Dahil sa nakita, umuwi na lang ako. And as per his request, I blocked his number. It's not that necessary actually since I have no plans in texting him but oh well... just to be sure. Baka atakehin ako ng kalandian at kabaliwan at ma-message ko pa siya.

He told me to distance myself from him so that's what I did although it was quite hard since I work for their company and we work at the same building.

Ilang beses kaming nagkita sa office at tuwing nangyayari iyon, lumalayo ako. Minsan, nagpapatay-malisya na lang ako at kunyare hindi ko siya nakita.

"London, Mr. Alvarez wants to meet with us," ani Engineer Benvolio at saka ako tinapik sa balikat. "Emergency meeting."

I sighed inwardly, the fact that I'm gonna see him again and that I have to pretend like I don't care stressed me. Pero 'di bale na, as if naman may magagawa ako.

Pagkapasok namin ng conference room, ang madilim na tingin ni Orion ang siyang una kong nakita. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa nakita pero agad din namang nagpanggap na walang nangyari at itinuon na lang ang pansin sa kung saan.

This wasn't the only time that I noticed his sharp glares. Every time he sees me or we pass by each other, he would always frown and give me a scowling look. Brows arching and meeting at the middle, forehead creasing, and his cold, deathly glares.

Hinayaan ko na lang siya dahil baka galit pa sa akin. Hindi ko nga alam kung ano ang ikinagalit niya eh nagtanong lang naman ako.

Ganoon ang tratuhan namin buong linggo. Magkikita kami sa mga meetings at sa site, titignan niya ako ng masama at ako naman ay magpapanggap na walang alam.

Napatingin ako sa orasan at nakitang mag-a-alas otso na ng gabi. Sobrang busy namin at madami rin ang ipinagawa sa akin at ngayon ko lang natapos ang mga iyon. Hindi na ako nakapag-lunch dahil sa trabaho.

At ngayong nasa isipan ko na ang pagkain, ngayon lang din ako nakaramdam ng gutom.

I stood from my chair and stretched, both my neck and back made some cracking sound when I bent to the side. I then fixed my things and made my way to the elevator, only to see the guy whom I've been trying really hard to avoid.

"Ay, may nakalimutan pala ako," I said, talking to myself but also trying to make Orion hear so he wouldn't suspect that I'm avoiding him. In short, sinadya ko talagang iparinig iyon sa kaniya.

Lumabas ako ng elevator at saka bumalik sa desk ko. Wala akong kinuha dahil wala naman talaga akong nakalimutan. Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto, saka ako bumaba.

Lakad-takbo ang ginawa ko papuntang parking lot dahil gusto ko nang umalis para makakain. Sumasakit na ang tiyan ko at kanina pa rin ito naglilikha ng kung ano-anong tunog.

Nang makarating sa parking lot, agad kong namataan ang sasakyan. I squinted my eyes, trying to see if I was really seeing someone leaning on the hood of my car.

Palapit ako nang palapit sa sasakyan at unti-unti ko na ring nakikilala ang bulto ng taong naroon. Nang mapagtantong siya nga iyon, tumalikod ako at naglakad papuntang kabilang direksyon. Napatigil lang ako sa paglalakad nang muling lumikha ng tunog ang tiyan ko.

Shet! Huwag ngayon, kagutuman!

"Don't tell me you forgot something again," anang isang matigas na boses mula sa likuran ko. Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan at hindi na alam ang gagawin.

Paano ako lalayo kung siya mismo ang lumalapit? Ang labo mo naman, Orion!

Hindi ako gumalaw sa kinatatayuan at nagdasal na lang na sana umalis na si Orion. Gusto ko nang umalis dahil gutom na gutom na talaga ako!

Nakarinig ako ng mga yabag at akala ko naglakad na siya paalis kaya laking gulat ko na nasa harapan ko na siya.

"Isn't that your car?" Aniya at saka may tinuro sa likuran ko. Hindi ako sumagot at patuloy lang siyang tinitigan. "Don't tell me you left something again."

"Uh... yeah..." sagot ko at tumango-tango.

