"HEY how have you been?" balik tanong ko kay Luke na nakayapos na ang kamay sa bewang ko. This isn't new to me, ever since, he's always been touchy
Galing ito sa USA kaya no wonder if he's this liberated
"Haven't seen you in a while. I'm great, well now that you're here!" sabay bitaw ng kamay niya sa bewang ko
Narinig namin ang tikhim ng isang tao kaya lahat kami ay na divert ang attention. Well most of us. Base sa peripheral vision ko, nakatingin pa din sa amin si Elmo
"Oh Mr Hashemi!" hindi ata namalayan ni Luke na kanina pa ako gustong batiin ni Mr Hashemi dahil kanina pa siya nakayapos sa akin
"You seem madly smitten, young boy. Can I at least say hi to our CEO?"
"CEO?"
"What? She's THE heiress?"
"Si Julie talaga yan diba?"
"Ang ganda na ni Ms Julie"
Napatingin ako sa stage kung saan nag react ang apat and smiled mentally. Naalala ko, hindi nga pala nila alam. Bumaling ulit ako kay Mr Hashemi. Well nobody knows except for my family and my employees, of course
"Hi, Mr Hashemi. How have you been?" lumapit ako at bineso siya. Mr Hashemi is like a second father to me. He's so kind when it comes to me learning business. Kahit na President lang siya at hindi CEO, he would still help me when it's supposed to be me helping him
"I'm fine, my lady. When did you arrive?"
"None less than three weeks. I can't quite remember the exact date" I exclaimed and realizing na nakatutok pa din sa amin ang press
"Will it be okay if I ask you for lunch? West Side, Ms Natalie and the rest of the staff are going out"
Tiningnan ko si Clarisse at tumango lang siya meaning na wala na akong upcoming meeting or anything
"Sure!"
"Okay settled. We'll meet at the resto. Ms San Jose, it looks like Mr Evensen won't let you go so you can go ride in his car"
"Sure, sure" pagsangayon ko
Lumabas na ang press at ibang staff. Kami nalang ng West Band, Natalie, Clarisse and Luke ang natira
"I'll take Julie and Clarisse. See you there, guys" sabi ni Luke sabay lahad ng kamay niya meaning na gusto niyang buhatin ang bag ko. So I did the honour of giving it to him. I looked at the four guys at binigyan sila ng ngiti. Napagawi ang tingin ko kay Elmo na ngayon ay nakatingin sa bag ko na hawak ni Luke at nakakunot ang noo
"Sila na ba?"
"Bakit niya hinawakan ang kamay ng gunggong na iyon?"
"Sobrang gumanda lalo si Ms Julie"
"Shh tumahimik nga kayo. Naririnig pa rin kayo niyan!"
Nauna na kami lumabas after kuhanin ni Luke ang bag ko
Napasmile ako dahil kahit papaano ay namiss ko din sila. Hindi lang ako makalapit sakanila dahil baka bigla akong mag back-out sa sarili kong plano. And that would be the last thing I'll do. It's not that they are a part of this plan, they'll just be a hindrance to it knowing how immature they could get at times
NAKARATING kami sa restaurant at nandun na ang lahat. Ewan ko kung mabagal lang ba mag drive si Luke or mabilis pa din mag drive ang mga gunggong. Mga kaskasero. Or baka dahil sinakay pa namin sa taxi si Clarisse at may ime-meet daw siyang importante
