Chasing The Boss

Chapter 3

Margaret Akari's Pov

"Pasensya na talaga sa nangyari Congressman, muntik pang nalagay sa alanganin ang buhay ni Margaret dahil sa nangyaring aksidente." Mang Caloy sounds apologetic, tears is even starting to build up in his eyes while saying his apology.

Yes, it's his fault but he never wanted it to happen. "Maiintindihan ko naman po kung aalisin niyo na 'ko sa trabaho—,"

"What? No, I still want you as my personal driver." Tumingin ako kay Papa. The look in his eyes told me that he's kind of considering what Mang Caloy told him a while ago.

I know that he's trusting him so much, but Jun Clemonte won't let things like this slide like that, specially that it involves me.

"A little road incident can't be help at times. If it weren't for that rain and slippery road last night, none of those would have happened," I said, defending my personal driver.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Mang Caloy at iniling nito ang ulo para iparating sa 'kin ang kagustuhan nito na h'wag na siyang depensahan pa.

Papa sighed. He stare at me and to Mang Caloy too before he nods his head as if he alredy have a firm decision with him.

"Papa, please?"

"Okay, but this will be the last time," anito. Nahigit ko ang aking hininga at nakangiting sinulyapan na si Mang Caloy. Happiness that aplashed his face after hearing it is priceless. It's like the blissful news he have received in his entire life.

"Alam mo namang sobrang pinagkakatiwalaan kita, Caloy at para ka na ring kapamilya namin pero alam mo naman ang posisyon ko sa mga ganitong sitwasyon," makahulugang sinabi ni Papa na kaagad naming naintindihan na dalawa.

I excused myself from their chitchats when I get to notice that their conversation gets more personal.

Pagkalabas ko nang opisina ni Papa ay dumiretso na 'ko sa sala para si Mama naman ang kausapin. Shirley Clemonte is a drama queen. Kahit na ilang ulit ko nang sinabi sa kaniya na ayos lang ako at miski isang galos ay wala naman akong nakuha, umiyak pa rin 'to sa 'kin pagkarating ko kanina na para bang kakauwi ko lang pagkatapos akong mairescue sa isang hostage crisis na tumagal ng mahigit isang linggo.

Hindi ko rin naman siya masisi. Mother tends to overreact with this kind of incident. It so happened that mine is more melo-dramatic than the typical moms.

"Ayaw mo bang kumain?" nakangiting tanong nito sa 'kin, ang boses niya ay medyo kalmado na rin kumpara kanina na pumipiyok at nababasag talaga sa t'wing nagsasalita s'ya.

I covered my mouth quickly as I closed my eyes and yawned. Kung mayroon man akong gustong gawin ngayon ay ang matulog hanggang sa mabawi ko ang mga oras na hindi ko naitulog noong mga nagdaang araw at gabi.

"Kumain naman kami ng bulalo sa kabilang bayan bago tuluyang umuwi rito, Ma. Ayos na po 'yon, gusto ko na lang talagang magpahinga sa ngayon." I said. She gazes at me relunctantly, sighed and nodded his head.

Niyakap ko pa itong muli bago ko hinaklit ang bag na iniwan sa ibabaw ng coffee table at tinungo na ang hagdan para makapunta na sa 'king kwarto at makapag-pahinga.

Pagbukas ng pinto, kinapa ko muna ang switch na nasa kaliwang bahagi ng pader malapit doon at nang lumiwanag na ang aking kwarto ay saka pa lang ako tuluyang pumasok sa loob ng kwarto at isinara na ang pinto.

My room still looks the same like how I left it one month ago. Kung mayroon mang bago rito ay ang kulay puti at pink na daisy sa ibabaw ng pamilya na porselanang vase.

I landed my hand bag on the night stand and walk to the bathroom after I removed my four inch cream colored pumps that somehow tortured my feet and make it feel numb.

God, how I hate wearing heels!

Kahit na mas binilisan ko pa ang aking pagligo para malinis ang katawan at nang makapagpahinga ng mas maaga ay hindi pa rin 'yon nangyari dahil kinailangan ko pa ring gawin ang skincare routine ko.

