Chapter 2.1
"Close your eyes.""Do you think I can persuade them?" I asked her as I close my eyes and let her do my makeup as she volunteered last night."Of course!" She put something on my eyes. "Don't doubt yourself. You're so good at this field, Sheena." Pagpapalakas niya pa ng loob sa akin na medyo nakatulong naman.Nagku-kwentuhan kami tungkol sa trabaho niya at trabaho ko habang may pinaglalagay siya sa mukha ko. Mga ilang minuto rin ang lumipas bago niya ako hinayaang ibuka ang mga mata ko. Agad akong napangiti nang makita ang itsura ko. I looked good, I looked so good with this makeup. It's just simple but it made me so formal and I looked professional too, not that I'm not, but yeah.Everytime I go to work, I didn't usually put too much effort on my makeup, as I'm just inside the office racking my brain with ideas."Thank you!" I beam at her."Yeah, yeah. I know." She teasingly told me. "You better hurry if you don't want to be late."I immediately stood up."Oh shoot!"I literally ran to my closet and get the clothes I'll wear today that I prepared last night. It didn't take me too long to get dress. Because we've already ate our breakfast, we leave my apartment immediately.I'm well prepared today, but it looks like the luck is not on my side today. We were only just twenty minutes on the road, but we immediately stuck in the middle of the traffic because of an accident. I bit my lower lip when I looked ahead of us.I started getting nervous when I saw that it's still a long line of cars ahead and we're still far from the meeting place. If this continues for the next thirty minutes, I'll surely be late for the meeting."Does it have to be now?" I murmured and I thought I'm the only one who heard it."We'll get out of here soon, don't worry," Iris tried to calm me down but her voice sounds unsure so it only added to my nervousness.Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang nagsimula nang umusad ang mga sasakyan. Kahit pa alam kong aabot naman kami sa saktong oras, hindi ko pa rin maiwasang hindi mapakali. Palagi akong sumisilip sa relo na nasa pulsuhan ko at sa unahan."Calm down, Sheen. We'll make it in time." Pagpapakalma pa sa akin ni Iris. Tumango na lang ako at pinilit ang sarili na kumalma.Hindi rin nagtagal ay dumating na kami sa harapan ng isang fine dining restaurant sa kung saan kami magkikita ng team. I immediately open the door to my side, and was about to run when I noticed that I only have five minutes before the meeting starts, when Iris called me.I turned to her and I saw that she's waving her hand. And I wanted to slap myself for forgetting the most important thing, my portfolio. I ran back to her car and get the portfolio."Be careful!" Sigaw niya nang muli akong tumakbo papunta sa restaurant. Lumingon ako sa kaniya at kumaway. Kumaway naman siya pabalik bago niya pinaandar ang sasakyan at umalis.Pagpihit ko paharap ay bumunggo ako sa kung anong matigas na bagay. Natapon ko sa kung saan ang hawak kong portfolio at agad kong naramdaman ang lamig sa dibdib ko dahil sa kung anong natapon.Napasinghap ako nang makitang may natapon na ice americano sa puti kong blouse. Sinubukan kong alisin ang mantsa pero dumikit na 'yon sa sout ko."Are you watch—" natameme ako pag-angat ko ng tingin nang makita ang isang lalaki na masama ang tingin sa akin. Magkasalubong ang mga kilay niya, madilim ang mga mata at nakatiim ang panga niya. Napalunok naman ako sa takot.Napansin kong medyo na dumihan rin ang sout niyang puting long sleeves na nakatupi hanggang siko ang manggas. Dahil doon ay nakita ko ang tattoo niya sa braso na agad na nagpangiwi sa akin. I'm not a fan of a tattoo persons. I just find it so dirty putting a permanent ink to the skin.Nang muli akong mag-angat ng tingin, nakita kong nakatingin pa rin siya sa akin at nakataas ang kilay. Dahil sa tangkad niya, halos yumuko na siya sa akin. Napalunok ako at hinanap ang portfolio kong tumilapon sa kung saan. Hindi ko siya magawang tingnan sa mga mata, kahit pa gaano nakakahumaling ang light brown niyang mata kapag nasisinagan ng araw.Nakita ko ang portfolio ko hindi kalayuan sa paanan niya. Wala sa isip akong lumuhod at kinuha ang ilang tumilapon na papel, na salamat sa Dios ay wala namang nadumihan. Napapikit ako nang ma-realize kung gaano ka-awkward ang posisyon naming dalawa ngayon.Pagkatapos kong maayos ang portfolio ko ay halos lumuwa ang mga mata ko nang makita ang oras. Inayos ko ang medyo nagulo kong buhok at lalagpasan na sana siya nang bigla na lang may humawak sa braso ko. Natigilan ako at napatingin sa kamay na nakahawak sa akin. I saw that he also had a tattoo at the back of his hand. I gulped and looked up at him.His gaze are stern and dark. Halatang