Semua Bab PASAGAD, MR. DRAKE (SSPG): Bab 21 - Bab 30

Lahat ng mga worker sa pabrika ay abala sa kanilang mga trabaho lalo na ang mga vintner. More and more grapes keep coming in through the machines.Napansin ko ang isang babae sa sulok. Rica, I think her name is, and she has no idea what she’s doing. She isn’t a vintner after all. I know she was sent here on some mission.Nang sandaling makita niya akong papalapit, she suddenly acts more serious than ever, even though it’s clear she doesn’t know what she’s supposed to be doing.It’s not just her who’s gotten serious, everyone has. Alam kong walang gustong matanggal sa kanilang trabaho. I’ve stopped letting people go without good reason, but that doesn’t mean I’ll tolerate laziness. Tinatanggal ko pa rin ang sinumang hindi seryoso sa trabaho.Bawat trabahanteng madaanan ko ay bumabati sa akin. I only hum or nod in response to their greetings.Nang makalapit ako kay Rica. Ngumiti ito na parang nasisiraan. I scoff and roll my eyes at how she keeps staring at me.I’d actually come just to

I wanted nothing more than to slap myself hard enough to bruise, maybe even draw blood. Bakit ko ba ginawa ‘yon? Bakit ako lumapit kay Rica? And why did Blaire have to walk in exactly then? Now she’d definitely get the wrong idea.Ilang minuto pa lang kaming nagkaayos. Kakapasok pa lang namin sa maayos na usapan, sinabi pa niyang okay na kami na we’re good now. Tapos ganito ang mangyayari?No amount of explaining would make her believe there was nothing going on between Rica and me.Tinawag ko si Rica sa opisina dahil napapansin kong pabaya na siya sa trabaho. I wanted to tell her to shape up or she’d be fired. I also needed to tell her to stop throwing herself at me. Oo, hindi ako santo. Nakipagrelasyon ako kung kani-kanino, maybe more than I should have. Pero kahit kailan, hindi ako bababa sa puntong papatol ako sa sarili kong empleyado. Rica isn’t even my type, not even close to what I look for in a woman.I’d moved that close to her because I wanted to make her think exactly what

Kakauwi ko lamang galing sa trabaho. I look completely tired, stressed, and frustrated. Hindi naman ako masyadong naging busy sa opisina kanina pero dahil sa nakita ko, parang may mabigat na bagay na ayaw umalis sa dibdib ko."Are you going home now, sweetheart?" tanong ni Jas habang pabagsak akong naupo sa sofa at inilabas ang phone ko.I'm actually scrolling through the message Drake sent me the other day, checking in on how I was feeling. Mabilis kong in-off ang screen at humarap sa kanila."Yeah… I need to tell dad I’ll be moving out tomorrow," I say calmly, my voice quiet and low."Hindi ba mabibigla si Tito niyan?" Hyra asked."I don’t care. Gusto ko na talagang umalis doon. Para na akong sinasakal sa bahay na ‘yon," sabi ko. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa at sabay na napailing."Sweetheart, you really don’t look happy, and I hate seeing you like this," seryusong sabi ni Jas. Inabot niya ang pisngi ko at marahang hinaplos. "What happened? Was work that stressful today?" "No. It’s

“Saan ka pupunta, kuya?” Astraea asked me as I headed out of the kitchen.Dalawang araw na siyang nakikitira sa bahay ko, and right then she was in the kitchen making all sorts of dishes for me. Kagaya ng bilin ni Mom.“To the living room. I don’t want to die. Kakauwi ko lang galing trabaho, hindi mo man lang ako pinapahinga!” iritado kong sagot habang naglalakad palabas ng kusina. Narinig ko namang napahalakhak si Astraea. Ever since she arrived, she’s been getting on my nerves. At ngayong araw, lalo akong naiirita sa walang katapusang pagluluto niya.“But you haven’t finished the things I gave you to do,” Astraea chuckled knowingly.Napatigil ako sa paglalakad at humarap dito.“Do the rest yourself, young woman,” I shot back sharply.Tumigil siya sa paghihiwa at tinignan ako.“Para sa ’yo naman ‘tong pagkain, hindi para sa akin, ‘di ba?” Inirapan niya ako.“Well, I didn’t ask you to cook for me. Your mom insisted, remember?" She laughed at the way I said "your mom" like she wasn’t

“This definitely has to be a dream.” Kinurot ni Rhyd ang sarili, halatang hindi makapaniwala.“How did this happen just within a day? You and Blaire, dating all of a sudden?” tanong ni Sevi.Alam kong hindi sila makapaniwala sa nakikita nila.“Ngayon ko na gets kung bakit galit si Blaire kay Drake noong nahuli niya ito kasama si Rica, tama pala ang instincts ko,” sabi ni Sevi habang tumatawa naman si Rhyd.“It's crazy, but I love them together. They look too cute together, don't they?” siniko ni Rhyd si Sevi.“Yes, bro… pero sobrang nakaka-distract na 'tong halikan nila. Nasasakal na ang single life ko dito. It's not fair!” reklamo ni Sevi.“Idiot!” natawa si Rhyd at hinampas ang ulo nito.While they stood there completely confused, Blaire and I kept kissing. Pagkalipas ng ilang segundo, humiwalay kami at napangisi ako sa mga kaibigan ko.“Hi jerks, are you still confused and surprised?” nakangiting tanong ni Blaire sa kanila.“Confused is an understatement, Miss Chao Chao. We are thu