Chapter 1
1843 Words
Chapter 1
I went home and had dinner with my family. Bukas ay walang pasok sina Ate Crisa at Ate Peia. Papa does not do work on Sundays but he needs to go to one of our factories.
"Ped, are you really sure you won't go to church with us?", Mom cooked Sinigang. Request ko ito dahil ilang araw na rin kaming puro foreign dishes ang kinakain. The cooks know how to cook Sinigang but Mom cooks it best.
"Yes, Alicia. Ngayong Linggo lang naman ito. May mga bagong makina na darating. They were ordered from South Korea. Gusto kong naroon ako kapag dinala mismo sa Cebu", Papa held Mom's hand.
"Bumawi ka na lang next Sunday, Pa. All girls muna kami sa simbahan", Ate Crisa. She finished Accountancy and is currently working in RGC. But she's planning to study Law too.
"Of course, dear. Crisa, I will leave some papers tomorrow. You might want to check them. I want to know your thoughts about our potential partnership with Trident Corp.", I glanced at Ate Peia. She finished Business Management and is taking her masters.
Ganoon din sana ang balak ko. Kapag may mga tanong ako, kay Ate Peia ako lumalapit. Nahihiya ako kay Ate Crisa because I know she's having a hard time in law school. Also the reason why Papa does not give her much work.
"Yes, Pa. Mom, paabot naman ng juice. Thanks", she smiled.
"Here, dear. Cali, I opened my f*******: account awhile ago. You were seen again with Theo Deltrazo. Are you...", I scoffed. Oh here we go again!
Tumawa si Ate Peia. Samantalang si Ate Crisa ay tinaasan ako ng kilay habang nakangiti. Oh these two!
"Mom, ofcourse not! Theo and I are just friends. Alam mo naman ang opinion ko pagdating kay Theo," I chewed my viand.
"Wala naman ding masama kung magkakamabutihan kayo ni Theo, anak. He is nice and wise just like Christoffer", si Papa ay nakisali na rin.
Ito na nga ba ang sinasabi ko. Sa pagiging sobrang malapit namin ni Theo ay kahit sino ang makakita sa amin ay mapapagkamalan talaga na may relasyon kami.
We don't see each other much in school. Kapag nagkasalubong ay mag-uusap lang saglit. Kapag nagkasabay sa cafeteria, magsasama kami sa iisang table. I spend most of my days in school with my friends and I bet he is too.
"Magkaibigan lang po kami. We've known each other since we were kids. That's why...", I explained.
"Well, I agree with you Cali. I know why you won't want to be in a relationship with Theo Deltrazo. Mukhang nagmana rin sa kanyang Kuya". Oh! Right. Nabanggit din ni Ate Crisa na kasama niya dati sa isang org sa La Salle ang panganay ng mga Deltrazo.
"Is Xythos a playboy too?", Mom asked.
"Girls from my batch like him, Ma", that's Ate Peia. Pati sa kanila?
"Hindi naman natin sila masisisi. Maganda talaga ang lahi ng pamilya nila. Regina and Christoffer both have the genes so...", saad ni Mom.
"Parehong matinik sa babae ang dalawa. Si Xythos nga lang simula noong nakatapos ng kolehiyo, tumutok na sa trabaho. Looks like Theo is still enjoying his youth", maybe Papa knows the first born really well.
I don't have a guy friend in school. My friends are all girls kaya siguro binibigyang malisya ng mga schoolmates namin kapag nakikita kaming magkausap ni Theo.
Sa bawat okasyon ng pamilya nila ay imbitado ang pamilya namin. Iyon nga lang, si Mom at Papa lang ang laging dumadalo. Hindi kami sinasama. Papa told us that he does not want us to get involved with the business if we don't want it. He does not want to pressure us.
He wants us to enjoy our youth and not to carry the burden of being the daughter of a multinational corporation owner. But we know that's impossible. Isa pa, lahat naman kaming tatlo ay gustong tumulong sa negosyo.
That is the reason why the only Deltrazo that is most familiar to me is Theo.
Sa ngayon, sina Ate Peia at Ate Crisa pa lang ang nakararanas sumama sa mga business gatherings kung saan imbitado ang pamilya namin. Papa said I am too young for it. Pero kapag nag 18 na ako, isasama na raw nila ako. I am 18 and turning 19 a few months from now pero hindi ako nakakasama sa kanila dahil abala ako sa school. I am a graduating student at dumagdag pa ang work immersion ko. Papa said it's fine and he understands.
Maxine: Are you sure hindi kayo ni Theo? Baka naman nahihiya ka lang, Cali.
Lia: You both look lovely in that stolen picture! At nasa locker area pa talaga ha? Yieee.
I laughed reading their messages in our group chat. Pati ba naman kayo?
Ako: Hindi nga. Magkaibigan lang talaga kami.
Jamie: Wehhh?
Ako: I swear! We were just talking about my work immersion in Deltrazo. Mga malisyosa!
Lia: You can't blame us! Maganda ka, matalino, at mayaman. You're talented too. Noong nagpaulan ng blessings si Lord, nasalo mo na yata lahat.
Jamie: Tulog siguro ako noon at gising na gising ka Cali.
Maxine: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I replied more hanggang sa nakatulungan ko na ang mga chat nila.
Dumating ang Linggo at apat lang kaming nagsimba. Ako, sina Ate Crisa at Ate Peia, pati si Mom. We have a chapel in our village kaya malapit lang naman.
Ayoko mang maputol ang pag-attend ko ng misa but I really need to pee now. I excused myself at tumango naman si Mom.