iritado siya sa nangyari. Muli kong inalis ang tingin sa mga mata niya at napatingin sa pulsuhan ko. Napapikit ako nang limang minuto na akong late."Aren't you going to say sorry Miss?" I almost gasped when I heard his deep and manly voice. His voice sounds controlled."I, I'm—" nang muli akong nag-angat ng tingin ay kumiling ang ulo niya sa gilid, halatang hinihintay ang apology na sinasabi niya. Napangiwi ako nang muling dumako ang tingin ko sa sout niya."What?" He asked again."I'm sorry!" I immediately said as I quickly escape from his hold and ran inside the restaurant.I've prepared too much on this and now I'm such a mess. Muntikan pa akong makahanap ng away sa labas. Sana naman tanggapin niya ang sorry ko kahit na medyo insincere ang dating no'n.Pagkapasok ko ay agad akong sinalubong ng isang waiter at agad ko namang sinabi ang reservation ng team ng Lankov. He ushered me to the table at the corner where four people are already sitting. There were two women, one man and a gay, I guessed."Oh I'm so, sorry, for being so late," I told them the moment I reached the table. They looked shocked after they saw me."Oh, what happened?" The woman, in her mid 30's asked me, concerned laced in her voice. I smiled politely."Ah, I bumped into someone on my way here, but it's okay now. I hope I didn't made you wait for so long."Gusto ko nang ngumiwi nang maramdaman ang lagkit sa bandang dibdib ko. Gusto ko na lang lamunin ng lupa ngayon.Chapter 2.2"It's okay," mabait na sagot naman ng isang babae na hula ko ay ka-edaran ko lang. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang makitang wala namang masamang reaksyon ang iba pa nilang kasama. "How rude of me, I'm Sheena Reva—" I cleared my throat. "Sheena Montez," I extend my hand to them and they introduced their selves to me one by one. The woman who talked to me first were Raquel, the woman who's the same age as me is Leah, while the man is Rafael and the other one is Jeffrey. They didn't only looked nice, but they also are actually nice. We ordered first before we get into the real thing, the reason why we're here. I gave them my portfolio and explained it to them. They're impressed with my designs and I'm glad that they like it. They suggests some minor details that I took note so I can change it immediately and send it to them. "This one, for all of the rooms, I think it's a good choice that you put these kind of furnitures there. We've got some feedbacks that sometimes when
Chapter 3.1When I confirmed that he was the man I bumped into this morning in front of the restaurant, the first thing I want to do was to hide. I badly want to runaway, even though I'm not sure if he saw me nor recognized me. I harshly turned my whole body to Iris who's now enjoying another glass of alcohol, I don't know. It seems like she's enjoying this more than me, seeing that she's throwing her hands up to the air while swaying her body together with the beat of the music. She didn't even noticed that I'm being restless now. Gusto ko na lang umuwi! I froze on my seat when I smelled that familiar scent. He's just right behind me! Oh God! "A glass of Jack Daniels— whiskey sour mash old no. 7 black label." Despite the loud music around, I still heard him loud and clear. His deep and low voice that made him even more manlier than he already is. No matter how much I stopped myself from looking at him, I still did. From the corner of my eyes, I saw him leaning at the counter, ar
Chapter 3.2"They're on the top lists of the most eligible bachelors in the Philippines! They're heirs, Sheena! Heirs!" She told me like I should know that. "Their family owned chains of hotels. Not only that, but they has a lot of properties all over the world. They have a big share at their hotels and they didn't even get their inheritance yet. They're so freaking hot too! The women would die to at least have a one night stand with them!" She whispered but almost yelling at my face. I grimaced at her last remarks. It looks like they're treating them as Gods. "So you're like, having a crush on them?" "Crush would be an understatement but acceptable my dear," she told me. "They're my w*t dreams..." She whispered while fluttering her eyelashes. I almost puke. I wouldn't go that far with my crush. "Iris!" Sita ko sa kaniya pero tinawanan niya lang ako. "Don't be so innocent please!" She rolled her eyes and took a sip at the glass of water. She's now the one who's grimacing. "Why ar
