from my period. Hindi na naman umalis si Berk sa room. Natatagalan din ako sa pagtapos ng report ko dahil hindi ko mapigilan ang sakit ng puso ko. Minsan maiiyak na lang din talaga ako. Berk had to go to the nearest drugstore and buy some medicine for me to lessen the pain. Nagpainit na lamang ako ng mainit na tubig at pinalubutan ko ito ng towel at pinagulong ko sa puson ko para kahit papaano ay mawala ang sakit.

Hindi ko rin naman namalayan na nakatulog ako at nagising na lamang ako bandang alas tres. Berk then told me that he finished working on my reports and whatever he listed there was related to my thoughts and everything I've told about him. While reviewing what he put on my presentation, I received a message from Connagh which I thought I should ignore, but then I remembered we're about to meet later.

Agad kong naibaba ang laptop ko. Berk confusedly looked at me. "Is there a problem?"

I shook my head. "Nothing... but I have to be somewhere right now."

His eyes squinted. "And where would that be?"

"In Manchester."

Naningkit naman ang mata niya sa sinabi ko. "That's four hours away here. What will you gonna do there?"

I took a deep breath. "I was invited by Connagh... to his parent's house."

"Oh..." he muttered. "I see... and why?"

I shrugged off. "I really don't know why, but he invited me to have dinner with his parents."

"Oh... really? So, you're meeting his parents now?"

"Not in the way you thought it would be," sagot ko naman. "I'm sure he just wanted to do something and I accepted his invitation because he's the one who helped me last night when I got my period. He was the first one who noticed it."

"I see... so when are you leaving?"

"I guess in an hour," I said. "It's a four-hour-long ride so I guess we have to leave early so we'll get there on time."

"Will he pick you up?"

I nodded. "Yes, he just texted me he'll be here in thirty minutes so I need to prepare now."

"Yeah, sure. Go on. Do what you need to do."

"I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you about it."

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, it's okay. I don't really mind."

Iniwan ko naman siya sa sala at nagsimula na akong maligo. After that, I really don't know what to wear kaya kumuha na lamang ako ng dress sa closet ko at iyon na lang ang sinuot ko. Nilugay ko na lang din naman ang buhok ko at naglagay ng kaunting foundation sa mukha upang magmukhang presentable naman ako.

Pagkalabas ko ng pinto ay sinalubongan din ako ng tingin ni Berk. Namuo naman ang kakaibang ngiti sa labi niya. It's what I needed to see after telling him that I'll be having dinner with Connagh. I don't know what he's feeling, but I shouldn't pressed it to his face because we're dating and I'll be meeting someone else's parents.

Pansin ko naman ang pag-iwas niya ng tingin sa akin at parang nawalan siya ng gana makipag-usap sa akin. Tumabi naman ako sa kanya at pinalibot ko ang kamay niya sa balikat ko. Tiningnan naman niya ako. He still has no reaction and I'm quite guilty of not telling it to him early than this hour.

"Are you okay?" I asked, staring at his face.

He looked at me and nodded. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

I shrugged off. "Nothing... you've come quiet and is it about my dinner with Connagh?"

Inilingan naman niya ako. "No. it's not about that. Maybe, I'm just tried?"

"Do you wanna get rest now?"

He shrugged off. "Maybe..."

A moment later, we heard knocks on the door and I thought that'll be Connagh na. I didn't notice he followed me so when I open the door ay bumungad na si Connagh sa amin. His eyes sets at me first, but then his eyes sets to the person behind me and that's Berkeley. Ngiti lamang ang batian nila sa isa't isa. Binalik sa akin Connagh ang mga mata niya.

"Are you ready to go? It'll be a four-hour long ride so we'll be there by eight. Just in time for dinner."

"Yeah... let's go." Nilingon ko naman si Berk. "I have to go now, Berkey. I'll see you tonight or maybe tomorrow?"

"Whenever," he smiled and then he planted a kiss on my cheek. Connagh was looking at us intently and it's awkward that he's there and see how us got intimate.

When we all left my room and Berkeley followed us where Connagh parked his car. Niyakap ko naman muli si Berk bago ako sumakay sa sasakyan ni Connagh. But while I was inside, I caught them talking for a few moments and then he immediately get back inside the car. Gusto ko sanang tanungin kung anong pinag-usapan nila pero wala akong lakas ng loob na gawin 'yon. Sinuot ko na lamang ang seatbelt at inihanda ko ang sarili ko sa pag-alis naming dalawa.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

It's gonna be a four-hour-long ride and I don't know how I'm going to spend most of the time. But I'll make sure, this night won't be end into something bad. But did Connagh noticed what I'm wearing? I was wearing a dress he gave me from the pile of stuff owned by his ex-girlfriend Rebecca. I intend not to wear it, it was the first one I got from my closet and if he ever noticed it, why he doesn't know any reaction? Did he just move on and forget about his past relationship?

Now, I'm curious. Who Rebecca really is?

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!

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