Begin Again - A KaRa (Mika Reyes & Ara Galang) Fanfiction

Five

"Mika Reyes?"

I walked towards Ara's office. Hindi ko pinakita sa kanya na kinakabahan ako, mukha namang wala lang sa kanya 'to eh. Fine, edi wala rin 'to sakin.

Ara looked at me in the eye before stepping away from the doorway to let me in. She didn't even greet me nang makapasok na 'ko, dumiretso na siya sa upuan niya at binasa 'yung mga papeles sa table niya.

I looked around her office and it was completely different from the entire building. Sobrang plain, sobrang dull. This was the kind of office that I didn't want to spend my whole life working in. Pero, no choice na eh.

I continued looking around until my gaze landed on hers. Ngayon ko lang napansin na hindi humahaba buhok niya, palagi niya siguro pinapagupit. For a while nagtitinginan lang kami, it was as if she was waiting for me to say something, I just didn't know what.

"Sit," She finally said and resumed reading the papers in front of her.

I sat on the chair in front of her desk. Tinignan ko lang siya and I waited for her to say or ask something. This is just getting really uncomfortable.

Napahinga siya. "Experience?" She said without looking at me.

"Uhm, excuse me?"

Napatingin siya sakin. "Experience. Do you have any experience with being an assistant?"

Napakamot ako sa ulo 'ko. Manhid ba 'tong babaeng 'to? Or sadyang tanga lang? Medyo nag-focus muna kasi ako sa volleyball before ako mag-work? 'Di ba niya alam 'yun?

"Uh, wala, eh." I replied. I had to hold it together if I wanted to get this job.

She nodded. "Was your course related to the job you're currently applying in?"

"Uhm," Napalunok ako. I have no idea why but I'm starting to feel pressured. If I don't get this job, Cienne will definitely leave. I can't have that. I have to get this job.

But also, I'm starting to realize na, bakit tinatanong sakin ni Ara kung ano course ko? Alam niya naman 'yun ah? She's acting like she never knew me. Hmm, confirmed. Tanga nga si ate gurl.

"Well, I took A.B. Psychology nung College sa La Salle," I finally replied.

"Hmm, so, wala kang experience sa pagtatrabaho sa kahit anong company, and wala ring connection 'yung course mo sa job na in-a'applyan mo?" Ara questioned, but I didn't think she was waiting for an answer.

I looked down. So far, so bad. If I wanted to get this job, I had to say something, I had to redeem myself.

"P-Pero, I know so much about this stuff. I was a volleyball player, I played for La Salle, with you..." I tried to specify things since she's acting like she has no idea what I'm talking about. "That was only three years ago, and, a month ago I played for F2 Logistics, so, basically, my whole life evolved around sports. I could definitely contribute a lot to Lumiere sportswear, and be a great assistant, since I experienced working with you before, if y-you'd just let me."

Ara put down the papers she was holding for the first time since I got here. Sumandal siya sa chair niya and played with her pen. "Mika Reyes," She looked at me in the eye. "I know all of this stuff. Ano akala mo sa'kin, tanga?"

I almost laughed since it was exactly I was thinking not too long ago. Buti na lang natigil ko 'yung tawa ko.

"I know that you were a volleyball player. Tayo nga yung tinatawag nilang Taft Tandem, diba?" I sighed, relieved. I was starting to think na baka nagka-amnesia 'tong babaeng 'to kaya parang wala siyang pake na nagkita ulit kami. I had a sense of happiness, too, hearing her talk about us for the first time in three years. It's like Deja Vu.

"The Dynamic Duo. That's what we were." Ara stood up. "Tuwing may nagsasabi ng Ara Galang, palaging may kadikit na Mika Reyes. People think I'm no use without you, and you're no use without me. Hindi tayo mapaghiwalay nun." She walked towards me and sat on the chair across me. She's much nearer now. "But the question is, after three years of being apart, tayo pa rin ba ang Dynamic Duo? Is Ara still no use without Mika? And is Mika still no use without Ara? Napaghiwalay nga tayo eh. How can you prove to me na after all these years, when people say Ara Galang, palaging magiging kadikit pa rin nun ang Mika Reyes?"

It was a question I never dared to ask myself these past three years. 'Di ko alam kung anong isasagot ko. Feeling ko pang-Miss Universe na tanong 'to eh.

And then, it hit me. Who the hell knows, diba?

I sat up and held my head high. If I was going to answer this mala-Miss Universe question, I had to answer it with confidence. Dapat, mala-confidently beautiful with a heart. Pia Wurtzbach, ganern.

"Well, I don't know," I simply said. "Hindi naman ako manghuhula para malaman 'yung future if ever magiging assistant mo nga 'ko. But I do know that we were the Dynamic Duo and the Taft Tandem when we were still in the world of volleyball. Pero ibang world na 'to, this is the world of business. So, really, who the hell knows? We can never know unless you give me a chance."

Ara interlocked her hands and placed it in front of her belly. Tahimik lang siya for a while. Nag-iisip yata. She sighed, stood up, and sat back at her seat.

"You can leave now," She said without looking at me.

Fuck. I didn't get the job. Mali 'yung nasabi kong sagot. Puta! Bakit?! This pretty much means Cienne would have to go back sa U.S. and, I'd have to go back to my family and maghanap ng job dun sa Bulacan. Not that I wouldn't want that, pero ayoko lang talaga umalis si Cienne. Si Cienne na 'yung best friend ko ngayon. In fact, she's the only decent friend I have.

It really hurts, I really did give my best pero hindi pa rin eh. Matamlay akong tumayo at nagtangkang umalis, but I was stopped by Ara.

"We start tomorrow, first thing in the morning," She said.

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "H-Ha?"

"Your salary will start to increase based on your performance. Kaya galingan mo."

I stopped breathing for a second. "Wait wait wait wait," Umupo ulit ako sa inupuan ko kanina. "So, I get the job?"

Napakunot noo niya, then, she nodded.

"Oh my gosh!" I stood up and jumped of joy. "Thank you, thank you! Shet! THANK YOU TALAGA!"

She nodded, giving me an ang-OA-mo-naman look. "Sige na, you can leave."

"Thank you talaga!" I held her hand na nasa desk niya. Pero tinanggal niya agad at tinignan ako na parang may ginawa akong krimen. Luh, ano mali dun?

"Leave. Be here tomorrow, first thing in the morning." Sobrang seryoso na nung tone ng boses niya kaya nag-bow na lang ako sa kanya at umalis na.

I had no idea what happened there, but I do know that I'm happy. I got the job, which means, hindi aalis si Ciennang!

I left the office and saw Jerome already waiting for me sa may couch. He stood up and asked how it went. I smiled, grabbed him by the wrist, and told him all about it.

//

i'm so sad dlsu lost against admu today pero it's okay, i know babawi sila hehe. just in case some of u are down, here's an update to cheer u all up [and in case sad kayo cos di yata nagpicture yung kara hmp and kung nagpicture man, di man lang pinost hayy]. also, i've realized na if i updated once/twice a week, baka di ko 'to matapos before summer ends so i decided to update AT LEAST twice a week. that's all, love y'all fellow pakwan! :-)