Chapter 4.1The constant ringing of my phone woke me up. I tightly closed my eyes and covered it with my arm, still sleepy from taking care of Iris the whole night. She's a bit handful when she's drunk. I grunt when the ringing didn't stop no matter how much I ignored it. I swear to God, whoever's calling me this early will really not hear the end of this. I slowly lift myself up and lean my back at the headboard, before I reached for my phone at the bedside table. I grunt as I felt a pain on my head. I tightly closed my eyes and the memories of last night started flashing back at the back of my mind. I sat up straight when the scene before we went home, flashed. "Oh God..." I groaned and rub my forehead. Iris vomited on him! On his dress shirt that seems to cost more than my monthly salary! Oh God! I can't believe that it happened.I was again interrupted when I heard the loud ringing of my phone again. My forehead form a creased when I saw that it's an unregistered number. I hes
Chapter 4.2Pinunasan ko ang mga luhang kanina pa pala tuloy-tuloy ang pagtulo sa pisngi ko. Inilayo ko ng kaunti ang cellphone mula sa akin bago suminghot. I don't want her to hear me breaking because of this. "I'm still hurt because of what you did before, it's still etched in my mind. It's replaying vividly, reminding me of that day. God knows how much I wanted to forget it, but I can't," I told her. My voice is laced with pain. "I'm sorry anak. I'm sorry," she cried. Tanging pag-iyak at hikbi na lang niya ang naririnig ko mula sa kabilang linya dahilan para muling tumulo ang panibagong mga luha sa pisngi ko. Oh how much I've been wanted to hear this. Kahit sa kaniya lang. Kahit siya lang ang magsabi ay sapat na sa akin. Hindi na muling nagsalita si mommy pagkatapos niyang umiyak. Nagpaalam na lang siya at pinatay ang tawag. I stayed on my room, staring at nothing particular. I don't know how everything went into this. I was just enjoying my work, almost got late in a meeting,
Chapter 5.1I ran passed through the revolving door. I almost bump to all of the people at the lobby who only walk normally, while I looked like I have been chased. I keep on saying sorry without looking at them. I have no time to do so, I'll be very late at this moment.I tried to catch the first elevator I saw but, unfortunately it closed before I could even reach it. I moved to the next one, it was about to close and I don't know how, it might be the adrenaline, but I managed to slip my hand in between the two doors to open it again. A sigh of relief past through my lips, but not long after, I'm having a difficulty in breathing again. I stared at him. My eyes were wide open. My jaw almost dropped at the shiny floor. I should've believed what Iris told me. I should've considered that coincidences happens in real life. Because the moment the door of the elevator slowly opens, I saw him again. Standing magnificently on his dark blue suit. His dark brown eyes peering on my black one
Chapter 5.2 I was pulled out of my trance when someone nudged me from the side. When I turned my head to my right, I saw her nodding forepart. I followed her line of vision and that's when I saw Sandy mouthing; "come here" to me. With a slight hesitation and nervousness, I stepped inside and it feels like the world stop while my eyes were on that one person who's gaze are piercing through me. Una akong nag-iwas ng tingin at dumeretso kay Sandy na naghihintay na sa akin. "The President wants to hear about the re-design of some of the designs you gave to their team personally," she whispered. Bahagya akong napalingon sa likuran ko. Napalunok ako nang makita siyang nakaupo lang at nakayuko. The little light illuminating his face indicates that he's looking at his cellphone. "You're already done with that, yes?" She hopefully asked me. Her voice waver and the more I stayed silent, the more she became restless too. She's looking behind us every second she could get, so when I slightl
Chapter 6.1I stretched my arms above my head as I yawn without taking my eyes off of the screen of my laptop. I've been sitting here for hours, squeezing my brain for ideas. I grew frustrated each second, doubting if this designs reached, nor surpassed their set of standards. After thinking about what he said for a hundred times today, I ended up agreeing with what he told me. It was really complicated not only for the guests but also for the hotel itself.I was thinking too much that I failed to notice that I'm steps ahead of myself. So I thought of designs that is minimal and pleasant to the eyes but not common. There's still uniqueness and originality with the designs despite of it's minimalism. Considering that their hotel is one of the top three hotel, the number one to be exact, the designs should be beyond what the guests expected to see. The luxury would still be there but not too much. After being satisfied with my designs, I decided to bring myself to sleep. I almost cur