IVO'S POV
I gathered myself bago ako bumaba ng sasakyan. Kuya is the one who open the door for me. He is my bodyguard nga pala hanggang tito Jeff is still our family shield. Si tito Jeff ang nag-assign sa akin sa kanya as his training ground.
Every greeted me as soon as I entered the building. We stop at the receptionist for a while to get my schedule for today. Sila muna ang nagsisilbing secretary ko habang wala pa kami nakukuha. Personal secretary ko naman ang role ni kuya for now.
Yung secretary ko kasi nakahanap na ng love of her life, ayun, nagmaalam na, este nagpaalam na pala that she will a plain housewife daw. Eh di I let her go na. For sure chena nya lang yun. Ayaw nya sa akin. I'm aware of it. Mas maganda kasi ako sa kanya.
"9am board meeting. 1pm applicants interview. 2 pm meeting with the international leaders. 3pm meeting with the accounting department. The res of the day is yours." Ani kuya habang naglalakad kami papunta sa aming private elevator.
"Adjust my board meeting to 4pm. I don't want to ruin my day because of them." Seryoso ko na sabi.
"Noted." Kuya press the button on the elevator. Nang bumakas ito ay sabay kaming pumasok sa loob.
No one knows in this building that I am a gay. I am a different person when I am here. Kay kuya lang ako nagpapaka totoo. Hindi rin alam dito magkambal kami. No one knows who is kuya. Daddy keep it a secret ever since kuya was choosen a next Sinclair shield. Hindi ko magets why they have to keep at a secret and I'm not yet ready to understand it. With all this stuff in the company, I want to spare myself for another stress.
My office is in the 10th floor. It occupy the whole place kaya naman malalaya ako doon. I can do whatever I want and be who I am wag lang magkaroon ng saltik ang kuya ko. Sya lang talaga ang madalas ng kontrabida sa happy life ko.
Pagpasok ko sa loob ng opisina ay agad kung nakita ang mga envelope na very much naka arrange in my table. Nilapitan ko iyon to check the label. I like all the documents to be sorted out before handling to me. It's my first rule to all my secretary. I hate mixed job. I mean, it so nakakahilo that after I read some proposals tapos mag cocompute ako, then another reading naman for the monthly report. I want it to be arrange as per topic. Pag hindi, I will make my secretary arrange it with matching sermon.
"Why so madami?" Inis na tanong ko while I'm counting the monthly reports of every department. Parang dumoble ang bilang. Pati yung mga iaapproved ko ma documents dumami din.
"End of the month Ivo, what do you expect." Lumapit sa akin si kuya. "Need help?"
"This!" Inusog ko yung documents for approval. Sahod yun ng mga empleyado namin. I'm not into checking details unless it is the proposal project or whatsoever. I hate number and kuya love it. Sya ang nag aapprove ng mga iyon using my stamp.
"Okay." He then picked all the folder I put in front of him then settled his self sa couch na nasa tapat ng table ko.
I loosen my tie first tsaka ako umupo sa swivel chair. I just look at my kuya, try to imagine na sya si Slater. Agad akong napangiti kasi i can imagine it properly.
"Kuya, asked someone to rearrange my office." Sabi ko after a few minutes.
"Why?" Tanong ni kuya without raising his head.
"I want Slater inside my office."
Natigilan si kuya at tumingin sa akin. "Why?"
"Kuya, he is my secretary. My secretary should be near me so that I if I need him, he can help me agad, duh!"
"So si Slater na talaga kukunin mo. And is this all about work ba talaga or something else?" Kuya look ay me with his suspicious eyes.
"Syempre I want to see him everyday." I shiply said.
"No. He will stay outside the office. Baka gapangin mo."
"Kuya! Do I look like a worm to make gapang?" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. I have legs to walk, why I should gapang?
"Basta hindi pwede."
"Alexandro Jose, sino ang boss mo?" I use my authorative voice to him.
"Fine. I asked someone. Ako na bahala kung saan ilalagay lamesa nya. Pero sinasabi ko sayo Ivo, pag sya ginapang mo at nabuntis ka, hindi ka makakalabas ng bahay."
"Duh kuya! Since when I made gapang to other man? Wala nga ako jowa eh. Tsaka I'm not uod kasi."
"Whatever Ivo. It's Slater we are talking here. And i know you. Lutang ka pag si Slater nasa paligid na. You have a tendecy of shaming yourself."
"I'll behave promise."
"Fine."
I clapped my hand. I feel excited. I'll asked tito Cyber to also put a secret camera on his desk para pwede ko syang titigan ng hindi nya napapansin. I will not repeat my mistake when I first met Slater face to face.
Flashback
First day of our debate week. Wala naman ibang school na present pero kabado ang mga participants. Kahit ako ay kinakabahan not because of the debate itself but because I am in the same group with my crush.
Slater Morgan, is a university hearthrob. Madami nagkakagusto sa kanya at isa na ako doon. Gwapo kasi sya, matalino pa. Kuya and him is classmate kasi parehas silang matalino. Smart din naman ako, pero mas higit si kuya. I am part of class A but Slater and kuya is in Special Class.
I let out a deep sigh. I am one of the representative of third year in this debate and so is Slater. He is our leader. Hindi ko pa sya namemeet personally kasi hindi nagtutugma ang schedule namin. He is just giving me all the instruction through kuya and this is the first time that I will meet him personally kaya naman kabado ako.
"Ayos ka lang?" Tanong sa akin ni kuya.
"Kinda, medyo nervous lang." Pabulong ko na sagot.
"Why? You are always part of this competiton and you always won. Ano kinakakaba mo?"
"I'm going to meet Slater kuya." Inis na sagot ko.
"Hindo mo naman sya makakausap. He will arrive exactly 2pm. Nasa stage na kayo nun."
"Kahit na."
"Tsk. Umayos ka. Wag ka magkakalat."
"Mukha ba akong pasaway para magkalat? I'm a law abidding citizen kuya. I threw my garbage properly."
"Tsk. Wala pa man lutang ka na." Iiling iling na sabi ni kuya.
Hindi ko nalang sya pinansin. I tried my best to calm all my nerve. Pero hanggang ng mag umpisa ang laban, kinakabahan pa din ako. Nanlalamig pa ako.
As what kuya said, Slater appear when his name was called. Nagsigawan agad ang mga estudyante pagka akyat nya sa stage. Well, hindi ko sila masisisi, pag kagwapo naman kasi ni Slater eh. Ako nga gusto ko tumili din pero pinipigilan ko. Hindi ako bakla sa paningin nila. Pero yung pagkabakla ko nag uumalpas dahil kay Slater.
Everyone keep quite nang magsimula na syang magsalita. Ang gwapo pati ng boses. So manly. Kinikilig ako.
"Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan. Tayo ang susi ng magandang kinabukasan." Pagtatapos ni Slater sa speech nya.
Nagpalakpakan ang lahat. Syempre pati ako then I raise my hand suddenly and shout.
"Tama! Tama ang sinabi ni Slater. Tayo ang susi ng magandag kinabukasan. Kaya kung sino mag lalock ng pinto na yun pabubugbog ko sa mga tito ko!"