MAUDE VALERA.
AGAD na tumambad sa kanyang paningin ang CEO na nakaupo sa pagitan ng dalawang bakanteng upuan. Kunot ang noo nito at tila napakaseryoso habang nakatitig sa mga papel na nasa mesa.
Wala rin sa ayos ang kanyang kurbata at tanggal din ang isang butones sa collar ng damit niya. Inisip ng dalaga na pagiging walang respeto ang hitsura nitong haharap sa kanila. Is he trying to seduce them? 
“Tama bang gan’yan ang hitsura niya na haharap sa mga aplikante?” tanong ni Maude sa sarili habang bahagyang nakangiwi at nakatingin sa binata.
Kapagkuwan ay marahan nang iniangat ng CEO ang kanyang ulo upang tignan sila. Nang magtama ang mga mata ng dalawa ay bigla nalang kinabahan ang dalaga dahil biglang pumasok sa isipan nito ang matagal nang namayapang kapatid na si Rix. There is something in his eyes that suddenly reminded her about his late brother.
“Ang mga matang iyan, parang mata ni Rix,” she said inwardly as she gazed at his eyes intently.
Maya-maya ay nakaramdam nalang siya ng guilt dahil nang maalala nito ang kapatid ay bigla niya ring naalala ang mga nangyari noon. 
“Do you want to have an interview while standing there?” Her thoughts suddenly cut off when the CEO suddenly speak, sneering. Tumingin ang dalaga sa dalawang kasama at napansing nakaupo na ang mga ito. Siya na lamang pala ang nakatayo. 
“Hindi po,” pag-iling niya bago tinahak ang bakanteng upuan sa pagitan ng dalawa at sa tapat ng CEO.
While wiping her seat, she noticed using her peripherals that seems like the CEO is staring at her. Hindi kasi siya komportable kapag may mga nakatingin sa kanya habang ginagawa niya ang isang bagay. It just feels awkward which can cause her to lose her focus on what she is doing. However, when it comes to interview, she can still manage it.
“Ms. Javier, remind those applicants outside not to waste their time standing and staring at me after getting inside this room,” utos ni Raddix kay Ms. Javier pero nakatingin parin ito kay Maude na tila pinaparinggan ang dalaga.
Biglang napalunok si Maude dahil sa tinuran ng CEO. Hindi niya naman siya tinitigan nang dahil sa gwapo ito. It is true that he is attractive pero nakatingin lang si Maude sa kanya dahil sa bigla nitong naalala ang kanyang kapatid. That’s all her reason. Nothing more.
“May pagkamayabang din pala ang isang ito,” bulong ni Maude sa sarili nang makaupo ito.
“Okay. So, I’ll be asking Ms. Torres first,” wika ni Raddix sabay baling ng tingin sa babaeng nakaupo sa kanan ni Maude. 
The woman who seemed to be in her late 20s nodded as she straightened her posture, putting both of her hands on her knees.  
“What do you know about us?” Raddix straightforwardly asked without any expression in his face. Diretso lang ang tingin nito sa babae.
Sandaling natahimik si Ms. Torres upang mag-isip ng isasagot. She also feels a little bit nervous because of his intimidating stare. 
Ang karaniwang unang tinatanong ay ‘tell me about yourself’ pero depende parin naman sa kumpanya kung ano ang gustong unang tanungin ng mga nag-iinterview, but the question he just asked is the one he usually ask whenever they are holding a job interview.
Ilang segundo lang ay nakapag-isip na si Ms. Torres kaya tumikhim ito at ngumiti bago nagsimula nang sumagot.
Napaawang ang bibig ni Maude sa sobrang mangha nang matapos nitong sagutin ang tanong. Purong ingles ang ginamit na linggwahe. Humihinto-hinto man iyon saglit dahil naaabala sa titig ng CEO ngunit naitawid niya naman nang maayos. 
But as usual, no matter how good someone in answering his questions, he never gave Ms. Torres and even the past applicants before any reactions about their answers. Ni pagtango man lamang ay wala. 
