Sunbathe Under The Thunderstorm

Chapter 9: Sabotage

OVER THE PAST few days, Koa and I became closer. After that confrontation last time, we decided to be more open to communicate and be mature enough to separate personal and professional matters. Hindi maiiwasan ang tawanan pero kapag oras na ng trabaho ay seryoso naman kami. Dahil doon, naging maayos ang huling mga araw sa pinaghahandaan naming presentation.

Kaunting polishing na lang ang kailangan. Saktong-sakto lang ang timeline na ginawa namin. If ever we finished everything today, we will have a mock presentation tomorrow and will take note of things to remember just in case panelists would ask us regarding the project. Tapos magpapahinga na para may lakas kami the other day para mag-present.

My heels clicked as I strode my way to the market research unit office. With a dazzling smile on my face, my head was high as I wandered inside our building. Maganda ang gising ko dahil maaga at mahimbing ang naging tulog ko kagabi. Well, truth to be told, there was another reason why I felt light today.

It was Koa's birthday.

I was stopped from walking for a second and suppressed a beam on my face, as I remembered what I planned to do today with him. Instead of just putting food to our table this morning, I would invite him for a dinner later.

Sounds great, right?

Sounds like this is more than just friendship?

Athena?! What is happening to you? Why are you doing this? How in the earth you end up like this?

I mentally shook my head and clenched my fists as I tried to compose myself again. Was about to sashayed to the room of market research unit when someone quickly passed right through my way. Hindi ko naiwasang mapatigil nang mabigla ako sa kanya. I flinched from my position and attempted to curse that person who almost made me fell down the ground.

But instead, my right brow raised as I could clearly saw who that person dashing weirdly to the path I was taking. That was Florence.

I felt confused and curious with what I saw so I immediately headed and followed her just in the right pace.

About to sashayed to my cubicle, I was stopped immediately as I entered the office. They were all looking at me and I could not properly read their expressions. Some faces were even blank from emotions.

"What is happening?" I uttered awkwardly, and no one responded so I asked again, with a different phrase this time to be more precise, "What is wrong?"

"What is wrong?" Koa quickly repeated what I said with a mocking and annoyed tone. "What is wrong with you?!" His voice plumped higher on that one.

Hindi pa ako nakaka-react sa parteng iyon pero kinuha na agad ni Nola ang atensyon ko nang sumabat siya sa usapan. "This is ridiculous," she uttered, shaking her head continuously for seconds before she decided to walk out.

Nakataas ang kilay kong sinundan ito ng tingin. I tilted my head and raised my finger to point the door where she vanished from. Confused and some of my negative emotions were starting to pile up, I spoke, "Anong nangyari doon?"

It was too silent in the room so I could clearly hear Yno when he cleared his throat. He broke the silence as he tried to look at me with his shaky eyes. "M-mukhang na-hack yung system na ginamit natin para mag-gather ng data at doon mismo mag-ayos ng files na ipe-present. Nandoon lahat. Corrupted na rin yung mga offline files sa storage. Nangyari iyon sa tatlong laptop na ginagamit natin. Sa akin, kay Floe, at kay Sir Koa. Tapos kapag binubuksan ang mga 'yon, mga sensitibong litrato ni Ms. Nola ang lumalabas," Yno expounded. His voice was also shaking as he couldn't keep an eye contact with me. Nagpa-panic na siguro siya sa nangyayari. Then he spoke. . . again, "Sundan ko lang po si Ms. Nola." Then he went out as well which somehow confused me.