Chapter 5 - Chance Encounters

Brent

"being in her arms awhile ago... and having her beside me now... i can't believe that she is really mine..." i told myself as i checked if her seatbelt was on.

"i am such a lucky man to have you, gail... i love you..." sabi ko having her hand in mine.

she just smiled at me. just like the smile that she usually shows me. the smile that makes my heart skip a beat. she does this everytime. di ko alam kung anong meron siya at mahal ko siya ng ganito.

i just do. the moment i first saw her, parang i felt that she was the missing part of my life. it was a chanced encounter. parang it happened with the help of fate. maswerte nga talaga ako kung ganun.

and i plan to have a nice dinner with her tonight. will make the reservation after i drop her off. i plan it to be special. for her. for me. for us. i just want her to be happy. if she is happy, i will be happy.

"bye babe... good luck on your presentation. i will pick you up later. just message me so i will be here on time." sabi ko as i helped her with her things as we walked up the stairs to the building of her work, ventures incorporated proprietor agency. vip agency, for short.

i gave her a kiss before i left. i saw her walk into the building being assisted by one of her collegues. she is my angel. and i plan to make that dinner unforgettable.

"so i need to make those arrangements..." sabi ko sa sarili ko ng pinaandar ko na ang kotse at umalis to prepare.

Gail

"so here it goes..." i said before entering the conference room for my presentation in front of the clients.

the product that i have to make a pitch for today is for a well known brand of telecommunications. kailangan kong makuha itong account na ito. gosh! pressured ako! kaya ko ba ito?

"good luck sa presentation..." naalala kong banggit ni brent sa akin.

"kaya ko ito!" sabi ko sa sarili ko ng buksan ko ang door at pumasok sa loob ng room.

i pulled all my strength and presented my pitch in front of the clients. by the end of it, i felt tired and drained, but still having the smile on my face. thanks to my dear brent.

"thank you, ms. santos for that wonderful presentation. we are happy with the confidence that you showed through out your pitch. you showed us someone who really knows what she is saying and she has the heart to express it..." sabi ng isa sa mga panels.

"unfortunately..." nagsalita ang isa pang panel na ikinakaba ng puso ko, pero di ko pinahalata.

"... the decision is not ours to make... we will have to report your presentation to our boss and let him decide... but we can say... we are very impressed..." said one of the panels as he walked over to me and shook my hand.

"i am very happy to hear that mr. ponce..." ang nasabi ko habang pinapalakpakan ako ng mga nasa room.

matapos ang ilang minuto ng pag uusap, umalis na ang mga clients at hinatid ng boss ko palabas. ng bumalik si boss, nakangiti itong lumapit sa akin.

"gail... i... i mean, the whole company is proud of your pitch today. the clients told me that they will give good recommendations to their boss to have your presentation become their ad for their coming business development. congratulations! this may mean something, right?" sabi ng boss ko na si mr. tuyor, habang nakatingin sa akin.

"what do you mean, sir?" tanong ko habang inaayos ang mga gamit ko sa room.

"this means that a promotion might be in the works... how does senior supervisor for advertising sound? pero hush-hush pa ito ha" sabi nitong papalapit sa akin holding out his hand.

"oh thank you so much sir! thank you very, very much!" sabi ko habang kinakamayan siya. sobrang bait talagi ni sir para bigyan ako ng chance.

matapos nito, umalis na si boss ng room at patuloy kong inayos ang mga gamit ko. biglang nagvibrate ang phone ko na nasa table.

<message received>

babe, i heard that your presentation went well.

congrats! i love you.

will pick you up later ok.

sender: brent.

pano kaya niya nalaman? anyway, mamaya ko na tanungin sa dinner. i still have a few hours before quitting time. so i better be busy, para mabilis umandar ang oras. sobrang saya ko!

"changes will come... i can feel it" sabi ko sa sarili ko as i walked to my cubicle while some friends and coworkers congratulated me.

so back to work gail... back to work so you can prove them you will deserve any change that will happen soon.

"but first... i need to have some fresh air... and maybe a coffee outside..." sabi ko sa sarili ko when i got my wallet and went out of my cubicle and went out of the room.

sa sobrang daming tense feeling, i was feeling a bit dizzy. konting air will do the job... nasa tapat lang naman ng building ang coffee shop. sana lang di masyado marami ang mga students dun ngayon. may malapit kasi na all-girls school, they usually hang out there. those richie rich, snobby little princesses. but no worries, i'm in a good mood today... and no bratty little rich girl will dampen that.

ding! dong!

"wow... lunch time na pala..." sabi ko ng marinig ko ang bell ng the villa academy exclusive girls school sa di kalayuan.

pero hindi pa ako gutom. must be the excitement nung presentation kanina. well, tulad ng sabi ko kanina, eto na ang mga estudyante. lucky girls. rich families. they are practically just in the school for the diploma. they don't need to work for a living when they graduate, what with the inheritance they are bound to have.

