"Job well done guys! Kayo talaga ang asset ng O2 Corporation dahil sa marketing strategies nyo at syempre, dahil 'yon sainyong pinakamamahal na Head! Hahahahahahaha!"
Nagtawanan at nagpalakpakan ang buong team na magkakaharap ngayon sa isang long table.
"Hindi naman po nagpahuli yung team nyo Ms. Pat. Hehehehe." Ash said.
"Oh. Of course, Ash. Ako pa ba." Ms. Chua replied before flipping her hair. Pagkatapos ay nagtawanan ulit sila.
Ako lang ata ang hindi. At syempre yung isa na hindi naman talaga tumatawa.
May kanya-kanyang celebration ang bawat department ngayon. At naisipan ng marketing team na magrent ng VIP room sa isang bar.
But actually, si Ms. Chua ang may idea ng lahat. This is her uncle's restobar.
Nandito rin ang team niya pero nasa kabilang room.
At bakit siya nandito?
Well, malamang dahil na naman kay Ianne F--- I mean... Ms. Perez.
Siya lang naman ang may lakas ng loob mamilit sa Head ng Marketing Dept.
And I heard, pangalawang beses palang niya 'tong pagsama sa mga get-together ng team nila.
The first one is because the CEO paid a visit. I was with him that time actually. And when I saw Ms. Perez, she looks like she wanna go home already.
And this time naman, siguro todo effort si Ms. Chua sa pamimilit sa may topak niyang kaibigan kaya napapayag na din.
Or maybe, just maybe, she knew that all of us, especially her team, had a really hard time with this month's launching of new products. Nagkaroon kasi ng last-minute problem and thank God nasolusyonan naman. In times of crisis talaga, mas lumalabas ang essence ng teamwork and syempre yung tiwala ng buong team sa Head. Maybe she appreciated that kaya nandito siya ngayon.
"Could you please go to your own team, Patricia? Why the hell are you here anyway? Tsk." I heard Ms. Perez.
Natawa ang iba dahil halata ang pagkairita nito. Habang ako eh nakatingin lang sakanila while drinking a glass of whiskey.
"I'm just checking you lang naman. Baka kasi nanggigisa ka na naman kahit nandito tayo para mag-enjoy. Hahahahaha!" Ms. Chua said.
Everyone made an awkward smile and laugh. Maybe they're afraid because Ms. Chua always get on their Head's nerves at baka tuluyan na nga 'tong magalit ngayon.
"Just shut your loud mouth and leave the room right away. I made a promise that I won't be mad or anything tonight right? 'Let them have some fun and don't talk anything about work, not even a single word'. That's what you said and I remember it clearly so back off." Cold na sabi ni Ms. Perez before having a sip from her glass.
"Hahahahaha! Okay okay. I'll leave. But... in one and last condition." Ms. Chua said.
Napatingin ang lahat sakanya. Habang si Ms. Perez ay kunot noo siyang tiningnan.
"Uhm... I think, you should say something to your team?" she suggested.
Walang nagsalita.
Tinaasan lang din siya ng isang kilay ni Ms. Perez.
"As the Department Head?" she continued.
Wala pa ring nagsasalita.
Parang inaabangan ng lahat ang sagot ni Ms. Perez.
"Ano ba naman Ianne Faye. You should at least say some motivational words for your team. Or i-congratulate mo sila for this month's success. Para naman ganahan sila sa mga susunod pang araw. Diba guys?" baling niya samin.
Sumang-ayon naman sila. Lalo na si Ash na magkalapat pa ang dalawang palad na parang nakikiusap. May pakurap kurap pa ang loka.
Maya-maya pa ay inakbayan ni Ms. Chua si Ms. Perez dahil hindi ito nagsasalita.
"Wag mo sabihing nahihiya ka?" Bulong nito sakanya na rinig din naman namin.
Natawa ang iba.
Tiningnan nito nang masama si Ms. Chua.
"Or nag-iisip ka pa ng sasabihin? Don't worry maghihintay kami. Take your time. Hehehehehe." Pang-aasar pa nito.
Nawala ang mga ngiti nila nang biglang ibagsak ni Ms. Perez ang baso niya sa table habang matalim na nakatingin sa kaibigan.
"Listen." sabi niya pagkatapos ay binalingan kami ng tingin.
Nakangiting tumayo sa gilid si Ms. Chua habang naka cross-arms.
Ngiting tagumpay.
Mukhang kilalang kilala talaga niya si Ms. Perez. I won't deny that.
