CHAPTER 10: GRAB THE OPPORTUNITY THIS TIME

After the lunch break, everyone is back tin their own workstation.

Andro still cannot believe what happen earlier. How did he miss it? Clueless at all that Ferns will be working in the company because he never fails knowing whom will be the new employee coming.

He wonders if Ferns is the person that Renan interviewed some weeks ago? Is Ferns is the person waiting in the private room that he asked Renan about? How come he never asked Renan more about this person when he is usually this inquisitive person?

Is it obvious that he froze when he saw Ferns a little while ago in the cafeteria? Is his alibi convincing that he watched a ghost movie last night?

Is he going to tell Ferns about him already, that it was he – Andre, his text mate and that Andre and Andro is just one person?

His thoughts are some mixed up that he does not able to notice who just comes in to his office and walks toward his workstation.

All of a sudden Ferns appears before his eyes from nowhere. He thought he is dreaming so he froze again until someone pokes his head with a paper. Renan pokes him very hard to wake him up.

"Bro, what is happening to you? Don't tell me you are still seeing a ghost again?" Renan laughs.

"Ahm, sorry! What is happening? Why are you here?" Andro asks.

"Well, I am with Ferns and I want to ask you a favor, bro?' Renan said.

"I have an urgent meeting to go to so I want to ask you if you can take care of Ferns for the meantime and show him around and introduces him to everyone, please?" Renan politely asks Andro.

Andro look at Ferns and said, "Of course, I will take good care of him...I mean I will take care of this."

"Thanks, bro. I owe you coffee later. So I am going now and leave Ferns to you." Renan said and taps Ferns in his shoulder to signal them that he is leaving.

"Hey Ferns, are you ready to take a stroll?" Andro cheerfully asks Ferns.

"I can't wait!" Ferns said.

They start in the office where they are right now, office of the building and administrative department. Andro introduces Ferns to Ava who sits next to his workstation; she is the executive assistant to the Vice President of the Human Resources and Administrative department of the company. Ava is a chubby and very bubbly lady, her size and weight suits her personality but Andro warns Ferns that he cannot share too much stories with her because she gossips a lot. Ferns smiles to nod his understanding. Andro asks Ava if they can come in and disturb their boss in her office to introduce Ferns, Ava stands up and joyfully take the boys to their boss' office.

Ava knocks twice and slowly opens the door and says, "Madam, can we disturb you for a minute?"

"Yes, what is it?" her boss said.

Andro said, "Madam, just would like to introduce to you our new staff from the Finance department. His name is Ferns!"

"Hello, Ferns. My name is Mrs. Lady Buenjoy! But you can call me Madam Lady for short!" Madam Lady cheerfully offers Ferns a handshake.

"It's very nice to meet you, Madam Lady!" Ferns' quickly grabs Madam Lady's hand.

"Welcome aboard, I hope you enjoy your time working in the company!" Madam says.

"Thank you very much Madam Lady!" Ferns politely respond.

Andro and Ferns step out of Madam Lady's office after the introduction and walk to the elevator for the next office.

Andro and Ferns is facing the door of the elevator and waiting for it to open when Ferns notices from his peripheral vision that Andro is staring at him. He then turns his head to Andro and asks, "Have you been working here for long?"

"Ahm, me?" Andro's initial's response because he is not expecting that Ferns will talk to him.

"No, I am asking the shadow behind you actually." Ferns laughs.

Andro look behind and starts to laugh too.

"Are you still disturbed by the ghost movie you saw last night?" Ferns' still laughing.

"What do you mean?" Andro asks.

Before Ferns said something, Andro immediately continues his response and said, "Oh yes, that movie! You know I am not really into scary movies. I am not gonna see a scary movie again."

The elevator opens and they both get in.

The next office they visit is the Procurement department.

When they enter the office, they saw Jovy. Her desk is the first workstation in the office and she is also the assistant to the manager of the procure department. Andro introduces Ferns again to Jovy but she just ignores Andro and tells him to introduce Ferns to the rest of the staff in the office while she will be checking in with her boss if he is not busy so that they can introduce Ferns as well to their boss.

After the introduction, Jovy walks them out to the elevator. Jovy is Mhy's best friend in the office and since Mhy & Ferns will be working in the same department she is very excited and happy to welcome Ferns to the company.

Andro and Ferns next stop is the Marketing department where Jhing is. She also works as an executive assistant to the Vice President of the Sales and Marketing department of the company.

Andro and Jhing are very close since they started working in the company at the same time. But they never mentioned to Ferns that they are being paired together because they always feel embarrassed when people are teasing them.

Jhing walks them around the office and introduces Ferns to everybody and to her boss as well.

After an hour and a half, Andro finished introducing Ferns to everyone. He asked Ferns if he wants to go out for a break and grab a coffee in Starbucks just in front of the building.

"Whew, that was tiring but I really had fun to meet everyone." Ferns said. "Thanks for doing this for me!" Ferns continued.

"You are very welcome. I am happy to do this for you. It was my first time though." Andro says.

"Really? You did a good job, Andro!" Ferns said.

"Thanks, Ferns. By the way, do you drink coffee?" Andro asked.

"Yes I do, I am actually dying for a coffee right now." Ferns sounds very excited when Andro mentioned about coffee.

"Perfect, let's grab a coffee first in Starbucks before I take you back." Andro cheerfully invites Ferns.

The coffee shop is just in front of the building so every time someone goes there you should expect to bump with some familiar faces from the office.

As they approach the coffee shop, Andro quickly opens the door for Ferns and they both head to the counter to order their coffee.

Andro insisted to pay for their drinks and Ferns promised Andro to pay for his coffee next time.

Ferns got his order first while Andro is waiting for his. When Ferns starts to sip his drink, he suddenly remembers something and quickly laughs softly.

"Why, what is funny?" Andro asked.

"Nothing, I just remembered something." Ferns said.

"What is it?" Andro insists to know.

"Every time I visit Starbucks I remember what happen to me last year." Ferns said.

"Any special about Starbucks?" Andro starts to grill Ferns.

"Haha I wish it was special but it was actually a disaster for me." Ferns laughs again.

"Really? What happen? Did you slide or spill your drink last year." Andro now sounds very eager to know.

"Oh no, none of that happen to me. It just that...I supposed to meet someone in Starbucks coffee last year but it did not happen because of some series of disaster that took place...well, at least from my end." Ferns starts to open the story.

Andro knew that he was expecting that this is the story he is waiting to hear from Ferns.

He asks Ferns again, "Really? What disaster was that?"

They got interrupted when Andro's order comes out.

"Haha let's talk about it later. Next time when I treat you for a coffee." Ferns said.

Andro looking disappointed but he tries not to show it in his face and he doesn't want to push it more because Ferns might feel nosy about him for asking too much about the topic.

While inside the elevator heading back to Ferns office, Ferns starts to talk again and said, "I almost forgot to say, this person I was talking about I think works here. But I am not sure though if he still works here."

Andro bites his lips and pretends that he did not hear Ferns. The door opens and he walks Ferns back to his workstation.