twenty two

Aliyah and Adam were now walking side by side while entering the store, she scratches her head as she glances at the man beside her "Why did I think that I should bring him here" she mutters to herself

Entering her favorite store, the employees immediately remember her "Ms. Argania" they greeted

Aliyah just smiled at them "I need formal clothes" she said and gesture her stained clothes, the employees immediately understood her and move on to get the best clothes that belong to her choice.

Aliyah eyed Adam who is now sitting on the couch twirling a pen in his hand, "If you are bored you can leave me here I can ask for my assistant to pick me up" she said

Adam stares at her as he stopped twirling his pen "Is being your driver included in your company contract?"

"Huh?" Frowning she shook her head, "No?"

"Oh, so you're abusing them by then," he said and twirls his pen again "I'll send you to your company, you should not abuse them by your power," he said casually

Aliyah was about to disagree with him when the saleslady called her, "Ms. Argania the clothes are now ready" she showed her the racks full of office clothes.

Aliyah smiled at her "Thanks" she said and glared at Adam who is busy with his pen, Adam just shrug at her.

Showing him a fake smile, she looks back at the saleslady and scanned the clothes in the rack, picking out the pastel one "I'll try this one" she said as she headed to the fitting room.

After fitting the outfit and knew it was her taste she gets out the fitting room, looking at the saleslady waiting for her outside she took out her card and handed it to her "I'll take this one" she said

The saleslady politely gives back her card "The gentleman over there already paid for your clothes" she gestured Adam who is still twirling a pen in his hand while sitting on the couch.

Marching towards Adam, she placed her hands in her waist, eyeing him "I said, ako ang bibili ng clothes ko why did you pay for it?!"

"I don't know" He shrugs "I just paid for it" he looks at Aliyah as if he did nothing wrong.

Massaging her temple "Adam!" as she stomps her feet once, she was frustrated at his attitude "I don't like being in debt to people, you know? How much is it? I'll pay it right away" she declared as she handed him her card.

Adam who is sitting at the couch look at Aliyah who is standing in front of him, "If you don't like debts, you could choose now a suit for me and you pay for it, and it's a tie. Fair, enough right?" he states looking back at his pen and twirls it "Easy" he said muttered but loud enough for Aliyah to hear.

Widening her eyes and exhaling deeply, "Why don't you choose your clothes?!" she hissed at him "I'll pay for it" she sits on the couch across him, crossing her arms and legs.

Adam can feel the glares of the little woman, but he just shrugged it off "If you don't want to choose right now. We can go back to your company and I'll let you be in debt to me" he said and glance at her, mockingly.

Aliyah glared at him for the last time, before she stands up "Alam mo gago ka talaga" she said and march towards the men's suits.

Aliyah scanned the rack when a black linen suit caught her attention, picking up this she looked at Adam's direction, her caramel and his deep black eyes met, Adam stood up and walked to her direction.

Adam was about to get the suit in her hands when he immediately pulled back his hands and placed into his pockets, he turned around to the sales lady "In my size, please and pack it up" he said "This lady will be one who will pay for it" as he gestures at Aliyah.

The saleslady nod and gets the suit in Aliyah's hand "Please wait for a minute" she bowed at umalis na ito para kuhanin ang suit para kay Adam.

Aliyah looked at Adam "They know your size?"

Adam shrugs "All of my suits are from this brand except for one" he looked at her for a minute before he walks away "Oh! Please pay for it" he looked back at her before he continues walking to the couch.

Aliyah scowls at his back but eventually walks to the counter and handed her card to the employee. After paying she gets the paper bag that contains the suit, she smiles at the employees before turning around and walked to Adam. Placing the paper bag near to his side "Here is it, I guess it was fair now?"

Adam looked at the paper bag briefly and looked back at Aliyah "What if I said it is not enough?"

Clenching her fist, she gave him a dagger look "For freaking sake it costs so much and still not enough?"

Seeing Aliyah who is now fuming in anger, he chuckled "I was joking, alright?" he raises his hand as a defeat and gave her a smile, a cunning smile and gets the paper bag "Let's go" he ordered as he stood up and walks away first.

She did a forced exhalation through her pursed lips before she chases Adam.

Getting inside the car they fell silent again, clearing his throat he peeks at Aliyah "Do you have anything scheduled for this Sunday?"

"Why?"

"Can we schedule it for Sunday? The date" he asked as he focuses his gaze on the road "I mean our meeting for you to be comfortable with me" he immediately clarifies.

"Why? It is my rest day; I am not working for that day. Never" she said with finality in her tone, she is supposed to rest on that day and heal herself again.

"My schedule was packed for this week and that's the only day I was free to meet you" he glances shortly before focusing again on the road as he silently let out a sigh.

"Then we can schedule it for the following week," she said as she scrolls emails in her phone

"No," Adam said firmly

Knitting her eyebrows, she looked at Adam "What are you saying? Your schedule for this week is packed and should we see each other that often? Is that necessary?"

"Yes, we should" he stubbornly said "So you won't feel awkward with me" he glimpses at her

"Do you think I am not comfortable? I can curse at you now, gago and I am not comfortable enough?" she asked as she looked at him briefly "I think I am comfortable enough so we can collaborate without any other problems" she mumbled as she looked outside not looking at his direction

"No. You are not comfortable for us to have smooth collaboration. I will be the one who will decide whether you are finally comfortable with me, so we should see each other more often or this project will be in vain" he said in a serious manner

"Anong gusto mo araw-araw tayo magkita?" she eyed him in disbelief "Tapos kakain lang kasi wala kang maisip na iba? Lunch buddy ganon?" she laughs "Ridiculous" she mutters while rolling her eyes

Adam gasped "That was a good idea" he exclaimed.