"Really?" He raised a brow and smirked but there was no humor in his face.

"My phone!" I answered defensively. "Yes... I left my phone."

"You're holding your phone."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at napatingin sa kamay na hawak-hawak pala phone. "I have two cellphones."

"Funny cuz you have two phones yet you used neither to text me," he said mockingly and crossed his arms. "Until when are we going to play this game, London? One week of you ignoring and pretending you don't know me was torture."

"Nakakairita ka!" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang na-realize ang sinabi. I was about to turn around to leave but he held my wrist, tight enough not to let me go but loose enough that it wouldn't hurt.

"Yeah? I should be the one annoyed here," he said, sounding amused.

"Ano ba kasi ang problema mo, ha? Wala akong oras sa mga kabaliwan mo, Orion," singhal ko sa kaniya. "Gutom na ako kaya please lang pakainin mo na ako!"

He smirked, "Okay. Let's talk about this over dinner then."

He intertwined our hands and was about to walk towards my car but I removed his hold from me.

"That's not what I meant," I hissed, trying to stop myself from having tantrums out of hunger. Gusto kong magpadyak-padyak dahil sa inis pero parang bata naman ang labas ko kung ganoon.

"You said pakainin kita," aniya at saka nameywang. "Don't tell me you don't have time again just like when you couldn't spare a minute to inform me that you won't show up on our date."

Date?

Date pala 'yon?!

London, mag-focus ka. Nag-aaway kayo!

"Are you accusing me that I stood you up?" Tanong ko at tinuro ang sarili, hindi makapaniwala sa narinig. "Do I have to remind you that it was you who cancelled it and told me to stay away from you, huh?"

He gave me a confused look which also made me confused. I rolled my eyes before unlocking my phone and showing him the message he sent.

"I didn't send this," he said in a low voice. The annoyance in his eyes vanished and was replaced with something else. "I would never tell you such things, London."

"Let's talk again once you have a better excuse," I replied then walked pass by him but he was quick to hold my wrist and pull me towards him.

Napasubsob ako sa kaniyang dibdib at hindi mapigilang mapapikit nang maamoy ang kaniyang pabango.

London, concentrate! Huwag magpadala sa alindog niya! A part of my mind said.

Ngunit bago ko pa mailayo ang sarili sa kaniya, may umubo-ubo mula sa kung saan.

"Excuse me, mam, sir, no PDA—" napatingin kaming dalawa sa guard at nang makita niya si Orion, agad naman itong ngumiti. "Oh, sorry, Mr. Alvarez... uh, you may continue, I'll stay on my post."

Dali-dali itong umalis kaya naiwan ulit kami ni Orion. Tinulak ko siya palayo pero hindi ito nagpatinag.

"Come on, let's go. I don't think we'd have a proper conversation if you're in this state," aniya at saka ako kinarga na parang sako sa kaniyang balikat na nagpatili naman sa akin.

"Hindi ako sako, Orion! I hate you!" Sigaw ko ngunit hindi niya ako binitawan hanggang sa makarating kami sa kotse ko.

He took the key from me and opened the car for me. Pinaupo niya ako at saka dumukwang siya papalapit.

"I'll meet you at your condo," he said with finality. "And no, you don't hate me. I'll make sure of that."

Bago pa ako makapagsagot, sinara niya na ang pintuan ng sasakyan. Kumindat at kumaway-kaway pa ang gago. As if naman natutuwa ako sa pinanggagawa niya!

Nag-drive ako papuntang condo at ang sasakyan naman niya ay nakasunod sa akin. Walang imik kaming dalawa hanggang makarating sa unit.

"Welcome home!" He announced with enthusiasm.

"Bahay mo?" I whispered sarcastically.

"If you'll let me stay here, then why not?" Nakangisi niyang sagot bago lumapit sa akin at ginulo ang buhok ko. "I'll cook."

Hindi na ako umangal at dumiretso na sa kwarto at naligo. Pagkalabas ko ng kwarto, ang mabangong amoy ng adobo ang siyang nalanghap ko. Lalo akong nakaramdam ng gutom dahil doon.

