The Dreamers

VI

"Okay, I bow down to you Queen Val." Eds playfully said. Tumawa lang ako sa pang-aasar niya.

Pagbalik namin sa working area, hinarang na kami agad ni Pau. "I heard from Aimee what happened!" Excited nyang sabi. "Magkwento ka!"

Bago pa ako makapagsalita nauna na si Eds, "Naku, sis. Kung nakita mo lang kung paano sumagot itong sismars naten, maloloka ka talaga. Lahat ng tanong ni Papa J, nasagot niya. Kahit nga ako hindi ko masasagot iyon, eh!"

I smile at the memory. Javi tried to get back at me by asking me questions and opinions on each item on the presentation. Buti na lang, I was trained well. I never come to a meeting unprepared. Hair flip.

"Kahit nga si Attorney, napapangiti nung nag-debate pa silang dalawa." Aimee chimes in.

Nainis na naman ako nung maalala ko.

"I will have to disagree. This would not work. Retain the original proposal." Seryosong sabi ni Javi when I suggested the launch of the Pay-It-Forward project be done through a week-long event, with full social media coverage through the help of celebrities and influencers. This is how we'd get exposure and further donations to support this project.

"With all due respect, Sir, this is one of the most sought-after trends. If the target is young adults, this will certainly work. There's a lot of social media coverage attesting to this." I insist.

"And everything in social media can be trusted?" He asks. I realize the double meaning behind this question. Uminit ang likod ng tenga ko, umaakyat na naman yata ang high blood ko. Doble para may emphasis.

"If it is cited and reported by more than three credible sources, then I will have to say yes. I did the checking, Sir. It is credible." I say a little too strongly.

Javi smirks, "Well, then, if our designated," he says mockingly, "...social media expert says it is, then it is. After all, I don't know much about my own social media activities. I rely on you, too."

"Kasalanan din naman niya kung bakit siya pinag-initan kanina," Eds said. "Pero buti na lang matalino tong alaga natin. I'm so proud of you!" He hugged me and I laughed.

Akala niya sakin? Lahat ng challenge na ibabato niya, kaya ko! I say to myself and smirk.

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"Bakit ako?! Hindi ko kaya 'to!" I tell Pau who is on the other end of the call.

Ang bilis ko kainin ang mga sinabi ko, diba.

"E sabi nga ni Jess, ikaw daw. O, teka eto sya." I hear shuffling on the other end.

"Hello? Queen Val?" Jess, my boss, starts. Gusto ko siyang kalbuhin.

"Sir Jess—" I start when he cut me off. "Hep hep hep! Ano nga uli ang mangyayari kapag tinawag mo kami ni Rom ng Sir?"

Lumukot ang mukha ko nung maalala ko kung paano niya akong pinarusahan last time na tinawag ko siyang Sir Jess. Umupo siya sa tabi ko for a solid hour habang kumakanta ng mga songs ni Nina. I never called him Sir after that.

"Okay, fine. Jess. Bakit ako ang pupunta sa site? Hindi ba ikaw or si Eds ang official representative for this project?" reklamo ko.

"Hindi pwede si Eds today, tsaka ako, ayoko. Tinatamad akong lumabas, mainit." I roll my eyes. "Besides, kabisado mo naman yung report. Ikaw nga gumawa nun diba?" katwiran ni Jess.

"Dahil ako ang gumawa, ako na din ang assigned presenter? Ano to, group project sa school?" I huff annoyingly.

Jess laughed, "Bakit ka ba asar na asar? Sabi mo nga last week gusto mo pumunta ng site diba?"

I know. Sinabi ko kay Jess na gusto ko din maexperience mag-ikot sa site ng new project ni Transpo team. Gusto ko makita in person yung naging produkto ng mga tinrabaho ko. Pero siyempre, hindi ngayon. Lalo na at kasama ko siya.

"Oo nga, pero pwede naman sa ibang time. Busy ako eh", reklamo ko ulit.

"Busy? Sabi ni Rom tapos ka na sa lahat ng tasks mo eh." Usisa ni Jess. "Baka naman may iniiwasan ka lang kaya ka ganyan." Asar niya.

Matalino nga talaga tong ugok na to.

"Nakakainis kang, hayup ka." Bulong ko, pero narinig nya kaya tumawa ng malakas.

"Bahala na nga." Pagsuko ko. "Sasabay naman sila Engineer Galvez diba? Nandito na ko sa parking, nasan na ba daw sila?" Tanong ko nang may humintong sasakyan sa harap ko.

"Nauna na sila kaninang umaga. Si Javi na lang at ikaw ang magkasabay." Jess said at the same time the window to the passenger seat rolled down and revealed the person I've been avoiding for more than a week already.

Pakingshet.

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@ajnotawriter (Twitter)