Pinagpatuloy na ni Raddix ang pagtatanong hanggang sa matapos si Ms. Torres. Pagkatapos ay ibinaling na niya ang tingin sa lalaking nasa kaliwa ni Maude at ito naman ang sunod niyang tinanong. Tulad ng unang tanong niya kay Ms. Torres, iyon din ang tinanong niya sa lalaki.
Kung gaano naman kahanga si Maude kay Ms. Torres ay mas humanga pa ito sa lalaking nasa kaliwa niya. Dire-diretso ito kung magsalita at ang lalalim ng kanyang ginamit na salitang ingles. Tila bihasang-bihasa na kaya naman biglang dinaga ang dibdib ng dalaga dahil sa galing ng kanyang mga kasama ay naisip niyang malabo talagang matanggap siya. Wala pa itong ibang experiences maliban sa OJT dahil nang makapagtapos siya sa college, wala pa itong napapasukang trabaho. Sinubukan niya namang mag-apply sa iba’t-ibang kumpanya pero hindi siya natatanggap dahil ang kinukuha nila ay ang mga may eksperyensa.
Pero gano’n pa man ay hindi nito naisip na umatras. Why not try? Wala namang imposible.
Her heart rate increased even more when the CEO finally shifted his gaze at her. Siya na ngayon ang tatanungin dahil tapos na ang mga kasama niya.
“So, Ms. Maude Reine Valera. . .” CEO Raddix trailed off. He brought his hands together on the table, forming a hand steeple with his long fingers, and looks at her intently.
“Yes, sir?” Maude gulped at his intent stare. Talagang nakakawala ng pokus ang titig ng binata kaya naman palihim na pinagdadasal ni Maude na sana ay hindi siya mautal sa pagsagot. Na sana ay maitawid niya ang interview.
“Why should we hire you?” he asked directly with a cold voice just like the way he stare at her.
Napakunot-noo si Maude sa tanong nito. Parehas ang unang tanong niya sa dalawa pero bakit sa kanya ay iba? Tila napansin niyang kanina pa nananadya ang CEO sa kanya. From the moment she entered the interview room, she instantly noticed how the CEO look at her as though she’s the dirtiest person he’d ever seen. Nagparinig pa ito kanina sa pagtitig niya sa lalaki tapos ngayon ay siya lang ang may naiibang tanong. Iba pa ang tono ng pagtatanong nito.
“Sa tono ng boses ay parang hindi ako karapat-dapat na tanggapin sa kumpanyang ito, ah?” untag ni Maude sa sarili. However, she just cleared her throat to set aside her thoughts. She let out a deep sigh before started answering the question.  
“Since my career has just recently begun, I am unable to provide you with any evidence or justification that would persuade you to hire me, but I can assure you that if I am hired, I would work extremely hard and loyally. I’ll always do my hardest to complete my work and maintain positive relationships with my coworkers.”
Napasinghap nang madiin ang CEO. “I already heard those phrases. People tend to promise but do nothing. They always say they’ll work hard, do their best and so on, but they’ve never proven it. Do you think you will pass just by saying those?” usisa nito. Naaasar man si Maude sa paraan ng pagtingin nito sa kanya na animo’y nang-iinsulto sa ngiting iginagawad ay pinilit niya paring pakalmahin ang sarili. She remains smiling politely.
“Sir, people are different. I’ll show you once I’m hired.” Puno ng tapang na sagot ni Maude kahit ang totoo ay kinakabahan ito na naiinis.
Umismir si Raddix bago sandaling ibinaling ang tingin sa resume ng dalaga. “You don’t have any experiences, so how can I assure you can do your jobs well?”
“I actually had my experience, sir. As you can see on my resume that I had an on-the-job training when I was still in college. However, I know that experience wasn’t enough. Though, everyone has the power to learn. Therefore, I can learn the job that’ll be given to me since I’m also flexible, sir. I can easily adapt to everything,” she answered as she gave him a smile of assurance.
“You can easily adapt to everything….” Huminto si Raddix saka marahang tumango at sinipat ang dalaga. “Is that why you are wearing old-fashioned clothes?” he mocked causing Maude to widened her eyes in shock. Gano’n din si Rafael, Ms. Javier at ng dalawang kasama ni Maude. 
