Grievous: Dhenmer Ramos

Chapter Two

"Frances!"

I jumped a little when Hunter's voice boomed like an active volcano exploding. I raised my head and saw him standing in front of my table with his arms folded over his chest, he's also wearing his signature frown.

"H-huh?"

"I called countless times but you weren't answering. I came here to check on you and like the usual, you're dazing."

I sighed while rolling my eyes. "Don't look at me like that, hindi pa naman ako baliw. Baka next year pa." Kinuha ko ang planner sa drawer ng desk ko at inabot ito sa kaniya. "If you're here to know your schedule and appointment, basahin mo. Tinatamad akong magsalita."

Tinanggap niya ito at sandaling binasa pero kapansin-pansin ang pagsulyap nito sa akin. Nanahimik na lang ako at hinintay na siya na mismo ang magsabi kung anong kaylangan niya sa akin.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked, curiously. "Bakit palagi ka yatang tulala?"

"Kulang lang siguro sa tulog or baka overwork. Ewan." Nagkibit balikat ako.

"What? I'm not even giving you too much works, pinapauwi rin kita ng maaga since walang masyadong trabaho ngayon." His frowned deepened, konti na lang ay mahuhuli niya na ako.

"Then my answer is the first one. Kulang ako sa tulog, may iniisip lang." Hindi ako makatingin sa mga mata niya.

"Like what?"

"Seriously, Hunter? Hindi kita tatay para i-interrogate mo 'ko! Okay lang ako talaga. Promise." I raised my palm and smiled at him.

But instead of believing me, he shook his head at me with his I-don't-believe-you expression.

Alam kong concern lang naman siya sa akin. At the age of 19, nagtatrabaho na ako bilang sekretarya niya. Hunter's a businessman, siya ang CEO ng company na pinagtatrabahuan ko at ako lang naman ang long-time secretary niya. His company is very successful and well-known worldwide, so my salary is very good and I'm lucky to be working here.

Hunter really helped me a lot, inayos niya ako at siya ang dahilan kung bakit nakatayo ako ngayon. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin kung hindi ko siya nakilala noon.

"You're fired."

Nevermind. Sometimes pinagsisisihan ko rin na nakilala ko siya.

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. "Ha-ha, nakakatawa 'yang joke mo-"

"You know that I don't joke around, Frances."

"W-what!?" Napatayo ako at nahampas ang table ko. "Why the hell are you firing me, Hunter? May nagawa ba 'kong mali?"

"I can handle all the works here. I know you, Frances, I know you have a problem. I want you to go out and have a vacation wherever you wants and with whoever you want."

"No!" Umiling ako. "Hunter, gusto kong magtrabaho. Ayokong magbakasyon! Isa pa, busy lahat ng mga kaibigan ko!"

"You're fired, Frances. You need to take a break, hindi pwedeng nasa trabaho at nasa bahay nalang palagi."

"But-"

"We're done here, I'm still your boss, so listen to me."

"But Hunt-"

"Kapag matino ka na, saka ka na bumalik. I'll hire you again, I won't let someone replace you."

Napanguso ako, alam kong desidido na siya sa desisyon niya kaya wala na akong magagawa pa. Pinili ko na lamang intindihin siya kaysa na makipagtalo.

"Don't be sad now." He patted my head teasingly. "Just try and do as I said, kung ayaw mo talaga, tawagan mo na lang ako."

Bumuntong hininga ako at tumango.

Baka tama nga siya, I need a break. Ang problema ko lang naman ay ang utak ko na isip nang isip sa lalaking nagnakaw ng first kiss ko. Ang lalaking iyon ang dahilan kung bakit palagi akong wala sa sarili. Hindi ko alam kung anong meron sa kaniya para isipin ko siya nang madalas.

When Hunter returned to his office and left me alone in mine, I let myself drop on my swivel chair and pulled my new phone. Hunter broke my old one, hinagis niya ito dahil may pumalpak na naman sa trabaho. Sa dami-daming pwedeng ihagis, cellphone ko pa talaga. Pwede namang kaniya.

I dialed Kaye's number, wala pang isang ring ay sumagot na ito.

"Help me, Frances! You didn't tell me that Ahrlo owns this island! Anong gagawin ko? Wala akong mukhang ihaharap pagkatapos ko siyang iwanan after we had s*x!"

