Heart Rallies

Six: Stress

Seff parked his car in front of the building and got out. It has been seven days when his unit got occupied by someone and he hasn't met his tenant yet. He went to the fifth floor and headed to unit 6. He knocked on the door once and was surprised with what he saw.

The woman was wearing some thin nighties and didn't bother to cover herself. She looked sleepy and hasn't even brushed her hair.

Worse, it was the same woman he argued with when he was starting to work. The woman who organizes rallies.

Seff swallowed. If it was because of what she was wearing or as to who opened the door, he doesn't know.

"Ikaw?!" Bea reacted and immediately covered her chest with her arms. She was about to slam the door shut but he stopped it with one of his hands and pushed it open. "Anong kailangan mo at hanggang dito sinusundan mo ako?! Nakapasok ka naman sa trabaho nung araw na yun di ba?!"

He smirked. "Ang lakas naman ng loob mo na isipin na sinusundan kita! Ikaw ang tatanungin ko. Why are you inside my place?"

"Inside your place?" she was sarcastic. "I'm living on this unit FYI!"

"Oh really?" he laughed. He realized that this must be the girl Akira talked to. "I should have prescreened my tenants before I approve. I shouldn't have trusted Akira's judgment."

"Ano ba kasing kailangan mo at ng makaalis ka na sa harapan ko?!" Bea said irritably.

"I leased this unit to you. Am I not entitled to see who my tenant is?" he asked her with a mocking face.

Bea looked on the corridor and realized they might be reported for causing a scene early morning. She pulled him inside and shut the door close. She ran inside the bedroom and grabbed a bathrobe.

"Sayo tong condo unit na ito?" she asked him again.

"Mukha bang di ko kaya bumili ng condo?" he asked her.

"Hindi pero di ba hindi ka makabili ng TV?" she asked him innocently. "May TV naman dito. Baka hindi mo lang alam gamitin? You need sounds when you watch and you can increase the volume with a remote."

"Funny," he said and forced a smile. "By the way, just so you can prepare, today will be your last day. I expect you to be out of my place starting tomorrow."

"EXCUSE ME, MISTER YU! THAT IS AGAINST THE LAW!" she told him. "I can sue you for forcing your tenant out of the place being rented with duress and without a reasonable amount of time! Isa pa, I paid you in advance!"

"I can return all of your money today, that's not an issue," he said. "I can pay you for the hassle."

"No, I'm not leaving. Over my dead body," she told him. "Wala sa kontrata mo na pwede mo akong paalisin dahil hindi mo ako gusto."

"Wala din sa utak ko na ipa-rent sa basagulera na katulad mo ang lugar ko. That alone is a good reason for me to stop the lease," he answered.

"Fine! E di aalis ako," she said proudly. "But not today."

"When?"

"Until I can find a place that's nicer than this," she said proudly.

Tignan ko lang kung mapaalis mo ako.

--

"Seff, why did I get a call from Attorney Sy na pinapaalis mo sya sa condo?" Akira asked his brother that night while having dinner.

"Attorney Sy? Who is that person?" he asked. "Yung Bea yung nakatira dun di ba?"

"Exactly. That's Beatrice Sy. She's a lawyer," she said.