Naghintay ang lahat sa sasabihin niya.
Damn she's too cute right now.
Alam kong hindi niya alam ang sasabihin at mukhang nag-iisip pa siya.
"Y-you... You guys... made a lot of mistakes this month." Panimula niya pagkatapos nitong inumin ang lahat ng laman ng baso niya. Pft.
In a snap, nawala ang mga ngiti at tuwa nila dahil sa narinig.
Maybe they're expecting some nice words.
"I knew it. Tss." Rinig kong bulong nung isa na nakabusangot na ngayon.
"But. . . y-you still did well."
Everyone looked at her again. As if they can't believe what she said.
Medyo mahaba-habang katahimikan din ang naganap habang nakatingin lang ang lahat sakanya.
Seems like she doesn't know the reason and she's obviously thinking right now.
"Y-you did v-very well." She continued as if correcting her previous phrase.
Pft. She added the word 'very'.
Akala siguro nya hindi pa enough yung sinabi niyang 'you did well'.
"C-congrats...?" Dagdag pa niya na parang hindi na sigurado sa sinasabi niya.
I can see the amusement in their eyes.
Parang mga batang na-compliment for the first time.
Medyo OA nga lang 'tong si Ash dahil kita talaga na teary-eyed pa ang gaga.
Now I'm getting curious how did she end up idolizing Ms. Perez when most of them are scared and hates her.
No response pa rin sila so na-awkward na ata si Ms. Perez kaya nagsalin nalang ulit siya sa baso niya at nilagok ang lahat ng laman.
She shouldn't drink too much. She can't---
"Oops. You can't handle another glass so stop now Ianne Faye. Hahahahaha." Ms. Chua said while placing the glass and a bottle of whiskey away from her.
I also want to do that kind of small acts for her.
A thought flashed into my freakin' mind.
My body automatically moved to stood up.
And I didn't mean to make a sound, resulting in getting their attention.
"Comfort room." I said shortly.
Lumabas na 'ko ng VIP room and the loud sound immediately get into my ears. Nakalimutan kong soundproof nga pala 'tong room.
Kahit naiinis ako sa ingay ay dumiretso na ko.
Good thing walang tao sa loob pagkapasok ko.
Dahan-dahan akong naglakad patungo sa harap ng salamin.
When I saw my face, I knew I'm already a bit tipsy.
Hindi naman ako low tolerance. Siguro kasi kanina pa ko nagsimulang uminom.
Ewan ko ba.
Maya-maya ay bumukas ang pinto at hindi ko inaasahan na si Ms. Perez ang pumasok. Nagkatinginan kami saglit sa salamin.
Halatang nakainom na 'to dahil namumula na ang pisngi niya at mas pumungay ang mga mata.
As usual, wala pa rin siyang kahit anong ekspresyon. Saglit lang siyang napatingin sakin kanina pagkatapos ay dumiretso na din sa harap ng salamin na parang wala siyang nakitang ibang tao dito sa loob.
I don't know why I feel weird.
I suddenly walked towards her and dragged her on the corner of this comfort room.
"W-what the hell are you doing?!" Halos pasigaw niyang sabi habang gulat na gulat dahil sa ginawa ko.
Ano nga bang ginagawa mo Gwen Michelle?!
"I don't know..." Halos pabulong kong sabi.
I'm not sure pero parang bigla akong nainis sa treatment niya sakin.
I don't like it everytime she ignores me as if I'm just a stranger.
I don't like it when she looks at me with her uninterested expression as if I'm the most boring person in the world.
And I hate it when I see someone so close to her, or someone who treats her comfortably, and even jokes around her. Like Ms. Chua could.
Damn this jealousy.
It's freakin' pathetic.
Alam kong namumungay na ang mga mata ko at namamalat na din ang boses ko.
But I didn't divert my gazes from her pretty eyes.
Am I too drunk already??
It's insane to have this guts.
Tsk tsk.
"Move." she warned.
Hindi rin siya nakipagtalo sa titigan.
Fck. We're too close.
And I think mas lalo akong nalasing sa mga titig niya.
It's so unfair.
Ako lang ang naaapektuhan sa mga ganitong sitwasyon.
"I said mov---"
I cut her off by claiming her lips.
Damn.
I could see her shocked expression right now.
Seems like it took away the alcohol's effect in her system.
In just a few seconds, I felt her hand landed on my cheek.
Yeah. She slapped me.
But it doesn't hurt.
What's hurting me more was her stares full of hatred before leaving me alone in this corner.