Baguio City. 7:45AM.
Makulimlim ang langit at malamig ang simoy ng hangin. Aila hugged her jacket tighter habang nag-aabang sa labas ng opisina para sa company out-of-town seminar.
"One van. Eight people. Two hours of awkward energy. Love it," bulong niya sa sarili habang sinusubukang i-compose ang sarili.
Then he arrived.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOz4JD3TGwj
Ryan Santillan. Cool as ever. Suot ang dark hoodie at noise-cancelling headphones.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2axfCVbyXM
Hindi sila nagpapansinan — not after the whole jealousy incident kay Raymond. Pero sa hindi inaasahang twist ng logistics...
"Guys," si HR rep ang nagsalita, "Nagka-issue sa second van. Kailangan nating mag-combine ng rides. Ian, Aila — you'll have to ride together. Solo kayong dalawa. Okay lang ba?"
Aila blinked. "Ha? As in kaming dalawa lang?"18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeelt3jYntf
Ian looked at her, expression unreadable. "Fine."
Oh no.
In the van.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdGrQNgE9z
Tahimik. Awkward. Mahaba ang biyahe.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8DbEEwHbB
Aila fiddled with the hem of her skirt. Hindi niya alam kung bakit parang biglang nanikip ang loob ng sasakyan, kahit dalawa lang sila.
"Tahimik mo," she blurted out.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKp0MflK8d
"Sabi mo bang mag-ingay ako?" he deadpanned.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8gahVCeWX
"Well, I mean... small talk won't kill you."18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKYhLw7TDT
He didn't look at her. "I don't do small talk."
Oof.
Pero may kakaiba. May tension, pero hindi na siya katulad ng dati. It wasn't icy anymore. More like... simmering heat?18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiqtaIYANn
Or was that just her?
At the hotel.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0nnDxNeBU
Surprise! May kulang na rooms.
"Rooming arrangements," sabi ng coordinator, "Ian, Aila — sorry but you're both getting separate beds, same room. Wala na pong magawa."
Cue: Internal screaming.
Kinagabihan, after the seminar sessions and dinner, Aila found herself sitting sa gilid ng kama, still half-dressed in her blazer. Pagod, lasing ng kaunti, at sobrang conflicted.
Ian came out of the bathroom, freshly showered, damp hair.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82t8EGPMEY
"May alak pala sa minibar," sabi niya casually, habang nilalapag ang bote sa lamesa.
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering?"18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUzSmQeDxF
"I'm tolerating."
They drank in silence. And then...
Heart-to-heart, habang lasing.
"Why do you hate everyone?" she asked suddenly.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9kw4lyOj3
"I don't hate everyone."18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pilR9QapS
"Oh yeah? You treat them like you do."
Ian leaned back, eyes half-lidded. "People are fake. Office politics is worse. I don't have the energy to play their games."
Aila bit her lip. "What about me?"
He turned his gaze to her. Matagal siyang tiningnan. Para bang sinusuri kung anong klaseng tao siya talaga.
"I don't know yet," he finally said. "But you confuse me."
Confuse him? That wasn't what she expected.
"You smile too much," he added. "Laugh too loud. Pero minsan... I catch you looking like you're about to break."
Her breath hitched.
"Maybe because I am," she whispered.
Silence. Intimate. Heavy.
Their eyes met. Slowly. As if drawn by an invisible force.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hsUvjBVOM
His hand reached out. Fingers brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.
"Tangina..." he whispered. "Don't look at me like that."18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHoWsKUVBav
"Like what?"
"Like I matter."
She didn't know who leaned in first, but suddenly...18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3129k1P5p6
Almost. Lips. Inches away.
Then he pulled back. Fast.
"No," he said, voice rough. "Don't play with me, Aila."
She froze.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nJ0qTc4Z4
"I'm not—"18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTx463lifQ
"You don't know what you're doing," he interrupted. "I've been used before. Lied to. I won't be anyone's joke again."
The rejection stung harder than it should. Dahil totoo.
But before she could speak, bumalik na siya sa kama at tumalikod. Leaving her alone with her guilt, her feelings, and the kiss that almost was.
Outside the hotel, the fog thickened.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUETLWxIwi
Inside her chest, the real feelings started to surface.
This wasn't just a bet anymore.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepaDaPWkPa
This was the turning point.
18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3c85PltwU2
