Lethal Attachment

Chapter 5

His eyes first darted at me before he shifted his gaze to Laurel who suddenly became prim and proper. "I'll leave you in charge with the office while we're out. If any problem occurs, don't hesitate to inform me about it right away, okay?"

Tipid na tumango si Laurel at seryosong-seryoso habang nakatingin kay Rojan. "Yes, Sir."

Rojan averted his gaze from Laurel back to me. "Let's go," he said.

Tumango na lang din ako at nilingon muna si Laurel bago kumaway sa kanya bilang muling pagpapaalam ngunit hindi niya man lang ako nginitian. Probably, because Rojan's here, he's trying to maintain his manly posture to the point that he's already being snobbish.

Hindi ko na masyadong inintindi pa iyon at pagkaharap ko namang muli kay Rojan ay nakakunot na ang noo niya sa akin. Mabilis niyang sinulyapan si Laurel at saka tuluyang umalis sa aking opisina. Walang pag-aalinlangan naman akong sumunod sa kanya upang maabutan ko ang kanyang paglalakad. Nang medyo napalapit naman ako ay bahagya kong binagalan ang aking lakad upang magtira ng sapat na distansya sa pagitan naming dalawa.

I shouldn't get close to him too much. I didn't want people to look at me or give me an attention just because of him. I didn't want to be involved with him in any other way. Being his secretary was already too much for me to handle. I knew I already crossed the line I drew when I accepted this job, but I wouldn't let myself go farther than that.

I got a text message from Laurel when Rojan and I were both settled inside the car. I bit my lower lip to keep myself from smiling while reading the message, but I couldn't help myself. He's so funny.

From: Laurel
Gaga ka! Bakit mo ako nginitian kanina? Pakiramdam ko ay maiihi ako sa tingin ni Rojan sa akin!

Magtitipa na dapat ako ng reply para kay Laurel ngunit nang tumikhim si Rojan ay napatigil ako sa aking nais na gawin. Sinulyapan ko naman siya ng tingin at kagaya no'ng nakaraan ay seryoso pa rin siyang nakatingin sa daan habang nagmamaneho.

I must be distracting him so, I just decided to keep the phone inside my bag. I also adjusted myself on the shotgun seat and sat properly, placing both of my hands on the top of my bag.

"How's Laurel so far?" Rojan suddenly asked in the middle of the deafning silence.

Muli ko siyang nilingon at saka ngumiti. "Masaya siyang kasama at marami akong mga natutunan sa kanya," sagot ko na walang halong kasinungalingan. "Nakita ko rin na sobrang dedikado siya sa trabaho niya. Napaisip tuloy ako kung bakit mo siya pinalitan..."

Bahagya siyang nagtaas ng kilay sa aking sinabi. "Kung hindi ko siya pinalitan ay wala kang magiging trabaho. Gusto mo ba 'yon?" walang kwentang sagot niya sa akin na mayroon pang halong pang-iinsulto.

Kumunot ang aking noo nang may napagtanto. "Sinasabi mo bang ako ang dahilan kung bakit siya naalis bilang sekretarya mo?" paninigurado ko sa kanya.

Rojan violently sighed and clenched his jaw. "Laurel is a very efficient employee. It'd be a waste if he would just stay as my secretary that's why I offered him a higher position and he took that opportunity," he told me his reasons. "To think that he's so focus with his work, I believe that he'd be able to manage the new work loads I've assigned to him."

Napaisip naman ako dahil bukas na ang huling araw na makakasama ko si Laurel sa opisina bago siya lumipat para sa kanyang bagong trabaho na ibinigay ni Rojan. It'd be another adjustment once he leaves. I hope we could still hangout after that though. Sa tingin ko ay masaya siyang maging matalik na kaibigan.

"Mailap din siya sa mga babae at wala pang balak makipagrelasyon, kaya naman mas kampante akong matututukan niya ang mga employees na hahawakan niya," dagdag pa ni Rojan.