Present
~Khaleen~
It's been exactly 10 years since we moved here from Palawan. We're totally fine after we got here. Naka-adjust kami agad especially Kholeen and I who entered in an International School as scholars. We both graduated college with flying colors and now, Kholeen is currently working at a private bank while I'm working at a Science Lab secretly. Yes, secretly. Pumapasok lang ako kapag kailangan ako sa lab so my parents and Kholeen can't notice that I'm working. Akala nila wala akong trabaho dahil after kong gumraduate, wala pa akong naibigay ni singkong duling sa kanila. Minsan sinasabihan nila akong tanga dahil sa dami ng nagkakandarapang kompanya sa akin ay wala akong pinili ni isa. May tinanggap naman akong isa! Hindi lang nila alam. Well, i have my reasons. Nasasabihan na nga akong tamad dahil akala nila ayaw kong magtrabaho. Ang hirap kaya gumawa ng gamot! But I can't complain because they don't know anything about my work.
Kung nagtataka kayo kung saan napupunta ang mga milyones kong sweldo. Opo, I'm paid millions of pesos because my team has done different breakthroughs regarding tumors sa katawan. Ang mga naibmento naming gamot ay nakapagpagaling na ng mga malignant tumors without undergoing operations.
I'm saving it para sa pinapatayo kong bahay na malaki. When I say it's malaki, it's really big. As in huge. It's located sa Tagaytay.
So para naman hindi na nagrereklamo ang mga parents ko dahil daw sa 'katamaran ko' , I applied for a job yesterday online inclined din sa medicine sa isang malaking kompanya. Hinihintay ko nalang ang tawag nila habang nakaupo sa maliit naming upuan sa maliit naming sala sa maliit naming bahay. Yes, maliit lang. Hindi naman kami mahirap hindi din mayaman. Sakto lang.
Kaya lang puno ng batya yung bahay namin pag umuulan, may katandaan na rin kasi itong nalipan namin na bahay kaya naman may tumutulo galing sa bubong namin. Kapag signal number 2 sa labas, asahan mo, signal number 1 sa loob ng bahay namin. Pagkatapos na pagkatapos talaga nung pinapagawa kong bahay lilipat na kami agad dun kinabukasan!
Sa totoo lang naaawa ako sa kapatid ko. Kasi halos siya lahat yung gumagastos para dito sa bahay. I really want to help her but I can't. Magtataka sila kung saan ko nakukuha yung pera. Hindi nila pwedeng malaman ang tungkol sa trabaho ko. Kaya nga nag apply ako ng ibang trabaho para matulungan ko na siya. Kaya kahit na papalitan ko yung tumutulo na bubong namin, hindi sila magtataka kung saan ko galing ang pera.
Soooo, while waiting for their call, I went to our kitchen and saw my mom cooking for lunch. I want to learn how to cook but everytime I try, the result is either burnt or raw. Last time I tried to cook, I almost burned our house down so from that time, I stopped cooking. What for? I'm a certified kitchen jinx. Why is it so unfair?! I love kitchen but I'm pretty sure kitchen doesn't love me back. So I didn't bother helping mom out in cooking our lunch today.
"Hey mom! What's the menu?"
"Bicol express. Tsaka wag mo sabi akong Englishin. Pilipino tayo." reklamo sa akin ni mama. Marnunong naman sya mag English pero ginagamit nya lang yon pag kailangan.
"Sorry naman! Syempre nasanay na! Bawal kasi mag tagalog sa school namin dati kung hindi Filipino yung subject."
"Sus! Uy yung phone mo oh, umiilaw."
I went to the table where I left my phone and there's someone calling. It's landline. I'm pretty sure that this is the company I applied for.
"Mom! Gotta check this out for a minute! Sarapan mo yan!"
I went to my bedroom as quickly as I can and answered the phone.
"Hello? Good morning." I said
"Good morning ma'am, is this Francess Khaleen Faller?"
"Yes, speaking."
"This is about your application yesterday and I want to tell you that you're hired and you're starting the day after tomorrow."
"Oh, no more interview?"
"No need ma'am. They need a manager so badly now."
"What?! Manager?"
"Yes ma'am, you applied for that position."
"I did?!"
"Yes. Is there something wrong?"
"Ahhh, no. No. Thanks."
"Pleasure ma'am. Oh! I almost forgot. You have to come here tomorrow at the main branch for the contract signing. 10 am sharp. Don't be late! Our boss is really strict"
"Thank you. I'll come"
Seriously?! I applied for that position?! THAT IS A REAL STRESS! Nakita ko lang kais na hiring sila kaya nag apply ako. Not even reading kung ano ang hinahanap nila. Hay nako naman! Whatever! Basta may trabaho na ako! Gotta share this big news!
"Mom! Mom! Mom! I got a job!" I said in a sing-song voice.
"Talaga? Anong trabaho?! Saan?!"
"Manager sa Sactieo!"
"Wow naman! Hindi ba kompanya iyon ng mga gamot? Mahirap na trabaho yan!"
"I hope not. Gotta call dad!"
I dialed his number kaya lang wala pala akong load. Saklap ng buhay men! Kung pwede ko lang gamitin yung Iphone ko! Nakatago lang dun sa kasulok-sulukan ng aking cabinet! Bayaan mo! Malapit na kitang magamit! Anyways, I'll just wait dad and Kholeen here.
I arrived at the main building at exactly 9:30 for the contract signing and it's 11 for crying out loud but their fuckin' boss is not here yet! Like what the hell! I mean.. Oh c'mon! He must be a good example for his employees! Akala ko ba strict yon?! Hambalusin ko yun eh!
"Wala pa rin ba?" Tanong ko kay Shasha. His secretary and the one whom I talked over the phone yesterday. And I can say na... Kalog itong babaeng ito! Magkakasundo kami nito!
"Saglit lang kase. Wait ka lang" habang abala syang nagtatype doon sa computer nya.
"Utang na loob naman! Sampung beses mo na sinabi sakin yan! Hindi pa ako nag breakfast no! Gutom na gutom nako! Sasapakin ko na yung amo mo eh!"
Nakailang game na ako sa ML at malapit nang malowbat ang phone ko kakahintay jan sa boss nila. How professional. Ni hindi man lang tumawag na male-late pala sya.
"Tiis yaman ang tawag dyan. Malay mo kasi natraffic lang!"
"Dami mong alam. Saang lupalop ng bansa mo naman nahalukay ang tiis yaman mong yan?"
"Excuse me... ako ang nag imbento nyan. Kung merong tiis ganda, meron din akong sariling version! Tiis yaman, para yumaman"
"Kakain na nga muna ako dun sa fastfood sa baba. Gutom na talaga ako! Grabe. Baka naman mamaya pa dadating yang siraulo mong boss eh"
"Fine. Bahala ka. Pasalubungan mo ako ng jollibee fries at mcfloat"
"May patago kang pera sakin girl?"
Inirapan ko siya at tumalikod na. Narinig ko pa siyang natawa. Grabe tong babaeng to. Pasalamat talaga yung kung sino man ang boss niya! Buti nalang madaldal yung secretary niya at kavibes ko kundi nag back out na ako.
I immediately made my way to the exit as soon as the elevator door opened when I suddenly bumped into someone and saw my phone fall, the screen facing down!
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