"Sir.." nakangiwing tumingin kay Nick ang babaeng kausap niya kanina lang. Naroon siya ngayon sa opisina ni Aya. They said she called in sick today and advised them not to call her unless it's urgent. Why is she doing this to him? Was she really sick or was she that upset with him that she has to hole up in her condo? 

Ayaw sana mag-isip ni Nick na lahat ng bagay ay tungkol sa kanya ngunit alam niyang galit si Aya sa kanya. He felt it. Sa sampal nito, sa mga salitang binitawan nito at sa titig nito. He will never forget that look in Aya’s face. Never. He actually had a nightmare because of it. It haunted him. And he felt like an absolute ass for the words he said to her. 

"What?"

"Sabi po niya itapon ko raw po yung mga bulaklak."

Napahilot si Nick sa pagitan ng mga mata niya. He deserved that. He's a fucking idiot. Matapos mapailing ay basta na lamang siyang tumalikod. 

"Sir! Paano po itong mga bulaklak?"

"Do as you were told."

He's not about to get the poor woman fired because of his stupidity. Kasalanan naman niya kung bakit ganoon ang nangyari. 

He walked away with thoughts of banging his head against the glass door of her office in his mind. What a fucking asshole! Why would he speak to her like that? Alam niyang nasaktan niya si Aya sa mga sinabi niya ngunit huli na para bawiin pa niya ang mag iyon. Nasampal na siya nito at kitang kita niya sa mga mata nito kung gaano ito nasusuklam sa kanya. And it fucking tears him apart.

Hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin niya para suyuin ang babae. What does he know about these things? Ni hindi pa nga niya nasubukan na mag-sorry sa babae. Or maybe he did, once or twice in his life with his ex-girlfriend but he was young and naive back then. Back when he thought that love would conquer all. Back when he was still dumb.

Nick knew Aya would hate him with what he was doing. Nakalagay sa rules nila na hindi nila dapat pakialaman ang personal na buhay ng isa't isa. Ngunit ano pa nga ba ang ginagawa niya? Wala siyang karapatan na pumunta sa trabaho nito at magpakilala na boyfriend nito. Oh, she would be fucking pissed! Na animo ay kulang pa ang mga salitang binitawan niya rito kagabi para hindi siya nito lutuin nang buhay! But what could he do? Hindi naman siya papapasukin sa opisina nito kung hindi niya sasabihin iyon! Noong una ay tila ayaw maniwala ng sekretarya nito sa sinabi niya. Nabanggit pa nito na ngayon lamang may boyfriend na dumalaw kay Architech Valderama.

Which is something na hindi rin mapaniwalaan ni Nick. How can a woman as beautiful and as desirable as Aya not have lines after lines of men behind her? Malamang ay sadyang malihim lamang ito. Maybe she made contracts with all her boyfriends not to show up at her work just like what she did to him. 

Or maybe you're being an asshole for assuming things about her without actually asking first?

"Fuck!" napahampas siya sa manibela ng kotse niya. The only thing left for him to do was to go to her house and beg for her forgiveness.

Ngunit dadagdagan lamang niya ang kasalanan niya rito of he's going to show up in her condo unannounced. Fuck! Paulit ulit niyang hinampas ang manibela. Things would have been better of she's answering her fucking phone and stop blocking all his numbers! Malapit na siyang mapikon dito pero pinipili niyang intindihin ang babae dahil kasalanan naman talaga niya ang nangyari.

Kung hindi niya sana pinairal ang selos--damn it! Even jealousy is part of their rules! Sa pagkakatanda niya ay siya pa nga yata ang nag-bring up sa bagay na yon! Ngunit hayon siya at halos umikot ang tumbong nang makitang may kasamang lalaki si Aya sa Desideria. Halos magdilim pa ang paningin niya nang makitang humalik dito ang babae. Gusto niyang baklasin ang ulo ng lalaking yon! Anong karapatan niyang lumapit o kausapin man lang si Aya?!

"Tangina kasing rules yan!"

Sinubukan niya muling tawagan si Aya ngunit naka-block pa rin ang numero niya rito. Sakto namang pagputol niya ng tawag ay nag-ring ang telepono niya. It was Beau.

"Hey, I need some reservations in Desideria. My co-doctors and I--"

"Done."

"Hanep, ang bilis sumagot ah?" natatawang sabi nito. "Mukhang good mood ka yata?"

