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It all started when our senior supervisor introduced her to us, "Everyone, may I have your attention! This is Ianne, fresh graduate and a fresh CPA board passer. She'll be joining our Tax team." she was wearing a decent corporate attire and her shy smile.
Her place was few office chairs away from me, we were on the same department, but different team, I was with the Payments Team.
She easily caught my attention, maybe because she look like someone I knew – the girl at the park, from a year ago.
"Ianne, lunch out?" somebody asked, I was about to answer since I am the only Ian in this department, but then I heard her answered, "Sure." We have the same name, it's just that hers has double letter n and letter e at the end.
She had lunch with the team, I had lunch in front of my office computer trying to finish the presentation for tomorrow's meeting.
The presentation was successful, we were able to close the deal. Our department head invited us for a Friday hang out, I was about to say no because videoke night is not my thing, but I heard she's going so I said yes.
From time to time, I steal a glance from her, I don't know why but my heart skips a beat every time she smiles back at me. They are trying to make her sing, and as a new employee she played along with them, I felt that she was nervous so I get the other microphone and joined her in singing the Way Back Into Love song that they chose. "Ano ginagawa mo? Nakakahiya" she whispered to me, I just smiled back and told her to just go with the flow.Everyone was teasing us, and I must admit, I am enjoying it.
It was already 12midnight and everyone is going home. I was about to leave when I saw her looking frustrated. She was hesitant when I offered her a ride home, but she was left with no choice. I still insisted even though it's out of my way – she's living from south and I'm from north.
There was silence between us, the only thing you could hear was the sound from the radio. I saw her phone screen flashed a message from someone named babe. So it must have been her babe that made her frustrated 30 minutes ago.
"Boyfriend mo?" I asked her.
She smiled and nodded, "two years."
Right there and then I knew I lost the game. While we were stuck in traffic, she told me how their love story started – long distance relationship for a year, I wonder how they're surviving.
"But he's coming home in six months" she told me as if she heard what I wanted to ask. As much as I wanted to talk to her a little bit more, we were already in front of her house.
We both said our good nights and good byes.
We became friends after that night. Every morning I could see her smiling at her phone, it must be a good morning message from her boyfriend.
When everybody is having lunch out, we usually have our lunch together at the office pantry. "Nagtitipid ka kaya hindi ka sumama sa kanila 'no?" she would often tease me.
"Oo, kailangan magtipid ang mahal ng mga gastusin." That was a lie, I just wanted to be with Ianne but I am too torpe to say it because I know my place.
During lunch break, we usually talk about our favorite tv series, Gray's Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder, sometimes we play Mobile Legends – Eudora was her favortie hero.
She became my motivation to go to work everyday even if that means I have to see her again being happily in love with her babe.
Ianne makes me smile, nothing more; nothing less.
There are times that I would wait for her to finish her work so I could give her a ride home. I really enjoy being with her. We were okay with that, friends, just friends.
It was already 9 PM and she was still in her seat, "Overtime?" I asked. She smiled and nodded to me, "Kailangan kumayod for the future."
I went down to 7/11 near our office to grab something to eat. When I went back, I saw her crying. I gave the sandwich and sat on the empty office chair beside her.
She wiped her tears and asked me, "Overtime ka rin?" I nodded and we both laughed. That was a lie, I am already done with my work. I just wanted to wait for her because I felt that she needed someone.
I was right. She told me it has been two weeks since her boyfriend came home from New Zealand. "Oh, umuwi na pala si babe, dapat masaya kayo" I was trying to lighten up the mood, but it didn't work.
Her boyfriend went home to tell her that he's engaged to someone he met in New Zealand.
Ang gago, sobrang gago.
"Bakit gano'n? Nung malayo kami sa isa't-isa masaya naman kami. Pero kung kailan hindi na kami LDR, saka kami naghiwalay. Tangina. Sana pala hindi ko na lang pinagdasal na umuwi na siya kung ganito lang rin naman ang magiging kapalit." I didn't say anything, I just listened to her. "Sabi niya, wala na daw spark 'yung relationship namin. Ayun naman pala, napunta na kasi sa iba 'yung spark." that hit me.
Now I understand why she was always pulling an overtime, because she was trying to divert her attention to something else so she wouldn't feel too much pain.
This could be my chance to say what I am feeling for her, but I chose not to.
3 months after that late night work and late night talk, I got promoted as the new Team Leader.
I went to their house on a Saturday afternoon and I asked her to celebrate with me. I brought her to the place where I first saw her.
We were at the park where we could feel the calmness of the wind as it touches the leaves of the trees. We were like kids riding our bicycles, enjoying fishball, kwek-kwek, cotton candy, and sorbetes.
When we got tired, we both sat down on a bench by the tree and just appreciate the stars. "Thank you, I never thought I would be this happy again. Congratulations din sa promotion mo, Sir Ian" She congratulated me with an emphasis on the sir.
She looked at me with a smile on her face, this time it wasn't her shy smile, it was her genuine smile.
That moment, I wanted to tell her how much I have fallen for her, but I chose not to, not yet.
