Angel With A Shotgun

Chapter 6

6.

I absent mindedly put down the pen that I'm holding. I can't even focus. Para akong tanga na hindi matanggal  sa isip ko yung mga nangyari last Sunday. How he perfected his acting as a willing boyfriend who wanted to meet his girl's family. The cool smell of his breath, and his lips... Damn, his lips which accidentally brushed into mine. Sometimes, accidents are blessings din pala, no?

I can't help it but smiled.

"Ma'am Kaye! Are you with me?"

Literal akong napatalon ng bahagya sa pagkakarinig ko sa boses na iyon ni Laishah! Does she wants me to have a heart attack?!

"Do you need to raise your voice?"

"I need to because you're smiling like a fool while looking at nowhere. I guess you're not yet ready for your next schedule." Masungit na tugon ng assistant ko. Madalas, mas nanay pa 'to sa Mommy ko, eh.

I feel ashamed that she caught me smiling without a reason. Now I looked creepy.

"Ikaw na lang kasi maging Vice President."

"Naku, Ma'am, ha. Ayan ka na naman.  May binabalak ka na naman, no? Please drop that idea. Hectic ang schedule mo ngayon. Isa pa, meron kang importanteng appearance na kailangang gawin para sa gaganaping yearly convention ng financial businesses na hawak ng Kyris. Hindi matutuwa ang Daddy mo kapag namiss mo yun today."

Napabuntong hininga ako. Malayo pa ang oras para matapos ang araw na 'to pero parang gusto ko nang umuwi at matulog na lang. O kaya naman ay magpunta kay Lolo Ninong na hindi natuloy last Sunday. Namimiss ko na siya, eh! Namimiss ko na ding humawak ng baril! Shotgun please!

O kaya naman ay... Natingnan ko ang phone na nasa tabi ng mga papeles sa harap ko. Ni hindi man lang tumunog or nagvibrate. Hayy. Pero dapat hindi ko hintayin ang text niya. Wala siyang obligasyon na itext ako.

Dahil hindi naman talaga niya ako totoong girlfriend.

"Is it really today? What time?"

"2pm ang scheduled meeting ng Chief Financial Officer with all the heads of financial businesses that will be held at Mandaluyong. 1pm, kailangan na nating umalis."

"Shoot! Lagi na lang full ang schedule. Ang sarap lang talagang mamuhay ng simple!"

"Ma'am, you're still one of the luckiest. Maraming tao ang naghahanap ng trabaho."

"I know. I know. I definitely know that. Hindi naman ako nagmamalaki. Ang sakin lang sana, yung trabahong gusto ko talaga at hindi napipilitan. Yung trabahong hindi ko kailangang gawin, kundi gusto kong gawin. Because it's so hard forcing myself into something that I don't really want to do. And you know that it's just because of them, right?"

Laish gave me a pity look. Nakakaawa na ba talaga ang kalagayan ko? Well, maybe.

"Rich kid ka kasi, Ma'am. Pero mahirap ba talagang maging mayaman?"

"Trust me, if you're in my situation, you'll want a simple life."

"But I'm not you, Ms. Kaye. And I love what I'm doing because I'm able to provide for my family. Lalo na at may dalawa pa akong pinag-aaral."

Laishah is the bread winner of her family who works hard for them especially for her siblings who are in high school and the other one is already in college. This girl is very hard working na gusto na yatang tumira sa opisina every day just to make sure that everything is done so well. That's why she deserves the promotion that I'm planning. Perfect for her upcoming birthday.

Nangitian ko siya. "Your hard work will be paid off one day."

She nodded in agreement. "That's so true. But for the mean time, don't be sad anymore dahil marami kang commitments today. O baka naman namimiss mo lang si Sir Kade! Ngiting ngiti ka kanina, eh! Hindi ba yun pupunta dito para dalawin ka ng makilala ko naman? Ang daya, sila Bless lang yung nakakita nung nagpunta dito, eh! Super gwapo daw talaga, Ma'am! Or baka may picture ka, patingin naman!"