"I don't have time for this, Beau," sagot niya at pinaandar na muli ang sasakyan. It's now or never. Pupuntahan na lamang niya si Aya para matapos na ito. She can't ignore him if he's right in front of her face. Kung kinakailangan na gibain niya ang pinto ng condo nito ay gagawin niya. He just needs to see her. She needs to know he's sorry.

"Why do you sound so edgy?" his friend asked. Nasa kabilang linya pa rin pala ang tarantado akala niya ay binaba na nito ang tawag.

"Nothing. Pwede bang h'wag kang makialam?"

"Yung babae problems mo pa rin ba yan?" he tsked on the other line. "Alam mo, kung hindi makuha sa alak yan, iba na yan, men."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "What do you mean?"

"So, babae nga?" tanong nito na sinabayan pa ng tawa na siyang lalong ikinainis niya.

"Fuck you, Beau."

"You know I don't swing that way," he said. "ano ba kasing problema, bro?"

"I'm an asshole."

"Matagal na nating alam yan. Tell me something I don't know like who is she? Where did you guys meet? And what did you do to make her mad? Curious talaga ako eh." 

Umikot ang mata ni Nick habang nagmamaneho. Masyadong mahabang kwento. And he's not about to tell his friend about the woman he's been fucking who's driving him nuts right now. "She's mad at me because I'm a fucking asshole and now she doesn't want to speak to me. What should I do?" 

"Simple lang, tell her you're sorry."

"Hindi nga niya ako kinakausap!"

"Shower her with gifts. She'll eventually fold." he said, snickering. "Wait, where are you right now?" 

"I'm in my car," he answered. "on my way to her."

"What?" halos mapangiwi si Nick sa lakas ng boses ni Beau. "Bro, you can't go to a woman's house announced. Besides," he heard Beau sighed in the other line. "Just don't do it bro. Pinapahalata mo lang na masyado kang patay na patay." 

Eh ano pa nga ba? 

INIS NA NAPATITIG si Aya sa yellow roses na nakapatong sa mesa niya. It was from Nick again. Talaga yatang hindi titigil ang lalaking iyon sa kapapadala ng kung anu ano sa kanya. She even received jewelries from him last night! For God's sake! Hanggang ngayon ay nasa bahay niya iyon dahil ayaw tanggapin pabalik ng courier na nagdeliver sa condo niya. She's not about to accept a set of white gold jewelries from him. What is she? His sugar baby? 

What the hell was he thinking anyway? That showering her with expensive gifts will eventually soften her up? Siraulo ito kung iyon nga ang iniisip nito. She stood up and threw the bunch of flowers in the garbage. Napalingon siya sa kabilang panig ng glass door at nakita niyang nakatingin sa kanya ang sekretarya nila habang may kausap sa telepono. After a while ay ibinaba rin nito ang awditibo. Ang hula ni Aya ay si Nick ang kausap nito. That fucking asshole! Nakuha pa nitong mang-uto ng mga empleyado sa kumpanya nila para lang sa kalokohan nito! 

She was about to go out and reprimand the secretary when Belinda came barging in. 

"Oh, someone looks good today," nakairap na bati niya rito. 

Nag-sick leave rin ito kahapon dala ng hang over pagkatapos ngayon ay may gana pa itong sumugod dito sa opisina niya. Humalukipkip siya at tinitigan ito nang masama. "Aren't you gonna say something? Apologize for your behavior in Desideria last night, maybe?" 

"Whatever!" ikinumpas ni Belinda ang kamay nito sa harap niya. "Hindi iyan ang ipinunta ko rito?" 

"Excuse me?" 

She watched as her friend navigated her way inside her office. Huli na para maitago niya rito ang bulaklak na katatapon lamang niya sa trash bin. 

"Aha!" dinampot nito ang yellow roses mula sa basurahan. "So, tama nga ang chismis na nadinig ko." 

"Anong chismis?" she snatched the flowers from her friend pagkatapos ay itinapon iyong muli sa basurahan. 

"That you have a boyfriend who dutifully sends you flowers at work!" she squinted her eyes at her. "At balita ko sobrang pogi daw! Cmon, Aya Valderama! Spill! Who is this boyfriend and why are you throwing those beautiful flowers away? LQ?" 

She marched back into her desk. "I don't have a boyfriend. I don't know who told you that and I don't like yellow flowers."

