Stonehearts 2: Amethyst

Six

"I need to see you boss right now, please." I hissed under my breath trying to keep my fury down. Ayokong manigaw ng tao, unless si Cube yun. "Sorry po Doctor Buendia but Sir Cube is busy at the moment. On going kasi ang meeting niya at ayaw niya nagpapaistorbo kapag ganoon." Her secretary answered. Mukha siyang aligaga, it seems like everyone I meet today is in a bad mood.

"Okay, just tell him I dropped by." I said in defeat. Kahit naman na anong galit ko sa kanya hindi ko siya pwedeng istorbohin sa trabaho niya. He's paying me to do this, dapat wala na akong problema. But my values are killing me. I don't want this, hindi ko gusto itong nangyayari.

He called me at 9 'o clock in the evening taht day. This is the first time he called me out of office hours. Sabi ko kasi sa kanya 'wag siyang tatawag sa akin after 5pm. I just don't want to bathe on his arrogance and cockiness. I need a rest.

"What do you want?" Galit na sagot ko sa tawag niya.

"Woah! Calm down tiger. Sabi ng secretary ko you dropped by my office this afternoon, and I quote. "Sir Cube, dumaan po dito si Doctor Buendia hinahanap ka po, wala namang iniwang pasabi pero po mukhang galit." May I ask the reason why you are pissed at me again?"

I did some breathing exercise before I answered. Ayokong sumigaw dahil baka magising si daddy na nasa kabilang kwarto lang. "Because you are one son of a bitch that's why." I gritted through my teeth. But it didn't help. I just got more annoyed at him when he just chuckled. "Anong itinatawa mo jan Cube? Sinabi na sa akin ni Cynthia ang lahat, kung paano mo siya gustong gamitin para lang sa ikabubuti mo." I growled. His laughed was cut off and was replaced by a dangerous silence.

I heard him sigh. "That's not your business Amorr. Hindi mo na dapat pinapakialaman ang mga ganoon bagay. That's between me and Cynthia. I am paying you anyway, so stop whining like a high schooler."

Ah so pera pera na lang? Hindi porket marami kang pera kaya mo ng gawin lahat! I pulled my hair in annoyance. I can't do anything because he freaking has a point. He is Cube Calderazzo afteral. Alam kong kapag umayaw ako sa gusto niyang mangyari, mayayari ang kompanya ko. Napamasahe na lang ako sa sentido ko, wala akong laban sa taong ito. I ended the call withhout saying anything more. Wala na akong choice kundi gawin na lang ang gusto niyang mangyari. Kapag mas maaga ko namang nagawa ito, mas maaga rin siyang mawawala sa buhay ko. I'll just remain friends with Cynthia, para kapag sinaktan na siya ng Cube na 'yon she'll have my shoulder to cry on.

The next morning, may tatlong basket nanaman ng parehas na kulay ng rosas sa opisina ko. Hindi ko na kailangang magtanong kung kanino galing. I took the note out of the envelope and read what it has to say. "I like you calling me Chancellor.
P.S. I didn't mean what I said about you whining like a high schooler. – Chance."

He can't just send me flowers everytime he irks the hell out of me! He needs to control his haughtiness. I bawled on Jess na mabilis namang lumitaw sa harapan ko. I wrote Cube's office address on a piece of paper before handing it to her. "I want you to send these flowers back to the sender. Here's the address." Sandali niyang binasa iyon saka siya napatingin ulit sa akin. 'Yong mga mata niya nagtatanong kung bakit siya pupunta sa Calderazzo Corporation at magbabalik ng bulaklak. "Just go Jess. No more questions." Sambit ko bago pa siya nagkaroon ng pagkakataong magsalita.

30 minutes nang nakaalis si Jess tumatawag na sa akin si Cube. I rolled my eyes dahil hindi niya tinititigilan ang cellphone ko kahit ilang beses ko ng in-end ang tawag niya. Hanggang sa, "Miss Amy si Mr. Calderazzo po nasa phone. Gusto ka raw pong kausapin." Tugon ni Jess.

"Busy ako kamo." Napatango naman siya agad at umalis. Akala ko pagkatapos n'on titigilan na ako ni Cube pero maya maya narinig ko nang nagkakagulo na sa labasng opisina ko. I was about to open the door to see what's happening but someone beat me to it. Cube was standing in front of me in his navy blue suit, looking dashing as always. I regret staring at him for too long because a grin automatically appeared on his goddamn gorgeous face.