"Eh sino ba naman kasi ang nang-akit, ha? Panindigan mo 'yang pinasok mo."

"I hate you, Frances! I hate you talaga! Bakit kasi hindi mo sinabi sa akin? Bwisit ka talaga!" She screamed in stress before ending the call.

Well, that means hindi siya available.

Tinawagan ko ang iba ko pang kaibigan at tulad nga ng iniisip ko ay busy ang mga ito. Isang kaibigan ko na lang ang hindi ko natatawagan, palagi rin itong busy pero wala namang mawawala kung susubukan ko siyang tawagan.

This friend of mine is adventurous, sobrang hilig niyang gumala at magtravel. The reason why she's always busy. Sana nga ay available siya ngayon.

I called her, matagal na nag-ring ang phone niya, mawawalan na sana ko ng pag-asa ngunit sumagot ito at inunahan pa akong magsalita.

"Frances, you called? You seldom call me, do you need anything?" She asked cheerfully.

"Naistorbo ba kita, Christine? Sorry, alam ko namang palagi kang busy."

Sa lahat ng mga kaibigan ko ay siya yata ang hindi ko masyadong close. Nakilala ko lang naman siya because she's friends with Kaye, siguro ay hindi kami masyado naging close dahil magkasalungat ang ugali at hilig naming dalawa.

"No, of course not. Nasa bahay lang naman ako, well, nag-iimpake. May pupuntahan kasi ako but hindi naman out of the country, dito lang sa Pilipinas."

"Well, ahm..." kinagat ko ang ibaba kong labi, "I was wondering if you wanna go out with me. But it seems like meron ka ng plans so, ahm..."

Hinintay ko siyang sumagot, hindi ko na kasi alam ang susunod na sasabihin. Pero tumahimik lang ito kaya nagtaka na ako.

"Christine? You still there?"

"Hindi ka naman siguro lesbian, Frances, no?"

"Pft!" I held my laughter. "Hindi ah, si Hunter kasi eh, sinesante ako. Pinapagbakasyon niya ako, sila Kaye naman ay busy. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko sa free day ko, ayoko namang magbakasyon ng mag-isa."

"Kung wala lang talagang gustong babae si Hunter, baka napagkamalan ko na may gusto siya sayo. Do you remember when we saw him ogling one of his employees? What's that girl name again?"

I chuckled and replied. "Yes, I think the girl's name is Seraphina. Don't know her surname, but I don't think Hunter likes her that way. He fired her and her team days ago."

"Aw, that's too bad." She sighed. "Akala ko iyon na 'yon. Anyways, Frances, pwede naman tayong mag-hang out eh. If gusto mong sumama sa akin sa place ng friend ko."

"R-really?" Hindi ako makapaniwala.

"So what do you say? Nasa Camp Shelton ako ngayon, susunduin kita if gusto mong sumama. I'll borrow one of Ahrlo's weird named helicopters."

"Which helicopter will you borrow?" I asked in amusement.

"The helicopter named Suga. Seriously, bakit ang weird ng mga name ng helicopters niya? It sounds like korean, it almost like I heard those names before in TV or seen it in the internet."

Napailing ako habang isa-isang iniisip ang mga pangalan ng helicopters ni Ahrlo. Suga, J-Hope, V, Jungkook, Jimin, Jin, Rap Mon.

Yeah, familiar nga pangalan ng mga helicopters niya. Adik din ang lalaking 'yon sa K-pop, eh. Sinong mag-aakalang isa siya K-pop lover at Army? Wala.

"Okay, sasama ako sayo." Aaminin ko na medyo na-excite ako na makakapag-bonding kami ni Christine. Ito yata ang unang pagkakataon na maging close kaming dalawa.

"Great! Hintayin mo 'ko, susunduin kita d'yan sa DS company building! I'll see you, Frances!" Siya na ang nagpatay ng tawag, excited akong tumayo mula sa swivel chair ko at naglagay ng konting make up sa mukha. Inayos ko ang mga gamit sa table ko, pagkatapos ay naglibot-libot sa office ko.

I will miss working here, I will also miss my boss. I know he's just worried of me. Tama rin naman siya, kaylangan ko nga talaga yata ng sandaling bakasyon. Babalik din naman ako sa pagiging sekretarya niya.

