Nights Like This

CHAPTER 43

"There's whopping fifteen percent increase in sales last month when Alanis was seen wearing one lip tint from the lip kits that Kimsun, the cosmetics company under us relased. We got the reviews from people and over fourty percent of it stated that they bought the product because of her. They're mostly teens and adults purchased the product," Ms. Vanessa from marketing department. repoted.

I looked at the graph and I am once again amazed by the increase of sales. Just about two moths ago, the higher ups were planning to completely shut down Kimsun because of it's low sales but look at it now. Iba talaga ang impact ni Alanis. I don't know many celebrities but I definitely know her. She's literally the queen of media and everyone follows her.

I looked at Gabriel who's sitting at the end of the table and he looked impressed sa biglang plot twist na nangyari sa company na iyon. Sinagot nya lang yung tanong ng isang fan kung anong shade ng lippies nya and what's the brand and then boom. She saved a company from possibly shutting down.

"What about the other products other than the lip kit? What about their sales?" tanong ni Vance na nasa tabi ko't naka manager mode on.

Pinindot ni Vanessa ang remote and another pies and graphs are presented to us. "The eyeshadows and the cream blushes also had the increase to eight percent which is not bad from it's sales last last month which are four percent. It doubled from the last time, sir."

"That's actually quite impressive growth but it is not yet enough to recover the invesment since it's release six months ago," ani Gabriel saka pinaulanan ng tingin ang katabi ko. "Vance, whaat do you think?"

"I think so too, sir. Sure, we could restock the products since it's hyped by the reviews on social media but once the hype wears off, there's a risk that we cannot guarantee the stability," sagot ni Vance.

My eyes are only on the presentation on the projector and my hand's busy typing notes about the meeting. Kinapa ko ang muse na nasa gilid ko nang a sound of a pen dropping on tthe floor stopped me from looking at the presentation. Dali- dali kong niyuko ang nahulog na ballpen as I was about to lift my hands, Vance caught it.

Minulatan ko sya ng mata dahil bigla akong kinabahan na baka may maka kita sa aming dalawa but instead of letting go of my left hand, nginitian nya lang ako and he interwined our hands together at pinatong sa binti nya sa ilalim ng lamesa bago ako muling bumaling sa harap at pinigilan ang pag angat ng sulok ng mga labi ko.

Sinubukan kong kalasin ang kamay ko pero lalo lang nyang hinigpitan ang hawak sa akin.

Kung gaano ka higpit ang hawak nya, ganun rin ka tindi ang kagustuhan nyang huwag akong bitawan.

"So? What are you guys thinking? Have you created a solution for this?" tanong ni Gabriel. Isa isa nya kaming tiningnan.

"Yes, sir. Actually, we are all thinking to have Alanis Ray as our brand ambassador. We all know her reputation and we firsthandedly experienced her impact to the mass so she will be benificial to us," sagot ni Vanessa.

Gamit ang isang kamay, I typed on my keyboard. If my boyfriend would just let go of my hand, mas madali sana ang trabaho ko but in all honesty, I also like holding his hand kaya magtitiis ako na isa lang ang kamay na nag t- type.

Gabriel looked at me weirdly and to my hand na ginagamit ko sa pag tipa sa laptop ko.

"I think that's a good strategy. If we have her, it's not just the lip kits that will be put on the spotlight but the other products as well," pag sang ayon ni Vance kay Vanessa.

Hindi agad nag salita si Gabriel and he seems to be in deep thought for a moment bago tumango. "Alright. Try to contact Alanis Ray's manager and we'll discuss this further on the next meeting this tuesday. Meeting adjourened," anunsyo ni Gabriel.

Sinubukan ko ulit na bawiin ang kamay ko sa kanya pero mahigpit pa rin ang pagkaka hawak ni Vance. Hindi tuloy ako maka tayo because once I do that, makikita ng lahat na magka hawak kami ng kamay.

I turned to my boyfriend and whispered, "Let go of my hand please."

His lips playfully curled up at dahan dahang umiling. "Ayaw."

I looked around at kaming dalawa na lang ni Vance ang naka upo and the rest are naka tayo na. Kung hindi nag li- ligpit ay pa labas na ang iba.

"Please? Come on. They'll notice us," sabi ko.

"Tawagin mo muna akong baby," aniya in his babiest and tiny voice.

Imbis na mainis, parang sasabog na naman ang puso ko sa kilig. I suddenly want to hug him and shower him with unlimited kisses.

"We're in the meeting room." He's such a baby. My cute giant baby.

"So?" aniya. Hindi pa rin nagpapa tinag and it looks like he won't really let go of me unless I call him our endearment that he begged me na magkaroon kami since it's cute.

Ayaw nya daw na pangalan lang becasue para naman daw kaming officemates lang. Well, that's true naman but the endearment will remind us na we are actually in a relationship.

As if naman makakalimutan ko na boyfriend ko sya.

Vance as a friend and especially as aa boss is totally different than Vance as my boyfriend. Sometimes I'd just wonder if they're all the same person. Surprisingly, they are.

"Baby---"

"Camila, are you good?" tanong ni Gabriel na hindi pa pala nakaka labas at naiwan kasama naming dalawa ni Vance.

I automatically turned my head at his direction. Naramdaman ko namang binitawan ni Vance ang kamay ko.

"I'm okay," I smiled at him kasi hindi ko na alam ang gagawin especially now that he's still looking at me like he's weirded out by me.

"Sure? I noticed na hindi mo ginagamit yung isang kamay mo. Are you hurt?"

Tinaas ko yung kamay ko and shook it in front of him. "I am okay. M- medyo nangawit lang ako kanina," palusot ko. Inayos ko rin ang tayo ko para ipa kita na wala lang at okay naman ang lahat.

