CHAPTER 4

It is been two weeks since the deal happened between me and Mr. Perill. Well, it was supposed to be the three of us, including Kaiven, but he just left after knowing that I am his psychologist. Ewan ko ba do'n, napaka-choosy pa.

I checked my schedule pad, and looked for the name of Kaiven. Today is supposed to be our third meet-up for his diagnosis but, then, again he didn't showed up.

Malakas kong isinara ang schedule pad ko dahil sa inis. Eto ang unang pagkakataon ko bilang psychologist na makaramdam ng inis sa pasyente ko at eto rin ang unang pagkakataon na ninjahin ako ng pasyente ko!

I'd kept texting that guy about his appointment with me but he didn't reply to my texts even just once! I even chatted his facebook account but all he did is to ignore my messages! He is just wasting my precious time!

Padabog akong sumandal sa inuupuan at binato ang hawak kong ballpen dahil sa inis.

"He still not showing up?" Biglang sumulpot si Lindon sa harapan ko at pinulot 'yung ballpen na binato ko.

Umirap ako at tumingin sa kaniya. "Do you think I should continue this?"

Inilapag ni Lindon ang ballpen sa lamesa. Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang ilapit ang mukha niya sa akin habang ang kamay ay inilagay niya sa bulsa ng suot-suot niyang doctor uniform. Bahagya kong inilayo ang mukha ko.

"Are you really my bestfriend? The Astrid that I know is not easily giving up." nagtataka nitong sabi habang ang isang kilay ay nakataas na tila tinitingnang mabuti kung sino ba ang kausap niya.

Psh. Kahit kailan talaga 'tong lalaking 'to.

I raised my one brow and stood up, he also stood up to meet my face. "I didn't said that I'm giving up." mataray kong sabi. Tumawa ito at ginulo ang buhok ko.

"I know... I'm just motivating you. So what's your plan now? Mukhang wala talaga 'yong balak magpunta rito."

Inayos ko muna ang buhok kong ginulo niya bago tumingin sa kaniya.

"Well, If he is not coming here, then, I will be the one who will go to his office. Do'n ko gagawin ang diagnosis niya." nakangisi kong sabi at ipinagpatong ang dalawang braso sa harapan ko.

"Do you know where he is working? And how sure you are that he is in his office now?"

"Syempre alam ko 'yon, noh. Sasabihin ko ba 'yon kung hindi? Mr. Perill gave me the address of their company and the time of the work of his son. He also said that I can go to his company freely." kampanteng sagot ko.

"It looks like, Mr. Perill really believe in you."

Nagkibit-balikat la'ng ako at tumingin sa wrist watch ko. It's already 1:00 pm, I'm sure that Kaiven is on his office know. Kailangan ko nang magmadali.

Hinubad ko ang uniporme ko at kinuha ang bag na nakapatong sa lamesa at agad-agad akong dumiretso sa pintuan, huminto ako saglit at lumingon kay Lindon na nagtatakang nakatingi sa akin.

"Hey, assist my patient." utos ko dito at dali-daling lumabas, hindi ko na rin na sara ang pinto.

"Wow! It looks like this is your clinic and you are my boss!" narinig kong sigaw ni Lindon sa sarkastikong paraan.

Lihim akong natawa dahil sa sinabi niya "Thank you, Boss!" sigaw ko pabalik. I heard him laugh.

I'm now on my way to BMC, hindi naman gano'n kalayo ang BMC company sa LF Psychiatric Clinic.

A minute later, I already arrived at BMC. I parked my car and went out. Tumingala ako at binasa ang malaking pangalan ng BMC. Grabe... napakataas naman ng building na 'to, siguro ay mga nasa 50 floors din 'to, ngayon, nananiniwala na akong mayaman talaga ang pamilyang Perill.

Ilang saglit pa ay pumasok na ako sa loob, dumiretso ako sa elevator at hinintay ang pagbukas nito. Tatlo kaming naghihintay sa pagbukas ng elevator. Sa kaliwa ko ay 'yung babae na mukhang empleyado dito at sa kanan ko naman ay 'yung lalakeng naka-gray polo na may hawak na dalawang kape ng starbucks.