Widening her eyes, she looked at him, "You are kidding, right?"

Adam looked at her for seconds and look at the road once again "I am deadly serious"

Aliyah sighed again as she explains her situation to Dr. Costa "Alam mo ba kung anong kulang na turnilyo sa utak niya?" she eyed the doctor

"I'm am your doctor not his," he said as he browses a book.

Glaring at him, "Napakawalang kwenta mo talagang doctor"

"Mas wala kang kwenta na pasyente I told you to not come to my office when you don't have appointment" he sighed closing his book "and you'll just complain to me, then wala pang bayad"

"Mukha ka talagang pera kung di kita kaibigan di ikaw ang doctor ko eh" she said and gave him a mocked face

"Kaibigan mo ko?" he asked and eyed her "And if I didn't know you, and the fact there's no doctor could last to your attitude, you won't be my patient"

"Austin Grey!" she exclaimed "Putangina nyo talagang mga lalaki" she said and stood up and ready to leave

"I told you it is just your ex, not all the men, we are not your ex lalo na ako di kita papatulan no" he sighed and stood up, "I told you that you should face the past and here it is, Adam is from your past and maybe he can help you or get you out of that past." looking at the clock he eyed her "It's already past twelve your lunch buddy is surely waiting for you" he grinned at her before walking to his office door, opening it "You can now leave" he gestures

"Hayop ka talaga" she mumbled when she passes by on him

"Mas dapat inaayos iyang bibig mo eh" he bickers back and before Aliyah could answer him back, he already closes the door.

Aliyah looked at her watch, it was already twelve-fifteen in the noon, Adam was not picking his phone "Bakit ba naman di nasagot iyon?" she asked as she sped up.

Adam was massaging his temple as he looked outside, Aliyah is still not in the restaurant "Damn" he cursed under his breath as he was scolding himself by forgetting his phone because he is in a hurry a while ago, their meeting ends exactly at noon.

"You're late," he said to Aliyah who is gasping for air.

Looking at her watch and saw that it was nearly twelve-thirty, she smiled apologetically "I was calling you, but you didn't pick" she reasoned out as she sits across him

"I forgot my phone," he said, he was about to get her plate "Sorry" sabi niya at agad na inatras ang kamay niya na muntik na madali si Aliyah "I will tell them to reheat it," he said as he asked for the waiter to reheat it immediately.

Breaking their awkwardness Aliyah looked at him "Taga bundok ka ba bakit hindi mo alam na necessecity na ngayon ang phone?"

Adam just shrugs at her "I casually forgot it, there is nothing new"

"What the hell, people can't live without their phones with them and here you are, casually forgetting it?" she gasped, but Adam just shrugs at her as if there is nothing wrong with that.

In a few minutes, the waiter comes back with the reheated dishes.

"Let's eat I bet you are pretty hungry it is already late," Adam said and start to eat.

Aliyah just nods at him and immediately digs up on the food.

Binaba ni Adam dahan-dahan ang kanyang mga kutsara at tumingin kay Aliyah, checking his pocket.

Aliyah saw him checks his pockets "Anong meron?" she asked while chewing her food.

"Your hand" utos nito at agad naman inilahad ni Aliyah ang kamay nya.

Seeing her hands he was about to hand her the thing he gets from his pocket, but immediately retreated it, "Uh no" he said as he placed it to the side of the table "You look uncomfortable" he said and goes back on eating

Aliyah looks at the ponytail placed on her table, she looks at Adam who is now eating indifferently, a smile form in her lips for a moment before getting it and ponytails her hair. "Do I look comfortable now?"

Adam glance at her and nod before focusing on his food again. "Better than eating your hair these past few lunches" he murmurs

Aliyah just rolled her eyes and focus on eating again, she did not know that her hair is getting in her way when she was eating.

After a few minutes Aliyah placed down her utensils looking at Adam who is now staring at her, "Tapos ka na din ba?" when she saw Adam nod his head, she immediately calls the waiter.

Adam knew what she will do, and he just let her pay the bills in these past few days they have lunch together, this topic will always become an argument.

'It was my food, ako kumain tapos ikaw magbabayad?' galit na sabi ni Aliyah 'I have my money you know Mr. Diaz I'm a businesswoman and a future doctor' dagdag pa nito

'I am a man I should pay the bills' he insisted

'Kailangan lalaki lagi magbabayad ha? Palamunin lang kami? Also, do that to your future wife not to your business partner' she said as she placed her card in the table 'I'll pay for it' she declares

'Okay' he complies 'You pay for this lunch and I'll pay for tomorrow' he negotiates 'It was fair right? Mahihirapan pa ang restaurant if magkahiwalay tayo magbabayad if we will both use cards as a method of paying' he reasoned out

'Okay' she agreed

"I'll get going na, I still have meeting to attend" Aliyah stood up immediately "See you tomorrow," she said and walks away

Adam looked at Aliyah who is hurriedly leaving the restaurant when she is not in his sight anymore, he stood up and leaves.