Mamihlapinatapai

Chapter 16

Ember

"You may not want to be in my head. You might find someone other than myself that you won't be able to forget. It'll haunt you like a nightmare you can't tell."

"Damn you. I like you."

"You like me for what?"

"You. You're not like everyone else. You're so sure of yourself. You're clever. You're self-made. You're everything. Everyone likes you. So you should be mine."

"Thanks. But those are all my disorder."

A nightmare.

Damn!

I need to concentrate as Cray's Momma is telling me all the details of the deal we're about to close. Pero heto ako, hinahabol na naman ng tingin yung itsurang iyon ni Cray. She's wearing a cream button-down shirt and a striped pencil midi skirt.

Again, Cray isn't an eye-catcher type. Yet, she's oozing with appeal and charisma.

How? How can a person who already have everything has such an unusual disorder? After her revelation last night, all I can think of is the night she turned me down on my eighteenth birthday.

That's exactly what she was telling me-her disorder. And I am not supposed to like her.

"Ember, are you listening?" Tanong pa sakin ni Tita Louella matapos akong mahuling nakatitig na naman kay Cray na may mga kausap na corporate lawyers.

"Y-Yes, Tita." Mabilis na sagot ko at saka pasimpleng nag-iwas ng tingin dito. "You were telling me about the proposals right?"

"And?"

"You were telling me that we should listen closely to the meeting. Though you were having a hunch that the meeting will be just about the new entrants in the market that's taking almost three-fourths of our middle class market."

Tumango ito bagamat at hindi masyadong kumbinsido na magagawa kong makipag-usap ng maayos sa BOD.

"This will be your one and only chance to win votes, Ember. Though, I am really not sure why Grant is allowing you to take over her position without having you to undergo a proper training. Your educational background ain't even that related." Kaswal na sabi nito bago ako pinasadahan ng tingin. Pagkatapos ay tumuon iyon sa mga kapatid ko na nakaupo na din sa mga silyang bakante habang naghihintay kami ng pagdating ng mga Board of Directors.

My mother, Grant, is just sitting across the table at tila hindi man lang kinakabahan kung sakali man na hindi namin makuha yung posisyon na kailangan ko. I want to become the CEO of our own company. But the threat in getting such position is too high.

Through the years, mas madaming na acquire na stocks na si Tita Louella kumpara samin. Mas inuna kasi ni Mom yung pag-aasikaso samin sa isla kesa ang negosyo ng mga ito. While growing up, she was always there beside us. Tinutuan kami nito ng mga gawaing bahay at kung ano-ano. Tinuruan kami nito gumamit ng kung ano-anong armas. Even man-to-man combat if we have to protect ourselves. Lalo na after nung nangyaring insidente noon sa school.

Who would have thought that the Almighty Grant Silva will just stay in the house back then, just to have a tea party with my dolls? Ginawan pa kami nito noon ng tree house. Isinasama sa pangingisda at pangunguha ng stocks sa kabilang isla. She even taught us how to swim, sky diving, parasailing and all her usual daredevil activities. We didn't even have to hire someone's help dahil alam nito lahat. She even taught us how to ride bikes that later on became big bikes.

For her, we're literally living in luxury and wants to spend more time with us kesa ang magkamal pa ng pera. My mother is entrusting the management to Tita Louella while the latter is entrusting the Client prospecting with her. Halos lahat kasi ng investment nito ay may investment din si Tita Lou. So technically, they are just sharing each other's abilities to fully utilize it in accordance.