Always Been My Greatest

Greatest 40

Always Been My Greatest 40

R-18

“I’m nervous.”

I glanced at the other interns. We were all seated inside the meeting room, waiting for Luke to arrive.

My eyes found Aaron, who was here because he was on Tristan’s team. He rewarded me with a small smile, so I returned the gesture just as subtly. From the front, I caught a whisper and saw Saavedra with a furrowed brow.

I laughed quietly. I pulled out my phone and showed him that I was typing a message.

Paulo Mendoza:

Grabe namang pagtikhim 'yan, tunog nagseselos.

Nakita ko ang pagkunot ng noo niya nang mabasa ang mensahe. He looked at me, so I smiled and raised an eyebrow.

Tristan Saavedra:

Why are you looking at him? I'm right here, you know. Sa akin ka makipagtitigan, huwag sa pangit na 'yan.

Paulo Mendoza:

Pangit ba siya? Hindi naman, ah? At saka tingin lang ang ginawa ko, hindi gaya mong may isinayaw na iba.

His eyes widened—he wasn’t expecting my answer. Did he think I had forgotten? Nakatatak na sa isip ko ang minsang ibinalita sa akin na 'yon ni Nabi.

Napapaisip na tuloy ako kung bakit wala pa rin kaming label hanggang ngayon. Siguro totoong naging karelasyon niya 'yon kaya hindi niya ako matanong-tanong ngayon kung pwede niya ba akong maging boyfriend.

Tristan Saavedra:

Baby, where did you hear that? Who told you? I wasn’t dancing with anyone. Since I had you, I’ve never been with anyone else, not even in Europe.

The words made my heart flutter, but still, a thread of doubt tugged inside me. Ibinalik ko ang telepono sa aking bulsa. Tiningnan ko siya at naroon ang panlulumo noong makita ang ginawa ko. Inirapan ko siya ro'n at nakipag-usap na kay Levi, hindi na muling nagawi sa kaniya ang titig ko.

"Grabe gagraduate na tayo, Pau," bulong ni Levi sa akin.

"Magiging alipin na rin tayo ng salapi," biro ko.

Naghagikgikan kaming dalawa. "Minimum wage earner na ang mga tarantado."

We heard a hushed murmur and saw Tristan, arms crossed and scowling at Levi. Sinanggi ako nito.

"Bro, ang sama ng tingin ni Saavedra. Hindi kaya nagseselos 'yan? Ayoko ng gulo, ah?" natatawang ani nito.

I gave Tristan a cold stare and shook my head at Levi. "Ewan ko riyan. Hayaan mo siya."

Simula no'ng may mangyari sa'min at nakabalik muli rito, hindi niya na ako pinakawalan. Hindi man namin aminin sa lahat, alam kong nakakahalata na sila kaya noong minsang nagtanong si Levi at Engineer Aboitiz, inamin ko na.

Paano ba naman, halos maya't maya niyang inaakyat ang floor namin para lang sa walang mga kwentang dahilan. Lulusot na lang 'yong hindi pa kapani-paniwala.

Maya-maya rin ay dumating na si Luke, kasama niya ang iilang mga senior Engineers at Architects ng kompanya. Everyone sat up straight, ready for the meeting to start.

Ilang araw na lang bago ang graduation namin, halos tatlong buwan din naming trinabaho ang lahat ng plano. Maging pag-check ng site, pagsuri sa mga materyales na gagamitin, paghahanap ng magiging supplier at kung ano-ano pa. Lahat 'yon tinapos ng team namin ni Tristan.

"I would like to take this moment to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our architecture and engineering interns for their outstanding work they have accomplished during their internship with us. Palakpakan naman natin ang lahat," bati nito.