In Another Life

10: Ten dates

Tyrese

These past few days, I would randomly find myself staring at Eisley and admiring him from afar. He was too occupied to notice it, though. I didn't know he had a pretty secretary who helped him with everything including talking to people whenever he couldn't be bothered doing so.

May isang beses, nasa loob siya ng office niya so gusto ko sana siya puntahan pero hinarang ako ng secretary niya. Tinanong niya ako kung anong kailangan ko tapos siya na lang mag-pa-pass ng message dahil busy raw si Eisley. Gets ko naman. Gusto ko lang naman siyang tanungin kung kumain na siya dahil nagbaon ako ng food.

Pumasok yung secretary niya sa loob na may dalang coffee at takeaway food. Sumilip ako sa bintana. Nagpapacute siya kay Eisley, OMG! I actually cooked my baon for us, but since I wasn't allowed to enter his office, I ended up sharing it with my new friends at work. I understood; I just couldn't help but feel upset.

Since intern palang ako, I had a different supervisor so I couldn't really see him in the office that much. I had to report to my supervisor first, then my supervisor would talk to her supervisor and so on and so forth.

Dito ko na-realize na ang layo layo na pala ng narating niya. He seemed like an ordinary person. He wouldn't even wear suit and tie. The way he acted and spoke, walang sign ng kahit anong yabang. Hindi halatang CEO siya.

Grabe. Simple guy na may secretary... na maganda at halatang may gusto sa kanya.

I thought we would become closer, but nope, this had been the furthest I had been from him. Mas nakikita ko pa siya sa condo kaysa work. Aminado naman ako na medyo nagseselos ako kasi parang ang close nila ng secretary niya. 'Eisley' nga yung tawag niya kay Eisley samantalang ako, tinatawag ko siyang 'Sir' sa work. Ang grumpy ko tuloy pag nakikita ko siya. Napapansin ko lang behaviour ko pag nakita ko na yung confused reaction niya, then I'd feel bad kasi he was too nice. Mukha lang siyang masungit kasi ang aloof niya.

Ang saya sa work, though. I worked with like-minded people. They were all so creative and chill. They were empowering too in a way that they would support my dreams and helped me become better. May rule sila na dapat lahat ng feedback, constructive at hindi nakakababa ng pagkatao. Si Eisley lang daw pwede maging mean kahit hindi naman siya mean.

Noong welcome party ko, hindi sumipot si Eisley kasi marami siyang ginagawa that night. Siya tuloy yung naging main topic namin. Sabi nila, takot na takot daw sila kay Eisley noong una kasi ang tahimik tapos parang masungit at snob, pero they all appreciated him now kasi he was such a good leader. Walang arte, masipag, at honest. Higit sa lahat, he treated everyone equally.

'Yun nga lang, he always had this wall. He kept his relationship strictly professional with them. Si Nyle lang daw talaga yung kaibigan ni Eisley sa work, but they had never seen him loosen up.

Parang gusto ko tuloy sabihing, "Challenge accepted!" Kaso naalala ko na naman yung mga panaginip ko. Ano, hahabulin ko ulit siya? Pwede siya naman yung humabol? Ugh. Bakit ba pakiramdam ko, totoo yung mga nangyari? Bakit hindi maalis si Eisley sa isipan ko? Naiinis na ako.

On the lighter note, the more I got to know him, the more I appreciated him as a human being.

Wala lang, hindi siya trash. He seemed pure.

"Manay!" tawag ni Bev sa akin. Nakaakbay sa kanya si Nyle. Matagal na silang nakabalik sa Philippines from their honeymoon, pero dumiretso sila sa Cebu para mag catch up sa business. Nagpunta sila sa Manila for two weeks para umattend ng anniversary party ng Effor, company nila Eisley.

"Kamusta naman? May progress ba?" Tinaas taas ni Bev yung kilay niya.

I literally did a facepalm. "Wala." Anong progress? Sa elevator nga lang kami ng condo nagkakausap tapos wala siyang ginagawa. Ano, did he give up already?