I exited my office and went straight to the private elevator, I'm allowed to use it since I'm Hunter's secretary. Subalit mukhang may nakasakay na sa elevator, thankfully ay paakyat ito.

I folded my arms over my chest and tapped my foot on the tiled floor. I smiled when the elevator door slowly slid open, I moved my eyes from the elevator to my cellphone screen. Christine texted and asked to wait at the rooftop, I quickly replied with a smile on my face.

And when I lifted my eyes, my smile fell and my excitement vanished into thin air.

There's a familiar man in the elevator wearing his business attire and holding an attache case. Its been three weeks since the incident in the bar, I'm sure he won't remember who I am. I should act cool and not look anxious and shock.

He's also friends with my boss, iyon ang sabi niya noon sa bar. I already expected it so I shouldn't be shock like this.

Wow, he looked even more handsome with his business attire. It's been three weeks yet I can still remember how his lips tasted like.

He stepped out the elevator and stopped in front of me, I hid the nervous expression on my face and replaced it with my usual serious and bored expression.

"Miss Callanta," That barritone voice.

Wait, he knows me?

"How may I help you, sir?" I forced a smile but deep inside, so many questions are running inside my head.

Why does he know me? Did he know who I was at the bar? Did he already know that I was Hunter's secretary? How did he know me?

"Your boss?" He asked in an ice-cold tone and expression.

"Hunter's in his office doing his work. I'm kind of in a hurry, please don't block my way." Ayoko sanang magmaldita kaso hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili. That's just my nature.

"Hunter?" He raised his eyebrow. "You should call him by his surname, it's inappropriate for a secretary to call her boss by his first name."

"Oh, Hunter's the one who suggested to call him by his first name. Hindi lang naman kasi kami mag-boss at secretary." Magkaibigan din kami.

"Oh, so you're more than that?" He stepped forward, I didn't let him close the space between us. Humakbang ako palayo habang nakakunot ang noo.

"Please, Mister. Hunter's in his office, don't waste your time on someone like me."

"Why wouldn't I? You're also one of the reasons why I came here." In just a blink of an eye, the sexy smirk on his face returned.

I covered my flushed face with a frown. There's no denying that I'm already am attracted to the guy or have a crush on him. I've been thinking about him and the kiss a lot, that should mean something. I assumed that I do have a little crush on him.

Just a little though.

"Don't kid around me, hindi ako mahilig sa mga joke, Mister." Nilampasan ko siya at binangga pa ang balikat niya, dahil nakasarado na ulit ang elevator ay kaylangan ko na namang maghintay ulit.

Just great.

"I've always crave for your lips ever since that night in the bar?"

My cheeks are so warm, I can already imagine how red I am. I never had a crush before and never had this feelings and reactions before. Pero matalino ako para malaman kung anong ibig sabihin nito, hindi na kaylangang magtanga-tangahan at i-deny pa.

"Do you remember what I said before?" His breath's fanning my nape, meaning, he's close.

"Next time I'll do more than just kissing. I'll see you around."

That's what he said and I can still remember the way he said that. I could feel excitement in me but the smart decision is to just ignore him and to not let him get into my nerves.

But his hand had to be so naughty and had touch my waist, he turned me around and the next thing I knew is that I was pinned against the elevator door.

"H-hey!" I looked around to see if anyone's looking. Good thing there's only three to four people roaming around, pero baka ipagkalat pa rin nila sa iba ang mga nakita nila.

"Be thankful I'm busy, baby, or you'll be in my car right now and probably moaning my name." He whispered on my ear, I moved my face away from him and pushed him away.

"In your dreams, manyak ka!"

Imbis na ma-offend ay mas lumaki lang ang ngisi niya sa labi. Hinuli niya ang dalawa kong kamay para pigilan ako sa pagtulak sa kaniya, binaba niya ang mga ito at sinarado ang natitirang espasyo sa pagitan namin.

Dumampi ang labi niya sa akin nang biglaan, nanlaki ang mga mata ko at nanigas na naman.

What now? What now? What now?

Ang akala ko ay higit pa ang gagawin niya pero humiwalay rin ito agad pagkatapos ng simpleng paghalik niya. Hinimas niya ang labi ko at bago lumayo sa akin.

"I'll see you again, Frances." He tapped my lips with his thumb then he turned his back on me and walked away.