At Once

Chapter XXI

As I entered his office, I immediately questioned him, the unstoppable one. I even ask his whereabouts, but he still on his swivel chair not minding my presence. While wearing his in-famous poker-faced, as if he doesn't care in every inch of a single words I uttered.

I looked him, "Ano, hindi mo ba sasagutin ang mga tanong ko? Kailan ka pa dumating?" singhal ko.

Pansin ko pa ang malaliman niyang pag hinga. He's such a quiet and inscrutable kind of man. Ang laki ng pinag bago niya. Sa pananamit, tikas ng katawan, pananalita, kilos maging yata ugali. Name it. He changed a lot.

"Calm down, Jiena. I'm your boss and you're my employee. Hindi naman yata magandang tignan kung aasta ka ng ganiyan." Aniya sa isang seryosong boses.

Napa irap ako. Akala niya ba'y madadaan niya ako sa ganiyan?

"Don't fool me, i'm not that dumb as you think. Sabihin na nating maraming nabago sa panlabas na anyo mo, pero hindi parin maiiba non ang pagkaka kilala ko sa'yo, Gruego." Walang preno kong sabi na ikina laglag ng panga niya. Halos matawa ako sa naging reaksyon niya.

"Tsk, akala ko pa naman ay gagana." Aniya, bakas sa boses ang iritasyon.

Napa halakhak ako, "Mission failed, plans gone wrong." pang aasar ko na mas lalong ikina simangot niya.

"Long time no see, hindi ko akalaing ganiyan ang magiging pag bati mo." Aniya at iginiya akong maupo.

Pagak akong tumawa bago naupo sa tapat niya, "So Mr. Gruego, anong gusto mong ipatrabaho?" litanya ko at matamang tinignan siya.

Humilig siya sa kaniyang swivel chair at ipinag salikop ang mga daliri, "Just stay here, the company isn't hiring right now─" saad niya na agad kong pinutol.

"What?! But you said a while ago that i'm hired right? In the parking lot, remember?" I asked him abruptly.

He leaned forward to his desk while playing with his pen as he rotates it in between his fingers. "Of course you are, my dearest assistant."

"Assitant?! But i'm inclined of being a radio broadcaster. At isa pa, anong alam ko sa pagiging assistant mo?" Giit ko.

"So you're declining it?" Pag hahamon niya na ikinataas ng kilay ko.

"Of course. Marami kang tauhan rito na di hamak namang mas mapag kakatiwalaan at maaasahan kaysa saakin. So why bother choosing me?" Pag tuturo ko saaking sarili ng hindi makapaniwala.

"I don't need them. I want you to become my assistant, and you have no to say." He said, with an air of finality.

"And why is that? Isa lamang akong hamak na baguhan, ayokong mag trabaho sa iyo. Hindi rin naman ito ang gusto ko." I pouted.

"I still have fond and unfinished feelings for you, don't be too harsh and be my assistant." He said straight forward and I was like a dumb who are not able to utter a words.

Ni hindi ko makapa ang bawat salita na gusto kong sabihin. Salitang nasa dulo na ng dila ko ngunit hindi ko magawang sabihin at ipahayag. Damn, what's wrong with me?

"Alright, it's all settled then." He frankly said as he walked towards the door, "That's for today, you may go." He said as he closed the door.

He was determined to settle the dispute before going home for the day. I sighed. Masyadong maraming nangyari na hanggang ngayo'y hindi parin kayang i-absorb ng utak ko. Damn. What's going on with destiny, and he's playing with me. He's not in the act of playing it fairly. What should I do?