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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmM14Kxb24u
Ryan Santillan. Cool as ever. Suot ang dark hoodie at noise-cancelling headphones.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6b5x0jV3p
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?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7oVQSLe5u
Ian looked at her, expression unreadable. "Fine."
Oh no.
In the van.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1MTgmDhBI
Tahimik. Awkward. Mahaba ang biyahe.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAG3uUEE7A
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEons5ngrZ
"Sabi mo bang mag-ingay ako?" he deadpanned.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5YfBt39Kh
"Well, I mean... small talk won't kill you."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NBh3qWyaX
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?36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpMEpd7DLg
Or was that just her?
At the hotel.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzkrk8hBYm
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5tDt0V1rS
"May alak pala sa minibar," sabi niya casually, habang nilalapag ang bote sa lamesa.
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jqWhUxHcp
"I'm tolerating."
They drank in silence. And then...
Heart-to-heart, habang lasing.
"Why do you hate everyone?" she asked suddenly.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkS95AjpBH
"I don't hate everyone."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5PDQhd9Vx
"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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBpg7WC7EK
His hand reached out. Fingers brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.
"Tangina..." he whispered. "Don't look at me like that."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos6titelfT
"Like what?"
"Like I matter."
She didn't know who leaned in first, but suddenly...36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZrMaUVatD
Almost. Lips. Inches away.
Then he pulled back. Fast.
"No," he said, voice rough. "Don't play with me, Aila."
She froze.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRrvqNDur2
"I'm not—"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ298CbQ2bmb
"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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktLGfhhlQy
Inside her chest, the real feelings started to surface.
This wasn't just a bet anymore.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrBacMAB3p
This was the turning point.
36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJD3GxOLJ4Q
and then Add to home screen.