Believe me, I lied

Chapter 6

     Pag-upo ko sa jeep, nakaramdam na ako kaagad ng antok. Kaya naman tumingin na lang ako sa labas ng bintana para sana malibang---kahit na madilim ang paligid. But the night isn't comforting anymore. It's just making me remember how I hate becoming an adult.

     I hate becoming an adult. Because growing up, I start to realized that nights are not only meant for sleeping.
 

   No, not at least for the adults anymore.

     ***

     I quickly went to the 3rd floor when I arrived at the office.  Atsaka ako naglakad papunta sa pwesto ni Matt. When I opened the door,  Dinatnan ko sina Ms. Cathy and Dianne na busy sa pagkalkal sa table ni Matt.

     "Nicky!" gulat na sabi ni Ms. Cathy and her face lit up. I just smiled at her, Dianne and I looked at each other after, and we both just shared an awkward smile and then I proceeded to help them.

     I was about to open the the last bottom drawer when the door suddenly opened agressively. Nagulat kaming tatlo at napatayo. When we saw who opened it, Ms. Cathy rushed to him and was about to hit him on his shoulder, but Matt---shielded his shoulder with a thick folder. When Ms. Cathy noticed the folder, she then grabbed it and opened it in a rush. After confirming it was it was the missing report, Ms. Cathy then uses the same folder to hit Matt on the shoulder again, and this time, she was successful.

     After witnessing the situation, Dianne and I started to arrange Matt's stuff back to where they are with a smile on our faces.

     When Ms. Cathy finally submitted the report to Ms. Lozano, she then after came back to us and thanked us for coming. She said she called a couple more people but only Dianne and I showed up kaya she's super thankful to us---which isn't really necessary. Atsaka  mabait naman talaga si Ms. Cathy, pero may pagka-timid lang siya. Kaya kahit na she was only a position lower than Ms. Lozano, she wasn't using her power to the fullest because she doesn't seem confident with it. Kaya naman natatanggihan ng iba ang utos niya.

    After we said goodbye to Ms. Cathy at her office, Dianne offered me to take me home. But I said no because her house is on the opposite side of mine, and I still kind of feel awkward around her. Pinauna ko na siyang umalis kasi sabi ko may kukunin lang akong gamit sa table ko. Pero sa totoo lang naiilang lang talaga akong kasabay siya.

     After mga ilang minutes, pumunta na 'ko sa harapan ng elevator. Feeling ko tuloy nakarma ako sa pag-iwas ko kay Dianne dahil dinatnan ko si Joey na nakatayo din sa harap ng elevator.

     "Huwag ka nang mahiya" pagpupumilit ni Joey sa akin matapos kong tumanggi sa alok niya.

     We are still now in front of the elevator---waiting for it to arrived. I opened my bag to get my phone, and when I tapped it, it shows the time and my body tensed up.

    "Hindi na, aabutan ko pa naman iyong sasakyan" I said, but I'm not really sure. It's quarter to 10:00 at ang last trip ng sasakyan ko is supposed to be 10:00. Sana talaga maabutan ko pa.

     "Ang kulit mo Nicky, pupuntahan ko rin naman si Lorraine kaya sumabay ka na" nakangiti niyang sagot sa akin. I was about to say something pero bumukas bigla ang elevator. Papasok na sana ako pero I got shocked when Joey sneakily snatched my phone in my hand.

     "Hintayin mo 'ko sa parking lot, kunin ko lang gamit ko" utos niya sa akin habang nakatulala lang ako sa kanya habang paalis siya. Kaya wala akong nagawa so I just decided to follow what he said.

    It didn't take long for Joey to showed up at the parking lot, and he instantly use his car key as soon as he saw me in the corner. Hindi ko naman kasi alam kung alin ang sasakyan niya kaya I just waited in the corner.