Five
1557 Words
"Huling araw ngayon sa taping. Clear my schedule tomorrow. I will use it as rest day." utos ko kay Gina.
Tumango siya. "And... I have a meeting with the upper management today. I will ask Cheska na i-assist ka today."
Napatingin ako sa kanya. "Meeting? What meeting?" curious kong tanong. She didn't tell me anything regarding that.
"Hindi ko rin alam eh. The President's office called me yesterday. When I asked, ang sabi confidential daw and it's better na pag-usapan in person."
I crossed my arms. "I wonder what it's about..." they never asked us something like this before. We only have meetings pag may bago akong proyekto o kaya ay for contract signing. "Sasama ako sa meeting. Anong oras ba?"
"Before lunch. Buong araw ang taping niyo today kaya naisip ko na ako na lang ang pupunta. Are you sure about that?"
I nodded. "I will excuse right before lunch. Konti lang naman yung scene ko today. Yung maliliit na detalye na lang naman na kailangang idugtong. Curious din ako kung para saan ang meeting na toh. I'm sure it's about me, right? Wala ka namang ibang talent na hinahandle as I can recall."
She laughed. "Kung may oras lang akong mag-manage ng ibang talent, baka ginawa ko na but since you're busy everyday at hindi ako pwedeng wala sa tabi mo, I have to give my 100% attention to you."
"I'm irreplaceable." confident kong wika.
NAKAUSAP ko na ang direktor na kung pwede ay mag-excuse ako 10am-1pm and wala naman daw'ng kaso. Isho-shoot ko na lang ang scene ko pagbalik ko. Hindi ako mahirap na katrabaho. Madali kong name-memorize ang lines ko and I barely make mistakes kaya mabilis na natatapos ang taping. That's one of the reason why directors still want to work with me despite my reputation as a celebrity. Hindi ako mabait na tao pero pagdating sa trabaho, lagi akong seryoso.
Pagdating ko sa taas kung saan ang opisina ng mga big boss ay agad na may lumapit na babae sa akin.
"Ms. Tanya, you're here. Your manager's already in the meeting room. Follow me po." aniya.
I don't really know her. Hindi naman ako madalas sa floor na toh. Gaya ng sabi ko dati, sinusubukan kong umiwas sa mga big boss kung di naman tungkol sa trabaho ang pag-uusapan.
Pagpasok ko sa meeting room nabungaran ko agad yung pamilyar na mukha ng malalaking pangalan dito sa network. Even Allen Ventura is here. What the hell is this all about? Wala naman siguro akong ginawang masama ano? Wala kasi akong ibang maisip na dahilan kung ba't pinatawag nila kami rito. I was never late at pag nagte-take ako ng rest day, pinapaalam naman ni Gina diba?
Bumati ako sa kanila bago ako naglakad kung saan nakaupo si Gina. Napansin kong tumingin si Allen Ventura sa akin kaya ngumiti ako sa kanya.
"Congratulations sa success ng concert mo. I heard you break another record." anang isang executive manager ng kompanya.
I cleared my throat. "Thank you po. It would not be possible without AbTV's support."
"All we did is support you. The talent and effort came from you. You're really this network's lucky charm."
Mas lalong lumawak ang ngiti ko. Is that the reason why they asked us to come here? To congratulate me? I don't think so. Usually, nagpapadala lang sila ng bulaklak o email para i-congratulate ang talents nila.
"Anyway, alam mo naman siguro na ika-animnapu't taon na ng AbTV sa industriya."
I nodded. Narinig ko nga yun but I didn't really think about it much. Hindi ako interesado sa bagay na yan. They'd probably just throw a big party like last year saka charity where almost every big celebrities are involved. Hindi ako nakasali sa celebration nila last year because I spent 2 months in Japan. Metflex and AbTV had a contract. I was part of it. It was a Metflex original series. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity kaya hindi ko na pinakawalan.
