I'm Watching You

Chapter 3

"Two original glazed and one caramel mocha." I ordered sa Krispy Kreme. I waited for five minutes bago ko nakuha ang order ko.

As I was sitting right next to the window of the store, isang lalaki ang umupo sa opposite seat ko. HOLY CRAP!

"I remember you." Really holy crap! Director Blaine is in the hoooouuuuse!

"Eh? hehe." I couldn't find the right words to say.

"Hmm." Pinanliitan ako nito ng mata na ani mo ay nang aasar. Ay wow siya pa mangaasar? Nagcross legs ito at inilagay ang kanyang index sa kanyang baba. "Do you know me?"

Napakamalas na umaga. 

"Yes, Director of Research and Development." This situation is really awkward.

"Sooooo. You are?"

"Eh?" At bakit aalamin niya pa pangalan ko?

"Your name."

"Ahh. I am Kriesha, Kriesha Dape. Secretary of Ms. Francine."

"I see. Let's drop the formalities na tone. We are outside the company. You could speak casually and comf'tably with me." What? How? This is so awkwaaaaaard! Sa sobrang awkward napainom nalamang ako ng aking drinks at napapagala ang aking mata sa kung saan maliban sa mukha ni Mr. Blaine.

"Aish! Akala ko naman friendly ka."- Mr. Blaine.

"Huh?"

"Tsk. By the way, yung nakita mo sa storage kalimutan mo nalang. Hahaha. That is so usual naman."

"ha-ha-ha" I awkwardly laugh. "yes. usual."

"Naririnig mo rin ba yung mga chismis about sa akin na lahat ng naging secretaries ko na..." At hindi ko na napigilang mapatingin sa kanya. Nakatingin ito sa akin hoping na alam ko na kung ano ang gusto niyang iparating.

"Ahh. yes, narinig ko nga."

"Aeeey! That's not true. May tatlo namang hindi. Di ko type." Naiiling nitong pagkukwento at saka uminom ng kanyang coffee.

"So proud ka talaga?"

"Hmmm. Di mo naman kasi ako masisisi kasi sila naman lumalapit eh. Sila nagpapakita ng motibo. I'm just giving them what they want. Lahat ng mga naging secretaries ko sila pumili na mapunta sa department ko. Ang gwapo ko talaga."

"Oh? So bakit mo sa akin kinukwento?" wait... kailan pa ko nagsimulang magsalita casually sakanya? deng! Okay ituloy na ito. Kasi naman bakit nga ba?

"Hmmm. Bakit nga kaya?" Ibinaba nito sa lamesa ang kanyang coffee saka nag lean on the table. "Be my next Secretary."

I was speechless. "W--w-a-e-What do you mean? w=why me?"

"Aeeey! Ikaw lang secretary na inalok ko ha. Umoo ka nalang. I promise hindi ka mahihirapan sa department ko."

"No thanks. Kontento na ako sa Department ko."

" Please! Sakin ka nalang." Kinuha nito ang kamay ko at hinawakan ito ng mahigpit as he look at me with his pleading eyes, though I don't even think it is sincere.

Pero pucha lang talaga pinagtitinginan na kami dito. Shietness talaga.

"Ahh, hehehe. Please, Sir. Nakakahiya na." Pinipilit ko namnag tanggalin yung kamay ko pero kainis ang higpit ng kapit.

"Marami ka pang madidiscover as a Secretary pag--" Naputol ang sasabihin nito ng may isang babae ang nagsalita.

"Blaine!" She's Ms. Francine. woah! The authority. I felt secured and happy as I saw her. (sigh) She so cool.

" France!W-what are you doing here?"- Blaine.

 "Stop pestering my Assistant. Tigilan mo yang kalokohan mo ha. Unting unti nalang talaga."- Ms. Francine.

"Okay,  okay." He raised his hands and stood up. "Goodbye, Ms. Francine." He winked at her and smirked at me before retreating. Ms. Francine massaged her forehead in annoyance.

"Sorry for what my cousin did."

"Ehhh? y..you and --"

"Yes. We are cousins. Wag mo nalang pansinin. Oh by the way, tatawagan sana kita but I saw you here with him. Might as well rescue you so I could talk to you narin. I have a favor to ask."

"Yes. Miss. Anything."

"Starting today, these things na ipapagawa ko sayo is classified, okay?"

Okay kinakabahan ako sa classified na to ah. "Yes po." I took out my diary from my pocket para isulat ang mga ipapagawa niya.

"I wanted you to look for the Perez Family." Inabotan niya ako ng profile ng isang lalaki. Peter Perez. "Look for his whereabouts and also his other family members. He was once in our department, 2007 siya nagstart magtrabaho dito but 2009 bigla nalang siya nawala and no one knows where he is na. Pero nito lang I got an information regarding sa bago niyang address. Please look for it. Lahat ng need mo na information para mahanap siya is nandiyan sa papel na iyan. Kaya paki ingatan. Please ireport mo sa akin lahat ng malalaman mo, right away. Tumawag ka agad. Here is my personal phone number. Call me here." Iniabot naman niysa sa akin ang isang piraso ng papel na may sulat ng number niya.

"So to make things clear, If you know the 2009 issue in our company, this is it all about."

"Ahh. The biggest issue na nabalita sa tv? The murder of  family Policarpio? Our former president?" 

"Yes. Maraming sumusunod na mata sa akin ngayon kaya hindi ako pwedeng magpahalata. So I really need you. They won't suspect you naman because I am known as a director with trust issue. I never gave any special task sa mga naging secretary ko. Well, as for now. I couldn't trust you yet pero I have no choice. Kailangan ko ng tao na gagawa nito for my investigation. I am desperate."

"Ah-m-Ms. Francine, matanong ko lang po kung bakit iniimbistigahan niyo pa ito? Hindi po ba case closed na ito?"

"Case close."Napatawa naman ito ng mapait."Sinarado nila kasi hindi nila mahuli kung sino talaga ang nangmurder kaya binato nalang nila lahat sa nagiisang suspect nila. They even fabricated evidences. Damn those stupids." She stare at the window as the cars pass by. "The prosecution is currently eyeing on us. They got an information regarding to the slush funds in our company that was under the name of unknown person. As I reviewed the documents you got from the archives, ang daming pera ang nawala sa department natin. I computed all the funds given to us minus the things we bought and the money we used for other stuff, mahigit sampung milyon ang nawala sa atin mula 2009 hanggang 20011. And worse, as I am the director of this department, maari nilang ibato ito sa akin. Kaya please help me find Mr. Perez. I think may kinalaman siya dito."

Medyo hindi narin siya nakakagulat. Kasi ganito naman talaga samga kompanya. Hindi talaga maiiwasan na may mga ganitong issue. "Yes, Ms. Francine. I will find him."

She gave me a small envelope. I opened it and it contains cash. "Use that as your pocket money as you search for him. If pwede, as soon as possible magsimula ka na."

I stood up and put on my sling bag. "I'll go now."

She smiled, a sincere one. She's so pure. "Thank you."