I reached the comfort room and did my thing. Pagkatapos ay inayos ng kaunti ang sarili sa salamin. I am wearing a white shoulder puffed dress. The dress is not too short kaya pwede sa chapel. I paired my dress with a 2-inch heels and a beige shoulder bag.
Contented on how I look, lumabas ako ng comfort room at tinahak ang daan papasok sa chapel. Before I can even reach the entrance, I saw some familiar faces.
"Calista, hello! Ganitong oras din pala kayo umaattend ng misa?", Angelo. He is a batchmate but he is taking STEM.
"Hindi naman lagi. Nagkataon lang. It's nice to see you, Angelo", I smiled.
He blushed and I continued walking.
Hindi naman ako inosente sa mga ganoong bagay. I know I have admirers in school. I just don't have the time to entertain. At isa pa, kung hindi ko naman tipo bakit ko pa pagtutuonan ng pansin?
Theo is an exception, though. Siya lang yata ang kakilala kong lalake na hindi nagkagusto sa akin at hindi ko rin nagustuhan kailanman. Kaya rin siguro magaan ang loob ko sa kanya and we eventually became friends.
Kapag nagkikita kami sa school noong elementary, ngumingiti lang kami sa isa't-isa pero hindi nag-uusap. In fact, high school na kami noong naging magkaibigan kami. He approached me first. He was in 10th grade that time.
"Do you think our parents are planning to put us in a fixed marriage?", stunned by his question, I blinked twice. How will a 13 year old answer that?
"I don't know. I don't think so...", I looked at him. Ang pogi.
"Right. Magkaibigan lang ang mga magulang natin. So, you think we can be friends too, young lady?", he smiled. And that's how the friendship started.
Sakay ng aming kotse ay bumaba na ako sa building ng DH. I hope something good will happen today.
Nagawan na kaya ng paraan ni Theo 'yung sinasabi niya?
"Good morning po", I greeted some of the employees na nakakasalubong ko. I am 15 minutes early.
I went to my cubicle and fixed my things. Kapapatong pa lang ng aking bag sa table ay may lumapit agad sa akin na empleyado.
"Good morning. Are you Ms. Riqueza?", she asked me.
"Yes po," I answered. Bakit, magpapatimpla ka na agad ng kape?
"Please get your things. I will transfer you to your new office. I am Ms. Bernardino and I received a memo na pinapatransfer ka raw to a secretarial position. Let's go?", nakangiti ito sa akin at ako naman ay mga ilang segundo pa bago nakagalaw.
Ang bilis, Theo!
"Y-yes, Ma'am", dali-dali kong kinuha ang mga gamit ko at nakangising sumunod kay Ms. Bernardino. So this is what Theo is talking about huh? Magiging sekretarya ako pero under pa rin ng supervision ng isa pang sekretarya? Not bad. Kanino kaya ako magtatrabaho?
As we entered the elevator, she pushed the button for the 9th floor. Oh no!
"You are transferred to the Vice General Manager's office, Ms. Riqueza. Congrats!", maligayang bati nito sa akin.
My bright smile slowly faded. Sa Vice General Manager? What the hell!?
I don't like him. He's rude and he brings his women in his office!
Binuksan nito ang pinto ng opisina ng VGM at nakita ko itong nakaupo na sa kanyang swivel chair. Seryoso ang hitsura habang may tinitipa sa kanyang laptop ay nag-angat ito ng tingin sa akin.
"Maricris, you may leave us now. I'll orient her", nagsalita ang VGM.
Umalis ang sekretarya at naiwan ako sa kanyang opisina.
Nilabanan ko ang titig niya sa akin. Ano tinitingin tingin mo riyan?
I wanted to keep a straight face pero medyo nagulat ako noong narealize ko kung sino ang kamukha niya. Napatingin ako sa pangalan na nakapatong sa kanyang table.
Engr. Xythos Ezekiel R. Deltrazo
Vice General Manager
Deltrazo?
"Ms. Riqueza, you will now be working under my office. Maricris will teach you some things and you will be under her guidance. Pero pwede pa rin kitang bigyan ng iilang mga gawain na pwede ipagawa sa iyo. Ofcourse, confidential works will be given to Maricris", nagsalita ito bigla kaya napadiretso ako ng tayo.
Kung Deltrazo ang apelyido niya then that means, kapatid niya si Theo?
"You will organize files, will do some office related stuff, and will also handle my schedule. However, for meetings inside and outside the company, it is Maricris that I will bring with me", pahabol niya pa.
Okay, I get it now. Kaya pala pamilyar ang mukha niya dahil magkamukha sila ni Theo! Only that, Theo looks younger obviously. And Theo smiles at me. This guy is so grumpy.
"Are you listening?", kunot na naman ang noo nito.
Bakit ba lagi itong seryoso?
"O-opo", I bit my lip.
"Do you know how to use Microsoft Excel?", taas ang kilay nitong tanong sa akin.
Malamang!
"O-opo. Marunong", I answered.
"Good. I don't want kids in my office. Encode this", tinuro niya ang isang folder sa ibabaw ng table. Naroon ang mga papel na naglalaman ng mga kailangan kong i-encode.
Nakataas ang kanang kilay kong hinablot ang folder sa kanya. Did he just call me a kid?
"I am not a kid, Sir".
Tinalikuran ko ito pagkakuha ko ng folder. Pero nakalimutan ko kung saan ang pwesto ko.
"Saan pala ang-"
"Dito sa loob. See that table over there? Doon ang pwesto mo", nagsusulat siya habang nagsasalita.
Wow! Can't you even look at me? I seriously don't know why I hate his guy. But yes, I definitely hate him.
- Writer
