Asperity

1

I knew I should've just ate toast for breakfast!

I ran as fast as I could towards the building I was working at, afraid of being late even when I already am. Being late is one if my biggest pet peeves.

Of course.

"Good Morning, Miss Ree. I wonder where you have been that you're this late."

"J-just traffic, sir!" I say, breathless.

"Is that so? Do I need to get you a personal service now so transportation would be a lot easier for you?" the way he said it so coldly with his lazy eyes made me so angry! Can't he just let me breathe for a while!?

"No, sir!"

"I hope it doesn't happen again."

Ugh! His damn smile! It's annoying! He doesn't act like a CEO at all, after all, he got in because of connections.

He walked passed me and I just watched him go, until he stopped to look at me.

"I was worried."

Then he walk away like he did something. I just shrug it off before making my way to the entrance.

I saw some of my co-workers chatting with each other, I even saw Betty and Cornelia. I can't even say good morning to them anymore, kinailangan ko nang bilisan at marami pa akong gagawin.

For some reason, I couldn't get her off my head. The girl at the bus line last night... it sounds unbelievable that she was alive and she was there with us too... then suddenly... she's gone.

"No slacking off!"

One of the supervisors said, causing me to leave my own bubbles.

Damn... going home actually feels scary now. I wonder if Cornelia will take the bus today, maybe we could go gome together.

Dati ay hindi naman ako natatakot dahil kaya ko naman ang sarili ko, pero ngayon na... alam kong posible pa rin, it gives me chills.

"Ree!"

My boss came running towards me wearing a black jacket, sweating.

"Sir?"

"Let me take you home, I heard something unfortunate happened to your area." With those words, I already knew what he was talking about.

"You don't have to sir, I can go home by myself—"

"I am your boss, you obey me." Then he just smiled to tease me because he knew I couldn't do anything. We were still standing on the grounds of the company, he's still a boss and I'm still an employee!

It was awkward inside his car. All I could hear was the sound if tapping windows and our breathing.

Mabuti na'yan kaisa sa mag-usap kaming dalawa.

"Thanks, sir!" I wore my fakest smile before going inside my house.

There's nothing more that I hate than men thinking they're superior! Which part of me made you think I can't go home by myself!? We don't need your damn protection!

Ugh...

I don't have people I was close with in this company. Sure, I do get along with pretty much everyone—but I don't have a friend that... would actually be right there at all cost. I've never had one... ever.

Now that I look at everyone outside their little offices, eating lunch while talking to others—it makes me feel so left out.

Then, I happen to overhear the conversation of my boss and his secretary, Betty.

"Is she his girlfriend..." I whisper.

There are rumors around na may pinopormahan raw dito si August. Halata naman din kasi. His secretary was the one closest to him... so maybe it's her.

"Ree!" I flinched at the voice who called out my name, when I look over to see who it was—it was Cornelia. "The hell are you doing there?"

"Ahh— nothing!"

Then she just shrugged it off.

It's not so hard to lie to Cornelia because she's so lazy to even fight back! I don't even think she cares about anything at all!

"You've got different hairstyle today, huh? Trying to impress someone?"

So she noticed it too. Unlike my usual pigtails, my hair was free and wild at the moment.

"Nope." I dislike it when people think that way... I am beautiful for myself, not to impress other people.

I looked away from her to check my phone when it notified me. A message from my Instagram.

Augxuili : I want coffee

Rienn : do you want me to bring some for you, sir?

Augxuili : I want to go to the new cafe.

Rienn : 👍

I didn't know why he needed to tell me that. Google map ba ako at gusto n'yang pag-tanungan ng location?

Dumaan ang isa sa intern ng kumpanyang ito, I gotta admit, he had the good boy look--pero it doesn't seem like he is what he shows.

He had a green hair and and freckles on his cheeks, baguhan pa lang ito at marami nang pinapagawa sa kaniya.

I noticed Cornelia's silence after he walked pass us. Hm. Weird.