[b]* 2[/b] I returned back home. Mom came rushing to me tapos may dalang envelop. “Anak! Tingnan mo oh, sulat galling dun sa inapplyan mo.” I grabbed it tapos naupo kaming dalawa at binuksan yung envelop. Walang humihinga. Walang kumukurap. “HOORAY!!” Napatili kami ni Mama. Oo, himala kasi talaga na pinapapunta ako for interview nung kumpanya. DUH, wala kaya akong job experience, tapos yung inapplyan ko e isang napakabonggang kumpanya. Wala. Nagbakasakali lang ako. Trip ko lang mag try. Wala naman kasing mawawala.. Kaso eto, nakatsamba! Bukas na? Bukas na? I was really thrilled. “Kailangan manamit ka nang maayos anak.” Mama said. “Parang sinabi mo naman hindi ako maayos manamit Ma.” I replied. Natawa yung nanay ko. “I mean, yung pang office ba. Kasi hindi naman pwedeng nakapang hiphop ka e.” Natawa na rin ako. Yessss Ma. -- We live in a private subdivision. Topher’s house is just a few blocks away, UNFORTUNATELY, inimbita sila ng parents ko to eat dinner with us. Kasi nga raw kukuha ako ng interview, parang celebration ba. E hindi pa naman ako natatanggap. Awkward. Hindi kami nagtitinginan ni Topher, magkakasulyapan nga, pero pairap. Sarap sapakin sa mukha e. “So congrats Dette. Goodluck for tomorrow.” Tita greeted me. I smiled widely. “Thank you po Tita. I’ll do my best.” “Tsk. Ang malas naman nung kumpanya. Hindi marunong tumingin ng resume.” I glared at him. He glared at me too. “So okay…” Mama uttered. Hindi na iba sakanila ‘to, alam din naman kasi nila na magbabati rin kami ni Topher. Kaso asar talaga ako sakanya. Nagkuwentuhan na, tapos bawat sabihin ko, binabara ni Topher. Nakakabwisit lang. Dumating na sa point na nagbangayan na kami. “Ano bang pakielam mo?” I asked him. “Wala, may sinabi ba akong may pakielam ako?” “E bakit ka ba sabat nang sabat--?” “DETTE. TOPHER. Enough, nasa harap tayo ng pagkain.” Papa interfered. “E siya kasi e.” I blamed. “Baka ikaw.” “Anong—” “ENOUGH.” Mama repeated. Natahimik ako tapos inirapan ko siya. “Ano bang pinag awayan nyo?” His Mom asked. “E kasi siya, may nagpapacute sakanyang guy sa mall—” “Shut up. Hindi siya nagpapacute, besides, hindi ko naman siya pinapansin ikaw lang diyan yung sumisingit e.” I told him. “Hindi ako sumingit, wala naman akong pakielam kahit mag chismisan kayo all day long.” “E bakit ka nagagalit diyan?” “Sino bang unang nagalit?” Mom covered my mouth, pati na rin yung sakanya tinakpan ng nanay niya. DANG. Kasi naman e, bad siya noh? HMPH. “Before you both start a fight again, magbati na kayo.” Papa ordered us. Inirapan ko siya. “Siya unang mag sorry.” I said and I pouted. “Asa ka pa.” He replied. “Pag hindi siya nag apologize sa pagsasabing lalaki ako, hindi ako makikipagbati.” I said. He scoffed. He looked at me, napatingin din ako sakanya pero pairap. “Sanay ka nanaman kasi run eh..” “E kaso sa harap ng iba, ang bad mo—” “Oo na, e di sorry. Sorry na Dette.” Napangiti sila Mama. I coughed, tapos pinipigilan kong ngumiti, kaso hindi kaya eh. “Oo na..” Tapos ngumiti na siya, hindi ko na rin pinigilan. “Hay salamat, anyway..” Papa began tapos tumingin siya sa father ni Topher. “Anak, Dette. Meron sana tayong dapat pag usapan.” His father muttered. Silence. Tapos mga serious yung mga mukha nila. “Bakit po? Ano po yun?” I asked. Nakakaba. Parang may something kasi. “It’s about what?” Tanung din ni Topher. Nakakapangilabot. “It’s about the two of you, and the companies.” ? “Ma, I told you, I’m not taking after the company.” I said agad, baka kasi yun nanaman eh. “It’s not that, anak.” Ma told me. “The companies are merging.” Papa said. “…Through marriage.” Napanganga ako. “Topher is marrying Ate?!” I exclaimed. Napatingin ako kay Topher, nakakunot yung noo niya. “What—” “No, anak. Topher is marrying.. You.” Mama told me. Hindi ako makakibo. Napatingin ako kay Topher. Gulat na gulat siya. I’m marrying Topher? The guy.. I’ve been secretly loving… Is gonna be tied with me? Deep in my heart, OO. Inaadmit ko. May excitement at saya akong naramdaman.. Pero paano siya? Paano ang friendship? Paano ang lahat? Handa na ba akong aminin sakanya yung totoong nararamdaman ko? Tumayo si Topher. “NO. Are you kidding me?” He said sa tonong nanginginig. “How can I be married with my best friend? Ma! Pa! Ano ba ‘to?! You know that I don’t plan to be tied with anybody!