Chapter 10
Harvin:
Hey, are we alright? It's my fault, I shouldn't said promises when I couldn't keep it. I hope everything's all right between us.
The moment I received his message, hindi na ako mapakali Even sa dinner, Eria and Dexter were trying to talk to me but I was looking blank right into them. Hindi ko alam kung anong sinasabi nila, hindi ako makasunod. Hindi ko rin naman sila sinasagot kung anong problema ko. They were trying to be friend but I kept myself closed off from them. Siguro it's personal and something na ayokong pakelamanan ng iba.
All through the night, hindi ko alam ng ire-reply ko kay Harvin. I know he understood that I wait for him an hour sa lobby just to get through what he said na magsasabay kaming dalawa pauwi, but now on my part, I also understand that the man whose I'm waiting was the vice president. Malay natin, in the near days, mas marami nang chismis ang kumakalat sa building.
I only get started to have my real job but I think I'm only making it worse.
Syempre nahabag din naman ang konsensya ko, so I replied something...
Me:
Don't worry about it, Harvin. I was just tired at all, I'm not mad, maybe a bit. Whatever happened today, thank you pa rin...
From this moment, magkakaroon na ako ng mahimbing na tulog. And the thing that makes me tried all day was their controversial gossips—accusations. They were actually asking about Harvin know me and then I just say what happened and after that, they were just screaming and pushing each other. Maybe they're kinikilig. But I don't know why.
On the verge on my sleeping, my phone lit up and beep continuously, and when I look at it, thorough messages came from Harvin—at this late night, huh.
Harvin:
Hey, I'm still sorry for what happened, but I'm happy now we're okay...
Glad that we're finally okay, yeah?
Good night, think of me, please?
Who are you Leanne?
Napapangiti pa ako no'ng naunang mga messages but the latter part, confuses me. Pinaulit ulit ko naman ang pagbabasa ko sa message at mukhang wala namang mali sa response niya sa akin pero bakit kailangan pa niyang tanungin ako? Hindi ko talaga maintindihan.
Two midnight nang maramdaman ko na ang antok. Usually, dapat nakatulog na ako kanina pa pero dahil hindi na naman ako mapakali sa message na iyon ay kung ano ano na naman ang tumakbo sa isipan ko. Alam kong hindi ko dapat gawing big deal 'yon pero bakit naman kaya diba.
That goes to my unwanted answers.
My alarm went off kaya naman nagdamali akong kumilos pero pagkabalas ko ng kwarto ko ay halos mapanganga ako ng makita ko si Harvin, kasama si Eria at Dexter na kumakain ng breakfast. Nakatingin lang sila sa akin, kinawayan pa ako ni Harvin at halos hindi ko naman mailabas ang expresyon ng mukha ko dahil naguguluhan ako. Gosh, ano ba 'tong nangyayari?
"Hey, c'mon grab your breakfast, your friend really did good here..." aniya.
Hinatak ko naman palayo si Eria sa table. Nakangiti naman siya sa akin at mukhang hindi niya nakukuhang hindi ko gusto 'yong nangyayari.
"Hindi mo sinabing may boyfriend ka na pala, Ley..." aniya saka kiniliti pa ako sa tagiliran.
Umiwas naman ako sa ginagawa niya, "he's not my boyfriend, boss ko siya. Actually, vice president..."
Napailing naman si Eria sa sinabi ko, "hindi ko alam..."
Napailing na lang din naman ako sa kanya. Obviously, wala talaga siyang alam and how she would say na boyfriend ko si Harvin? Or that's what he tells, eh? Pagkalapit ko naman kay Harvin, tiningnan naman niya ako while wiping his mouth.
"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"
"Giving you a ride." Simple nitong sagot sa akin.
"Why? I'm gonna be late, my alarm didn't wake me up and you're still here." And he just look at me, "I'm gonna take a shower and I'm off to go, I got this job a for days and I don't wanna mess it up."
"Okay... I'll wait you at the car." Still, he didn't give up.
I took a shower and goes through my closet. Hindi na ako namili ng maisusuot, ayokong ma-late, it's my first real job at kakapasok ko pa lang din and all I gave them is my bad record.
Nang matapos ko na lahat ang pag-aasikaso, gosh, wala akong breakfast sa sobrang pagmamadali ko! Pagkababa ko naman at paglabas ng building ay nag-aabang na si Harvin sa sasakyan niya. I don't have any option para mas mapabilis ang transpo ko papunta doon. I immediately jump into his car, mabilis din naman siyang sumakay saka niya pinaandar ang sasakyan.
Fifteen minutes, male-late na ako. May penalty fee pa naman kapag na-late ako. Kung sasabihin ng iba na kasama ko naman ang vice president ng company and he's kuno dating me is an advantage na hindi na maalis sa akin ang trabaho ko.
"So tell me about your job? Are you comfortable?" he asked.
Did he just talk to me? Ni hindi ko nga makalimutan 'yong message niya sa akin kagabi. And that's the thing that kept me awake all night, at sana hindi ako nagmamadali ngayon.
"Yes, I'm still adjusting but I'm getting into it. My colleagues are a good friends."
He nodded, "you know, for a starter like you, and with an anxiety, you're good..."
I look at him, "that's not me," sagot ko naman sa kanya, napalingon naman siya sa akin at napuno ng pagtataka ang mukha niya. "I wasn't really that visible to everyone but when they knew you're the one who got me here, I was the center of attraction. I guess, that's how everyone make friends there, right?"
He shrugged, "didn't know, maybe they were just curious..."
I smirked, "the curiosity of getting to know if you were my..." boyfriend, that was about to slip out pero hindi ko na tinuloy but I started a new topic para hindi na niya isipin pa 'yon. "By the way, I wanna get to know with my colleagues, getting me to launch wasn't your priority, I want to explore..."
