Next to You (COMPLETED)

1 - New

Today is my last day here sa office. I am working as a tech support in a BPO company at nag-stay din ako ng 3 taon sa office na ito. Honestly, I will miss this place and my co-workers. In addition to that, I will miss my friends, especially my bestfriends Eve and Mary. There's a lot going on in my life in the past months so I decided to move to a new environment. I feel like I need to go somewhere new to let myself breathe. Marami ang nag-iisip na ang reason ko sa paglipat sa provincial branch namin is because of my breakup with Mark, an officemate and my ex-boyfriend. I admit, yun talaga ang pinakamalaking rason kung bakit naisipan kong umalis but of course, I won't let them know that. I just told them na career growth talaga ang pakay ko which is also a major reason for this move since promotion in this branch will be impossible in the next few years. Sa provincial branch kasi, mas mabilis pedeng maka-angat ng level since there are less competitors. Wala din namang mababawas sa sweldo ko base sa naging arrangement namin ng HR.

Me moving on a new place is indeed a big decision for me but I feel like it is the right thing to do. I just don't want to be in the same place with Mark anymore. OA man sa iba but as much as possible, I don't want to breathe the same air as him.

Our breakup was not recent and it's actually over 6 months but the pain feels the same. Actually, it hurts more now and I, myself, can't explain it either. Diba dapat pag lumilipas ang panahon dapat mas nagiging okay ka na? But why is the opposite happening to me? Hindi lang siguro halata sa akin dahil magaling akong magtago at makulit ako lagi. I guess the saying is true. The happiest people are those who are hurting the most.

Kilala ako sa office as makulit, masayahin, at maarteng si Mirianne Ava Hernan. Natatawa na lang ako pag sinasabing ang arte ko dahil sa pag-eenglish ko minsan. Hindi ba pedeng best in English lang ako nung school days ko kaya pinanindigan ko na? Anyway, most of the time biro lang naman ng mga officemates ko yung pagtawag sa aking maarte and di rin naman ako na-ooffend.

I am packing my stuff and my teammates went on my cubicle to say goodbye.

"Wala nang maarte at wala nang inglisera. Nagstock pa naman ako ng tissue para sa nose bleed ko tapos aalis ka na," said Bryan, isa sa kateam ko.

"Oo nga eh, konti nga lang tayong babae sa IT department, mababawasan pa. Mukhang lalaki yung nahire kanina eh.," this time it was Joan who said that.

It's true. Sa IT department, mas madaming lalaki kaysa babae. Not sure if it's the same on other companies pero sa company na to, 15% lang ang girls, the rest puro lalaki na.

"Di ko kayo mamimiss. Palagi nyo naman ako inaasar eh," biro ko sa mga kateam ko.

After a while dumating ang team leader namin with a cake in hand. It was my favorite. Contis Mango Bravo. Nagkaroon kami ng konting salo salo, padespedida daw nila sa akin. After eating, bumalik na ako sa table ko to finish packing my things. I hugged and said my goodbyes to my teammates before I left our floor. I feel sad, honestly, pero sigurado na ako sa desisyon ko at paninidigan ko ito.

Few steps away from the building exit, someone called my name from behind. Napatigil ako dahil kilala ko ang boses na yun. It's him. It's Mark, my ex-boyfriend. Pumunta sya sa harapan ko and he talked to me.

"Last day mo pala ngayon. Dapat pala natreat man lang kita."

Napatitig nalang ako sa kanya. Not because I find him handsome or anything, ang panget nga nya eh. Napapaisip ako bakit ako nainlove sa panget na to. What I am trying to grasp now is how dare him talk to me this casually as if we're friends and as if we're okay. Bakit may ganung tao sa mundo? Yung sinaktan ka nila pero kung umasta sayo eh parang wala silang ginawang masama sa'yo? Nakakagago lang. Gusto ko sanang ipamukha sa kanya na mas malaki sweldo ko sa kanya at di ko kailangan ng libre nya but I just ignored him and step to the side to continue walking. I don't want to speak a single word to him dahil baka di ako makapagpigil at kung ano masabi ko. Pakiramdam ko, kahit pagbuka ng bibig ko ay sayang lang kung sya lang din naman ang kausap. Sayang lang ang laway peste.

I continued walking and when I took the first step out of the building, I breathe deeply. This is it. I am finally leaving this place. New environment the day after tomorrow.