Before The Next Teardrops Fall

BTNTF Twelve

MAELEE came back to the office with Lisa. Tahimik ang paligid dahil late na silang nag-lunch, kaya late na rin silang nakabalik.

Ang masama pa yata talaga ang araw ng lunes para sa kanya. Kung mas mamalasin pa, eto na yun. Nakasalubong pa nila si Bianca. Hindi nga siya tinarayan nito pero ang talim naman ng tingin nito and it says it all; If look could kill, she's been dead centuries ago.

Nakangiti ito... hindi, nakangisi pala. Kinilabutan si Maelee sa nakikita sa dalaga, natakot siya. Never in her life na makakakilala siya ng ganitong klase ng tao at para namang on que, naglaro na naman ang sinabi ng Kuya Aldrin niya sa kanya.

Nagtuloy na silang dalawa ni Lisa, siya sa Accounting Dept. Pinakukuha ni Erica ang lahat ng gamit niya para mailipat na siya ng permanenteng opisina niya sa Marketing department.

Nawala si Lisa paglabas nila ng elevator car. Binalewala niya kasi alam naman niya ang pagbalik sa dating cubicle niya. Iniligpit niya ang mga personal niyang gamit, mga folders na kakailanganin niya, mga office supplies na in-issue sa kanya kasama na ang company laptop.

She transferred all the files she created on the desktop to the laptop in a matter of minutes. Some were saved on a thumb drive, deleted all that is not necessary anymore, cleared the cookies and cachè, cleaned the trash bin and logged off of the desktop and shut it down.

Tamang-tama namang tapos na siya nang dumating si Lisa na may dala-dalang bakanteng kahon. She felt a little relieved to find her friend. Yes, they are friends even before, they just got closer since they see each other everyday here.

Lisa helped Maelee put all that she needed to bring back to her new desk. She is now one of the new Marketing Assistant Supervisor dahil yung ang request ng supervisor. For the meantime, she would act as the temporary HR Supervisor.

The former HR supervisor handling the newly hired employees and other employees affairs like team building, seminars and conferences got promoted to be the HR director for the Cebu branch, so Erica offered her the position. It's more like she was told to take it.

"Okay na ba tayo, Ms Lee?" Tanong ni Lisa pagkatapos ilagay ang stapler sa loob ng box. Pero bago pa man siya nakasagot ay may sumingit na naman sa usapan nila. This day keeps on getting better. Sarkastikong turan ni Maelee sa isip niya.

"So, you are taking the company's stapler with you." It wasn't a question at all, it was more of an accusing statement. Coming from Bianca? Yes, it will be.

"Uhm... Ms Brynn---" Lisa wasn't able to finish what she was about to say since Brynn cut her off in an angry tone.

"Shut it, Ms. Caparas! This is not a conversation between you and I." Sabay harap nito kay Maelee. Nagtinginan ang ibang empleyado dahil sa lakas ng pagsasalita ni Brynn. Napayuko si Lisa, napaatras naman si Maelee.

Kinuha ni Brynn ang stapler na nakapatong sa pinaka ibabaw ng kahon, napansin nito na iba pang naroon na pag-aari ng kompanya. Kilala niya ito dahil ang supplies na gamit nila sa Scottsdale Empire ay customized lahat na gawa ng company ng Mommy niya, exclusively.

"This..." Itinaas niya ang kamay na may hawak na stapler at notepad na parang ipinakikita kay Maelee. "This is owned by our company and you are stealing it!" Mapangbintang nitong sigaw sa dalagang kaharap.

"Ms. Scott, I am not stealing anything from your company if that's what you are really trying to say. Everything in this box is going to HR kasi hinihingi ni Mrs. Villasis." Yun na lang ang nasabi niya. Ayaw niyang marinig ng iba na promoted siya in a short notice. Natameme si Brynn. At dahil matigas ang ulo ng dalaga, mataray at matalim ang mga salitang binitawan nito.