Psychosis (ToLine FanFiction)

II

D O M I N G O

Talk about having Mondays in a week. Monday has always been the stressful day in my week. Daig pa ang the Leaning Tower of Pisa sobrang taas at medyo tagilid na rin yung mga tambak na papel na HINDI PA RIN NAKUKUHA NI CARLOTA.

Ibang klase din, alam niyang napaka busy ng trabaho niya dito sa office, tapos aabsent? Kung hindi rin naman kasi isa't kalahating gaga. Sino ba naman kasi magpapaka wasted, eh alam niyang mahina alcohol tolerance niya.

Kaya ayan, dalawang araw nang hindi pumapasok. Nagtext ata sa 8888 at na-extend yung hangover.

I turned my attention sa laptop ko and continued my work. I got startled when I heard the buzzer from the wooden door beside my office cubicle rang. I quickly fixed myself and went inside my boss's office.

"Yes ma'am?" I cleared my throat.

"Kindly hand this over to manong Isko on the ground floor. Paki sabi approved na yung request niya," she said and reached out a long brown envelope.

"Okay po. Anything else?" I asked. Baka may pahabol siyang utos.

"Oh. Please get me one Americano sa Lumiére. Make it iced," she smiled at me as a sign of her gratitude.

I quickly did what she wanted me to do. Before I could twist the door knob, she called me again. Ugh.

"Celine,"

"Yes po, ma'am Bea?"

"Please cancel my meeting at 10:00 AM. I have a sudden appointment."

"Sige po."

And so I moved on. Move on with what I have to do. Hays. So I headed straight for the elevator, and luckily, wala masyadong tao so mabilis akong naka baba sa ground floor. Hanep din kasi eh, ang office nasa fourteenth floor? Ayos ka lang?

Pagka open na pagka open nung pinto ng elevator, nakita ko agad si mang Isko sa main entrance. Siya yung loyal na guard ng De Leon Industries. Simula nung sa lolo pa lang ni Bea ang CEO, siya na yung guard dito. Ngayon, siya na yung head chief sa lahat ng guards dito.

"Manong!" I waved at him.

"Iha! Anong sadya mo't napa rito ka? May iuutos ka ba?" He asked.

"Ay wala po. Pinabibigay po ito ni ma'am Bea. Sabi niya na-approved na daw request niyo."

"Ay salamat po ng marami. Salamat din sa Diyos!"

It warms my heart so much. Seeing him so happy makes me happy too. Hays. I have no idea on what the envelope says, so it must be really important to him, even Bea's kindness.

I headed outside. Jusko, ang init. Bakit ganito ka, Pilipinas? The Lumiére Café was just few blocks away kaya madalas yung coffee ng office galing don. Suki na rin kaming employees don, kaya alam na alam nila mukha namin.

Sobrang init. Mausok. At mainit talaga. I crossed the pedestrian, then walked for like a few minutes, tapos crossed another pedestrian until I reached the cafe.

Pagkapasok ko, amoy na amoy ko agad yung aroma ng brewed coffee. Agad akong dumiretso sa counter at inorder yung pinapa utos ng aking boss.

"Good morning, Ced." Helen greeted. She's my friend before she was hired here sa cafe. Saktong morning ang shift niya kaya nagsasabay kaming pumasok minsan. Magkatabi kasi units namin sa condo. So, hindi malabong friends kami.

"Good morning, Len," I smiled. "Isang Iced Americano, take out."

"Oh. Para kay boss?" She asked while she was punching my order.

I just nodded.

"Talagang dumayo ka pa dito ha," she said and gave the receipt to the barista.

"Nasa ground floor na ako kanina e, alangan aakyat pa ako or mag utos ng iba." I replied.

"Sabagay. Anyways, paki hintay na lang don, Ced." She pointed an empty table.

I smiled in return and sat on an empty table. I've been here many times pero I can't help but wander my eyes around the place. A very nice place for millennials para magrelax and at the same time, a cozy place for employees and workers para makapag work while having coffee outside the office.

I saw college students having iced coffees tapos yung laptop nasa tapat na ng mukha nila. Plus papers all around their table. I remember myself way back in college, sleepless nights because of thesis, plus trainings pa sa umaga at hapon. Tapos cramming pa, hindi mawawala yan.

I wonder kung sino owner netong shop, he/she knows the taste of the people and the location is a good spot. I was snapped from describing the shop when my phone suddenly vibrated.

From: Carlyyy 🐘
"Beks. Favor."

Ano nanaman gusto neto?

To: Carlyyy 🐘
"Ano? Buti sana kung papasok ka na, no?"

Saktong dumating na yung coffee nung napindot ko na yung send.

From: Carlyyy 🐘
"Kaya nga favor eh. Please, Ceddyyyy."

Kinuha ko na yung coffee tapos umalis na sa shop. Eto nanaman tayo, napaka init. Pinas, why you do this?! Pinasa talaga ang sisi.

To: Carlyyy 🐘
"Oh ano nga yon?"

I stopped on the predestrian, since the pedestrian lights is still red. I glanced at my wrist watch. 9:33 AM. Coffee break!

When the lights turned green, I joined the people cross the road my phone vibrated again. Sandali lang, Carlota! Nung makarating na ako sa kabilang side, I checked my phone.

From: Carlyyy 🐘
"Palipat naman yung mga papel ko sa table ko. Thanks Ced!"

Anak ng pu.... Muntik na akong magmura pero naalala ko nasa public ako. Wala akong nagawa kundi maglakad ng mas mabilis dahil ililipat ko pa yon at ibibigay yung kape.

Pero bilib din naman ako don sa babaeng yon, natatapos niya yung ganong kadaming trabaho in three days. Naka lipovitan ba yun, or baka red bull? Char.

Pagdating ko sa office, nadatnan ko sila na nagcoffee break. Agad akong dumiretso sa office ni Bea. Pagpasok ko, naabutan ko siya nag aayos. May lakad kaya siya?

"Ma'am, yung coffee niyo po." I said.

"Salamat. Paki lagay na lang sa table." She said.

"Where to, ma'am?"

"Oh. Jhoana's kinda sick. So I have to attend her sa condo niya."

"Si ma'am Jho po? Bid her my get well soon."

"Thank you."

Then I left her office. Kaya pala she cancelled her 10 AM meeting. Bea's really hands on when it comes to her girlfriend, maalaga, mabait at maalalahanin. Isang Bea De Leon naman diyan, Lord. I grabbed the papers na nakatambak dito sa office cubicle ko at nilipat yon sa cubicle ni Carlota. Ewan ko ba sa babaeng yon, nabubuhay sa nabawasang sweldo.

Yung pawis ko nag uunahan na tumulo sa likod ko. Grabe. Naka aircon na pero ang init pa din.

Dumampot na lang ako ng Skyflakes sa drawer ko. Nagulat na lang ako nung nasa loob na ng cubicle ko si Bea.

"Tell everyone who is looking for me that I have personal business. I might be back late."

"Sure, ma'am."

Then she left. I checked the time. 9:40 AM. Potek. Tagal naman matapos ng lunes.

~~~

Ayon, ang hirap lagyan ng catchy na ending for this chapter