Let Me Be

Chapter 20

Yohan stared at his laptop. Kanina pa nagpapalipat-lipat ang tingin niya dito at sa kanyang phone. Nagagawi din ang kanyang tingin sa orasan. The time passed so slow.

Kanina pa niya na-check ang layout na binigay ng kanyang team. He also finished two meetings with them and with their higher boss. Nakapag-assign na siya at nakapag-research tungkol sa bagong project pero parang ang tagal niya na sa opisina.

Gustung-gusto niya ng lumabas. Gustung-gusto niya ng puntahan siya.

Aminin man niya o hindi, nami-miss niya na si Gabrielle. Ilang araw na siyang hindi nakakapunta sa apartment nito dahil sa pinakiusapan siya ng dalawa nitong kaibigan. Hayaan daw muna itong makapag-isip.

It bothers him. Iniisip niya kung posibleng may kinalaman siya sa problema ng dalaga. Hindi kasi nito sinasagot ang tawag niya. Hindi rin ito nagrereply sa kanyang mga text. Gusto man niya ito puntahan, hindi rin niya magawa dahil baka tuluyan na siyang pagbawalang pumunta.

Yohan met Gabrielle in their first work for a travel magazine. Nirekomenda ang dalaga sa kanya bilang photographer which he gladly agreed. Nagbigay kasi ito ng example ng shots ng babae na nagustuhan din niya. It was perfect for his planned layout for the magazine.

As the team leader, siya ang sumama dito. Ayaw man niya dahil maiiwan ang iba sa team, responsibilidad din niya na i-guide at i-instruct si Gabrielle sa gagawin.

Yet he never thought that he will enjoy the shoot while doing his job. Masaya kasama ang dalaga. Nahihiya ito sa kanya noong una pero nag-umpisa ring dumaldal ng magtagal. Sinasama pa siya sa paggawa ng kalokohan. Running like crazies in a long road. Talking like drunk men in a coffee shop. And they also have photos with their wacky faces.

Crazy but amusing.

They become friends eventually. Hanggang sa natapos na rin ang shoot, hindi pa rin niya makalimutan ang mga nagawa nilang kalokohan. He just can't forget. He was really happy.

He didn't expected that his team would noticed it. They teased him that he found a new lucky girl. That time, he's been single for almost a year. Kaya todo ang pang-aasar na natatanggap niya mula sa kanila. Nagtrabaho lang daw siya sa ibang lugar, may nahanap ng love life.

Well, he also hopes so.

Lucky for him, another project was assigned to them. Sa pagkakataong iyon, food magazine naman ang gagawin. Boring but a more easy job. He immediately contact Gabrielle na tinanggap naman ng huli. Natuwa naman siya dahil ito na ang magiging photographer nila.

And they met again. Walang pinagbago ang dalaga. Pero napansin niyang naging kumportable na talaga ito sa kanya. And he took it as his first sign.

He finds her beautiful. He likes how she untie her hair and doesn't care if it'll be ruined. And how she had a big appetite. She's beautiful even in her carefree acts.

He waited for another sign after that day. Kaso parang natagalan. Hindi niya alam pero gusto niyang makita ulit ito. Hindi man active sa kanyang social media accounts, sinubukan niyang kausapin si Gabrielle through chat. Nakailang delete at ulit siya sa kanyang messages bago i-send sa dalaga. Ang kinalabasan tuloy ng pag-uusap nila ay tungkol sa kanilang trabaho dahil doon madaming nakukwento ang binata. He was relieved that Gabrielle is so considerate to talk with him.

Hindi nga lang nagtagal. Hindi rin naging madalas.

Then fate must be playing around him. He offered the lady a job again--the first thing he did--when they was assigned for a fashion magazine. Hindi naging basta-basta ito dahil kilalang fashion designer ang kliyente. Pero malaki ang tiwala niya sa dalaga. And she accepted it.