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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7K6oV7RGYJ
Ryan Santillan. Cool as ever. Suot ang dark hoodie at noise-cancelling headphones.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMzw0DUSar
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?"291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBo3pH0JBV
Ian looked at her, expression unreadable. "Fine."
Oh no.
In the van.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzHVTeY2c8
Tahimik. Awkward. Mahaba ang biyahe.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGP9M1OpSY
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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJTxR9RuwQ
"Sabi mo bang mag-ingay ako?" he deadpanned.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDO72KL7Cj6
"Well, I mean... small talk won't kill you."291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jcA6gSgh6
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?291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8m9CSxu9M0
Or was that just her?
At the hotel.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEIXmqcqTJ
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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7yHs20mJ2
"May alak pala sa minibar," sabi niya casually, habang nilalapag ang bote sa lamesa.
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering?"291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfVnQ4ljXF
"I'm tolerating."
They drank in silence. And then...
Heart-to-heart, habang lasing.
"Why do you hate everyone?" she asked suddenly.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91swCdGEhy
"I don't hate everyone."291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFFFu6XNov
"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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8e8pRSLZN
His hand reached out. Fingers brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.
"Tangina..." he whispered. "Don't look at me like that."291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8mnqz40ur
"Like what?"
"Like I matter."
She didn't know who leaned in first, but suddenly...291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42vpTGGhoS
Almost. Lips. Inches away.
Then he pulled back. Fast.
"No," he said, voice rough. "Don't play with me, Aila."
She froze.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMOla9RdhX
"I'm not—"291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgBxbzAfhP
"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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MEQnyseCI
Inside her chest, the real feelings started to surface.
This wasn't just a bet anymore.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsO2fUlFlpY
This was the turning point.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUJi72TvZr
and then Add to home screen.