Torn (COMPLETED)

Chapter 8

On the following day, Maine arrived in the office two hours late. Her overthinking habit came back and it kept her awake until three o'clock in the morning.

"Late," Joaquin murmured when he went to her.

"Oo na. Huwag ka na maingay," she said while checking the pile of sheets of blue prints and tracing papers on her working table. "Wait lang! Ang dami ko namang revisions?! Ilang oras lang akong na-late, ilang sheets itong nasa table ko?"

She was frowning every time she raised a sheet to check. Those were tons and tons of papers for revisions! She was even surprised her table carry that load.

"Totoo ba ito? Kanino galing 'tong iba, Joaquin?"

"Tanungin mo si Ms. Mara. Wala akong alam d'yan. Pero nakita ko si Sir Alden kanina. Kanina pa siya lagay ng lagay ng kung anu-ano d'yan sa table mo. Ayaw naman paumpisahan sa amin."

Maine looked around to look for Ms. Mara but she's in the manager's office according to Joaquin. Instead of going there she went to look for Alden. She found him just coming in from the hallway. He was not looking at her but, obviously, he's wearing a small smirk.

"Sir Alden. Bakit po ang dami kong revisions? Sa iyo ba galing lahat 'yon?" She asked. Frustrations was written all over her face knowing she will not be able to finish it all on time before the day ends today.

"Yes, Ms. Maine," stressing on the word miss. "Panay maliliit lang naman na revisions. Encircled na lahat ng babaguhin mo, the usual. Kasalanan ng mga CE 'yun.  Some columns, palalakihan, paliliitan. Sayang sa ink pag ni-reprint pa. You know our rules."

"What?! Manual?"

"Yep!" He said while walking past her.

"Anong gagamitin ko?"

He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Technical pen and eraser," he said.

Maine was stunned on her feet. Manual?! First time she'll do manual revisions in the office! And those were piles of large tracing papers, all 30 x 42-inch per sheets! Are those still legal to use nowadays?

"By 6PM kaya mo ng tapusin 'yang mga 'yan. And you can finish the elevations tomorrow."

And proceeded to his cubicle.

"Thursday ngayon."

"So?"

"Coding ako ngayon, Alden. Tapos may pasok pa ako tomorrow morning. I'll be able to start the elevations tomorrow, maybe before or after lunch na."

"So?"

She was biting her lower lip to stop herself from spatting at him.

"Can I share my workload to the others? Sila Joaquin wala ng ginagawa."

"Definitely no. I don't like sharing."

"What? Sir naman, hanggang bukas na lang ako dito."

"Well, come early tomorrow."

"Mag-aabsent ako sa klase ko?!"

"Ano ba ang subject mo? Works of Rizal na lang, minor. Knowing you, you can pass it with your eyes closed, easy. First time mo pa lang naman yata aabsent, 'di ba?"

Maine just stood there; she cannot believe what she's hearing.

"Nanadya ka ba?" She suddenly blurted out. She realized said it out loud but she can't take it back anymore.