Glimpses of Yesterday (Isla Contejo #2)

Chapter 18

TINIPON ang iilan sa amin sa meeting room sa taas. Narinig ko sa mga kasamahan ko na ngayon na yata ia-announce ni Architect Molinario iyong mga napili niyang makakasama sa team na gagawa ng bagong bahay niya.

I saw Arsen still not walking. Looked like he was waiting for me since he was looking at me. Nang tuluyan akong makalapit ay agad na pumulupot ang braso niya sa aking baywang.

"Ngayon na raw ia-announce ni Architect Molinario iyong mga mai-include sa team niya?" tanong ko dahil baka mali naman pala ng akala sina Wrenna.

He smiled. I saw excitement in his expression. "Oo. Narinig ko sa mga head kanina. Sana talaga, kasama ako sa mga mapili."

Nang makaakyat kami sa meeting room ay naroon na si Architect Molinario at iilan pa naming mga kasamahan. He immediately started discussing about the plans he had. He would be needing not more than 10 people in his team.

Tahimik lamang akong nakinig hanggang sa simulan niya nang tawagin ang mga mapapabilang sa team niya. Karamihan sa mga naunang natawag ay matatagal na sa kompanya at may enough experience na.

"And last, but not the least..." Architect Molinario trailed.

I was expecting that it would be Arsen. It must be him. Sa lahat ng baguhan sa kompanyang ito, siya pa lang ang medyo may napatunayan na. He was one of the most recognized employees by some of the clients and also by our bosses. Kaya dapat lang na siya.

I wasn't the only one expecting for his name to be called. Almost all of our colleagues sitting with us were glancing and smiling at him.

"Ms. Jaeda Mortel!"

Tila nabingi yata ako sa narinig ko mula kay Architect Molinario. There was a deafening silence for a second, but when Wrenna and Jerold started clapping, everyone then clapped. Nakaawang pa rin ang bibig ko at bahagya pang nakakunot ang noo.

I just... I felt confused. Why me? Why not Arsen? He was obviously better than me!

Unti-unti akong napatingin kay Arsen sa tabi ko. Diretso lamang ang tingin niya sa kawalan at wala na namang kahit anong bahid ng ekspresyon sa mukha. There was that same feeling again lingering inside me. The feeling like I was guilty of something even though I knew to myself that I didn't do anything wrong.

"Jaeda, join us here in front!" pagtawag pa sa akin ni Architect Molinario sa gitna ng palakpakan.

It was funny because no matter how our colleagues congratulate and admire me, I still couldn't feel the happiness and gratefulness that I should be feeling right now.

I should be glad! I should be grateful! I should feel honoured! But I couldn't because I was thinking of Arsen. Instead of feeling happy, I just felt bad. I didn't want him to feel bad.

Kahit nag-aalinlangan ay lumapit na ako sa harap. Pabalik-balik ang tingin sa akin at kay Arsen ng mga ka-opisina namin. Mas lalo lang tuloy parang bumigat ang atmosphere ng paligid.

"Welcome to the team, Ms. Mortel!" si Architect Molinario na nakipagkamay sa akin.

Pilit ang ngiting naibigay ko sa kaniya at sa mga iba pa niyang napili sa team.

"I just wanna acknowledge Ms. Mortel's hardwork this time. The very first time I saw her works, I was amazed. I see so much potential in her."

Pilit lamang ang nailalabas kong ngiti. Panay ang pagbalik ng mga tingin ko kay Arsen na ngayon ay nananatili na lamang na nakayuko.

"So Ms. Mortel, if you keep doing great, you have a future in this company."

Muling nagpalakpakan ang mga katrabaho ko. Ni hindi ako makangiti at makapagpasalamat sa mga nagko-congrats sa akin. I felt so heavy. I couldn't feel fully happy knowing the fact how Arsen would react to it.