I sat on the table and watched him cook. Wala na siyang suot na suit coat at naka-dress shirt na lang na nakatupi hanggang siko. Nakaayos na rin ang mesa kaya wala na akong kailangan pang gawin.

We both ate in silence. Paminsan-minsan, napapansin ko ang pagsulyap niya sa akin pero hindi ko iyon ininda.

Pagkatapos kumain, nagtulungan kami sa pagligpit at paghugas ng mga pinagkainan. Tumungo kami sa salas at ngayong busog na ako, handa na akong makipag-usap.

"I wasn't the one who texted you that," he spoke with desperation and with pleading eyes. "I'll find out who did this."

I smiled and waved my hand dismissively, "Nah, what's done is done."

"Let's reschedule it tomorrow. I'll pick you up."

"Baka magalit ang fiancée mo."

"Funny, cuz I have no idea who that fiancée is," sagot niya at humilig sa glass window.

"Si Architect Mallorie! Diba fiancée mo siya? That's what Andy told me then I saw you at the bakeshop with her!"

"Did Andy tell you that her sister's engaged to me?"

"Well..." Now that he's asking, I just realized that Andy didn't specifically mention his name. Napakamot na lang ako ng ulo at nagpaliwanag sa kaniya.

"So you assumed that we're engaged?"

"Hmmm..." kinagat ko ang labi at nahihiyang tumango.

He reached out for my hand and pulled me towards him. Both of us were now leaning on the floor-to-ceiling window.

"First of all, I never saw her as more than a friend. Second, you're right about her being engaged. But not to me," pagklaro niya. "I guess Andy told you wrong infos since she's not correctly informed as well."

What?! So all these years I thought there was something going on between them when there isn't?

Reyna ng fake news talaga si Andy!

"Oh... I really thought..." I trailed off, a part of me feeling relieved and I'm not even sure as to why I'm feeling such relief!

"You thought I was engaged," he continued my sentence, shaking his head with a small smile on his face. "How could I be engaged when the woman I see myself marrying doesn't even know I like her?"

"Care to share who that woman is?" I asked, faking my enthusiasm. So much for feeling relieved!

"Well..." he licked his lips. "I still don't know how to tell her. She might laugh at me."

"What? Why would she do that. Baliw lang ang tatawa sa isang confession!" I chuckled. "Aminin mo na, baka maunahan ka pa."

He didn't answer but only stared at me while stifling a smile.

Hay, ang swerte ng babaeng gusto mo, Orion!

"How about I help you?" I offered. "Why don't you practice admitting your feelings with me so you'll gain the confidence of confessing."

He chuckled but nodded. He then moved nearer and pulled my waist closer to him while he held my chin, our eyes locking with each other. Hindi ako na-inform na with matching choreo pala ang practice namin!

"I like you, London."

My heart hammered inside my chest, forgetting for a while that he was just practicing with me and none of these is real.

"That was... great," I beamed. Kahit practice pa lang, paniwalang-paniwala na ako. Ano pa kaya kung totohanan na? Mababaliw siguro ang babaeng iyon dahil sa pag-amin niya! "Go tell her, Orion!"

"I just did," aniya, may malaking ngiti sa mga labi.

"Ako lang naman ang sinabihan mo ah," I pointed out, tilting my head quizzically.

His hands were still on my waist. As if we weren't close enough to each other, he pulled me even closer to him, our bodies now touching and an unexpected electric heat seemed to flow all throughout my body.

"Yeah... I told it to you because..."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa napagtanto. Impossible!

"Y-you..." hindi ko matuloy ang sasabihin. Baka mali na naman ang pinag-iisip ko at mapagkamalan pa akong assumera!

"I like you, London," he repeated, his voice full of sincerity. No one dared to break our eye contact and the more my eyes stayed on him, the more my heart raced. A surge of unexplainable rush enveloped my chest and I honestly do not know what to do nor say.

I didn't expect this. Kani-kanina lang, hindi kami nagpapansinan tapos ngayon...

"And I'm scared that what I have for you..."

He shut his eyes for a second, then licking his lips before continuing.

"...Is more than just a like."