—” “Anak this is for the good of the companies—” “And what about for our good?! Paano ako?! Paano si Dette?! Di ba Dette?!” He looked at me. Hindi ako makasagot. Hindi ko masabing hindi ko gusto, pero hindi ko rin masabing gusto ko. This is the chance that I’ve been hoping. Yung makasama ko siya sa panghabang buhay… Pero paano? Anung gagawin ko? “Dette… Answer me. Papayag ka bang ganito na lang?!” He asked me again. I was trembling in nervousness. I’m bewildered by this sudden announcement. I bit my lower lip. “H-Hindi ko alam…” “HA?” “Hindi ko alam!” I said then I rushed upstairs. I’ve been loving him for years. I tried my best to keep it here in my heart as a secret. Wala akong ibang ginawa kundi ang maging masaya na lang para sakanya. But why do things have to turn so complicated? I’d want to get married with him, pero ayaw niya sakin. It’s been clearly shown. He strongly rejected the announcement. Anong magagawa ko? Nasasaktan nanaman ako. Sobrang nasasaktan nanaman ako. -- I left early at home. Hindi na ako nagpaalam kela Mama. Medyo kulang ako sa tulog. I just wore a simple blazer and such. Mukhang disente naman ako, kaso hindi talaga ako sanay magsuot nang ganito, pati yung sa heels, kaya imbes na mag heels, e nag Chuck Taylor muna ako. Cool get up, alam ko, kaso wala na muna akong pakielam. As soon as I reached the building, I immediately removed my Chuck at pinalit yung may heels na sapatos. Peste, ang hirap talaga. I put it inside my bag at hindi ko namalayang hindi ko pala masyadong nalagay. I paid the driver at lumabas na ako, patakbo, takte. Malelate na ako. I entered the building tapos nagpunta sa front desk, nagtanong, tapos tumakbo ulit, and what the hell. Hindi ko namalayang nahulog pala yung isang pares ng sapatos ko. I sat on the seats, tapos sakto, biglang tumunog yung cellphone ko. I searched into my bag. Dig, dig, tapos nung nahanap ko, I was called inside for the interview. I took a deep breath tapos tumayo, peste, natapilok. Sabay pasok sa kwarto. “Good afternoon Sir.” I greeted. Kinakabahan ako. Nakatalikod kasi yung upuan nung Boss. “Sit.” He said. Familiar ang boses. I sat quietly, then slowly, the seat of the guy turned. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. “Hi, Ms. Bernadette Evangelista.” “ALBERT?” I asked. Natawa siya. “Algin, Dette. Algin.” “Anung ginagawa mo dito?! And don’t call me Dette, hindi tayo close.” I told him. Ngumiti siya, then I suddenly came up into a realization. “You… You’re the Boss?” I asked. “Yep.” Napalunok ako ng laway. Takte, nakakahiya naman ako. Napakamot ako. “Malas naman.” I uttered. I stood up na rin, I know na babagsak ako sa interview na ‘to. “O, san ka pupunta?” He asked. “Forget it. Alam ko na anong resulta nito. Sorry for the time wasted.” Aalis na sana ako, but my folder where my designs were dropped on the floor. Kumalat lahat, dyahe naman! Kukunin ko n asana, but he picked it up instead. “You passed.” “HUH?” He smiled at me. “You passed.” “HALA KA? Bakit? Paano?” Grabe. Padalos dalos naman ata to. “Because of your designs right here in my hands.” He grinned at me. I leered at him. “Sigurado ka?” I asked. “May ibang rason pa ba?” “Ewan ko sayo. Tsk. There’s something wrong in here, is this pure coincidence?” “Why do you think so?” He asked. Napailing ako. “Forget it. Wala ako sa mood makipag tarayan sayo. Sorry ulit sa oras, bye.” I said tapos walkout agad. I heard him call my name, pero wala talaga ako sa mood. Marami pang ibang kumpanya diyan. Kung siya rin magiging Boss ko, forget it. Ang hirap talaga maglakad, takteng yan. I walked out of the building, then a car parked in front of me. Topher went out, nagulat ako. “Dette, let’s talk.” “I’m stressed. Wag ngayon.” I told him. “Bernadette! Wait!” Napalingon kami ni Topher. Sinundan ako ng Algin. Tae naman. “Bakit andito ka?” Topher asked Algin. “I went here for an interview, siya ang Boss. Tapos, aalis na ako.” Sabi ko, mag wo walk out na ako ulit kaso nagsalita pa rin si Topher.” “Are you following Dette?” He asked. Umiling si Algin. “It’s true. I’m just the boss of this company, and I’m here to persuade her to work here.” Napakamot ako ng ulo. “Are you sure that’s it?” Topher asked. “Oo.” “TAMA NA. PWEDE?” I said in a loud voice. Nakakaasar na. “Tara na lang Topher.” “Dette, I’ll call you.” Algin said. Tumango na ako. “Oo na. Oo na.” I replied tapos binuksan ko yung pintuan ng kotse ni Topher tapos pumasok na rin ako. What a headache. Bakit ba nagkakasabay sabay? [i]My head’s turning.[/i]