"Sure, yeah, if that's okay with you..." he says while his eyes straight to the road.
Pagkarating naman namin ng building, I just thanked him, hindi ko na siya hinintay na bumaba ba. Hindi ko na hinayaan na magsabay kaming dalawa. Ayokong makita nilang meron nga sa amin ni Harvin.
Yes, the feelings grow inside but I just can't seem to find it's going to happen, nothing is real, it is all just infatuation between the desires of wanting to be love.
Nang makapag-time in naman ako. Nakita ko si Harvin na papasok ng building, he was greeted by the staffs. Syempre, vice president. Nang dumaan naman siya sa harap ko, hindi niya inaalis ang tingin sa akin.
"Good morning po, sir..."
And I got from his reaction that he's confused.
"Girl!" dumating naman si Ilene, agad ko namang iniwas ang tingin kay Harvin, "mabuti na lang nakahabol pa ako sa time in. Tara na..." aniya.
Habang papunta naman kami sa floor namin. Tinanong naman niya ako kung ano daw feeling na sa ibang company ako nagta-trabaho kaysa naman sa family company namin. Hindi ko naman siya masagot ng diretsyo and all I can say na new experience lang ang kailangan ko. At nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag ng kinagat niya 'yong sagot ko.
And about my job, wala naman akong angal, siguro nga mas makukuha ko 'yong experience na 'yon if I'm in the social interactive kind of department, for example is the marketing or sales department which will help to boost my social engagement and all that can help me getting over my anxiety.
When lunch came through, nang sabay sabay naman bumaba ng mga kasama ko. As usual, tinanong na naman nila ako kung kasama ko na naman si Harvin sa lunch pero umiling ako sa kanila dahil iyon ang sinabi ko kay Harvin na work is work, dapat kung anong nangyayari dito sa company stay as it is, at kung ano man ang ganap out of the company, kung ano man ang mangyari, bahala na.
But then nang makita naman namin si Harvin sa lobby, they were pushing me dahil baka ako daw ang hinihintay nito but when I notice, hindi man lang niya ako tinitingnan hanggat sa mawala na lang siya sa paningin ko.
"I just said what I said, friendly lunch lang 'yon kahapon sa amin ni Sir."
"Tinatawag mong sir ang boyfriend mo?"
Napataas naman ako ng kilay, "boyfriend, hindi 'no."
"That's the rumor ex-fiancée." Nang mapatingin naman ako sa tinuro ni Ilene, wala naman akong idea kung sino ang babaeng pumasok ng building. She's not the usual employee, mukhang bigatin din ang dating niya. And what's with the fiancée?
The girl didn't even look around, sumusunod lang siya sa guide ng secretary at sinusundan naman siya ng guards hanggat sa makapasok sa elevator but before na magsarado iyon, she slid down her sunglass and that look she gave was straight on us. Agad naman niyang binalik ang sunglass ng magsarado na ang elevator.
"Nakatingin ba siya sa atin?" tanong ni Rowena.
Tumango tango naman si Ilene, "that's the first time!" aniya.
"Sino ba 'yon?" I asked.
Sabay sabay naman silang napanganga nang tanungin ko iyon. Mukhang marami pa talaga akong kailangang alamin. Naturingang nasa research department pero walang alam sa mga nangyayari sa loob ng company. It was just my first time, so don't bother asking.
Hinigit naman nila ako papunta sa canteen. Hindi naman ako mapakali sa mga tingin nila dahil sa tanong ko. I don't really know her kaya mabuti na rin 'yong nagtatanong diba? Ang kilala ko lang naman dito is Harvin.
Habang nakabilog kami sa mesa, they were amused na hindi ko alam 'yong girl na 'yon obvious naman daw na close kami ni Harvin, and what's Harvin connection to her?
"We're not sure kung totoo ang tsismis but they were rumored engage for a long time, we don't know how they called it off but they were too perfect, almost every girl here in the company wanted someone like the vice president." Ilene said.
"But you didn't really explain who is she." Sabi ko pa.
"She's Anaries Voinauis, president's sister and Harvin's ex-fiancee." Rowena said. "You know what kung bakit nasabi naming first time?" she said and I shook my head, "because she doesn't sees the employees, invisible kumbaga and that's a long time simula nang bumalik siya, that time sila pa ni Harvin."
"Tama, Harvin's something you could wished for, mayaman, gwapo at mabait. He's young at 27 at ang dami nang nangyari sa buhay niya."
"Then Anaries came to belittled his life."
"Why would you say that?" I asked.
"For some reason, Harvin almost resigned from his position." Ilene said, "and I don't know why she's back..."
That moment, hindi ako makakain ng maayos. Hindi maalis sa isipan ko si Anaries. I know she was looking straight right to me, bakit? Anong nagawa ko para pansinin niya? I don't know her but when they say she's the ex-fiancee, maybe it was all about Harvin.
Pagkabalik namin sa lobby, nakita muli namin si Anaries came with Harvin, but to respect them, we greeted them pero ang hindi ko inaasahan ay ang tingin ni Anaries sa akin.
"Hey, you're Leanne right? Can I talk to you?" she asked then look at my friends, "you can go now, this may take a few minutes."
"What are you doing?" Harvin asked, napatingin naman ako sa kanya pero agad ko namang binaling ang tingin ko kay Anaries.
"Nothing, Vin," she giggles and when she look at me, that look is not what I want. Parang may gusto siyang gawin sa akin na hindi ko magugustuhan. "I want you to be my secretary, well my first secretary, approved right away."
Oh, shello.