“Ah one more thing.” Pigil ni Jiagh na parang may biglang naalala. “Hindi ako sigurado but ready yourself just in case some medias are going to cover the official contract signing. Y’all know nosy heads. They probably think this is big because your franchise came from the States and you’re going to settle for District Eight to be your main quarters. So yeah, just saying.”
“So we’ll see you guys tomorrow morning at eleven.” Then Jhem shook our hands. I think siya lang ang madaling kausap sa kanilang apat sa ngayon. Well it’s the Jhem I know. The soft one. “Kent, you’ll go with Lhia to discuss your solo contract. She’ll take care of you.”
Napangiti ako. I like the ‘taking care of me’ part.
Speak of Lhia, she went around the conference table smiling at Hunter and Sean. When she reached them agad na yumakap si Hunter sa kanya. I saw her eyes widened in fear and her shoulder tensed but she didn’t back away. Mga ilang segundo lang ang itinagal ng reaksyon niya when she blank out anything from her face but I could still see the tense angle in her shoulders. Yumakap rin si Sean at Cody sa kanya. Then I saw her foot stepped back when JayGee moved to hug her.
What on earth is going on?
“Well we’ll see you tomorrow?” nakangiti nang sabi ni Hunter na tinanguan ni Lhia.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, kuya. Goodbye.” Then she eyed me like commanding me to follow her so I scurried to get up from the comfort of the swivel chair at sinundan siya palabas ng conference room.
Malayo na siya nang datnan ko. She’s walking too fast na parang iniiwasan ako. Sweet Lord. If she’s that eager to get away from me I don’t think I’ll be having an easy time with her.
“Lhia! May elevator!” sigaw ko sa kanya nang buksan niya ang entrance para sa hagdanan.
“I prefer stairs, it’s a good way of exercising.” Huh? Exercise? While she’s in a business suit she’s talking about exercising? Nasisiraan na ba siya ng ulo?
Pagkatapos ng milyong hagdang inakyat namin (I’m exaggerating.) humantong kami sa sixth floor ng building. This company is indeed huge. Tall and huge. I wonder how many floors they have.
Lhia slowed down pagkaliko namin sa isang corner. May babaeng nakaupo sa desk na biglang tumayo nang makita siya. “Ma’am.”
“April. Any calls?”
“Si Sir Heidi, Ma’am. Pinasa ko na po kay Ma’am Jiagh gaya ng sabi n’yo. Tapos Ma’am dumaan po si Sir Yuri habang nasa meeting kayo. Wala pong iniwang message pero ibinilin niya pong kumain daw kayo ng lunch sa tamang oras.”
Yuri? Yuri the ex? Yung Yuri na parehong Yuri na playboy? How the hell did it happen na alam niyang andito si Lhia tapos ako—AKO na naghahanap sa kung saan-saan at nagtanong sa kung kani-kanino simula nang dumating ako ng Pinas—eh walang kaalam-alam kung saan sila lumipat! That’s freaking unfair.
Eighty One - Shocking Encounters
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