Ilang beses akong huminga ng malalim habang nakaharap sa salamin. Kaya mo yan, Venice. Don't be nervous.
Nakaharap mo naman na ang boss mo, so, kaya nayan.
Pinasadahan ko muli ng tingin ang itsura ko at nang masigurong ayos na, kinuha ko na ang bag ko saka lumabas ng kwarto.
"Anak, papasok kana?" Salubong ni Mommy saken habang naghahain ng makakain at si Daddy ay di ko alam kung nasaan.
"Yes po, Mommy. Wish me luck" sabi ko saka h*****k sa kanyang pisngi. "Where's Daddy?" Tanong ko saka naupo sa may upuan.
"Maagang umalis. May imi-meet daw na dating business partner" nagkibit balikat lang si Mommy habang patuloy sa ginagawa.
I can't help but to reminisce how successful our business back then. Plenty of investors are investing on our chains of hotels and marami ding gustong makipag merge but sadly, it's all in the past now.
At, imposible na rin sigur
"For today, just make yourself used to your place and when someone came, just tell me through this intercom" sambit ni Mr. Rivera. He's briefing me about my job here as his secretary. He's nice enough na sya pa mismo ang magtuturo sakin nito ah. Kadalasan kasi empleyado ang nagtuturo sa mga bagong empleyado but, see? The boss was the one briefing me about my work. "You understand?" He asked. "Yes po" sabi ko then I smiled. He turned his back at me pero bago sya pumasok ng opisina nya, humarap sya at nagsalita. "Tell me if it's your lunch time" I just nodded then he proceeds to his office. Nilibot ko naman ang tingin ko sa pwesto ko. An overlooking view behind a swivel chair and a brown desk. Naupo ako sa swivel chair at tiningnan ang mga papeles na nandon. Profiles of some business man. Maybe, business partner ni Mr. Rivera. I keep
"Let's go" Oh right, sinabi nga pala ng boss ko na sumama ako sa kanya, but I'm wondering kung saan ba kami pupunta? Nasa first floor na kami ng building at tingin ko, lalabas kami. Katahimikan lang ang bumabalot samin habang papalabas kami ng building. I noticed some people looking at our direction, looking at Mr. Rivera, to be specific. Nginitian lang ako ng guwardya na kanina'y binigyan ko nang kape kaya nginitian ko din sya saka sumunod sa boss ko. Napakunot ang noo ko dahil sa pamilyar na daan na tinatahak namin ngayon. Tahimik lang din na naglalakad si Mr. Rivera habang ako, naguguluhan kung bakit kami naglalakad sa pamilyar na daan. Daan kasi ito pauwi samin. Plano na ba nya kong pauwiin? Agad agad? Eh kung ganon, paano nya nalaman yung daan? O di kaya, may pupuntahan sya na dito din ang daan? Hanggang sa huminto kami sa isang pamilyar na lug
Mr. Rivera entered his office pagkabalik namen sa building. Ako naman, nagsimulang pag aralan ang papeles. I studied every schedule, every business partners at kung maaari, minemorize ko ang bawat mukha ng business partners ni Mr. Rivera para kapag nadayo sila dito sa building, I'll immediately know who they are. I check my boss' schedule for today and saw that he has a meeting with the board this afternoon. I'll take note of this. Chineck ko din ang upcoming schedules nya at tinake note sa notepad na nakalagay sa gilid ng mesa. Habang binabasa ko ang files about sa Rivera Towers, my phone suddenly rang. I picked it up at nakitang si Reishell ang tumatawag. Anong sadya ng babaeng ito? "Hello?" [Veren, girl! What's up?] Inipit ko ang cellphone ko sa pagitan ng tenga at balikat habang patuloy na binabasa ang files na kanina ko pa hawak. Nagsusulat na
