Letters

My mood the next day was in bad state. Wala akong amor sa mga gawain. It seems like I just want to stay indoors and meddle with my bed all day. Pero hindi pwede. I need to move out.

"Come on, Yana... Get a hold o yourself..." bulong ko sa sarili habang pinupuno ng mainit na tubig ang aking mug.

"Ayos ka lang, Ms. Ylliana? Mukhang hindi maganda gising ah," ani Mang Jorge, ang janitor na nakatalaga safloor na ito.

"Ayos lang, manong. Just... a dull day for me, I think..."

Naupo muli ako sa aking desk at ipinagpatuloy ang ginagawa. Tumingin ako sa clock ng aking desktop at nakitang malapit nang magbreaktime. Damn! I've got to be unproductive for two hours! Ni hindi ko natapos ang isang review ng sales.

"Looking upset, Ms. Yana..." bati ni Bridgette, kaibigan ko. Ang head of sales associate ng marketing department. She's a boyish type but beautiful. Naupo siya sa silya sa harap ng desk ko. I leaned my back more on the swivel chair.

"Just... I'm not feeling well..."

"Mukhang bago ito, ah? Dati naman ay kahit may sakit ka ay wala ka pa ring awat sa trabaho... Siguro..." she trailed off. Forehead's forming crook lines. She's thinking of something I don't think is good.

"What are you thinking?"

"Hmmm... Tell me, Yana. Do you date secretly?"

"Huh? Anong sinasabi mo! Tss. What were you thinking, Gette? Something malicious!"

"Oh! Ikaw nagsabi niyan hahaha..."

"Ma'am Ylliana may nagpapaabot po sa inyo..." inilapag ng isang security guard ang isang paper bag at isang boquet ng red roses.

"Kanino po nanggaling?" agaran kong tanong.

"Sa Sacortoza po, Ma'am..." sagot nito at umalis na rin pagkatapos.

"I think my gut is right." Biglang saad ni Bridgette at bumalik na sa kanyang desk.

"It's not what you're thinking!"

Kinuha ko ang card na nasa bulaklak. The paper's pink and with his scent. What did he think of me? Addicted to his smell? Tss. Binasa ko ang nasa card. Damn! His writing is indeed beautiful! Matikas ang bawat letrang nasa uppercase. Umaayon sa personalidad ng nagsulat.

ZEINVILLE HEIGHTS, 6PM.

-O. SACORTOZA

Five in the afternoon and I'm staring at myself in the mirror. Alas kwatro pa lang ay nakauwi na ako sa condo. I was allowed because I'm meeting an important investor this evening. Kanina pa ako papalit-palit ng damit dito. Fitting almost all of my dresses in the closet. Bakit ko nga ba ito ginagawa? It was just a meeting, Yana! Bakit ba magde-dress pa ko? Tsk.

Kumuha ako ng white sando at black blazer sa aking closet. I paired it with a high waist jeans and stilletos. I made my make up at nang masiyahan ay kinuha ko na ang aking sling bag at laptop.

Nagdrive ako ng 30 minutes papuntang Zeinville! Jusmiyo kalayo! Ano bang nasa isipan ng lalaking iyon at pwede namang sa opisina nila sa Loyola kami magmeeting? Ten minutes drive lang iyon mula sa aking condo at 15 minutes mula Corpuz building.

A staff of the hotel approached me when I arrived. Iginiya ako nito sa isang VIP room. Tss, still the same Joaquin.

"Ma'am, Mr. Sacortoza is already waiting for you inside."

Nagtaka ako ng siya lang mag-isa ang nakaupo doon at walang kasamang bodyguards. Sitting firmly in the center of the room is the mighty Joaquin Sacortoza. He changed his sitting position into a more formal state.

"Sorry, I'm late..."

"You are just in time, Yana. Napaaga lang ako."

"So my boss is in a business trip somewhere in the east right now that is why he could not come personally..." panimula ko upang bawasan ang awkwardness na nararamdaman ko.

Inilapag ko ang aking laptop at sinimulang buksan ito. Nagulat na lamang ako ng bigla itong isara ni Joaquin. He leaned on the table between us.

"We're not going to talk about business matters here, Ms. Roxas." Mariin niyang sabi. Hindi na ako nagulat sa inasta ng lalaking ito. I pulled my laptop and prepared my sling bag. Ready to leave.

"What do you want, Mr. Sacortoza?"

"Drop the formalities. I want us back."

"Fuck your letter." Ani ko at agad na tumayo.

"Don't send me again flowers or letters. You're wasting your time."