And my skincare routine is a ten step process that even if it's sickening, I just can't screw. Dahil pangunahing puhunan ng Beauty Queen na katulad ko ang amin mukha kaya naman kailangan talaga naming mag-invest ng panahon para lang mapanatili itong pimple free.

I'm almost done applying a moisturizer on my face, the last step  on my skincare routine when I heard a small and whisper like knocks in my door.

"Come in!" I yelled, loud enough for whoever is it behind door to hear me.

Paglabas ko ng cr ay nakita ko si Phoebe sa gilid ng aking kama bitbit ang kaniyang unan. She smiled sheepishly and pointed her pillow as if I haven't see it.

"Would you mind? I just missed sleeping next to you," sabi n'ya. Kaagad akong tumango bilang pagpayag at lumakad na papunta sa kabilang side ng kama para makahiga na rin.

I feel so sleepy but at the same time, I want to have a girl talk with her. Nang mag-aral kasi siya ng SHS sa US, dalawang taon na ang nakakalipas ay bibihira na kaming nagkakausap lalo pa't sa t'wing umuuwi siya rito sa Pilipinas ay abala naman ako sa mga sinasalihan kong Beauty Pageants.

I missed those days when we're not yet busy with our own lives, those times where our frustration comes from silly things.

Iba na kasi talaga ang adulting. To find it by yourself who you really are,  is troublesome yet blissful too.

"Your brows look a lot like Dad," she said while trailing it, somehow that made the two of us laugh. She's aware how much I hated my brows before because it's too thick. I just learned to love it eventually.

Kung hindi ko kayang mahalin ang mga flaws ko sa katawaan o sa pag-uugali, wala namang gagawa no'n.

The irony of people to expect for someone to love their flaws when they can't even do it.

"That Mr. Cojuangco, is he old?" Biglang tanong nito sa 'kin. She even sit and look up to me with such interest.

Nang pumasok sa utak ko ang imahe ni Mr. Cojuangco ay napaupo na rin ako galing sa pagkakahiga.

Iniling ko ang aking ulo. "He's not, maybe he's five to seven years older than me." But he's hell hot to be honest. That sharp jaws of him that I saw clenchs for several times and his ivory black eyes that left a statement to me.

Yup, he's hell hot but I won't let anyone knows it, not even her. I'm sorry my dear sister.

"Five to seven years older, exactly your type," biglang sinabi ni Phoebe. It broke my mini fantasies and it made my lip twitched.

I shook my head and laughed with no trace of humor lingering in my voice.

"His age is exactly my type but not his... personality." natigil ako sa pagsasalita nang maalala ko kung paano niya pinakitunguhan ang magkapatid na pulubi.

He bought them their meal and snack, he's affectionate too, somehow. He has a soft spot for panhandler.

Ipinilig ko na lang ulit ang aking ulo. "He's not my type, let's sleep," I said and turn off the lampshade on my side.

Itinalukbong ko na rin ang comforter sa 'king mukha para hindi na 'ko kulitin pa ni Phoebe tungkol sa Mr. Cojuangco na 'yon.

I don't know if it has something to do with Phoebe being so interested to that man and so I end up thinking of him too before I drift in dreamland.

"Ma, saan kayo pupunta?" nakangiting lumapit ako kay Mama para halikan ito at bumati sa kaniya nang magandang umaga. Lumapit din ako kay sister na nakatoka para sa Sagala ngayong taon.

Mabuti na lang talaga at pumayag si Michael na mag-stay ako rito ng ilang araw. Wala akong mamimiss na kahit na anong aktibidad para sa fiesta, maging ang Sagala na hindi ko napanuod noong nakaraang taon dahil kinailangan ko nang bumalik sa Manila para sa isang training.

"Nakalimutan kasi naming sabihan si Venus na kailangan niyang pumunta ng simbahan ngayon para sa practice."