“Pati pa talaga damit ko?” Maude asked inside her mind. Gayunpaman ay muling ngumiti ang dalaga at pinilit maging propesyonal kahit na sa loob-looban niya ay gustong-gusto niya nang sungalngalin ang CEO. Instead of letting her irritation engulf her, she just considered his question as a trick if she can act professionally or not whatever question will be asked to her. 
“I’m sorry, sir but this is the only formal clothes I have,” she simply answer.  
“Okay. Let’s just proceed to the next question. How do you think would your professor described you before?” he asked monotonously.
“They always say I am ambitious and versatile. Ambitious since I have a determination in achieving something and, versatile since I can quickly adjust to different situation.” Kahit man nanginginig ang mga kamay niya ay nasagot niya parin naman nang maayos at diretso ang mga tanong ng CEO.
He didn’t give her any reactions to her answer, instead he just pressed his lips together and proceeded to the last question. “So, do you have something to say to me?” His eyes suddenly warped into a miserable black as he glowered at her. Tila ang malamig na mata kanina ay nagbabaga na habang malalim ang titig sa dalaga.
Nanlaki ang mata ni Maude at doon nakuha na siya ng kaba niya kaya bigla na itong nautal. “P-po?”
“I mean questions,” Raddix corrected.
“Ah... Uhmm. . . D-Did I passed the interview?” she suddenly asked out of curiosity. But after realizing what she had just asked, she mentally slapped herself. She messed up on her interview now. Wala na. 
The CEO suddenly sniggered. “Do you want me to tell you right now?” 
Gayunpaman ay tumango nalang si Maude sa kagustuhang malaman kung pasado siya o hindi. Isa pa, hindi niya na rin mababawi ang tinanong.
“You didn’t.” Raddix said straightforwardly causing the two applicants beside her to widen their eyes in shock. Samantalang wala nang bahid ng gulat na gumuhit sa mukha ng dalaga dahil nang oras na tinanong niya kung pasado siya ay alam niyang nasira niya na ang interview niya at hindi na siya makakapasa.
“Aren’t you shocked?” the CEO asked. Umiling lang ang dalaga. 
“Expected ko na po ito,” she replied and lowered her head. 
“So, you already know the reason why you didn’t pass?” Raddix asked once again.
Tumango ang dalaga. “It’s because you didn’t like my answers and I even asked you nonsense question.”
“No,” tipid na sagot ng lalaki dahilan kaya napatingin ang dalaga sa kanya na puno ng kuryosidad. 
“You lack trust in yourself,” he added before Maude asked him for his reason. Muling napayuko ang dalaga sabay kagat sa pang-ibabang labi niya.
“And that’s also the reason why a lot of company didn’t hire you,” dagdag pa ng binata. “Anyway, if any of you has no questions now, you can all finally get out of my sight. The company will just call you if you passed or not.” Inalis na ni Raddix ang tingin sa kanila at saka nito kinuha ang resumé ng susunod na tatlo.
Kagat-labing lumabas si Madeline sa interview room habang iniisip ang sinabi ng CEO. She suddenly feels as though she wants to cry as she ponder deeply. Wala ba talaga siyang tiwala sa sarili? But she always does her best to answer all their questions but the ending was always tragic. Yes, tragic because all their reasons was she has no experiences. Tapos ngayon ang sasabihin ng CEO ng RF Hotel ay kulang siya sa tiwala sa sarili? But she thought, perhaps he’s right.
Pumasok tuloy sa isip nito ang nangyari noon. The moment when her brother is asking for her help. Perhaps she didn’t trust herself back then that she can save her brother that was why he died. Ang ending, lahat ay kasalanan niya. 
“Okay lang ‘yan, Maude. You can still find a job. Fighting!” Ms. Torres tapped her shoulder to encourage her. 
Bumalik sa sarili ang dalaga saka bahagyang ngumiti. “Mm, salamat po.” 
Gayunpaman, pakiramdam niya ngayon ay kahit na anong pagpapalakas ng loob ng makuha niya, she’s just downhearted to be encouraged. 
“Maybe this job isn’t really for me,” she concluded as she made her way out of the building she dreamed to work.