As she walked out of the office building, Khalil took a deep breath of the warm evening air. She felt a sense of satisfaction wash over her as she gazed out at the city lights twinkling like diamonds in the night sky. She had put in a long day, but it was a day well-spent.
Naghihintay na si Maya sa café, umiinom ng latte at nakikipagkuwentuhan sa barista. Ngumiti si Khalil habang papalapit siya, nararamdaman ang ginhawa sa pagkakaroon ng break mula sa kanyang pang-araw-araw na gawain.
"Hey girl, how was your day?" tanong ni Maya,
Khalil laughed, taking a seat across from Maya. "It was long, but productive. I finally finished that marketing report I've been putting off for weeks."
"Talaga? Ilang oras ka nagtrabaho today?" Maya raised an eyebrow.
Khalil shrugged. "I lost count. Let's just say I'm running on fumes."
Maya nodded sympathetically. "You're working too much, Kali. You need to take care of yourself."
Khalil snorted. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one trying to make a name for herself in this cutthroat industry."
Maya's expression turned serious. "I know it's tough, but you can't burn out like this. You're going to crash and burn if you don't pace yourself."
Khalil sighed, running a hand through her hair. Alam niyang tama si Maya. Pero ano ang magagawa niya? Determinado siyang magtagumpay sa marketing, kahit ano pa ang kapalit nito.
Habang nagkukuwentuhan at nagtatawanan sila, hindi maiwasang maging mapagpasalamat ni Khalil sa pagkakaibigan nila ni Maya. Maya was more than just a friend – she was a sounding board, a confidante, and a reality check.
Nang matapos na nila ang kanilang mga inumin at maghanda nang umalis, naging seryoso muli si Maya. "Hey, Kali? I have something important to tell you."
Khalil's heart skipped a beat as she waited for Maya to continue.
"I found out that our company is cutting back on staff," Maya said quietly. "I'm going to be okay – I have other job offers lined up – but you... you're not so lucky."
Para siyang sinuntok sa tiyan. Hindi niya inaasahan ito.
"Ah no," she whispered, feeling panic set in.
Maya reached out and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, Kali. We'll figure something out. But we need to start looking for other job opportunities ASAP."
Tumango si Khalil, sinusubukang iproseso ang bagong impormasyon. Alam niyang masyadong kompetitibo ang industriya ng marketing, pero ibang level na ito.
As they parted ways and headed off into the night, Khalil couldn't shake the feeling that her world was about to come crashing down around her.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Rewritten Fate
FantasyIn a life that was anything but ordinary, Khalil Saville fought to survive in the Philippines. But when a fatal illness struck, she was given a devastating diagnosis: only a few months to live. In a desperate attempt to make the most of her remainin...
