Trials End

Chapter 43

Day passed at mamayang hapon na namin kikitain si Miss Beatrice. She told me it's a cafe near our school. Naisip ko ngang maganda iyon dahil meron silang private room.

Nasa kalagitnaan kami ng afternoon break namin ng lumapit sa'kin si Aldo. "Kasama niya ko diba?" tanong niya sa'kin.

"Yes, tayong apat lang."

Tumango lang siya at bumalik na sa pwesto niya. Minsan hindi ko maintindihan si Aldo. May times na malakas siya mang asar pero minsan bigla lang tatahimik sa dulo.

Uwian na at si Blanca naman ang lumapit sa'kin. "Hindi kami kasama?"

"Hindi eh. Gusto niyo ba?"

Tumango naman siya sa'kin pati narin ang mga nasa paligid namin. They're all looking at me like I am their prey.

Tumingin ako kay Brice at saktong nakatingin siya samin. Lumapit siya at humarap kay Blanca. "You can go if you want. Let's reserve a private room for all of you but we need to talk to Miss Beatrice first."

Lumabas naman ang mga ngiti ng mga alaga ni Brice and they all nodded. Brice is spoiling them too much.

We're on our way to the cafe where we'll meet Miss Beatrice. We're 1 hour earlier than our meeting time. Sila Blanca ay susunod pa mamaya dahil mauuna kaming apat. Aldo is driving, Keith is on the shotgun seat and I'm with Brice at the back.

Upon entering the cafe, the aroma of the coffee became part of the oxygen I breathe in. As I enter our meeting room, kaba ang una kong naramdaman.

Nawala ang kaba ko when I saw the interior of the meeting room. Parang eto yung mismong buong cafe but a mini version.

Umupo kami ng tahimik at magkatabi kami ni Keith while Aldo si sitting beside Brice. Magkaharap kami at sa kanto ng aming mesa uupo si Miss Beatrice.

I breathed in. "Sure ka Brice? You'll..do the talking?" I asked him. Sila kasi ang nag usap ni Aldo about the company.

He looked at me and nodded. "Yes." I only nodded to him in response.

Ngayon habang naghihintay kami, magkausap si Aldo at Brice about sa mga sasabihin mamaya. I can see that Aldo is paying attention to every detail Brice says.

Wala daw siyang alam sa kumpanya pero ngayon dire diretso makipag usap kay Brice. Sino kaya niloloko nito.

The door opened kaya lahat kami napatingin sa pinto. We all stood up when we saw the woman who entered the room.

"Good afternoon." Miss Beatrice greeted me first. I smiled and greeted her back.

"This is my assistant, she's here to listen." Pinakita niya ang babaeng nasa gilid niya. Dressed with a corporate attire and a straight face.

The assistant stepped forward. "Good day, Miss Flammia." Nilahad niya ang kamay niya kaya tinanggap ko iyon.

"Why don't you introduce your friends, dear?" Miss Beatrice asked me at tumingin kila Aldo na nakatayo.

"This is Sullivan Keith Alinston." Tinuro ko si Keith na nakatingin lang sakin ngayon.

"Oh! Nice to meet you here Keith." Tinignan ni Keith ngayon si Miss Beatrice na natuwa sa presensya niya. Keith bowed and shook hands with Miss Beatrice.

Tinuro ko naman ang banda ni Aldo. "Here's the family of OLM Tech Miss Beatrice, Liam Aldo Ashford."

The smile Miss Beatrice had when I introduced Keith disappeared. "It is also nice to meet you again, young man." Nag kamayan rin silang dalawa.