CHAPTER 5
"Alis na!"
"Opo, Ate! Salamat po sa pagkain!" Tinanguan ko lang bata at mas minadali ang pagpapalis.
"Walang hiya kang bata ka! Bumalik ka dito at pipitikin ko iyang bibig mo!" sigaw ni Maam. Nakaramdam ako ng mahapdi sa balat ko.
"Bleh! Pangit na nga, pangit pa ang ugali! Bleh! Ba-bye, Ate!"
"Maam, please po, tama na po."
"Ang pulubing iyon!"
“Maam, tigil na po!” Marahas akong napaupo dahil itinulak niya ako dahilan para mapaigik ako sa sakit.
“Huwag mo akong artehan, Maya. Alam mong ayaw ko sa gano'n pero ginagawa mo pa din!” Tanging pagyoko lang ang kaya kong gawin dahil ayoko na mas humaba pa ang usapan at baka mas lalong mag init ang dugo ni Ma'am sa akin.
Tinalikuran niya ako at sinabihang sumunod dahil may iuutos siya sa akin. Pikagpagan ko na muna ang suit kong jeans at inayos ang nagulong ponytail. Pilit akong ngumiti kay Kuya Billy na siyang nakasaksi ng lahat at sa ibang kumakain din dito sa likod. 
“Okay ka lang ba, Maya? Namumula ang mga braso mo.” Napatingin naman ako dito at napagtantong may mga sugat nga dahil sa kalmot.
“Ay wala ho ito, Kuya Billy. Okay lang po ito. Hugasan ko na lang po mamaya sa Cr bago ako pumunta kay Ma'am.” Tumango na siya at bumalik sa guard house niya.  
“Ayan kasi. Akala niya siguro sobrang yaman niya.”
“May pabigay bigay pang nalalaman. Edi siya 'yung gutom ngayon.”
“Pabida.”
“Papansin kasi.”
Rinig kong bulungan nung mga tauhan din na nadadaanan ko. Pinapatagos ko na lang sa kabilang tenga ang mga sasabihin nila dahil ang mahalaga ay nakatulong ako kahit papaano. Sana nga ay ligtas lang iyong bata ngayon.
“Hay, Maya,” bulong ko sa sarili habang marahang pinupunasan ang mga maliliit na dugong lumalabas sa braso ko. 
“Aish.” Masakit! Ang hapdi noong nilagyan ko ng alcohol, para na din tumigil ang pagdudugo.
Pilit kong iniihipan ang mga kalmot kahit na hindi abot ng hangin mula sa bibig ko iyong sugat. Bawat kapwa empleyadong pumapasok sa Cr ay napapatingin sa akin dahil nandito ako sa may lababo, sa harap ng salamin—sinusuri kung may sugat pa ba. May nararamdaman akong hapdi sa may bandang likod sa leeg pero binaliwala ko na lang dahil natatabunan naman ng buhok ko iyon na naka ponytail at hindi ko matingnan iyon sa salamin dahil medyo tago.
“Hoy, Maya! Lagot ka na naman kay Ma'am Kalim! Ang tagal tagal mo d'yan, kanina ka pa hinahanap!” Biglang kumabog ang puso ko sa narinig. Patay ako neto! Halos sampung minuto na din pala ako dito at limang minuto na lang para matapos na ang break at balik trabaho na ulit!
Tinakbo ko na ang office ni Ma'am Kalim at parang matutumba ako sa bawat hakbang ko dahil sa kaba. Hindi ko nga ba alam kay Ma'am kung bakit napakainit ng dugo niya sa akin gayong medyo matagal na simula noong nangyari iyong pagsusukbong ng Anak niya.
Nang marating ko ang pinto ay sumilip muna ako habang pinunasan ang mga namuong maliliit na butil ng pawis sa noo ko. May kausap si Ma'am at nakatalikod ito pero alam kong lalaki.
“Yes, call them, please,” aniya ng lalaki at tumalikod. Agad akong gumilid sa pinto at nagpanggap na walang narinig dahil alam kong palabas na ang lalaki.
“It's bad to eavesdrop y'know.” Napatalon ako ng kaunti nang marinig ang boses ng lalaki.
Lagot ako neto, huwag naman sana akong tanggalin sa trabaho.
“Ay hehe, ako po ba, Sir?” tanong ko na may pilit na ngiti sa labi pero ang totoo niyan ay kinakabahan na ako ng sobra!
