TRIGGER (COMPLETE UNREVISED VERSION)

Four

Julianne Victoria 

From: Andre Tan

Hi! San ka? Kain Tayo?

To: Andre Tan

With Myles from the PR Team. Dito kami ngayon sa lobby ng Imperio León, BGC.

Uhhhh..sure? Call Les & E, for sure, gutom na yung mga yun.

From: Andre Tan

 Ahh.. I was thinking na we eat alone together sana..

Nabitawan ko yung hawak kong lapis at binasa ulit yung text niya.

Hindi ko alam kung ano irereply ko.

To: Andre Tan

 Ohh..

From: Andre Tan

I'm not really good at this Jules..

To: Andre Tan

 Good at what exactly?

Medyo nag hyper ventitalate ako sa complete 180 na nagyayari. I thought he likes Les? What is happening? Hindi naman ako manhid, but then again I am not also sure about this.

From: Andre Tan

Hmnn..nevermind na lang hehe.

I'll call them.We'll be there in 30.

Hindi na ako nagreply. Baka kasi kung ano pa ang masabi ko. 

Medyo mainit kaya tinali ko yung buhok ko. Kinakagat kagat ko pa yung dulo ng lapis (habit na lalo na pag nag coconceptualise). Myles and I are tying up the lose ends of our campaign. 2 weeks na lang kasi bago sila mag shoot nung short film sa France. Nakakinggit nga.

Pumunta kami don nina mom when I was in grade two. Although vivid naman ang memories ko about the time we spent there,gusto ko pa rin bumalik doon kahit one week lang. I would love to experience a Parisian night as an adult.

The wines, cheese and the nostalgia. Haay, a girl can dream. If only my triggers are controllable.

"Kawawa naman yung lapis Miss Sandoval." I blinked multiple times when someone snapped a finger in front of me.

Ahh s**t siya na naman.Binaba ko na lang yung lapis at tinago yung sketches ko. Asan ba kasi pumunta si Myles?At ano naman ang ginagawa nito dito? Ahh yes building pala niya to.

Hindi ko siya pinansin at itinuon ko na lang atensyon ko sa laptop at nag check ng email. Nakaupo lang siya sa harap ko at nakatingin sakin.

I noticed that he's not wearing a suit today. White shirt under a leather jacket. Bigla akong nasamid ng mapansing para kaming naka couple outfit.

Halos ganun din kasi ang suot ko except for the white vneck shirt under my leather jacket. Idol ko kasi si Peyton Sawyer nung highschool ako kaya na retain ang leather jacket sa buhay ko, the rest are piled in a locked vault somewhere in my head. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked calmly.

 "Napadaan lang ako to check something and I noticed you were alone." Sagot niya habang nahagilap yung isa pang cofee cup. "Or I guess not." Bigla nagbago ang tono niya.

 "Yes, I am not alone Mr. Guttierez. I am with a colleague and we are tying up loose ends regarding the campaign. Is there anything I can do for you? If there's none, I wouldn't mind sitting alone for the moment." Ay ang taray ko na naman.

 I don't know why I'm always worked up when it comes to this guy.

 "You know that I am technically your boss right?" He has this smirk on his face while he leaned closer in front of me.

Binaba ko yung screen ng laptop and decided to give him a piece of my mind. I can't help it. How or why I am so irritated with him is still a mystery.

"I am well aware of that Mr. Guttierez. But, please also be sensitive enough that I am trying to focus on the campaign, besides you were the one who was so adamant on a deadline even though Mr. Castell gave us free reign on the deadline for this campaign. Yes you are the boss, but right now you are getting into my nerves. And my nerves are the ones who are thinking for the ideas and improvements for this campaign. You might as well look for a replacement if you'll keep on hogging my thinking space." Tinanggal ko yung eyeglass ko and crossed my arms.

What the hell?? Who am I and who is this b***h that has taken over my body? s**t, ayusin mo ang bibig mo Julianne!

 "So,you're thinking about me?" He gave me a huge grin and I was in awe.