Nang magbukas ang elevator ay wala itong laman kaya pumasok na kami. Nauna kaming pumasok nung babae at sumunod naman iyong lalaki. Nasa gitna ako at nasa magkabilang gilid ko naman iyong dalawa.

I was about to pressed the 26th floor button when the guy next to me already pressed it. Napatingin ako sa lalaking pumindot at gano'n din siya sa akin. Ngumiti ito pero hindi ko ito pinansin at diretso na la'ng na tumingin sa harapan ko.

"You look familiar, Miss."

Napatingin ako sa lalaking katabi ko para tingnan kung ako ba ang kausap niya.

Mukhang ako nga, dahil sa akin ito nakatingin. Saglit akong tumitig sa kaniya at inalala kung nakita ko na ba siya pero agad din akong umiwas nang hindi ko ito makilala.

"You don't look familiar to me." Mataray kong sabi at tumingin na ulit sa harapan ko. Nanahimik naman na 'yung lalaking katabi ko.

Ilang saglit pa, huminto 'yung elevator sa 10th floor at lumabas iyong babae kaya gumilid ako para makadaan siya. Dalawa na la'ng kaming naiwan sa elevator.

Pagkasara na pagkasara ng pinto ng elevator, ay siya namang paghawak ko sa dibdib ko dahil sa gulat nang biglang magsalita 'yung lalaking kasama ko.

"Aha! You are the girl in the swimming competiton!" malakas na sigaw nito na tila tuwang tuwa dahil naalala niya ako.

I raised my one brow and looked at him like I don't know what he is talking about. He just laughed at my reaction.

Wait...

Swimming competition?

Is that the competition where Kurt participated?

"At the sport center, where there's a player who almost drown." he said like giving me a clue.

Kumunot ang noo ko at saglit na tumitig sa lalake para alalahanin ang nangyare noong swimming competition.

Hmm... I can't rem-- Oh! Siya 'yon! 'Yung kasama nila Kaiven!

Bahagyang umawang ang bibig ko nang maalala ang lalaking kaharap ko.

"Hahaha. I think you already remembered me. I saw you talking to one of the rescuer about Kaiven."

"Yeah, I saw you watching at the competition with Kaiven and the old man." Saad ko habang tumatango-tango.

Bahagyang kumunot ang makapal nitong kilay nang banggitin ko ang pangalan ni Kaiven, tumingin ito sa akin nang may pagtataka sa mukha.

Oo nga pala hindi niya alam na ako ang psychologist ng kaibigan niya.

Bago pa niya ako tanungin kung bakit ko kilala si Kaiven ay ipinakita ko na sa kaniya 'yung i.d ko na nakasabit sa damit ko, malapit sa dibdib.

"I am Dr. Astrid Veronica Almina, the psychologist doctor of Mr. Kaiven Perill."

Nakita ko ang biglang pagbabago ng ekspresyon nito, mula sa pagkakakunot ng noo ay napalitan ito ng gulat na tila hindi makapaniwala.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?"

Itinaas ko ang isa kong kilay "Bakit? May problema ka ba do'n?" mataray kong sabi.

Mabilis itong umiling "N-no. Nothing. I'm just shocked. But, Kaiven agree to this? He even sent you here... I thought he don't want to have a psychologist but... how come?" Hindi makapaniwala at takang-taka nitong tanong.

I sighed "He didn't sent me here, in fact, I'm the one who came here to do his diagnosis. He didn't showed up to our appointments so I have no choice." Naiirita kong sagot sa kaniya.

Muli na sana siyang magsasalita nang magbukas na ang elevator sa 26th floor kaya lumabas na ako, sumunod naman siya sa likuran ko.

Huminto ako sa paglalakad at lumingon sa likuran, napahinto rin 'yung lalaki sa likod ko at tumaas ang isa niyang kilay dahil sa biglang paglingon ko.

"Where his office, by the way?" mataray kong tanong habang ang dalawang braso ay magpatong sa harapan ko.

