That One Heck of a Guy (Ongoing)

Chapter Four

SLATE

I was awakened by the sound of my phone ringing. I scrunched up my face and reached out for my phone with closed eyes. I yawned and opened my eyes slowly one by one, blinked a few times, then I answered it.

"Kuya, what?" I said groggily while scratching up the back of my neck.

"Get up."

"I was about to. Hay, you don't have to call!" I sighed through my nose. "I can manage okay?"

"Oh really?? Do you even know what time it is? You're dead meat."

Kinabahan ako so I sat up at tumingin agad ako sa relo. It's 6:00?! What the--?

"What's wrong with you kuya? It's only 6 in the morning?! Kaya pala nagtataka ako kung bakit hindi ko pa naririnig yung alarm!"

I heard him laughing on the other line, tsk. Pinagti-tripan ako nito, wala na sigurong magawang matino.

"Argh! Stop it alright? Or else I'll get back on you, you won't like me when it's my turn for the pranks. Teka, wala ka na sigurong magawang matino dyan no? Magtrabaho ka na nga lang ulit dito!" I was laughing evilishly pero ang totoo naiinis talaga ako sa ginawa niya, now I'll have a hard time sleeping again! I yawned, argh, I feel sleepy but I don't think I could ever get back to sleep, kuya knows I have some sort of sleeping problems especially on mornings, but he still did this to me. Darn I'll get back on you for sure, just wait.

I facepalmed myself and massaged my forehead a bit.

"So Slate, by the way, how's work?" he said in a semi-serious tone.

"Er, um, it's good..?" though that sounded like a question.

"Hm, I see. So Slate, say, how many breaks are there each day at work?"

My eyes widened upon hearing the word 'breaks'. My jaw dropped slightly and my sleepiness was suddenly wiped from my face. My eyes began wandering on the corners of my room with my eyebrows furrowed together. I bit my lip. Oh crap, does he know?

"Um, uh.. three?" I answered with uneasiness lingering in my voice. How I hate feeling this way, para akong isang kriminal na may malaking sikretong tinatago. But I'm not like that, dahil mababaw lang naman ang ginagawa ko ah? I'm just taking I guess uh, 6 to 7 breaks everyday? It's not like it would kill someone or something similar to that.. right??

"Well then, how many breaks do YOU take?" he said in a way which somehow sounded like an interrogation session conducted to me.

There goes the question! I somehow knew it was coming but hearing it directly from him still made me stutter. Teka, paano siya nagka-idea about my breaks? Maybe it's just me, but it seems like there's something fishy here, wala naman siya dito, so I guess, hm, someone told him? Someone in the company? I narrowed my eyes at the thought.

"Slate?" he said, probably because he wasn't getting any response from me. I suddenly snapped back to my senses.

"Seven, I mean, no, uh, six." I blurted attempting to make things lighter. After a few seconds, realization came over me. How could I have been so honest?? TOO honest!!

Sana sinabi ko man lang na 5.. or 4! Why 6?? I groaned, I wanted to kick myself right now. I'm sure he's fuming mad at me at this instant, after what I just said. I then waited nervously for his response.

"Okay. Glad you were honest. I won't have the urge to smack you on the head by myself." he responded. I could imagine him smirking at me right now, though I know he is aware I couldn't see him.

Wait a minute. He's not mad? Based on what he said I could see that he knows the truth already, but the question is, who told him? Sino ba ang pakialamerong yon at nagiging 'private eye' yata ni kuya? I'll try to squeeze it from him.