 What the.. Kinagat ko yung dila ko and tried to calm myself.

 "What? Out of all the things I just said, yun lang na pick up mo? And you twisted the truth behind it. Ayos ka din no?"

Okay kalma Jules. Boss mo pa rin yan.

"Go out with me." Mariin niyang sabi habang inabot niya yung kamay ko.

 Hindi ako makapag salita. This is so weird. Hinabol ng mga mata ko yung kamay niya sa ibabaw ng kamay ko. It felt funny. No, it felt warm. Not that kind of warm. Arrgh. Stop it Julianne.

"What are you doing?" Bigla kong bawi sa kamay ko.

Magsasalita pa sana siya ng makita kong nag bago ang timpla ng mukha niya ng may makita siya sa likod ko. Lumingon ako.

"Hi Jules." Nakangiti si Andre na lumapit sakin habang pinatong sa balikat ko ang mga kamay niya.

"Hey." Sabi ko pero bumalik ang titig ko kay Mr. Guttierez.

"Oh, Mr. Guttierez, apologies I did not see you immediately." Naglakad si Andre malapit kay Mr. Guttierez at inilahad ang kamay niya.

Tumayo din ito and shook his hand. Whoa, medyo matagal silang ganon na para bang they are sizing up each other.

"Mr. Tan. How's the photoshoot going?" Sabi ni Mr. Guttierez pero di pa rin naghihiwalay ang kamay nila.

Naisip ko tuloy baka magkadevelopan sila. Jules naisip mo pa talaga yang mga ganyan noh?

"We are still setting up the studio Mr. Guttierez. The cabernets are still being shipped according to your logistics adviser." Hindi ko alam kung sino unang bumitaw sa kanila pero mabuti naman at nakahinga ako ng maluwag.

"Good to hear." Sabi niya sabay lingon sakin. "Ms. Sandoval, I'll be waiting for your response." With that, nagsuot siya ng shades at pinasadahan ng tingin si Andre bago umalis.

"Ang intense non ah? What happened Andre? Jules?" Narinig ko si Les na nagtatanong sa bandang likod ko.

"This is the weirdest day ever." Napasinghap na lang ako sa nangyari.

Meanwhile, Andre was looking at me curiously.

"Talk about weird, kakarecieve ko lang ng email na extended ang deadline ng final touches ng campaign." Les sat beside me, her brows creased.

"Wait, what? Seryoso yan? Oh my god hindi pa naman ako nag hilod kaninang umaga mapush lang mga deadlines ko today." Frustrated na sabi ni E.

Actually lahat naman kami frustrated na kung pano i-babalance ang mga hawak naming accounts. Buti na lang nagdelegate ng maayos si Leslie. Kaya habang nagdidiscuss kami ni Myles kanina nakiusap ako sakanya kung okay lang na mag multi task ako habang nag uusap kami. Hence the sketches that Mr. Guttierez saw when he found me spaced out. Para yun sa isang brewery sa Cebu. Gusto kasi nilang mag rebrand. Kaya nga din hindi nako nakakapag contact lense dahil halos wala pa din akong tulog.

"Well, atleast medyo nabunutan ng tinik ang mga deadlines natin. What do you say, buffet 101 tayo? My treat. Approved na kasi yung mga product shots nung Fine dining account natin." Naka ngiting suggest ni Andre pero naka tingin pa din sakin.

"Wow! Nice one, Andre!" Tinapik ni Les ang balikat niya.

"Well, sino ba naman tatanggi ng libre. I'm craving for some sushi!! Carpool na lang tayo sayo Andre tinatamad ako mag drive mamaya na lang natin balikan yung sasakyan namin." Suggest pa ni E.

"Good idea E. Tabi ka sa unahan Jules, I have to ran some ideas by you. Medyo stuck up pa rin kasi ako sa theme na pipilliin for the wine shoot." tumatayong sabi ni Andre.

Tinitgan ako ni Les na parang nakakasense na may something. Kinausap ko na lang siya gamit ang mata ko to drop it for now.

