CHAPTER III
ELISA

A bunch of crazy things happened all at once and here I am, getting ready for work as if none of those crazy things even happened.  Throughout the weekend,  all I thought was him and it was like he was living in my mind rent-free.  My whole way to work was a disaster! I cringe at every mention of ‘Patrick’ by some strangers I stumbled upon.  I freeze every time I see men with raven hair similar to his hairstyle.  I panic every time I get reminded that I might bump into him when I know I’m not ready to face him yet.  Patrick Alvarez,  just what am I going to do with you?

***

This is not good.  At this point, it’s not even funny anymore.  The whole morning was just outright chaos.  I don’t even know how many times I got scolded today for zoning out,  clumsily making mistakes, and tripping on my own.

“You better get your head on the game soon, Ms. Ortegas.  By the time lunchtime is over, you must have pulled yourself together!”

The words that my superior told me kept spiraling in my head.  I slapped both of my cheeks so that I could wake myself up from whatever spell I got trapped on.  By spell,  I meant Patrick Alvarez.

“Are you okay?”  I heard someone behind me ask. How kind.  I was touched because those words are the exact words I’ve wanted to hear the most.

“I’m okay.”

When I turned around to face the kind person,  I thought my soul was extracted right then and there.

It’s him!  Ricky is here in front of me and I can’t take it anymore

We need to talk this through

“Ricky.”

His eyes lit up like Christmas and those evergreen orbs of eyes zeroed at me and it felt so right.

“Yes, El?”  He called my nickname as if it was a spell that enchanted me

“We need to tal-”

“Oh goodie!  You found her!  C’mon! Let’s have lunch.  Any minute longer I might starve to death!”  What the?  Penelope suddenly came out of nowhere and I looked at Patrick, asking for an explanation as to why the hell these Alvarez siblings were doing this to me.

Patrick shook his head at me and just smiled as if that was a good enough explanation.   Well, that explains no shit but I have to hold back or Penelope might get suspicious.  

When I was about to follow Penelope’s lead,  Patrick tugged one of my sleeves and whispered to me: “Later.  Let’s talk later.”  Then, off he goes to his sister’s side while I remain flabbergasted at Patrick’s sultry voice.  What’s wrong with me?  Is that really the same Patrick Alvarez?  Or am I still the same Elisa Ortegas?

***

The whole lunchtime was pure hell.  I mean, the food is good since we went to our favorite restaurant but the constant pretending that nothing happened is just downright torture.  It feels like I’m deceiving my best friend.  No… I AM deceiving her, especially at the fact for not telling her what happened between me and her oh-so-precious brother.  But I can’t tell her,  I mean, why would I? Ugh… This has been eating me away.  Finally,  Penelope left for work saying she’s needed by her boss.  The time has come when that ‘later’ became ‘now’.  There’s still time before lunch break is over so I better make the most of it.  While we’re walking back towards my workplace,  I need to break this awkward heavy silence.

“I’m sorry about that night.”  I started with an apology but I heard Patrick click his tongue.

“Like I said,  it’s not your fault.”  Patrick picked up a pace and started walking fast

Is he mad?

“W-wait! Ricky,  we need to talk, don’t we?”  I tried to follow him when he suddenly stopped walking so I had my head bumped to his broad back. Oww…

He turned around and his gaze reminded me of what he said the following morning after that eventful night.  ‘I like you, El.’

Maybe because of those words,  I started looking for you compared to where I was before.