The Fall of Autumn

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

"We are particularly full today." Monica exclaimed! "And I think, I know exactly why."

She look into the direction where Trigger is and then look back at me while wiggling her eyebrows.

I didn't respond but Trigger went to me.

"Hi Ma'am, good morning!" bati nito.

Pinagtaasan ko ito ng kilay. Is he seriously going to call me that? I rolled my eyes at him but he only grinned at me.

Napipilitang binati ko ito pabalik.

"Good morning." sagot ko sa mababang boses.

Ngumisi ito ngunit mabilis din akong tumalikod at lumakad papunta sa opisina.

I did all my usual work before going out to help. I also told Monica to inform the new staffs to start working immediately, kahit na hindi pa tapos ang paperworks nila since we really need extra set of hands.

I was busy observing everything from behind the counter, mostly to observe the newly hired staffs while Monica is briefing them. Though I told Monica to let them do the work firsthand after watching for three hours, hopefully it will help them more than watching.

Then I caught a pair of eyes, watching me. It's those gray eyes, intently looking at me and yet again, my heart skipped a beat.

Nag-iwas agad ako ng tingin.

It's better not to challenge him into a staring battle. It's better for me and safer for me or at least that's what I think.

"You sure he's just here to work?"

Monica asked me again for the fifth time today. She's been asking me that question saying that she's watching Trigger all day and telling me that he sure is very serious with this job and hasn't made a mistake so far and pointing out that he's doing all that to prove to me that he is also serious about asking me out.

I answered her the first and second time and she asked me and gave up when she did it again the third time.

"Just go to work, Monica."

Around three thirty when I usually asks for a snack, someone knocked on the door of my office and naturally, I said come in and to my surprise, it was Trigger.

"Miss Monica said to ask you if you want something to eat?" he asks but my attention shifted to his overall appearance.

How can he still look fresh and nice after working all day? Parang hindi naman ito napapagod at mukha pa itong bagong ligo. He just look clean and very neat.

"Ma'am?"

"No, thank you." mabilis kong ibinalik ang atensyon sa sinasabi niya pero hindi nakaligtas sa akin ang multo ng ngiti sa mga labi niya.

"Are you sure? You look like you need to eat more."

"I'm fine, you may go." istriktong sabi ko.

He didn't take it seriously though. Ngumiti pa ito at saka nagpa-alam na lalabas na.

Umiiling na naiwan akong muli mag-isa sa loob ng opisina. Hindi ko na ito masyadong pinagtuunan ng pansin hanggang sa malapit na kaming magsara.

I told Trigger that he doesn't have to work until closing since he showed up on the opening but he said no so I let him.

If he wants to exhaust himself then fine. Bahala siya. He even helped cleaning the whole place after we put on the closed sign on the door.

We all left the shop at the same time after making sure that everything is clean and the lights are all turned off except for the lights outside the shop and making sure that the doors are all locked.