“Of course, may ibang babae pa bang nasa labas ng office ni Mrs Kalim?” Napanguso ako at napakamot sa batok pero isa niyong pagkakamali dahil nakamot ko ang kalmot kanina ni Ma'am! Ang sakit!
“Aish. Sakto pa sa sugat,” bulong ko at pigil na maiyak dahil sa hapdi.
“What---”
“Oh, Sir Achie. Ano pa pong---oh, Maya. What are you doing here?” Mabait niyang tanong na nagpabigla sa akin. Bakit ang bait niya ngayon? May nakain ba si Ma'am?
“Hello? Maya, I'm asking you,” saad niya pero mas seryoso.
“Ahm, may iuutos ka po 'di ba.” Napatingin ako sa lalaking tinawag niyang Sir at dumapo naman ang tingin ko sa babaeng nasa likod ni Ma'am Kalim—her daughter, Alexandria. Masama ang tingin nito sa'kin sa hindi ko malamang dahilan.
“Oh nevermind. Pumunta ka na doon at may sasabihin si Sir Achie,” saad nito at agad akong tumango, nag-bow ng kaunti at tumalikod. Napahawak din ako sa batok ko at marahang dinama ang sugat ko doon. Pakiramdam ko'y mas humapdi ito kaysa kanina.
Achie's Point of View
The girl named Maya, she looks so fragile. It's like if you touch her, she'll break into pieces. That look in her eyes, I already saw that in my cousin's eyes once. But she's happy now with her husband.
I'm Achie Vasco, the only son of Mr. Vlad Mere Vasco and Mrs. Fisaia Vasco—the owner of the famous Vasco Empire.
Mama said I'll be handling this now since she wants to travel the world with Dad and said that I'm already old enough to handle the empire. Besides, I've been longing for this company. Though I don't want to commit yet but, I have no choice. I'm their only son and their only heir. It's my responsibility to take care and grow more the empire my parents started with nothing.
Speaking of the empire, since I'll be handling this in no time, I have to introduce myself to everyone who are part of the still growing company. I already introduced myself to the employees above, now it's now time for those who took care of the cleanliness of the whole building.
“Mrs Kalim, are you sure your daughter can handle the work here?” I asked. I'm in her office right now, I've been thinking about her daughter joining the team who cleans since her daughter is kinda overreacting sometimes. I've been here for quite times and I always see her in her mother's office, ranting about how hard the work is. When in fact all she do is to sweep some dirt near the parking lot.
“Of course, Sir. She just needs time for her to adjust in her new environment,” she replied smiling. While her daughter is just staring at me the whole conversation. That's why her mother is tapping her shoulder or back sometimes for her to go back to reality.
“If that's what you say so. Mauuna na ako sa labas. They have still two minutes before they go back to work.” She just nods and tap her daughter for them to bid temporary goodbye.
While I was walking out to the door, I noticed someone standing near it. I guess she didn't see me noticing her but she hurriedly stay back from the door and stand beside it like nothing happened and I'm right.
“It's bad to eavesdrop y'know,” I said and I almost chuckle because I startled her. What a cute reaction.
What? Cute? Who's cute? No one is cute!
“Ay hehe, ako po ba, Sir?” she asked trying to hide her panicking system. I stayed with my no-emotion-face for her to be maybe intimated.
What the heck? When did I think of intimidating someone?
What's happening, Achie?
“Of course, may ibang babae pa bang nasa labas ng office ni Mrs Kalim?” I asked. And now she's more panicking. Why did I find this moment entertaining? She scratch the back of her neck then she show a sign of sudden pain.
She murmur something but I didn't hear it since she murmur it very low. 
“What---” I was supposed to ask why she did that when Mrs Kalim interrupted.
“Oh, Sir Achie. Ano pa pong---oh, Maya. What are you doing here?” She said nicely. The lady named Maya raise her head and looked at Mrs Kalim like she has seen a ghost or something. Did she react that way because Mrs Kalim talked to her in a nice way?
She replied that Mrs Kalim has something to command to her.
“Oh nevermind. Pumunta ka na doon at may sasabihin si Sir Achie,” she then said so Maya bow her head a little before turning her back on us. I also saw her touched the back of her neck like it pained her. 
We'll know that later.
Then a smile appears and I froze.
What the heck is that, Achie?