Nicole's POV
"So if we push more the new designed pans right now in the market, our profit will increase by 15% for the cooking ware." Narinig kong sabi ng isa sa mga managers ng kompanya.
I just stared at him blankly kasi walang pumapasok sa isip ko sa mga piniresent nya.
Paano lumilipad ang isip mo kay Alex.
"Will you shut up?"
It's already been a week after the party and hindi maipagkakaila ang naging epekto ng sayaw namin sa akin. I have been sleepless, for goodness sake!
"Why does she affect me like this?"
You know, for a genius, you are a bit slow-witted.
"Ma'am, tinatanong po kayo ni Mr. Cruz kung okay raw po kayo sa plano ng team nila." bulong sa akin ni Che.
"I prefer more if you will send with me a detailed proposal of what he presented before I approve anything." Sagot ko sa mga kaharap ko. It's a good thing na medyo gamay ko na ang mga ganitong sitwasyon kaya hindi nila nahahalata na hindi ako nakikinig sa presentation nila.
"Ma'am, can I have a few minutes with you later? I'm going to brief you on the presentation." Che asked after I dismissed everyone in the conference room.
"What would I do without you, Che?" I smiled at her. Parehas pa lang kaming nagsisimula ni Cherry noon ng maging secretary ko sya. We had been through many things in this company and I could say she is one of the most reliable people I know. Nung nagsisimula ako sa baba ay naging kaibigan ko sya on a professional level at iyon ang isa sa mga dahilan bakit sya ang kinuha kong sekretarya.
Natapos ang briefing ni Che sa akin na halos pagod na pagod ako kasi pinipilit kong magconcentrate sa mga sinasabi nya. Lumilipad talaga ang focus ko kay Alex at gulong-gulo na ako sa mga ipinaparamdam nya kapag wala sya at hindi ko nakikita.
Pero kapag malapit sya sayo, kalmado ka lang kahit parang ramdam naramdam mo yung mga nerves mo sa katawan. Tapos parang finally you have found that missing piece that you are looking out in the sky or the sea.
Slowly, she is breaking into my system na ikinababahala ko.
Coz when you are so focus like that, you tend to set it a goal para makuha ito.
"Shit!"
I can remember clearly ang sinabi ng papa ko ng gabing yun.
"You don't have to force yourself to do everything to make this business successful. Make it a clean kind of transaction." Seryosong sabi ni papa.
Ang hindi nya alam ay no one forced us to dance with Alex nor be close to her. For the first time in our life, we are actually enjoying everything that we are doing.
I sighed heavily with the realization I have.
At heto na nga hindi na sya maalis sa isip ko because three days ko na syang hindi nakikita. Biglaan kasi syang pinatawag sa main office nila dahil raw wala si Dillan.
At least nagpaalam during your lunch date.
"It's not a date."
Really eh anong ginagawa nyo sa fancy restaurant with wine on the side?
"It's my turn para ilibre sya ng lunch. That's all."
Mababaliw na yata ako kasi pati sa sarili ko dinedepensahan ko ang mga ginagawa ko.
"Ma'am somebody wants to talk to you po. Should I let her in?" Che asked politely in the intercom. I look at my watch and was surprised na lunch time na pala. I'm not in the mood to accept visitor right now.
"It's lunch time na, Che. We should take a break." I answered while hinihilot ang ulo ko. Narinig ko ang pagtikhim ni Che para siguro pagtakpan ang pagkagulat nya sa sinabi ko. I don't mind it.
"Maybe I'll take a nap instead of eating kasi wala naman akong ganang kumain."
Ng hindi sya kasabay.
Napailing na lang ako sa naisip ko.
Nagbeep ulit ang intercom ko na kinakunot ng ulo ko.
"Hi?"
I didn't know kung bakit pero alam ko nakangiti ako nung marinig ang boses nya Hindi na ako nakasagot kasi kusa ng gumalaw ang mga paa ko para pumunta sa pintuan at buksan ito.
"Lunch?" Sabi ni Alex sabay taas ng mga paper bags na dala nya
"Come in." Nawala na yung sakit ng ulo ko at napalitan ng pagkalam ng sikmura. At nawala na rin sa isip ko yung ikinakabahala ko na dahil sa ngiting binungad nya sa akin.
Alex's POV
Ingat na ingat kong pinatong yung mga dala kong container bag sa dining table sa loob mismo ng pantry ng opisina ni Nicole. If you would look closely parang maliit na apartment tong area nya actually.
"Madalas dito ako inaabot ng gabi kaya nagpagawa na ako nito." Sabi nya ng mapansin siguro nya na lumilibot ang mata ko.
"Workaholic." Sabi ko with a smile.
Nagkibit balikat lang sya sabay ngiti. Tinulungan nya ako sa pag-aayos ng mga bitbit ko matapos maglagay ng mga gagamitin namin sa pagkain.
"Hmmm...this is good." sabi nya. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag kasi nagustuhan nya yung food na dala ko.
"Well si Anne ang gumawa nyan. I just helped out in preparing it in the container." I said na nakapagpatawa kay Nicole. Halos matulala ako sa nakita ko kasi hindi lang basta tawa nya yung maganda pati the way she actually flip her hair to the side. Yung babaeng babae ang dating na para kang ....
"Inaakit?"
I sigh with the thought coz I know na hindi naman yun gagawin ni Nicole.
"Hindi nga ba?"
Fuck off. I just want to have a nice lunch.
"Say please"
I sigh.
"Is everything alright?" Nicole asks and I could see her worriedly looking at me.
"Yeah. Just a few things, I'm reminding myself." I answer with a smile to ensure her.
"How was everything in the main office so far?" Nicole asks again.
"Actually it's good. We are finalizing things on our end para makapunta na kayo ni Dillan sa Italy to have the on site supervision of things." I answered then grab a glass of water para mawala yung feeling ko na nadidisorient ako dahil sa kaharap ko.
"Lately no nakakatulala lalo na kapag andyan si Nicole."
"Do you want some more water?" Nicole asks sabay taas ng pitcher na wala ng laman.
"Ako ba nakaubos nyan?" I ask absentmindedly.
"Yeah. Actually nakakailang subo ka pa lang ng dinala mong food pero inom ka ng inom ng tubig." Nicole teasingly answers.
Shit! Focus, Alex!
Ngumiti lang ako kay Nicole at sumubo ulit ng pasta but knowing how clumsy I could get yung sauce nung pasta ay kumalat sa bibig ko at may tumalsik pa nga sa damit ko. As I was about to reach for the tissue, I am surprised sa ginawa ni Nicole.
She's laughing hard while she make sure na hindi ko maabot yung tissue.
"Nicole?" I called her name in question while I'm looking at her intently.
Her eyes is almost close due to laughing hard and she's wiping some tears away from it. Her lips are covered by the back of one of her hands due to laughing hard.
"And if that's not one of the most magical thing you see, I really don't know what it is."
Yeah. You're right.
"Bagay sayo yan, Alex. You look like a kid who really love to eat your pasta." Nicole said in between her laugh then she snorted which makes her stop laughing and her cheeks started to get red.
I can't help myself but to laugh too because of the different Nicole she serves today. She could be mischievous one time, a magical laughter machine at one moment and then a shy kid who got busted in a minute.
"So pinagtatawanan mo ako?" Nicole asked ng nakataas ang kilay but she can't hide her smile.
"Yeah." I answered coz wala talagang pumasok sa isip ko kundi yung tunog ng tawa nya at ang maganda nyang ngiti as cliche as it sounds.
Binato nya ako ng tissue pero nagtawanan ulit kami.
I think this is one of the best lunch I had since then.