"A-ah, well, I'm also on my way to his office. Y-you can follow me." nilagpasan niya ako, wala akong ibang choice kundi sundan siya dahil hundi ko alam kung saan hahanapin ang opisina ng pasyente ko.

Diretso la'ng siya sa paglalakad habang ako ay parang tangang nakasunod la'ng sa kaniya.

Wait. Hindi ko pa pala alam pangalan niya.

"What's your name?" Tanong ko at tumingin sa nakatalikod nitong ulo. Ilang saglit pa ay huminto na ito, tiningnan ko ang pintong hinituan namin at binasa ang nakasulat.

CEO Office... mukhang nandito na kami.

"I'm Dexter Race Vellonzo, Manager of this company and the bestfriend of your patient." Nakangisi nitong sabi. Tumango la'ng ako at binalik ang tingin sa pintuan.

"Aren't we going in?" Taas kilay kong tanong sa kaniya dahil mukhang wala itong balak buksan ang pinto.

"Ikaw na la'ng pala ang pumasok, I remember I still have something to do. Give this coffee to him." Itinapat niya 'yung kape sa mukha ko dahilan para kuhain ko ito at masamang tumingin sa kaniya. Bahagya la'ng itong tumawa at tumalikod na sa akin. Hindi pa man ito tuluyang nakakalayo ay muli itong lumingon sa akin.

"You don't look like a monster, by the way." Nakangisi nitong sabi at muli nang naglakad. What?

I raised my brow when I realized what he just said. Did that Kaiven told him that I looked like a monster!? That jerk!

Malakas akong kumantok sa pinto ng opisina ng Kaiven na 'yon. Pagkatapos ng tatlong katok ay mabilis akong pumasok at padabog na sinara ang pinto.

Bumungad sa akin ang iritado nito mukha.

"What the f-" naputol ang sasabihin niya nang makita ako. He was just looking at me with confusion and at the same time with irritation plastered on his face.

"Do you know how to knock properly? Fuck." He said while his brows drew together because of irritation.

Instead of answering his silly question, I walked towards his table and laid down the cup of coffee on his deck. I looked at him with my serious face.

"Do you know how to read?" I said and raised a brow.

He took a deep breath and looked at me seriously before standing up. "Stop joking around. Just tell me what do you need from me."

I smirked, really? Joking around? So, it is all a joke for him? What a jerk.

"Do you think I am joking? I've texted and chatted you about your diagnosis but you didn't even replied to me, no, YOU didn't even look at my messages. Do you really think, it is all a joke?"

He returned to his seat and looked away, pretending that he was busy signing a bunch of papers. He wasn't even bother by my deadly gaze. I kept looking at him until minute later, he decided to put down his pen and looked at me.

He sighed "I'm sorry for not replying and for not showing up. Do you know why I did that? It is because I don't want it. I don't want to have a psychologist. It is all my father's idea, I didn't even agree to this."

I took a deep breath. "Do you know why your father is doing this? It is because he was worried about you, he wants to help you with your problems. He is willing to do everything just to make you fine. You don't know how lucky you are to have a father like Mr. Perill. But, it looks like you don't want a help from others, no, YOU don't want to help yourself and I can't do anything about it anymore, I think this is really a bad idea. The problem wasn't your trauma, it is you." I said softly and walked out.

I'm done with this. If he don't want it, then don't! I can't help a patient who doesn't want to help themselves.

Dirediretso akong naglakad palabas ng opisina niya, nakasalubong ko pa si Dexter. Ngumiti ito sa akin ngunit hindi ko ito pinansin dahil sa inis.

When I entered the elevator, I immediately get my phone and dialed Mr. Gomez.

"Yes? Dr. Ava?" Bungad nito sa akin sa kabilang linya. I inhaled first.

"Mr. Gomez, please tell Mr. Perill that I can't do it anymore and tell him to forget about my conditions. I'm sorry." I didn't even wait for the reply of Mr. Gomez and immediately ended the call.

Bumuntong hininga ako at sumandal sa pader ng elevator.

I think this is all I can do...