Napabuntong hininga ako bago ko siya pinapasok sa opisina ko. Wala naman na akong magagawa, nandito na siya. Hindi na niya ako hinintay ayain siya sa isa sa mga upuan doon, basta umupo na lang siya at talaga namang sa shrivel chair ko pa.

"Anong kailangan mo?" Tanong ko sa kanya ng walang kainte-interes habang nagaayos ng files sa metal drawers. "Is that how you treat your guest Amorr? Hindi mo man lang ako aayain ng kape?" He asked in arrogance. I can feel my nerves throbbing in my head. "I like my coffee black, one scoop of sugar, no milk or cream." He continued.

I again sighed saka ako lumabas para kausapin si Jess. "Jess pagtimpla mo ng kape si Cube. No sugar, one scoop of milk or cream." Utos ko sabay balik sa loob. She jerked her head up dahil kilala niya ako, hindi ko tinatawag ang mga kliyente namin sa pangalan, lahat last name basis.

"So ano nga ang pinunta mo rito? Marami pa akong gagawin." I asked blankly.

"Bakit mo ibinalik ang mga bulaklak?" He asked seriously. I just stared at him, bakit ko naman tatanggapin?

"I don't want them."

"You seem to be very taken by them the first time. What made you hate them this time?"

Saka pumasok si Jess na dala ang kape ni Cube, sinundan namin siya ng tingin parehas habang naglalakad siya at inilapag ang kape sa harap ng unwelcomed guest namin. She whispered goodbye bago ako muling nagsalita. "Wala, I just don't want them." Naningkit ang mata niya sa akin sabay inom ng kape niya, never taking his eyes off me. "Then what do you want?"

Napakunot ako ng noo. Is he really asking me this question? "You, out of my life, you not bothering me, not pestering the hell out of me." I said with my gaze levelling his. Wala siyang sinagot, saka siya napatingin sa kapeng hawak niya. Iniluwa niya ito pabalik sa tasang hawak niya. "What the?! I said no milk or cream! I'm lactose intolerant damn it!" Sigaw niya sabay bagsak ng tasa sa mesa. Tumapon pa nga iyon. Then I remembered, parang baliktad ata 'yong nasabi ko kay Jess. "I know you're mad at me and all Amorr. But don't you think you're being too cruel to let me drink something I'm not allowed to drink?" He said quietly before he exited my office.

Okay, so hindi ko sinasadya na bigyan siya ng kape na may gatas. I just feel so tired everytime I see him so maybe that's why I got things mixed up. Ngayon ako naman ang kailangang magsorry sa kanya. This man is so aggravating!

Pinalipas ko ang buong umaga bago ako nagpunta sa opisina niya kinahapunan. I stopped by Starbucks before going here. When his secretary saw me agad naman niya akong kinausap, "Sir Cube po?" She asked. Napatango ako, "Sige po sandali lang. I'll just advise him that you're here Doc, nasa meeting kasi siya ngayon." Napaupo ako sa sofa sa harap ng reception. I need to tell her to stop calling me doctor. A few moments later nakabalik na siya, "Nasa opisina na po si Sir Cube, Doc Buendia. Pwede niyo na po siyang puntahan." Sambit niya kaya nagmadali akong nagpunta roon.

He was standing while he has his other hand on his waist while texting. Iba na ang kulay ng suit na suot niya, kulay brown na. "Yes?" He asked immediately as soon as I pushed the door open. Saka siya napatitig sa Venti na hawak ko. "Here, peace offering dahil sa kanina." I said as I hand him the cup. Kinuha naman niya iyon saka niya binasa ang note na inilagay ko, "No milk or cream, one scoop of sugar. I'll try to remember. - Amorr"

"Yeah, I kind of mixed things this morning." Paliwanag ko. Ngumisi siya sabay inom ng kape na binigay ko. "Thanks." He muttered after taking a sip. My mind jumbled after seeing his deadly smirk. I took a deep breath before I choked out some words. "Sure thing, I better go. May meeting ka daw sabi ni Vena. Bye."

Hindi ko na siya hinintay sumagot basta lumabas na ako ng opisina niya. Para kasing nanikip ang dibdib ko sa mdi ko malamang rason. Pero bago pa ako tuluyang umalis, I asked Vena the lingering question in my mind. "Vena akala ko ba ayaw ng boss mo magpaistorbo kapag may meeting?"

"Opo, pero sabi niya po kasi basta raw po ikaw ang naghanap sa kanya okay lang daw na maistorbo siya."