"Done" I snapped out of my thoughts as I heard Mr. Riv--Jerwin's voice. It felt weird calling my boss by his first name. "Uhh, salamat sir" I said. Bago pa sya tumayo para iligpit ang first aid kit, inunahan ko na sya. He stopped his attempt to stand up at hinayaan akong ligpitin ang first aid nya. "Next time, when that woman comes, don't let her come in" I heard him say while walking towards his desk. "Yes sir" Sagot ko bago naglakad papunta sa harapan nya. He looks up at me. "May kailangan pa po ba kayo, sir?" I asked. He stared at me for a while before shfting his gaze towards his papers and shook his head indicating that he doesn't need anything. "Just call me if you need anything, Sir" I slightly bowed at him kahit di sya nakatingin saka ako lumabas ng opisina nya. I sat at my chair then sigh tiredly. I lean my head on the table then closed my
After contemplating whether I'll knock on his door or not, nagdecide akong manatili nalang sa kinauupuan ko at balikan ang mga papeles na nasa mesa ko. As lunch came, hindi ko alam kung bababa ba ko o magsi stay since wala naman akong ganun kakilala dito na co- employee ko. Kinuha ko nalang ang cellphone ko but natigil ako when I remember what Mr. Rivera said this morning. "Tell me if it's your lunch time" So, should I knock now and tell him na lunch time ko na? Pero naputol ang pag iisip ko when the door of his office opens then he came out. Our gazes immediately locks. "It's lunch" he simply said making me nod in approval. Akala ko aalis na sya but I got confused when he stayed standing infront of his door. What's with him? "Don't forget the party tomorrow night. We will go there by 6PM" he just said at naglakad na papaalis.
Hindi na ko nag abalang mag almusal dahil wala narin akong oras. Dumiretso na agad ako sa opisina. My mom insisted na magbaon ako kaso sabi ko, sa opisina nalang ako bibili. It's currently 6:05 AM. Late ako ng 5 minutes kaya naman nagmadali akong umakyat sa top floor where Mr. Rivera's office is. Nadaanan ko din ang ibang employee na kakadating lang at nagse-set up palang ng computer nila. Ang iba naman, may hawak pang mga kape. Iba, humihikab pa. "Venice!" I heard someone called. A girl wearing a white longsleeves and skirt approached me. She's wearing a smile kaya naman nagtaka ako. "Yes?" "Ikaw yung new secretary ni Sir Rivera diba?" Tumango naman ako. I got confused when her smile grow wider. "I heard what you did to Lira" she said at lalo pang lumawak ang ngiti nya. "That bitch doesn't deserve to be here! Desperada" her mood suddenly changes. F
A knock on the door was heard. Hindi ko na inantay na sya pa ang magbukas, ako na ang tumayo at nagbukas ng pintuan. "Oh hi Venice" Said the girl who talked to me this morning. The girl who I don't know the name yet. "Hi" sabi ko. She handed me what she's holding then I saw her smirks playfully before shifting her gaze to Jerwin and back at me. What's with this weird girl? "Sige, alis na ko. Enjoy" sabi nya saka naglakad pero nakakailang hakbang palang sya nang lingunin nya ko. "By the way, my name is Hera and I'm at the marketing department. I want to be friends with you! Bye!" She said then run to the elevator. The employees' elevator. "Is there something wrong?" I turned around and saw Jerwin who's standing up and leaning on his desk. "Nothing sir. Here's your breakfast" sabi ko saka inilapag ang plastic bag na inihatid ni Hera sa center table.
"Salamat Mr. Rivera. I really made the right choice of trusting you" Mr. Montreal said at nakipag kamay kay Jerwin. His secretary smiles at me before they leave. "Sir, do you want to stay here or babalik ka na sa opisina mo?" I asked him. Mukha kasing wala syang balak tumayo. "Neither. We're going somewhere" he said then stood up at nauna nang naglakad. Akala ko magsi stay pa sya dito. This restaurant is great tho. Has a refreshing ambiance. I might visit here some other time. Kung may pera akong pang order. I immediately followed Jerwin. Papunta na sya sa kotse nya. Agad din naman akong sumakay sa passenger seat and fasten my seatbelt. "We're going to my aunt's boutique. We need to choose an outfit for the party tonight" he said while his eyes are focused on the road. Oh! Kaya naman pala. Hindi nalang ako nagsalita. Pinanood ko nalang ang mga taong