"Sure." sabi ko sabay lagay sa bag nung laptop at ibang gamit. "Crap, si Myles sandali tawagan ko." Kinuha ko yung phone ko at nag excuse madali palabas.

Ng tinignan ko iyon, sakto may message galing kay Myles.

From: Miles Perez

So, so sorry to bail out on you, I was headed to the ladies room when I ran into our guy from logistics.He wanted me upstairs to check up on something. Coffee's on me next time.

"Uggh. Kaya pala."

I was about to place the phone in my pocket when I heard it ringing. It was an unregistered number calling. I ignored it.

 One thing that I don't do anymore is answer calls from strangers.

------

Vincent Alexander

I was about to start my car when I saw the Lumineer Team walking on the basement parking lot. I felt like a stalker for staring. They were getting into an SUV and Julianne was talking to Andre. He was carrying, what I presume is her bag and they were in a deep conversation.

I felt my jaw ticked especially when he guided her to enter the car. I tried calling her number again and waited for her to answer. Nakita ko si Julianne na tinignan ang phone niya pero hindi niya sinagot.

"Damn it!" Nasuntok ko yung manibela.

I hate that I am craving for her attention. Ilang araw na din akong distracted lalo na pag sumasagi sa isip ko yung mukha niya. Wala siyang make up ngayon hindi katulad nung nakita ko siya sa Gramercy. Medyo may eyebags at ang cute niya pag naka eyeglasses. Cute? Never pako nag isip ng mga ganyang bagay ever since. Bili ka na rin kaya ng baby bra at panty para suotin mo Vincent?

Puyat din kaya siya dahil naiisip niya ako? I highly doubt it. Although I found out a while ago that I don't like her wearing vneck shirts dahil nakita ko yung cleavage niya nung nakatayo ako at tulala siyang nag iisip kanina.

Nasulyapan ko din na lace yung gamit niyang bra. Damn it, parang ang lambot nun lalo na sa may pisngi ko. Hey I am a man, and we may never admit it but our brain is 99.9% made up of s****l thoughts. I hate to think na lagi yung nasisilip ng Andre na yun sa tuwing magpapakita ang cleavage ni Julianne.

Fucking hell. Her sketches also did not escape my eyes. She is good. Kahit drafts lang yung nakita ko ang galing niya. Hindi ko namalayan na nakaalis na pala sila. Oh, this is bad Vincent. Somehow, in the span of a few weeks, she's gaining control over me.

And I am finding it hard not hating it. Bigla nag ring yung phone ko.

Corpuz calling...

"Yes, Mr. Corpuz?" Bati ko sa aking P.I.

"Got the basics for Ms. Sandoval. Although konti lang pa lang sir."

 Huh.

 Rinecommend ng siya ng isang kaibigan sakin bago pa man ako umuwi ng Pilipinas. Magaling na P.I si Corpuz and lagi ko siya naasahan especially sa mga background checks ng prospect clients ng Sabine Vignoble. First time 'tong hindi kompleto ang nakuha niyang impormasyon.

 "Elaborate Mr. Corpuz."

 Narinig kong parang may pinipindot siya. Parang keyboard yun.

 "Okay. So Julianne, better known as--"

 "It's Ms. Sandoval for you Corpuz." Tiim bagang kong sinabi.

 "Pardon Mr. Guttierrez. So, Miss Julianne Sandoval. 25 years old. An Advertising graduate from DLSU. She is currently employed at Lumineer Seventh for about 3 years now. Restricted yung school records niya kahit my clearance badge ako. Pati hospital records niya wala akong nahanap. Although nakuha ko yung dalawang social media handle niya, lahat yun naka private. May work social media accounts din siyang gamit. Pero purely professional lang yun. I also checked her CV when she applied at Lumineer Seventh, halos pareho lang nung nakuha kong info ang nakalagay 'don. Even sa work reference niya ay si Leslie Elizalde lang nakalagay."

"That's enough Corpuz. Dig deeper. Forward everything to me." I ended the call.

Fascinating.

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