Into The Reality (PUBLISHED UNDER LINES OF LOVE)

Chapter 5: Fallback

Into The Reality - Chapter 5

"You pass. Be here tomorrow first thing in the morning."

"Ha? Pasado na po agad?" I crossed my brows. "Wala manlang po bang next round o ano..."

"Ayaw mo bang pasado ka? Edi babawiin ko na lang-"

"Ah, no. Sir, gusto ko po! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity. I'll prove myself. See you tomorrow po." He's always been so carefree! I don't even know why the actual CEO interviewed me, hindi ba dapat manager ang nag-iinterview sa'kin?!

"Not so fast, Ms. Avelista. Hindi pa kita pinapaalis." Napako ako sa kinakatayuan ko nang maramdamang tumayo si Martin- este si sir Pangilinan sa swivel chair niya. Napa-harap tuloy ako bigla.

Tinanggal niya ang coat niya at nilagay sa may swivel chair, pagkatapos ay nag-lakad siya palapit sa akin.

"You didn't answer me." Napa-isip ako dahil lahat naman ng interview questions niya ay nasagot ko. Napa-tingala ako dahil sa tangkad niya. Ever since high school, he was taller than me, but now, I think he's gotten taller! Kung titingala ako palagi tuwing kakausapin siya, sa tingin ko ay magkaka-stiff neck ako.

"I-I think you're mistaken, sir..." yumuko na lang ako.

"I'm not." Ramdam ko ang pag-ngiti niya. "You didn't answer if you're doing good or not. Didn't you hear that I asked how you were doing?" Ngayon ko lang napansin na sobrang lapit pala namin sa isa't-isa! Kung may makakakita sa'min, baka iba ang maisip.

Just when I thought about that, bumukas ang pinto ng opisina niya kaya napa-hakbang ako paatras.

"Sir?" I heard a girl's voice kaya napa-angat na ang tingin ko. It was that assistant earlier who assisted me on my way here to the CEO's office.

"Here's the weekly report you asked for po." He gave Martin a pile of files at yumuko para mag-bow pagkatapos no'n.

Nang mapansin ng babaeng assistant na naka-tingin ako sa kan'ya, tinuro niya ako. "Is this the new marketing analyst, sir?"

"Yeah," saad ni Martin nang hindi sinusulyapan ang assistant. He was busy reading the files given to him.

"Kaya niya po ba ang trabaho? Mahirap po 'yun para sa babae. We never had a female marketing analyst, sir."

            "Of course she can. There's always a first time for everything." Bakas sa boses ni Martin na unti-unti na siyang naiinis.

            "I thought we were searching for a male marketing analyst, bakit siya..." narinig ko ang bulong ng babae. Kung hindi ko lang siya ka-trabaho ay sumagot na sana ako. Pero bago pa lang ako, ayaw ko namang mawalan ng trabaho ulit kung gano'n.

            "Females can do men's work. In fact, this is not even men's work, nasanay lang kayo na lalaki ang nasa marketing team. My words are final." May awtoridad namang sabi ni Martin. "Don't stereotype people.

            Kung papansinin, gano'n pa rin ang boses niya, malumanay. His voice has always been so comforting.

But now that he's the voice and is a company owner, I don't know but he became intimidating.

            "Ah. Uuwi na po ako. Thank you po." Hindi ko na hinintay ang sasabihin pa ni sir Martin at ng assistant at dali-dali na akong lumabas ng office.

Umuwi ako kaagad matapos kong pumasa para ibalita kay mama ang bago kong trabaho. Masaya siya pero tahimik pa rin. I didn't want to experience how lonely our house is, kaya maaga akong umalis para sa night part time job ko sa convenience store.

            "Am I not paying you enough, Ms. Avelista?"

I was surprised to see the CEO at a convenience store. And unfortunately, the convenience store where I work at.

            "Hindi naman po sa gano'n..." I was dumbfounded on what to answer. His question was inappropriate in the first place! "I just need more source of income." I said honestly.

He bought a small lunchbox which had a pizza slice and sandwich in it. It was the meal bundles this convenience store sells. He also bought two bottles of water. Pinunch ko 'yun at binayaran 'yun ni Martin— ni Sir Pangilinan gamit ang credit card niya. Ilalagay ko na sana sa paper bag ang mga binili niya pero pinigilan niya ako.

He took one the bottled water and finished it in one drink, just like he's always done. Tinuro niya ang lunchbox at isa pang bottled water. "That's for you. Don't starve yourself," he said before he opened the convenience store's door to leave.

Napatulala na lang ako sa pagkain na nasa harapan ko, at nang wala na gaanong customer na pumasok, kinain ko 'yun.

Hindi na naman ako nakapag-pasalamat, siguro ay mag-papasalamat na lang ako kapag nakita ko siya sa trabaho bukas.

            Bago pa lang ako sa Pansoft, that's why I had a lot to learn. I knew the job of being a marketing analyst, but I didn't know the system they do in this company that's why I've been really attentive. It's been two weeks, and I started getting the hang of it.

"Hey. Avelista." A fellow employee I didn't know called my surname kaya hinarap ko ang swivel chair ko kahit may ginagawa akong marketing plan. I didn't want to mess up when I'm still a newbie. Nang tignan ko ang ID niya, I saw that her name was Sheila.

"Katrina Alice Avelista." The woman looked at my ID. "Busy ka ba?" I shook my head.

"Good. Can you get us coffee? Kapag bago pa lang, gano'n ang tradition at greeting sa'min. You'll have to buy coffee for the whole team." She gave me an irritating smile Napakamot na lang ako ng ulo sa sinabi ng babae. I think she thought that I was dumb. What kind of newbie will have money to spend just to treat the whole Marketing team?!

            Nag-madali akong kinuha ang wallet ko at nakitang isang daan na lang ang laman no'n. Ayaw ko namang mag-withdraw ng savings para lang ilibre sila. Hindi naman sila sineswerte!

            "Ma'am, I think it's unfair..." mag-rereklamo na sana ako nang biglang sumulpot si Martin dahil may binigay siyang documents sa Marketing head para asikasuhin.

"I heard the lie that you told the newbie, Sheila." Lalo akong kinabahan nang mapagtantong narinig pala kami ni sir Martin. "Come here, Alice."

Kahit naguguluhan, I didn't have the choice and I ended up walking towards the CEO.

"Don't let them treat you like that." Martin lectured me as if I didn't know that. Ipaglalaban ko naman ang sarili ko pero bago pa lang ako, nahihiya pa akong manlaban. "You don't have to buy them coffee, get back to work." Malakas na sabi niya, and it was enough for the team to hear, even the lady who was trying to fool me heard it, napa-yuko na lang siya.