Minutes Before Midnight

#MBM08

#MBM08

"I know you can do it, Ida," sabi ni Miss Tonette sa'kin. Kaka-assign niya lang kasi ng isang exclusive interview with an A-lister celebrity and businesswoman na masyadong mailap sa media.

"Thank you for entrusting me with this po," pasalamat ko sa kaniya. Sa totoo lang, medyo kinakabahan ako sa pinapagawa sa akin. Kadalasan kasi sa senior writers binibigay ang ganitong tasks, while us junior writers are more focused on lighter content. Idagdag mo pa na hindi talaga nagpapaunlak sa interviews ang kakausapin ko, wala na talaga. The pressure is real!

However, I'm also pleased with what's been given to me. It comforts me how my superiors trust me with this kind of job and I sincerely hope that I live up to their expectations.

Lately, my mind has been plagued with thoughts of uncertainty on the career path I chose. Did I make the right decision? Should I have proceeded with law? Or perhaps I'm meant for a different career?

And with this new task, I realized that hey, maybe I'm doing pretty well? It's not all rainbows and butterflies, of course. Case in point -- the personal writing task that Miss Tonette talked to me about a couple of weeks ago.

May selective writer's block yata ako. Nakakapagsulat naman ako about sa ibang bagay, pero 'yong medyo personal na ay mahirap talaga.

Dig deeper, they said.

How deep? My mind will retort right after.

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and by a lot, I mean -- A LOT. Some people my age would love to have someone they can have "late night deep talks" with, but the universe unexpectedly gave it to me in the form of Tey.

He has been incessantly updating me what he does throughout the day. Napagsabihan ko na nga rin na dapat hindi niya inaaksaya ang load niya sa'kin, pero balik niya nama'y naka-promo raw siya.

Kung binili niya na lang ng pagkain 'yon, 'di ba?

Nirereplyan mo naman, gaga ka! Ugh.

To be fair though, he's got a knack for good conversations. He's joking or inserting a cheesy comment from time to time, but he talks with substance. It's the kind of conversation one can have while talking to a close friend.

He seemed like one, which was unusual given that we didn't really know each other before.

I shook my head and puffed some air out of my mouth, blowing my bangs.

I shouldn't give him too much headspace.

It's a Friday. The week has been unbearably long and I couldn't wait to rush out of the office and greet the rowdy and dirty streets of Metro Manila.

After countless nagging, napapayag na rin ako ni Tey na pumunta sa birthday party ng kapatid niya. Nagkausap din kasi ang nanay niya at si mama. Nagpasabi raw si Mariko na dapat umattend ako ng birthday celebration niya sa bahay nila.

My mom, the nagger that she is, managed to convince me to attend. Ayaw ko rin namang pumuntang empty-handed so I invited Cris and Sandra to go with me to the mall and buy a gift for the sweet girl.

Cris: Lagi kang late, ate girl! Nandito na kami ni Sands sa Starbucks. Kitain mo na lang kami rito. Bilisan mo dahil naririndi na akong marinig ang sexual escapades niya at kailangan ko ng karamay!

I chuckled when I read Cris' text because I knew that feeling too well. I swear, hearing Sandra openly declare how her man made her reach a heavenly climax last night takes one some time to get used to it and mind you, we haven't gotten used to it.