Chapter 9
1180 Words
I like the way you sound in the morning
We’re on the phone and without a warning
I realized your laugh is the best sound I have ever heard…
Kasalukuyan akong nakahiga sa kama, staring at the ceiling habang naka-loop ang Jump Then Fall ni Taylor Swift sa Spotify. Sa utak ko, parang music video ang lahat. Ako, kumakanta habang hawak ang mug ng hot choco. Si Papa Vince, naka-white long sleeves at messy hair habang nakaupo sa porch ng beach house namin, ngumingiti habang pinapanood akong magdrama. Very Notebook pero low-budget ang effects.
Yes, I’m delusional.
Yes, may pagka-malanding hopeless romantic ako.
And yes, I still can’t get over that unexpected encounter with the most frustratingly handsome doctor-s***h-driver to ever roam Earth — that stupid guy from the street incident.
Napasimangot ako sa sarili kong kilig. Ugh, Zia. Get it together.
Just then, my phone started ringing. I frowned. Unknown number. Sino ‘to? Hindi ba’t obvious namang busy ako sa pagfe-feeling music video girlfriend?
“Hello?” tanong ko, medyo irritated.
“I need you to open the door. Right now.”
Boom. That voice.
Baritone, commanding, with a trace of smugness na parang alam niyang hindi siya kayang tanggihan.
At bago pa ako makapagtanong kung sino siya — dead na ang call.
Putik.
Muntik ko nang mabitawan ang phone ko. Sino ‘yon? At bakit parang inuutusan niya akong pagbuksan siya ng pinto like I owe him something?
Wala akong utang sa kahit sinong lalaki, lalo na sa ganung tono ng boses.
“Baka multo.” I said to myself. “O kapre. O kaya tikbalang. Or worse — ex.”
Tumunog na naman ang phone ko. Same unknown number. Diyos ko. Ayokong sagutin. Sa dami ng kilig na nararamdaman ko kanina, ngayon napalitan na ng kaba.
Nag-ring. Ulit. At ulit. At ulit.
“Ang kulit naman nito! Gusto na yatang mabugbog!”
Sige, bahala na. Kinuha ko ang muriatic acid sa banyo. In case nga naman na may masamang elemento sa labas. Not that effective, I know. Pero defense is defense, kahit improvised. Hawak ko ang bote, bukas na ang takip. Naka-grip ako as if buhay ko na ang nakasalalay.
Pagkabukas ko ng pinto, handa akong sumigaw ng “Atras! May chemical ako!”
Pero hindi multo ang bumungad sa akin.
Hindi kapre. Hindi ex.
Mas masahol pa.
It was Blake.
Yup. Si Stupid Driver.
Na apparently ay hindi lang basta arrogant, kundi may pagka-psychic din dahil he just showed up at my apartment unannounced — at dis-oras ng gabi.
“You’re impossible. Did you really have to keep me waiting for half an hour?” he said, obviously annoyed. Arms crossed, may suot pang dark blue coat na mukhang galing pa sa isang yate o boardroom. Mukha siyang leading man sa pelikula — ‘yung tipo ng rich bachelor na maraming red flag pero babagsak pa rin ang bida.
Shet.
Napatitig ako. Hindi dahil sa tuwa — okay, maybe konti — pero mas dahil sa kaba. What the hell is he doing here?!
“Anong ginagawa mo rito? Paano mo nakuha ‘yung number ko? At ‘yung address ko? HACKER KA BA?!” sunod-sunod kong tanong habang pilit kong ini-straighten ang katawan ko kahit nangangatog ang tuhod ko.
He raised an eyebrow, then looked down at the bottle in my hand. “You know what? You are the most lunatic person I’ve ever met. And why are you holding a bottle of muriatic acid?”
I swallowed. Crap. Nakalimutan ko ngang may hawak pa akong chemical weapon.
“This is my weapon!” I declared, trying to look proud kahit halatang wala akong plano.
“Weapon?” He smirked.
“Oo, weapon! Eh ‘di ba ikaw si mister misteryoso na biglang tatawag sa dis-oras ng gabi tapos ipagbubukas pa ng pinto? For all I know, isa kang—”
“—model? Genius? The owner of the company you just applied to?” he interrupted, with that stupid smirk again.
Wait, what?
Nag-freeze ako. May sinabi ba siyang… “owner of the company”?
“You’re freaky.” I tried to recover.
“Did you just call me a freak?”
“YES. You’re really weirding me out!”
Tahimik siya saglit, pero kita sa mukha niya ang pag-pigil ng tawa. “So, this is why it took you ages to open the door. You were preparing for battle with a household chemical. What a ninny. Pakisarado na ‘yan — baka matalsikan mo pa ako. Sayang ang gwapo kong mukha.”
Okay, medyo totoo.
I rolled my eyes. “Ang dami mong sinasabi. Ano ba talagang kailangan mo? Huwag mong sabihing nagpunta ka rito para lang magparinig na gwapo ka.”
“Nope. I came here to tell you that you’re hired.”
WHAT?!
“You are now officially the Accounting Department Head of Stratosight Marketing Corporation. Just so you know—” he tilted his head smugly, “—that’s my company.”
My jaw dropped.
I blinked once. Twice. Baka multo nga siya. Or hallucination.
“You’re the owner of Stratosight?” I choked.
He scoffed. “Seriously, Ms. Aguas? Nag-apply ka sa isang kompanya na hindi mo man lang sinilip ang bio ng CEO?”
“I know who owns Stratosight!” depensa ko, kahit namumula na ang pisngi ko. “It’s a certain Mr. Cua.”
“Exactly. A certain Mr. Cua — a.k.a. ME. Blake Cua. Say it.”
“Blake Cua,” I repeated, feeling like an idiot.
“Good. Memorize it. Dahil simula next Monday, that name will be on your pay slip.”
He grinned, devilishly proud of himself. Ako naman, parang inuntog sa reality. Seryoso ba ‘to?! Ako ang bagong AD head? Ako?! Na halos hindi nakarating sa final interview dahil nadisgrasya ang paa at naligaw pa ng pabalik?
“You’ll start next week. Consider this a grace period, since obviously, functioning like a normal person is hard for you right now.”
“Grace period daw o, kala mo kung sinong mabait.” I muttered.
He laughed softly, as if natutuwa siya sa sariling effort na “magpakabait.”
“And just to be clear, I don’t usually do this.” Tumigil siya sandali. “Hiring someone personally. But you intrigued me. Even before the incident. Your credentials are too good. You’re sharp. And… chaotic, apparently.” Tumitig siya sa hawak kong acid. “But sharp. I like that.”
Tinitigan ko siya, trying not to smile. Pero tangina. Bakit parang biglang uminit ‘yung mukha ko? Bakit parang ang sarap niyang yakapin?
Before I could say anything, he turned around and walked away like it was the most normal thing in the world.
“See you Monday, Ms. Aguas. Don’t be late. And please—leave the acid at home.”
Then he got in his car. A sleek, black sports car. At ilang saglit pa, mabilis na itong naglaho sa dilim ng gabi.
Ako? Naiwan sa may pinto.
Bitbit pa rin ang muriatic acid.
Tulala.
At kinikilig.
Putek.
- Writer
