Nights Like This

CHAPTER 1

I didn't even open my eyes yet but a pang of headache already came through my head. Agad kong hinilot ang sentido ko to ease the pain pero talagang nanunuot ang sakit sa bawat sulok ng ulo ko.

I stayed like that for a couple more minutes saka unti- unti na akong bumangon at iminulat ang mata ko and the first thing that I saw is the thing at the cieling. Chandelier? Kailan pa nagka chandelier ang unit ko? I don't remember having one?

Iginala ko ang mata ko sa kwarto na puro kulay white and gray ang paint ng walls at ang mga gamit and there, I saw a familiar logo on a box of tissue.

A1 Hotel and Residences. This is a hotel several blocks away from ZONE17.

My instinct started to run, agad kong tiningnan ang damit ko and I'm still wearing it. Thank Goodness! I thought I had a one night stand last night but it doesn't seem like it. Napansin ko rin sa salamin sa gilid ko na my make up's completely wiped off.

Tumayo ako mula sa pagkaka upo saka nilapitan ang coffee table kung saan naka patong ang bag ko but that's just not it, may take out din na fast food meal at isang small plastic na may tatak ng isang kilalang drugstore.

I certainly remember I was with a guy last night and he was supposed to take me home. The last thing I remember was after I sat in his car, I drifted to dreamland.

Come to think of it, we were alone in a hotel room and if he wanted to violate me he could because I'm drunk and defenseles but instead he prepared these for me. I'm kind of thankful for him.

Napunta ang tingin ko sa sofa na and there, I saw a pillow at may naka tuping kumot na nakapatong. By the looks of it, he slept here pero hindi man lang sya nag iwan maski ng note or what.

Binuksan ko ang phone ko but I ended up turning it off again. It's so loud. Lalo lang sumasakit ang ulo ko.

I exhaled a deep breath. Parang gusto kong mag round 2 at maka limot na lang ulit.

After I ate the meal, ininom ko na rin ang gamot to ease my hangover and decided to go home.

"Miss, payment for room 603." Inabot ko ang card ko sa clerk.

She looked into her monitor. "Maam, full paid na po ang room for 603. Confirm ko na po for check out?"

Wow. He even paid for the room.

"Yes, please. Thank you."

"Can I perhaps ask who paid for it?" I asked pero hindi naman mukhang nagulat si ate girl. Right. She's probably thinking I banged with someone na hindi ko man lang alam ang pangalan.

She smiled. "Sorry Maam, we can't reveal details to you." Tumango ako then I headed out to go home.

***

Weeks had passed after the hotel incident but I didn't even got the guy's name. Bumalik ako sa ZONE17 the next night to get my car but Jaye wouldn't even tell me his name. Ayaw daw ipa- alam and that bothered me a lot. Bakit ayaw nyang ipa- alam? What's his intention?

"Maam?" tawag ni Alex saka inilapag ang folder sa table ko. "Here's the report po."

"Thanks. Paki sabi kay Janine idaan sa akin yung hinihingi ko by 3," I said without even looking at him.

"Noted po," he replied then went off.

Dalawang oras pa lang mula nang pumasok ako pero tambak na ang mga files na kailangan kong i-review. Our Operations Manager resigned two weeks ago and being the next in line, I got all the work that has to be done until may pumalit.

Ugh. I can't even party on weekends! Habang tumatagal ay lalong lumalakas ang tawag ng alak sa sistema ko.

"Miss Cami you have been summoned," sabi ni Oli.

Ano na naman this time?

I sighed saka mabigat ang loob na sumakay sa elevator at pinindot ang button sa 12th floor. Nang makarating, I knocked on Sir Gab's office saka pumasok. Naka upo sya so I stood in front of him.

"Good Morning, Camila. You're looking great as ever," matamis na bati nya at naka ngiti pa sa akin.

"Good Morning, Sir Gab," matigas at madiin kong bati pabalik. "May problema po ba?"