"Matagal na actually itong pinlano ng uppermanagement kaya lang may konting changes dahil sa mga rasong hindi natin maiwasan. As what Ms. Ariana said, you're our lucky charm so how great would it be if ikaw yung mag-represent sa buong network?" panimula ni Mr. Santos. He's the company president. "So what do you think about becoming the new face of AbTV?"
Napaayos ako ng upo. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa narinig ko. "You're asking me to be AbTV's new model? An ambassador?" pagkaklaro ko. Baka kasi mali lang ang rinig ko.
Tumango siya. Habang nakangiti naman yung iba, hinihintay ang sagot ko.
I looked at Gina. Mukhang hindi rin siya makapaniwala. This is great. I mean, if they asked you to represent the whole AbTV that means na bilib sila sa abilities ko. Hindi kung sinu-sino lang ang nakakakuha ng ganitong opportunity. Pinag-aaralan nila itong mabuti. Let me just add, some of these people in front of me right now started just like me, an ordinary actress or actor. Pinaniniwalaan dito sa AbTV na if they get you as their new model to represent the whole network, ay sigurado na ang future mo. Every AbTV ambassador sa lahat ng henerasyon, they ended up at the very top. Kaya naman lahat pinapangarap na maging mukha ng AbTV.
Naisip ko rin toh dati but I never really dreamt it. Pero ngayong nasa harap ko na ito mismo parang hindi lang kapani-paniwala.
"But isn't Aubrey the face of AbTV?"
Tumango si Mr. Santos. "She was... for 5 years. There are reasons kung bakit hindi na niya magagampanan ang tungkulin niya simula ngayong taon, but I'm afraid that I can't tell you about it. It's confidential."
Don't tell me she got a really good offer? I wonder what that is... I'm not really close to Aubrey but we had a project together. She's really famous. I've always wanted to be where she is.
"You can think about it. We're not pressuring you." sambit ni Allen Ventura.
Saka ko lang naalala na kasama nga pala namin siya rito. Sinenyasan niya yung babae na nasa likod niya. She handed me and Gina a folder. Binuksan ko yun. It's a contract I guess.
"You can read that first. Pwede mong baguhin yung kontrata sa kahit anong paraan na gusto mo and come back to us once you made up your mind."
"There's nothing to think about, really. This is a big opportunity for someone like me... But, we have to see this first." wika ko patungkol sa kontrata. He just said that I can change it. That's a once in a lifetime opportunity right there. That means I can ask for any demands.
"Smart choice. So once you're done checking the contract, you can go directly to my office." aniyang diretso ang tingin sa akin.
I smiled. "Thank you."
Once the meeting adjourn, tinawag si Gina ng isa sa mga executives. So she told me na mauna na. Lalabas na dapat ako ng meeting room ng tawagin ako ni Allen Ventura.
"Po?" taray, biglang gumalang.
Mahina siyang tumawa. "Can I talk to you for awhile?"
"Of course, Mr. Ventura."
He looked around. "It'd be better if we talk in my office."
Magsasalita pa dapat ako but nauna na siyang lumakad palabas. Sinundan ko na lamang siya. I've never been to a CEO's office before. Ganito na ba talaga ako ka taas? Di na ma-reach. Charot.
I will make sure to tell my cousins about this great news. They're very supportive sa career ko. Ano kayang gift ang hihilingin ko? Hahaha
"Ms. Reyes, I have a meeting with Ms. Felix. Don't disturb us." seryosong wika ni Allen Ventura sa sekretarya niya.
"Yes sir." sagot naman nito.
"Follow me, Ms. Felix."
He opened the door to his office. Ngumiti ako sa sekretarya niya tanda ng pagbati bago pumasok sa loob.
Agad akong namangha ng mabungaran ang loob. Seriously man, I can see the whole Quezon City from his office. The glass window's transparent and halos inukopa nito ang buong dingding ng opisina niya. It must be really relaxing to be someone like him. Kung dito ako magtatrabaho malamang di ako mastre-stress. If ever, titingin lang ako sa likod ko and BAM! A beautiful city scape.
- Writer
