"MISS PRESIDENT"

AIKKA's POV

Someone came near me at magalang na nagpakilala. Her name is Emily and she will be my secretary. She's cute and fun to talk too. She's the kind of person na even if you didn't ask, magkukwento at magkukwento siya sa iyo. Inilibot niya ako sa buong 29th floor as if she's my tour guide. Hanggang sa dinala niya ako sa isang napakalawak na office. May desk and swiveling chair sa gitna tapos may area ng office kung saan pwedeng maupo ang mga guests. Doon ako tumungo to sit.

(sighed)

Nakaramdam din ako ng relief after what happened kanina.

"ahm, Miss President...your dad told me that they will meet you here in your office after ng meeting nila" she said.

"in my office? so, this will be mine?" I asked her.

"of course Miss President, actually...everything here! this is your dad's company and your the heiress so... literally, these are all yours" then she smiled.

Ahm...

Well, she has a point.

Iginala ko na lang ang paningin ko sa loob.

Comfy naman dito. Maaliwalas and maganda ang ambience.

"Do you need something Miss President?" she asked me.

"uh..nothing." nang tingnan ko siya, I didn't mean to see Nathan talking to the guy that I saw kanina sa lobby. Made of glass kasi ang parang wall ng office so I can see him clearly.

"by the way Emily, how long he's been working here?" me.

Napalingon siya sa direction na pinagmamasdan ko.

"oh. .do you mean Director Alejandro?" she said.

Then I nodded.

"if I am not mistaken ma'am, he was assigned with that position last year lang..after Mr. Vlad was been fired by your dad"

Okay? so si dad nga ang naghire sa kanya.

Shocks....but why?

(Is he trying to fix everything after what happened in the past? If that's the reason, then I guess.....it would be impossible. Hindi na nga ako makilala ni Nathan eh. Saka as what I've said, everything's changed now and I already have..... Spade.)

"oh...I see...but I think, dad made a wrong choice for putting him in that place, he looks immature and arrogant." I said.

Then I saw my secretary's reaction, she just smiled at me.

"why? is there anything wrong with what I've said?"

"uh..I'm sorry Miss President. You looks cute lang po kasi while being a little bit angry but...what you were saying was true. He looks immature and arrogant."

I'm right di ba? Nagbago lang ang status ng buhay niya..pati attitude niya, nagbago na rin. Hmp!

"but if you'll know him better, you will realize that he's actually not."

Actually not? Kung alam mo lang ang nangyari in the past. You'll feel me.

"tss. You're just being deceived by that face" then tumayo na ako at lumipat sa bandang desk kung saan may swiveling chair.

"hanggang what time ba ang meeting nila?" me while looking at my watch.

(F.P. Journe ang brand and this was Spade's gift during my graduation)

"I think, patapos na po sila Miss President"

Maybe, 10 minutes after...

Nagsidatingan na sila dad and ang BOD's sa loob.

And they were so happy seeing me kaya bineso ko sila isa-isa. They have been asking me about my studies abroad, how did I handle daw the pressure from my dad. How did I compete academically daw with the international students and anything that they wanted to ask me. Of course, sinagot ko lang sila ng sinagot kasi as what I've learned from our business instructor sa Cambridge, "best leaders never avoid the hard part of a conversation". And mas mabuti nang makuha ko agad ang loob nila because starting tomorrow, I'll be working with them na.

After ng mahaba-habang conversation namin doon sa office, agad naman akong pinakilala ni dad sa mga employees doon sa 29th floor. Ipinakilala niya rin ako sa mga VP's and Directors nitong company.

Iyong iba, nagulat sila kasi they never saw me na pumunta dito noon. And many of them thought na lalaki ang anak ni dad kaya most of them, hindi makapaniwala.

"You will be our President?"

Napalingon ang lahat sa nagsabi nun.

Si Nathan.

"yes, Director Alejandro" dad replied.

"ah...eh....kung ganon, I'm glad to see you Miss President" medyo awkward na sabi niya habang papalapit siya sa akin.

Alam ko na why.....

Tss. Its because balak pa niya akong biktimahin sa pagiging womanizer niya kanina.

"dad, why he's here?" mahinang ask ko sa kanya kasi gusto kong malaman ang kanyang reason why he allowed Nathan to work here.

"di ba you told me that you already moved on? so I hired him, trabaho lang at walang personalan." then he smiled.

"but dad? how could you_"

"okay, everyone! pwede na kayong bumalik sa work niyo." (agad naman silang nagsi-alisan)

"daddy?" me nang kami na lang ang maiwan dito.

Shocks. Anong trip kayang nito.