"like... come on girls... my treat!" sigaw nung isang student habang kasama ang mga friends niya sa di kalayuan.

"hala... but zeleen... you already treated us yesterday..." sagot nung isang girl in braids wearing thick-rimmed glasses.

"no... no... i insist... patricia jane..." sabi nito hawak ang phone niya at mukhang may tatawagan. sumimangot yung naka glasses na girl.

"hayaan mo na nga siya, pj... eh sa gusto niyang manlibre..." sabi ng isang girl sa tabi nito.

mukhang may kaya dahil bago ang unit ng phone na hawak nung girl. di pa nga out in market yun. mga two to four months pa bago ilabas. rich. advanced. maybe thanks to daddy dearest?

"kuya paolo... it's lunch time already... and where are you? with your barkada? hope you remember to pick us up later... or papa will get angry at you again... what? in batangas? but you promised. what are you doing there?" iritang usap nito sa phone habang naglalakad pa rin papunta sa coffee shop with obvious expensive handbag in hand.

di ako nag e-eavesdrop. narinig ko lang talaga yung usap nitong girl named 'zeleen' with her older brother. don't call me chismosa. i was just an innocent bystander. pero gusto ko pang makinig sa usapan while pretending to be busy with my phone.

"so you won't be picking us up from school later... isumbong kita kay papa, kuya... sige na nga... i'll just call manong eli to pick us up later... bye..." sabi ni zeleen turning the phone off.

"so what's the news, zelly?" tanong ng isa pang girl na nakapusod.

"well, if you should know izabela, kuya paolo is way up there in batangas with his barkada checking on some sites he has eyes on. baka bukas pa siya uuwi with them. so manong eli will just drive us home later" sabi nito as they went in the coffee shop.

well, someone who has interest in sites and, it seems, land really has money to spend. some rich kids have everything. i didn't see a lack in whatever i needed growing up. but dad and mom where always not at home. dad busy with business and mom going around the world on her casino trips. the house felt so empty even if rosie and yaya janice there. malapit na ako sa may door ng may nareceive akong message.

<message received>

sis, how was your presentation?

do let me and jeannie the story. :)

sender: dinah

Nicolo

lunch time na kasi tumunog na yung bell nung eskwelahan sa malapit. kailangan di ako late sa tagpuan namin ni sir. nakakahiya naman. maitext na nga muna siya.

sir, malapit na ako sa school.

dito na ako padaan ng coffee shop.

sender: nicolo

<message sent>

pinanood ko ang paglipad ng envelope sa phone ko ng huminto ako sa may tabi ng pinto ng coffee shop ng biglang...

"gosh!" napasigaw ang babae sa tabi ko dahil nabunggo siya sa braso ko. nagte text din kasi.

"my phone!" sigaw nito ng nabitawan ang phone niya.

Gail

"my phone!" was all i can say as i watched my cellphone slowly dive screen first to the dusty cement pavement.

nang mabilis na nasalo ito nung guy na nabunggo ko. kasi naman. bakit siya nakaharang sa may door ng coffee shop. laki laki niya. he's blocking the doorway. good thing kahit buff siya, mabilis ang mga kamay niya at nasalo niya yung phone ko before it hit the ground.

"oh miss... yung phone mo..." sabi nitong nakangiti habang inaabot yung phone ko. gwapo siya. matipuno. naka shades. pero yung ngiti niya parang nang iinis. feel ko tuloy ako pa may kasalanan. kaya mabilis kong kinuha yung phone ko sa kamay niya at umiwas sa kanya paikot.

"hmmmph!" sabay pasok sa loob ng shop.

Nicolo

"hmmmph!" sabi nito sa akin ng ngitian ko. nagandahan kasi ako sa kanya. nagiging ganito lagi ang reaksyon ko pag may magandang babae sa harap ko.

umiwas ito sa akin at pumasok sa loob ng coffee shop. sinundan ko siya ng tingin hanggang mawala siya sa paningin ko. mukhang sofisticada. mukhang mataray. pero, oo, maganda.

tumunog ang phone ko at mabilisan ko itong binasa.

<message received>

nics,

hintayin kita sa labas ng gate ng school.

sender: sir.

"oo nga pala... may pupuntahan pa ako." sabi ko sa sarili ko ng lingunin ko ang pinto ng coffee shop nagbabakasakaling makikita si miss mataray. pero wala siya. sarili ko lang nakita ko.

makaalis na nga. sabay lakad ng mabilis papuntang school.

Gail

when i came into the shop, i felt a bit dizzy. or should i say giddy. that guy was hot! that tight blue shirt on him didn't really cover that well muscled body underneath. whew! pinag pawisan ako dun ha.

"victory is sweet"

and he had that mysterious factor with that shades going for him. plus that teasing smile. gosh! and before he left, he turned to look at the shop. he turned to where i was standing. did he see me or not?

then i looked again to my phone that i was clutching tightly.

everything went good.

it was good.

"everything was good, until it became unbearable hot." behave gail... behave.