SaiLem Three {DANGER: I'm Falling For You}

6. Help Me

Cyann

One of my friends who prefers to remain unnamed, noticed that I wasn’t having fun hanging out with random women anymore. Nahalata yata niyang pinipilit ko na lang. So one night when we were out drinking ourselves into stupor, kinausap niya ako.

He gave me a code: Three-Seven-Seven-Three. Sabi niya, kailangan ko lang i-dial ‘yung number ko, change the last four digits to 3773 and it would connect me to a team that could help me deal with my worries.

And because I’m desperate, I did what he told me to do the moment I’m in my room in our ancestral home. Habang pinapakinggan ko ‘yung pag-ring, sobrang kinakabahan ako. I’m not even sure I’m doing this. I just fuckin’ hope it’s not a company that would send me anonymous girls to do the deed. I don’t roll that way.

After entering the code and being directed to another line, I finally get to talk to a girl named Janine Sedrano. Binato ko siya ng maraming tanong because I’m hesistant and I don’t really believe that their company is very good at what they do. I mean, kung magaling talaga, bakit ngayon ko lang narinig, diba? However, she handled all my questions with ease and confidence. We ended the call and I received a text message containing the address of their office.

Hindi pa rin ako naniniwala. Pero one way to find out if what my friend and this Janine says are true, I have to be there myself.

So the next day, since Sunday naman, nagpasama ako sa friend kong nag-recommend sa’kin at pumunta kami sa office which is conveniently located in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Malapit lang sa ancestral home namin. Kaya ko namang mag-isa, but I need to be cautious. I don’t want a repeat of our family’s horrible loss back when I was a kid.

I was actually expecting a dilapidated and suspicious-looking building. But to my surprise, parang hotel lang ‘yung office. It doesn’t look cheap either. In fact, it looks professional and classy.

Dumiretso kami ng friend ko sa third floor where the receptionist directed us. We’re going to meet with the Vice President daw. And I find that to my advantage. When dealing with a company that’s keeping a low profile, my cousins and I were taught to speak directly to higher management.

The office is equally impressive: granite floors, mahogany tables, leather seats. And a cute receptionist who greets us with a smile before she informs her boss of our arrival via intercom. Kakausapin ko pa sana siya but the translucent glass doors automatically open kaya pumasok na kami nung kasama ko.

“Cyann Mabanta?!” a petite lady immediately stands up from behind her huge-ass desk and blurts out in disbelief. “As in: The Great Cyann Mabanta of the UP Fighting Maroons?”

Ngumiti ako nang matamis.  “Yes, I am Cyann The Great—WAIT.” I come to my senses, getting shocked that she knows me. I didn’t even give her my name last night. “How come you know me?”  First time ko lang na pupunta dito, bakit kilala na niya ako? I look at my friend suspiciously and he vehemently shakes his head.

Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Sikat nga pala ako. Masyado lang siguro akong kabado ngayon.

The girl, opens a drawer and pulls out a file folder before walking towards us and handing it to me. “Kasama ako noon sa isang photoshoot na ikaw ang model. Ako ‘yung nagbibigay ng lahat ng susuotin mo nung araw na ‘yun. Well, pa’no mo nga naman ako maaalala eh taga-abot mo nga lang ako ng damit.”