"Venus? Oh, iyong anak nina Don Alfonso, kami na lang ni Phoebe ang pupunta sa kanila," pagpipresinta ko. She stopped pouring orange juice in her glass and stares at me with a why-me? look in her eyes.

Nagkatinginan si Mama at Sister. She shrugs her shoulder, "We don't mind, kailangan pa naming pumunta sa bahay nina Governor para makausap din si Isadora," sabi nito.

"Are you sure?" I nodded excitedly. I missed driving around, hindi ako pinapayagan ni Papa na magmaneho ng sasakyan sa Manila at nagagawa ko lang ang bagay na 'yon kapag nandito ako sa Santiago, that's also one of the many reason why I want to be in Santiago too.

"Ate, Cojuangco rin pala sina Don Alfonso, hindi ba?" Phoebe muttered in the middle of the ride. She sounds teasing like she's trying to point out something to me.

"Come on." Phoebe chuckled at my retort. Itinaas nito ang suot na sunglasses mula sa kaniyang mata papunta sa ulo at ginawa na lang itong headband.

I moistened my lower lip and adjusted my rearview mirror. Ang laking joke naman kung related sina Venus sa Cojuangco na nabangga namin. Isa pa, marami namang magkakaapelyido na hindi naman talaga magkakamag-anak.

Maybe it's just a coincidence.

"Good morning, Celine. We're looking for Venus Thane is she here?" kaagad kong tanong pagkalabas namin ni Phoebe ng kotse. Bumaba ang mata ko papunta sa sling bag na nakasabit pa sa balikat nito, mukhang kararating niya lang din ata ng mansyon at hindi pa nga nakakapasok sa loob.

She shrugs her shoulder but invented us to come inside.

"Manang! Nandito po 'yong anak ni Congressman Clemonte at Ma'am Shirley,"  she said with her mediocre voice.

"Oh My Gosh!" Venus squealed and stood up from her chair after seeing Phoebe and I.  "Oh My Gosh!" she giggles and rose to her feet to hug us. That's unexpected that I didn't get to hug her back because of the shock that sipped in me too.

"I-I'm a fan of you two," he stuttering voice made me and Phoebe to chuckled. How cute of her, goodness I want to squeeze her cheeks but then she look fragile at the same time.

Para itong mababasag kapag hindi mo siya hinawakan nang maayos.

Ang ngiting namamahay sa labi ko ay lalo pang lumapad nang makita ko ang sunflower na hawak-hawak nito. Her face blushed instantly when she get to realize that I'm eyeing her flower.

"Mukhang may manliligaw na ang Reyna," Phoebe teased that I only laughed at. Mas lalo pang namula ang pisnge ni Venus dahil doon.

Such a cutie.

"Bata pa si Venus, 17 lang 'yan bawal pang ligawan at kay Ariz galing yan... impossibleng nanliligaw 'yon kay Venus," sabi ni Manang na nagpatahimik sa 'ming lahat hanggang sa nakarinig kami ng mga papalapit na yabag dito sa kusina.

"Venus Thane, Tita called me—," my eyes widened and so his eyes ivory black pools when it met mine. Natigilan ito sa pagsasalita na para bang hindi niya rin talaga inaasahan na makita ako rito.

"Kuya Ranus, you're earlier. Good morning by the way," Venus spoked in, her voice is  cue for Ranus to redeemed himself. Inalis nito ang mga mata n'ya sa 'kin at lumakad palapit kay Venus.

He acted as if he didn't know me and he does it so well.

Nang mabawi ko ang aking sarili ay tumingin ako kay Venus para sana sabihin ang pakay namin sa pagpunta rito kaya lang ay mas nauna pa 'tong nakapagsalita.

"Anyways, this is Uranus Galliver Cojuangco, my cousin," she said, giving me a label to their relationship. Napatingin ako kay Mr. Cojuangco na kaswal lang na umiinom ng tubig na para bang hindi niya talaga ako kilala.

I heard Phoebe's giggles that I ignore in purpose.

If he's related to Venus he must be related to Governor Ruiz Cojuangco, he must be his mysterious son, Oh goodness. I'm living in a very small world.