"let's go na, may ipapakita akong files ng company sa iyo. Pupuntahan ko lang ang secretary ko, just wait me in your office okay?" at agad na lumakad na siya.

Peacock talaga itong si dad, nagiging ulyanin na ata. Pwede naman kasing tawagin na lang sa phone ang kanyang secretary eh, nagpapakapagod pa talaga siyang maglakad-lakad.

"ahem!" napalingon ako. Andoon pa pala si Nathan.

I just looked at him.

"ah...Miss President, gusto ko lang sabihin sa iyo na...kung ano man ang narinig mo sa mga sinabi ko kanina....ah...kalimutan mo na iyon okay?" him while still talking in an awkward reaction.

Naiinis tuloy ako'ng tingnan siya.

"whatever" I just said tapos nagsimula na akong maglakad. Bahala siya sa buhay niya. Sinira niya lang ang araw ko.

Bumalik na ako sa office para hintayin si dad doon. But almost an hour na akong nakaupo and wala pa rin siya so I called him na.

"dad, where are you?"

"oh yes! I'm sorry Aikka, Dominique was talking kasi kanina about sa budget ng company para sa expansion ng plant, don't worry..I'll be there in...10 minutes" he said.

"okay, I'll wait you here dad" I said.

While waiting for him, someone knocked on the glassdoor.

Him..again

Binuksan niya ito at pumasok na bringing with him some foods.

"what is that?" I asked him.

"ah...pagkain po Miss President, I ordered it kanina lang kaya medyo mainit pa ang mga iyan. Just try it habang hinihintay mo si Chairman." he said.

"no thanks, hindi pa ako gutom." I said.

"ah....sayang naman po if hindi nyo kakainin" him.

Shocks, bakit ba ang kulit ng Nathan na ito?

"eh di kainin mo, simple" I said.

Natigilan siya saglit kasi nasigawan ko siya. Well, it's not my fault.

Makulit kasi siya that's why I got irritated.

Ilang saglit pa...kinain nga niya ito in front of me. With expression pa na parang nagpapainggit.

Bastos to ah.

"yum. Alam mo bang ang perfect ng lasa kasi ang sweetness niya ay malalasap mo talaga and habang nginunguya mo itong bun? malalanghap mo ang aroma ng pandan." he said.

Natakam tuloy ako bigla.

"ano bang tawag sa food na iyan?" me.

"Chocolate Pandan Bun" he said while smiling.

Hmp! Kahit na masarap pa iyan, hinding-hindi ako magpapauto sa iyo.

"get out" I said. Ayokong makita siyang kumakain sa harap ko.

But instead na lumabas siya, ipinakita niya ang chocolate cake with raspberries sa gilid. While he is slicing it, nakikita ko ang katas ng chocolate sa loob ng fudgy part ng cake. Napalunok ako bigla.

"ito, galing pa ito sa mamahaling baking shop sa labas. Alam mo bang ito ang favorite kainin ng mga famous na kakilala ko?"

Tapos nagsimula na siyang kainin ang isang slice. Peacock! Oo na....marupok na ako...marupok na ako pagdating sa pagkain.

"pahingi" sinabi ko. Kukuha na sana ako ng isang slice pero binawi niya ito agad from me.

"di ba you told me to eat it?"

Bwiset siya. Nang-aasar ba siya?

"akin na iyan....nagpapainggit ka tapos di mo ako bibigyan? Gusto mong i-fire kita?" I said.

"oh eto na, masyado ka namang serious.

Nagbibiro lang naman ako eh" tapos iniabot niya sa akin ang isang slice nung cake. Nilagyan niya na rin ng maraming raspberries.

"alam mo bang mayaman sa antioxidants, potassium at fiber ang raspberries? kailangan mo iyan para humaba ang buhay mo" he said.

Napatingin tuloy ako sa kanya at napaisip. Talaga bang wala na siyang maalala kahit konti about sa past namin?

"hey, kanina ka pa nakatitig sa akin Miss President, I know na I'm handsome and cool but its your first time to meet me kaya huwag ka muna sanang magpahalata" him while smiling.

Shocks! He's so arrogant talaga.

I mean, oo...he's handsome and cool but ang sabihin niya iyon sa akin, harap-harapan?

Tinaasan ko na lang siya ng kilay.

"it was just a joke Miss President. Masanay ka na sa akin lalo na't there will be chances na magkakasama tayong magtrabaho together lalo na sa mga big projects nitong company. Remember, I'm assigned as the Director of Planning and Development so there will be times na we will discuss some stuff here."

Peacock.....

Mr. Joseph Montero, anong ibig sabihin nito?!!!