For What It's Worth

1

"No, Ricci! The moment that you've walked out that door? I knew right then and there that this is more important! That I wasn't important!"

I just cried. Harder as time goes by.

"Alam mo naman kung gaano ko kamahal ito diba?" he asked me, crying.

"Cci, naman" "Mahal na mahal kita eh"

"I lost everything already oh. You are the only thing that I'm holding on to, bakit naman bumitaw ka din?"

Oh god, I wish he knew the answer.

I woke up just before the alarm. 6:59 AM as my digital clock shows.

It is a cozy Wednesday. I need to go to work at ten, and this is like a living hell. 

Spending my early 20's in manila ain't easy. The traffic, the five-ish mania, kakaloka. College is not the reason kung bakit ka masisiraan ng bait sa manila, kundi transpo.

I am now in my mid-20's, living alone and living the corpo life, alipin ng salapi, but I love it.

I love everything that involves my well being. I am working in a good environment, no toxic boss, shouting workmates and no rendering of OT's and weekends off. Amazing, right?

"Sis! Hello! Pabukas po, opo!" I checked the time, it's already seven thirty and I have to leave in an hour for me to get to work at ten. The woman shouting? My best friend, Trixie.

"Oh, bakit andito ka nanaman?" As soon as I opened the door for her, that was the first thing that I asked her. Kailangan ko na bilisan dahil matagal mag ayos.

"Makiki breakfast! Bawal ba?" I rolled my eyes as soon as she took a bite off my precious pancakes. I grabbed my towel and other necessities before I went to the bathroom.

"Nga pala! Reunion na natin sa Friday Night ha! I will be fetching you from work kaya wala ka nang magagawa!"

I then went to do my stuff in the bathroom. Reunion. Hmmm.

First, I'm gonna drop her off sa kanyang work before I head onto mine. Sadly, we're not together in this corpo life but we sure are enjoying it. We always hangout together, do stuff together, it's like we've been sisters for god knows since when.

"Remember, I'll be the one who'll drop you off sa friday. This is happening, I tell you Andie." she said in a warning tone. I put my hands up as if I am surrendering.

"Fine, fine! Whatever! Alis na!" She got out of my car and waved goodbye. Life's boring without Trixie, I guess.

I arrived just in time for my work. I first went to the pantry to get my usual coffee when I bumped into Patrick, my colleague.

"Uy! Hello ma'am!" I just laugh. He would always greet me with that, two years younger than me.

"Kaya sa'yo ko ma'am eh! Hindi masungit, walang masyadong workloads, sana all talaga!" We both laugh at his sentiment.

"Bumalik ka na sa station mo at lagot ka nanaman kay Gia niyan, sige ka!" Gia is his immediate head. Dalawa kasi kami ni Gia running for the post of manager. Nagresign na kasi si ms. Olivia to spend her fifty's with the love of her life. Sweet.

As I walked through my cubicle, I received tons of greetings and some were giggling as they greeted me.

Hindi pa man ako nakakaupo sa aking table ay dumating ang head ng aming marketing department at abot tenga ang ngiti dumiretso sa aking cubicle. Hinawakan niya ako at dinala sa gitna ng floor.

"I now proudly announce to you, the reliable and most hardworking manager, Ms. Andie Santiago!" What?

"Congratulations, Manager Andie!" some shouted. I am smiling as they greet me and suddenly a party popper pops up out of nowhere.

Endless congratulatory messages were given, foods and cards. I am overwhelmed. I knew that I deserved this post and of course, I worked hard for it. But as soon as I sat down on my new table, Gia went to my office with a pile of papers.

"Congratulations, Manager! At dahil diyan, kindly review this po and do your best with our new endorser. Goodluck!" emphasising the po in her sentence, she rolled her eyes and slammed the door as she walked out.

Gia was a college friend. Was dahil hindi na ngayon. We used to be study buddies but then, she always wants to be on top. She enjoyed my lowest point and when I got back, that's when she forgot all about me. She treated me as her competitor, up until now.

It was around 2 o' clock in the afternoon when I called in for a meeting. The team greeted me with numerous congratulations and such. Gia was not present, she preferred to go to the other department as per my team mate.

"Okay, so what we have today is two presentations right?" I looked at them. They were all looking at each other.

"Uhm, actually, Ma'am Andie, we came up with only one presentation, nagkasundo po kasi kami–" I cut Gian out of his sentence.

"Oh, okay! That's great! Let us see what you got there."

I went to the other end of the table as they will be presenting in front. I reviewed the other profile of potential influencers that could promote our business. All are good but not with attitude.

"Ms. Andie, after a week of brainstorming our ideas, crafts and suggestions, we–"

"Gian. Gian. Breathe, okay? Relax?" I told him. "I can see your forehead sweating from here." He immediately wiped it off and the team giggled at his sudden action.

"Crush ka kasi niyan ma'am Andie" gatong pa ng isang kateam ko.

"I know you're new to the team but, all is good here Gian okay? All you need to do is to present and I won't be mad. Just please let us cut to the chase ha. I'm sure all of you wanted to make sure that this project will boom. Okay, Gian?"

I told him with a reassuring smile. He happily nodded and started talking.

"... and so, this is Mr. Ricci Rivero, representing the Gideon Basketball Team, CEO at the age of 21, has helped numerous foundations all over the country and is a top athlete at all social media sites for three consecutive years already."

I nodded, signaling him to continue.

"As you see ms. Andie, we chose him because he captured the heart of almost all teens, young adults and even the older generation. The team is sure that with him in the company, this business will go mainstream!"

I am still examining the report. And they were chatting.

All I know is that I cannot let personal issues affect the company. After all, I have to make a living and if this means I have to deal with this? Then,

"Have you done background checking? You know, attitude and such?" I asked the team. They were all looking at Mia.

"Yes, Mia? Want to say something?" I asked her.

"Hehe, ma'am, ano po kasi, admin po ako ng fanpage ni Ricci" she shyly told us and that earned a teasing.

"Tama na guys." I smiled at them and looked at Mia again, "as you were saying, Mia?"

"Ayun nga po ma'am. Eh ilang beses na po ako nag-organize ng mga event niya, he's a great person and he's got heart of gold po"

"Sus! Sinasabi mo lang yan kasi fan ka niya eh!" asar ni Jonas kay Mia.

Yes, he does.

"Okay then, Ricci Rivero it is. Meeting adjourned." I said as I stood up in my seat.