Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

**Lisa’s POV**

Days in the office have never been that exciting. I have always concentrated my time on the work assigned to me. I never thought that Archie’s absence would test my feelings for him.

I met Architect Luigi Gil. He is the cousin of our Company President and he is from Davao. I met him during the meeting of our affiliate construction company seeking for costing and payroll done in our department. I gathered the required information of the project that they want us to do. He is the architect and manager of the certain condominium project that they have won through bidding. They need a precise costing of the project and payroll for the workers.

The meeting ran smoothly and he is the only person who is responsible for all the information I needed for the output of the project they want. Ever since, we have constant communication regarding their project which makes us see each other almost every day.

I have seen a peculiar manner from him, because he was staring at me most of the time. I don’t know if he understands what I have been explaining to him regarding the project they want us to do. Sometimes, I am asking him some questions and he was just looking at me as if he was lost with my question. And I need to get his attention to focus on the discussion. His friend Rigor who is also an Architect, sometimes elbowed his side to distract his trance. Rigor is also a friend because he is pursuing my best friend Helen, and most of the time he went with us for lunch.

One time, Rigor invited us again, Helen and I to have lunch out with him. I was hesitant at first because I have lots to do at the office, but Helen insisted on tagging me along with their lunch. Then, as we stepped out of the lobby, I saw Rigor and Luigi at the car parking lot waiting for us. Helen dragged me along with them.

“It’s good to see you again Melissa and thank you for coming with us for lunch, it is my honor to have you.” I don’t know how to react because he completed my name and it is like in the medieval era that the prince charming uttered those words.

“The honor is mine Luigi. Is there any special occasion that you need to celebrate with us? Besides you always address my full name, why is that so?” I asked him.

“You have a beautiful name just like the owner, and it is just right to speak it fully. Besides, I love the way your name rolled on my tongue.” He explained.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

So, every time he addressed me, he always said my full name. It’s kind of weird though, I don’t know what he sees from my name. It creeps me out, really. Then we proceed to the restaurant nearest to our office since I cannot take a long break because I have a lot of work to do. I told them that before we went out. So, they outright agree with me.

“So, how’s the project going?” I asked Luigi

“It’s doing good. Sometimes we cannot control some circumstances that would not be favorable to us. But generally, we’re still on track.” He answered.

“Good to hear that. By the way, the development of the program is already done, but we need to debug it first. So that when it becomes operational, you won’t encounter errors.” I explained.

“I believe in you. You’re not just beautiful, you are also intelligent.” He complimented me.

I don’t know what he meant by that. As if he chooses his words to impress me? While Rigor and Helen have their own world and they just eat and chat. I always caught Luigi staring at me again. I become cautious of his actions and he sees that I am not at ease with his staring. I really cringed with his actions.

“I am sorry if you always caught me staring at you. Did I make you uncomfortable? I just cannot keep myself from staring at you. Your eyes are different, I don’t know what color is that. It is not black but I see dark blue.” He told me.

“I’m sorry, but I really don’t know what my eye color is. I am my father’s replica. We have the same eye color and I do look like him, only the female version.” I explained to him.

“I see. Do you have a boyfriend? I’m sorry if I became straight forward with you. But I do really like you, Melissa.” He reiterated.

I was so dumbfounded with his straight forward question. I don’t know how to answer him. I just looked at him with a questioning look. If he could ask me a straight question, that needs a straight answer then.

“I already have a boyfriend and he is not around because he is presently on board a ship. He is a seafarer.” I directly told him, though I haven’t confirmed to Archie the status of our relationship. I just feel something is not right about Luigi.

“Forgive me Melissa If I don’t believe what you said. If I become persistent with what I feel for you. I haven’t seen you with anyone for the last few weeks we have met. As for me, ‘to see is to believe’. And I would take all the chances to win your heart.” That’s creepy of him.

“I know it is hard for you to understand because he is not around. As I have said, he is presently on board the ship and he has a nine month contract. And if given an opportunity, I would introduce you to him as soon as he arrived. Would that be ok with you?” I was in total shock. It is the first time I have encountered such a persistent man even if I said I am already taken. What the hell is he thinking? I cannot control what he feels but, please be reasonable enough to accept the fact. I cannot reason out anymore with him because he was already staring at me again.

I whispered to Helen to tell Rigor that I would like to talk to him in my office after this lunch is over, and don’t let Luigi know that I would like to talk to him personally.

She did as I asked her to do. After we arrived at the office, Rigor followed me to the sixth floor. I let him in and closed the door. “What is wrong with your friend? It creeps me out of what he is talking about. You know how I see my relationship with Archie, don’t you? Maybe Helen has told you about Archie, didn’t you?”

“I’m sorry Lisa, I just can’t control his admiration for you. I know you have a near relation to Archie, but he never believed me. I told him about you and Archie, as he said ‘to see is to believe’. I cannot control what he believed.” He told me.

“It really creeps me out that he is talking like that. I just hope he could understand me better but I need you to help me to explain to him my situation.” I asked Rigor.

“I cannot promise anything Lisa, but I will try for the sake of our friendship.” He told me.

“Thank you, Rigor. You can leave now.” I thank him.

After that lunch date with Rigor and Luigi, I often received flowers and food delicacies from Davao. My officemates told me that maybe the food has aphrodisiac or mixed with love potion to lure me to Luigi. Though I never believe in love potion, just to be safe, I gave all the food to my office mates. If ever that happened, they were the one to be affected by the potion. I wanted Luigi to stop sending flowers and food, so I planned to talk to him next time I see him.

The submission of our project has been handed to them for testing, though it was already tested and debugged just for assurance purposes. Luigi and I meet again. I guess this is the proper time to talk to him. “Luigi, can I talk to you?”

“Ok, regarding what matters? If it is something to do with the matter of the heart, I don’t think there is nothing to talk about. But if it is work related, I’m all ears.” I was totally stunned by his answer. What can I do to stop him from giving me food and flowers? if he doesn’t want to talk about anything that is not work related.

I was at a loss of what to do about him, and what other reasoning that he could understand. “Luigi, please I appreciate the effort you have done for me. It is just that I have already committed myself to somebody. I really don’t want to hurt you because I know how it feels to get hurt. But if you accept it the sooner, the less the pain.”

He just stares at me again. “I need to compromise with you. You just need to agree. Once my boyfriend finishes his contract and he doesn’t show up, then I will give you a chance to pursue me. But once he comes back and chooses to be with me, you need to back out. Do I make myself clear? That is a fair agreement.” Though I didn’t get an answer from him, I just hope he does understand what I am trying to tell him.

Days had gone by and he didn’t stop sending flowers and food and he kept on stopping by my office just to say ‘hi’, ‘good morning’, and a lot of sweet nothings. I can’t see that he would stop, so I let him be. I am just waiting for Archie to arrive.