PERFECT

At the beginning with you

"Sir?"

Bati ng kanyang sekretarya na nakatayo sa pinto ng kanyang opisina. Bukas naman na ang pinto at nasa loob na ng kanyang maluwang at magarang opisina ang kalahati ng katawan nito ngunit hindi pa tumuloy. Sinenyasan niya itong tumuloy kaya't dumiretso na ito sa kanyang desk.

"What is it now?" Anyang ibinaling ang atensyon sa sekretarya nang makalapit ito sa kanya. Naglapag ito ng ilang folder  sa kanyang harapan. Nakakunot-noong sinipat niya ang mga ito.

"Mr. Salvatorre, these papers were already signed and approved by the board members" patango-tango siya habang nagsasalita ang sekretarya. "Everything is fine and ready except for one thing" agad na napatingin siya rito. "The engineer"

"What's with the engineer?" Anyang napataas ang kilay.

"Approval nalang po ng engineer ang kulang, sir"

"Oh bakit hindi mo pa 'to ipa-approve sa kanya?" Anyang ibinalik sa sekretarya ang folder na hawak niya.

"Uhm, problem sir, hindi po sumasagot yung engineer... ilang beses ko na po siyang kinontak... through phone, e-mail... I even drop to his place pero hindi ko mahagilap... parang nagtatago ba sir" napatanga siya sa sagot ng sekretarya.

Hindi niya alam kung papaniwalaan niya ba ito o hindi. Matagal-tagal na rin niya itong kasama, masipag ito at dedicated sa trabaho. Sa sariling ebalwasyon, paniniwalaan niya ito.

"Paanong nagtatago? Anyway, hayaan na muna natin 'yan... how about our project in Batangas, nasimulan na ba?"

"Yes sir... oo nga pala sir... gusto raw po ng engineer doon na pumunta kayo ng personal para makita niyo raw po yung project and state your opinion"

"And when will that be?"

"This coming Saturday, sir"

"Okay, do I have any appointments other than that this weekend?"

"None, sir".

Agad na napangisi siya sa narinig. Ibig sabihin ay may oras pa siya para sa sinisinta. Lalong lumaki ang kanyang pagkakangiti ng rumehistro ang maganda nitong mukha sa kanyang isipan. He miss her. He can't wait for the weekend to come kahit mga tatlong araw na lamang iyon mula ngayon.

Nawala siya sa pagpapantasya ng mapansin niyang nakatingin ang sekretarya niya sa kanya.

"What?"

"Can I take a break, Sir?" Agad na sinilip niya ang oras. It's already pass noon at heto pa sila nagtatrabaho.

"Oh, yeah... you can go" tumayo ito at naglakad palabas but she stopped at the middle and turned to him as if she forgotten something. "Yes, Ms. Guzman?"

"Hindi pa kayo maglulunch, sir o gusto niyo bilhan ko nalang po kayo?"

"Uhm... no, lalabas nalang din ako. Just to free myself from this atmosphere"

"Okay, sir" she smiled with satisfaction before leaving. He then fixed his things. Put his laptop on sleep mode, locked his drawer, brought his phone and off he goes.

He went to the nearest Cafe in their building. He ordered a pasta and a latte.

He is an architect and working at Sullivan Corporation, a real estate company and his best friend's beloved inheritance.

His lips curved into a smile as he remembers how his friend hire him.

***flashback***

One and a half year after graduation

"Napakatagal naman ng lalaking 'yon" reklamo niya habang nakapalumbaba at ang isang kamay 'y tinatapik ng kanyang mga daliri ang lamesa. May usapan kasi sila ni Luke na magkikita sila sa McDonald's. Labing-limang minuto na nga siyang huli ay mas huli pa ito sa kanya. Sinadya niyang magpahuli para siguradong hindi siya maghihintay. Ngunit heto siya nakatunganga't naghihintay. Hindi pa siya umo-order. Nakaupo lamang siya sa pandalawahang upuan. Muli siyang sumulyap sa kanyang relo. Labing-limang minuto na ang nakalilipas mula nang siyang dumating ngunit ang magaling ay wala pa.

"Just in time" agad siyang lumingon sa pinanggalingan ng boses. Naniningkit ang kanyang maga mata nang makilala ito.

"Just in time?" Ulit niya sa sinabi nito. Ipinakita niya rito ang kanyang relo.

"What? Alam ko naman na magpapa-late ka. So, nagpa-late na rin ako" Luke said matter-of-factly. "You know what, this breaks business etiquette and you must stop this~" he purposely cut him in mid sentence.

"I know, sadyang sayo ko lang 'to ginagawa. Sa mga client ko hindi ako ganito".

Luke did the same thing to him. He cut him in his train of thoughts.

"I beg your pardon, Mister. Isa na rin ako sa mga client mo ngayon".

Natulig ang tainga niya. "What do you mean?" With a questionable look he faced Luke.

Umupo muna ito ng prente na tila pag aari nito amg lugar bago nakangiting nagsalita sa kanya.

"Well, I want you to be our resident architect... yeah 'cause y'know, it's really hard to find different archi in every project. Waste of time. Of money... and so effort... since you're there... why not... you, instead... right?"

Dire-diretso itong nagsalita kung kaya't iilan lang ang na-digest ng utak niya. At patuloy pa rin ito sa pagsasalita lalo lang siyang walang naiintindihan.

"Hang on" pigil niya rito. Agad naman itong huminto.

"So, you want me to be your resident archi... so why does it sound that I was just an option or it's just me?"

Akmang magsasalita ito ngunit pinigilan niya.

"Since I'M here... you choose ME instead... we don't need further explanation for this, Luke" ani niyang may diin sa bawat salita at nakataas ang kilay na animo'y isang babae na may pinaglalaban.

"Hey, it's not like that. Don't make it sound that I'm the bad guy here" Luke said matter-of-factly. "As I was saying, I want to take you as our OWN, yeah... own archi. So we don't have to waste our efforts and all to keep looking for available archi's in town. You say you're freelancing, right?"

"Yeah, and I want to keep it this way. I don't want to be bossed around." Sagot niya.

"Hear me out first"

"Yeah, I keep in doing that for about 15 minutes now" he said matter-of-factly.

"Well, I can offer you benefits that freelancing can't"

"Like?" Now Luke got his interest.

"Like, allowances includes travel, food, materials and health. Incentives and all. And oh... the salary is negotiable."

And there, that's how he was gotten by Luke.

Silly, he thought. This friend of his really knows how to play games with him. Well, that's how silly both they were.

*****present*****