Humalakhak sya. "Problem? No. Wala naman." In an instant, bumalot sa buong pagkatao ko ang gigil. Pigilan nyo ko. Itatapon ko 'to sa Ilog Pasig.

Wala naman palang problema tapos ipapatawag ako dito. Is he insane or what?

Bumuntong hininga ako. "Then-"

He cut me off. "But I'm kinda sad. Again, you didn't accept the breakfast I sent you," mahinang sabi nya na para bang nalulungkot.

What the actual freak.

And this is what I have to deal with aside sa tambak na trabaho ko. This Gabriel Montes, KSW Global's Vice President, has been making his advances towards me for months now. He's sending me foods, flowers and anything he can think of na never ko namang tinanggap. Gusto ko na lang syang tirisin sa sobrang inis ko.

I know he's doing this because he knows what family I came from. Akala nya siguro madadaan nya ako sa panunuyo nya just so he could get me. Nah. He can never ever win me over. Not a jerk like him.

"Sir, I would really appreciate if you would stop sending me things," mariin na sabi ko.

This isn't the first time that I'm telling him to stop and he just wouldn't get it. Sobrang nakaka- irita na.

"You know I don't give up that easily." He looked so sweet and all smiles but his eyes tells otherwise. Direkta iyong naka tingin na para bang nanghahamon.

Try me, Gabriel.

He broke the stare. "Anyway, that's not the reason why you're here." Biglang bumalik sa pormal ang boses nya. "Mr. Vance Lewis Robles here will be your new Operations Manager." Sinundan ko ang tingin ni Sir Gab and behind me is a tall man wearing a gray turtle neck and a black suit. His hair is parted sideways at naka brush up at may suot syang thin framed glasses.

Right. Ngayon nga pala ang dating ng bagong OM. I was expecting at least a month for the position to be vacant pero may kapalit na kaagad. Good thing for me though.

He's looking at us with an amused expression on his face. He saw what happened earlier for sure. How come hindi ko man lang napansin ang pag pasok nya?

I reached out my hand to him. "Welcome to KSW Global, sir. I'm Camila Amaris Serrano. Pleased to assist you," I introduced myself.

"Vance Robles, " sabi nya then we shook hands.

New OM means I can now have my weekends in peace! Yay!

"Cami, please assist Mr. Serrano here sa mga naiwan ni Ms. Hernaez, orient him on the things he needs to know and introduce him to the team."

I nodded. "Will do, Sir."

"Alright. Mr. Robles, you can now go with Cami."

Tss. Maka Cami akala naman nya close kami.

We went down on the 7th floor. While on the elevator, I kept on throwing obvious glances at him pero hindi man lang nagtapon kahit na isang tingin sa akin! I don't know but he gives me a very familiar vibe?

The elevater opened and then we entered in our department.

"Attention here please." I clapped my hands to get the team's attention na agad naman nilang sinunod.

"This is Mr. Vance Robles and from now on, he'll be with us as our OM. Sir? Any words for the team?" I looked at Mr. Robles na nakatayo sa tabi ko.

He looked at me for a moment and then he stepped forward and smiled. "Hello, team. You can call me Sir Vance and I'm looking forward to work with you all. Thank you." The team clapped and shouted their warm welcome to Sir Vance and then we walked into his office.

"This will be your office sir and if you need me to do or ask something, I'll be on my cubicle."

"Okay. Thank you." He sat on his chair at gumagala ang kanyang mata sa loob like he's trying to familiarize everything.

I stood in front of him and then started to talk about the things that he needs to know and after, I asked him if he has questions but all I got is, "None. Thank you."

"Ah, right." I went beside him and wrote something on the post it. "This is the password for the computer, sir. You can change it after." I looked at him saka nag tama ang paningin namin.

Sa sobrang lapit namin, the scent of his familiar perfume made me think of ZONE17.

Gosh. Kailangan ko na yata talaga ng alak.