Running After The Dusk

32

Halt

It's December, hours before Christmas to be exact.

Bitbit ko ang bag ko sa kabilang kamay at ang kape na inorder ko sa Starbucks. There are only few hours before Christmas, siguro for normal people they would scream their lungs out, post status at Facebook, or like naghahanda na for noche buena but for me, parang wala lang.

Paano ba naman kasi e dapat nasa bahay ako at nakahiga pero dahil nga masyadong epal yung board members, talagang ni request pa nila yung presence ko for the product launching mamaya. Seriously, ever since I was born they never really cared about who's the daughter of their CEO, kaya naman nakakapanibago na nag effort pa silang isama ako sa meeting.

I don't even have interests on listening to my teachers sa kanila pa kaya?

"You're late." Bungad ni Auntie nang makapasok ako sa loob ng office ni Dad. I glanced at the clock pinned at the wall before sitting on the couch.

"Cora, I'm not a VIP. I couldn't just tell the people there na ako ang unang mag oorder." Ibinaba ko ang bag ko sa gilid at isinandal ang katawan ko.

Cora took a harsh breath before walking towards Dad. "Hon, are you sure about this? I think Minerva has a lot of tasks to do at home." She glanced at me for a second. "I guess the board will understand if she couldn't come."

Dad placed down his specs and looked at me before standing up in his swivel chair, he surveyed his look to the mirror at his back and fixed his tie. "The board has been asking me about her lately. I couldn't just let them down and besides.... she deserves to be known by everyone."

Cora scoffed. "I understand but I think she's busy, right Minerva?" I saw her looked at me from my peripheral vision but I chose to ignore him and sip at my coffee. Totoo namang marami akong gagawin pero pinilit lang ako ni Dad na sumama para nga sa launching. Since nandito na rin naman ako bakit pa ako uuwi?

Duh, sayang outfit.

"Don't worry I finished all the tasks right before I got here." I stood up, holding the door knob. "This will be the first and last time that they'll see me, Auntie... unless they want to see me again."

Tinapon ko ang naubos kong kape sa trashcan malapit sa elevator at nagintay bago bumukas yun. Dad told me that I should come early at the conference room so I could meet the board and the investors as well kaya naman umalis agad ako sa office. Plus, Cora annoys the hell out of me, kakarating ko lang sa office tapos tatalakan nanaman ako.

Actually she has a point, I should be at home lying down or kung hindi e kausap si Vino. Speaking of him, I haven't replied on his message yet kasi kinailangan kong magmadali dahil nandito na raw kuno yung mga business friends or whatever ni Dad.

Dali dali kong kinuha ang phone ko sa bag at binuksan ang pinaka recent na text ni Vino. I looked up to the floor number first before texting. Baka kasi mag open na tapos busy pa ko kakatipa sa phone ko. I automatically smiled when I saw his text.

From: Vino

Morning baby, goodluck later, fuck them all!

To: Vino

Morning! Sorry I haven't texted agad. Ty, eat yo breakfast. <3333

Actually, whenever I read text messages like this before super nakikicringe ako. Plus, the call sign baby makes me wanna vomit any second but then when it happened to me, narealize ko na it's not bad naman pala and it's medyo nakakakilig.