Vance beside me chuckled. Napunta tuloy sa kanya ang atensyon namin. I squinted my eyes at him, signalling na manahimik sya. Agad naman nyang tinikom ang bibig nya.

I swear. He's the one who'll blow our relationship up to people talaga. I am doing my best na huwag nila kaming mahalata but him? Kulang na lang ipag sigawan nya na we are indeed in a relationship.

Gabriel tiled his head ng mabilis lang. "Okay. I just thought na baka may masakit sa'yo since you've beeen acting really weird kanina pa."

Umiling ako and shook my hand once again para i- justify na wala lang 'yun and it's not like nilalandi ako ng boyfriend ko while we are on a meeting. Hindi talaga.

Sinundan ko lang ng tingin si Gabriel hanggang sa maka labas sya't mag sarado ang pinto ng meeting room bago hinarap si Vance at pinalo sya sa balikat.

Natatawa naman sya na para bang hindi nya kami nilagaay sa halos alanganin kanina.

"Vance you are so annoying talaga!" inis na sabi ko sa kanya. Inis ako pero hindi ko mapigilan na ngumiti dahil mukhang ang saya saya nya.

"Annoying ako?" hinatak nya yung kamay ko saka hinatak ako papalapit sa kanya. "Hug kita para hindi na mainis yung baby ko."

Tuloy tuloy sya sa pag hatak sa akin hanggang sa nasa harap nya na ako at naka tayo ako sa pagitan nya habang sya'y naka upo pa rin sa swivel chair nya. Vance lets go of my hand and wrapped his arms around me at sinandal ang kaliwang mukha nya on my stomach.

Hinayaan ko lang sya while I run my fingers on his soft hair. I am brushing his hair upwards para baguhin ang hairstyle nyang naka bagsak.

"Are you tired?" tanong ko sa kanya, patuloy na pinaglalaruan ang buhok nya.

Good thing na kaming dalawa na lang ang naiwan rito sa loob, naka baba ang blinds saka walang camera sa loob because we talk about most of the confidential things in this room so they wouldn't want everything to be caught on camera. Thaat was also the last meeting that we have for the day bago mag uwian so I trust na walang bigla- biglang papasok rito.

"Yeah... I still have a lot to do. May mga papers pang naka line up that I have to review and sign and then after that I'll have to go straight to ZONE17 because mag a- audit din kami ng sales revenue sa bar mamaya," sagot nya and looked up to me. "Hindi kita masasamahang mag dinner."

I sighed. Ang dami dami nyang kailangang asikasuhin pero inaalala nya pa rin na hindi nya ako masasabayan na kumain. Hay. He's just so cute.

"It's okay. Mag papa deliver na lang ako sa unit ng food. Don't worry about me babe. Ikaw ang huwag magpapa- gutom. Baka sa sobrang busy mo, nagpapa lipas ka na naman."

Binitawan ko ang buhok nya saka lumayo ng kaaunti sa kanya kaya kaunting lumuwag ang pagkaka yakap nya sa akin and I moved his head pa harap using his chin. Inayos ko ang frame ng salamin nya na tumatabingi bago inayos ulit ang buhok nya so it would look good on him.

Well, everything looks good on him.

"Alright. I won't. I'll send you a picture of my food when I'll call you when I get there on the bar before I do my work. Jaye's been asking me bakit hindi ka na raw bumibisita," sabi nya.

I chuckled. "Tell him na I am happy with my life and he'll get it. But yeah, I'll visit there one of these days."

Inilagay ko sa pisngi ni Vance ang mga palad ko and then squuezed his cheeks, making him pout. Vance really pouted his lips, asking for a kiss so ibinaba ko ng kaunti ang katawan ko for my lips to reach his for a quick smack at agad rin ankong umayos ng tayo.

Sumimangot si Vance. "Ang bilis naman."

I smiled. "Sabi mo you still have a lot to do?"

"No matter how busy I may be, palagi kitang uunahin. Pag sayo, laging may oras ako," malambing na sabi nya habang kumikinang ang mga mata nya sa akin.

Lalong mumawak ang ngiti ko at yung mainit sa pakiramdam na bumabalot sa akin ngayon ay lalong lumakas.

Vance and I are both adulting. Both busy and has different responsibilities and priorities in life at hindi sa lahat ng oras ay may oras kami para sa isa't isa. Lalo na sya. He's busy both day and night. Kulang na kulang ang isang araw sa kanya sa trabaho pa Kaya kahit alam kong ang sinabi nya will be too impossible, I am still thankful that he wants to give me his time first.

"Really? Sa akin ba talaga o sa kiss ko lang?" biro ko ko sa kanya.

Hinapit ni Vanvce ang bewang ko saka niyakap ako kung paano ang unang position namin kanina.

"Syempre ikaw."

Hinayaan ko syang yakapin ako kahit sandali lang, hoping that my power hug could give him a recharge and energy through out the remaining day and night. I clung my arms on his neck.

"Let's go na? Baka hinahanap na tayo tapos mag taka sila kung bakit ang tagal natin," sabi ko.

As much as I want to stay inside his arms, kailangan na naming lumabas because yung maglilinis ng room would be here any minute now.

"Ayaw. I still want to hug you," aniya. Balik na naman sya sa pagka baby nya.

"I want that too but we really have to get out of here kaya tara na," sabi ko, trying to convince him.

He sighed at tuuyan na akong binitawan. We picked up or things, well, sya dahil sya ang may bitbit ng mga gamit and then we held hands habang naglalakad ng mabagal na para bang parehas naming ayaw pang umalis rito.

I opened the door at kasabay rin nun ang pag bitaw namin sa palad ng isa't isa.