"Who the fuck doesn't like flowers?" Bells fired back. 

"Me!" 

Belinda shook her head. "I don't believe you. Ano bang pinag-awayan n'yo ng mystery boyfriend mo, ha? At kailan mo siya ipakikilala sa amin?" 

"Teka nga! Okay ka na ba at ako na naman ang pinagdidiskitahan mo? Ano na nangyari sa inyo ng boyfriend mo na iniiyakan mo last night." 

She waved her hand off. "I'm over it." she sat in front of her. Ito na nga ba ang sinasabi ni Aya. Once her friend starts to fixate on something, lagot na. Ang masama pa nito, lovelife niya ang pinagdidiskitahan nito ngayon. "Tell me about this boyfriend or I'll have you take care of the drunk me again. You choose."

Aya sighed and rested her head on her lounge chair. "I don't have a boyfriend, Belinda." 

"Then why is that guy going around telling people he's your boyfriend? Bakit ba napakamalihim mo, Aya? Don't you trust us? Baka mamaya bigla na lang namin mabalitaan na ikakasal ka na? Gusto namin kilatisin muna ang lalaking yan bago ka sumamang makipagtanan!"

Muli siyang napabuga ng malalim na hininga. She really wouldn't stop. "He's really not my boyfriend, Bells. It's a casual thing. I don't know why he's spreading these lies. I'm about to end it with him, kung hindi ka lang bigalng sumulpot dito."

"But why?" 

"Anong but why?" 

"Why are you ending it?" 

"Because he's an asshole."

Natawa si Belle sa sinabi niya. "All men are assholes, Aya." she grinned at her. "Believe me, they all are. You just have to find the right asshole."

Maghapon na nasa isip ni Aya ang sinabi ng kaibigan. It is true, all men are assholes. Even her brother and probably her father at some point in his life. But what Nick had said to her, hurt her. Ininsulto nito ang pagkababae niya and its not something she could easily shrug off. Or something that can easily be erased by flowers and expensive gifts. It is not something Nick could take back. 

Nasa kalagitnaan siya ng pagrerevise ng isang floor plan nang tumunog ang private line niya. 

"Hello, this is Aya."

"Miss Valderama," 

"Nick?!" 

He laughed. 

"What the fuck are you doing? How did you even get through this line?" 

"I have my way."

"Stop bribing people into doing your bidding!" 

"I am not bribing anyone. It's not my fault I am exceptionally charming." 

Tumirik ang mata niya sa sinabi nito. "Charming ba 'yung nagsinungaling ka sa kanila at sinabi mong boyfriend kita? Ano bang kailangan mo, Nick? Ibaon mo nga d'yan sa kukote mo na hindi mo ako madadaan sa pabulaklak at mga regalo mo!" 

"Iba gusto ko ibaon sa' yo, pano ba yon?" 

"Wag ka ngang bastos!" she can't believe him! "Pwede bang tigilan mo na ako? Whatever we had between us, it's over the moment you insulted me."

She heard him sigh in the other line. "I understand that you're upset--"

"Upset?! I am beyond upset, Nick. I am livid!"

"You don't sound livid to me,"

"Sinabi nang h'wag mo akong daanin sa mga paganyan mo!"

"Anong paganto ba?" 

"Ugh!"

"Fine! You're mad at me for insulting you, I understand that and I'm sorry." he said. "But will you please talk to me? I want to see you. Face to face. So, I can apologize in person. Please."

Humugot ng malalim na hininga si Aya. Nagtatalo ang isip niya kung pagbibigyan ba niya si Nick sa gusto nito. Ngunit naroon pa rin ang galit niya at kagustuhan na tapusin ang lahat sa pagitan nila. Maybe it would be better for them to talk in person like what Nick is suggesting. 

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. I'm going to meet you in person."

"Good! I will pick you up after work."

"What? No!"

"What kind of boyfriend am I kung hindi ko susunduin ang girlfriend ko after work."

"I am not your girlfriend!" hindi man gusto ni Aya ay kusang nag-init ang pisngi niya sa tinatakbo ng usapan nila ni Nick.

"You are. Bye, girlfriend. I'll see you later."

Wala na siyang nagawa pa kundi ang imbit na mapatili matapos siya pagbabaan ng telepono ni Nick.

Oh that brute!!!