Killing You Softly (Completed)

CHAPTER 4

FOUR: "You're Hired."

"YOU are Scarlette Montano?"

"Yes, I am." confident kong sagot.

Nasa harap ako ngayon ng board ng HR Department sa Monteamor's Law Firm. Yes, after the day I gave Tyrone my application form, resume, and transcript of records yesterday ay tinawagan agad ako ng kompanya for an interview today.

Formal akong nakaupo sa harapan ng HR's board. I am, of course, wearing formal dress too. A white undershirt beneath my black executive blazer and skirt. I have some accessories to add up to my fashion; necklace, small white gold earings, authentic branded women's wristwatch and a pair of red stilletos.

"So, tell us about yourself, Miss Montano."

"Again, my name is Scarlette Montano. I am twenty-five years of age..." umpisa kong sunod-sunod at walang putol sa salita. Ewan ko ba pero hindi ako kinakabahan. Wala akong pressure na maramdaman 'di tulad ng ibang applicants na pinagpapaiwasan sa kaba. "I took and finished my law school at San Francisco. I passed my board exams and finally got my license there to be a registered lawyer."

Siguro hindi na ako kinakabahan at nag-uumapaw pa nga self-confidence ko dahil sanay na ako mga  sa ganito at may maipagmamalaki na talaga ako. I mean, ilang beses ko na 'tong napagdaanan, ang ganitong stage. Ang mag-apply at humarap sa interview. At sa California pa iyon, and take note, ang mga naa-applyan kong Law firms doon para pagtrabahuan ko ay naiha-hire ako. I never got rejected so bakit ngayon pa ako kakabahan? Bakit ngayon pa sa sarili kong bayan at bansa!

"You also worked there?"

"Yes. I worked in California for almost two years."

"What made you go back here in the Philippines when it seems like you already had great career abroad?"

"I gave up my great opportunity abroad, maam, because I know and I believe that no matter how my life went well there and I had big compensation in every case I won, I'm still bound for my own country. I'm still a lawyer of my own land, and that my duty to serve is still here in the Philippines."

Napangisi ako sa likod ng aking utak. Dami kong alam at sinabi ah? Well, in fact the truth is 'To kill your big boss...' 'Yon lang naman talaga yung rason at punto ko ng pagbalik dito sa Pilipinas!

Nakita kong nagngitian at nagtanguhan ang board of HR. Ako rin ay ngumiti. Yeah, I know. Magaling ako at napahanga ko sila sa mga sagot ko. Sooner or later I will be hired in this institution.

Pa'no ko naman kasi sila hindi mapapahanga gayong ang ko-common ng mga tanong nila at gasgas na rin! Magsisinungaling ako kung sasabihin kong hindi ko pa napagdaanan dati 'yang mga tanong nilang 'yan. Hay naku, sisiw!

"Last question, miss Montano, what would you promise us if we'll hire you?"

"I promise to do my duty very well and give my very best to serve justice to those people who will need it the most."

And I need it the most that's why I need to be hired here! I need justice for my sister whom I have lost years ago...

"Okay, miss Montano, please proceed to our examination."

Ngumiti ako at tumango. "Okay."

Dinala ako ng isang assistant sa examination room.

Bahagyang nagulat ako nang makitang halos pito lang kami. Sa dinami-rami naming sumalang kanina sa interview, pito lang kami pinag-proceed sa exams?!

Sa pagkakaalala ko, pang-thirty plus akong aplikante na sumalang sa interview at marami pang nakapila sunod sa akin. So, ibig sabihin hindi rin pala basta-basta ang standard nila at hindi sila basta-bastang nagha-hire?