THIS is the day when he will be taking over the position of Charmanship in CWSS financial Corp. plano nya sanang sabihin muna iyon kay Cristina pero hindi naman ito sumasgot sa kanyng mga tawag o text. Ayaw naman nyang pumunta basta sa bahay nito dahil baka mainis ang dalaga sakanya.

"Dude, are you nervous?"

"Fuck you I am not. I never been nervous in my life."

"Sa pawis na nakikita ko sa mukha mo, parang relax ka nga."

"Shut up."

"Shh. Don't be nervous bundok, hindi ka naman kakainin ng board." Inayos pa ni Lyall ang kanyang necktie at pinunasan ang kanyang noo.

Agad naman nyang hinawi ang kaibigan ng pumasok ang kanyang assistant.

"Sir, they are ready for you."

Tinapik sya ni Lyall sa balikat at nag thumbs up pa ito sakanya.

PAG KATAPOS ng meeting ay nakasimangot syang bumalik sa kanyang office. He already has his own place in this building which was arranged by his assistant few days ago.

"She's not there?" kantyaw sa kanya ng kaibigan ng makita nito ang kanyang mukha.

"Nah."

"Of course, she's not yet a division head wala talaga sya doon."

"Right, But how the hell did you know that?"

"Money, handsomeness and connection." Hindi nalang nya ito pinansin pero nag salita ulit si Lyall. "So Cristina, is she some sort of your flavor or you are really into her?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Curious. So?"

"I feel challenge by her. Flavor or not, following her makes me happy."

"Ipapa alala ko lang sayo na best friend yan ni Glycel. Kapag sinaktan mo yan hindi ka lang sakanya mananagot pati kay Venom."

"I will not hurt her. I don't hurt woman."

"And pigs can fly, alright." Sarkastiko nitong sagot.

When everything is settled and when there's nothing Lyall can get gossip from him, he left. And as his usual thing he decided to visit each department of this company.

Nang nasa finance department na sya ay agad nyang hinanap si Cristina, but instead of her it was the head of the finance who approaches her. Kasama pa nito ang dati nyang naka date na kaibigan ni cristina which happened to be the assistant.

"Sir, what a pleasant surprise."

Isang matipid na ngiti lamang ang ibinigay nya dito. Inilibot sya nito sa buong floor at ipinakita sa kanya kung ano ang mga department na hawak nito. Nang mapunta sila sa Tax accounting ay parang na excite sya ngunit hindi nya pinahalata.

"Where is the accounting head? Seems like her desk is empty."

"The head of accounting is on scheduled leave Sir. She will be back after a week. Is there anything you need from her department?"

"Nothing. I should get going, I just want to check everyone and how are you all doing. I see that everything seems good."

"Yes Mr. Moulen, everything is under control. Nothing to worry about."

Isang marahang tango lang ang isinagot nya bago umalis at bumalik sa kanyang opisina. All the excitement he felt awhile ago just died down. Cristina is on vacation but, she did not even inform him. Masyado syang naging busy kaya nakalimutan nyang i-check ito.

Mount, called a friend to know where is Cristina, he's been here in CWSS financial for two days and he is starting to get bored. He's trying to work but he cannot do it. Not when he doesn't see her.

MASAYANG nakikipag usap si Cristina kay alex nang hapon na iyon. Habang nag lalunch sya kanina sa resort kung saan sya nag babakasyon ay nakita nya ang binata. He apologizes for everything he has done and later on offered friendship which she gladly accepts. After all, hindi naman ito masamang tao.

"You mean after we broke up you had sex with a man?" kasalukuyan silang nakaupo sa buhangin sa dalampasigan at kumakain ng popsicle na nabili nila sa nag lalako.

"Shhh! Baka may makarinig sayo. Not really sex, sex. It was more of a make out. I was so drunk that time and salivate I didn't know that the man approaches me that night is actually attractive to me. I thought when he says if I want to enjoy means he'll introduce me to some girls. Tapos yun basta nung nalasing ako napansin ko nalang na nasa sasakyan na nya kami and you know."

She can't help but laugh even harder. Namumula ang mukha ni Alex habang nag kukwento ito na mas lalong nakapag patawa sa kanya.

"What did you do then?"

"Syempre tinulak ko sya. Hindi ko nga din alam kung paano ako nakarating sa condo ko sa sobrang lasing ko. Kinabukasan nga I was hoping it was just a dream but, nah."

"So how was it na enjoy mo ba?"

"Cristina! Of course not. Babae padin ang gusto ko kahit na sinaktan mo ako no."

"Ewan ko sayo alex. Ano nga kasi?"

"No, I did not enjoy it."

"Talaga lang ah. Parang iba naman na se-sense ko."

"Cirstina, I am not gay I like woman, I like having sex with woman and-"

"Man?" nakangiti nyang tanong.

Huminga ito ng malalim at para bang malungkot. "Just, I am- never mind."

"Hey, there nothing wrong whatever your preference is. Woman, man or both. That's ok, 2021 na and love has no boundaries."

Inipit nito ang kanyang leeg sa braso at ginulo ang kanyang buhok. "Kahit kelan talaga ang dami mong sinasabi."

"Isa." Itinulak nya ito habang walang humpay syang tumatawa. "Yan nahulog na yung popsicle ko. Napaka mo talaga."

"E'di bili pa tayo pag dumaan ulit si manong."

"Sige, pero sabihin mo muna sakin yung itsura nung lalaki na naka make out mo. Pogi ba?"

"Cristina! Bahala ka na dyan iiwan na kita."

"Hoy! Bakit ka tumayo. Sige hindi na ako mangungulit." Hinawakan nya ang kamay ni alex para pigilan ito. "Wag mo ko iwan dito please?" she even bathed her eyes na ikinailing nalang ng binata.

Hindi pa nakakasagot sa kanya si Alex ng bumagsak ito sa buhangin.

"What the fuck!"

Sabay nilang sigaw ni Alex. Masama ang tingin na ipinukol nya sa tumulak dito bago tumayo at tinulungan ang binata.

"Pucha! Anong problema mo?" akmang susugod ito sa nanulak pero pinigilan nya iyon.

"Don't talk to me." Tanging sagot dito ni Mount at bumaling sakanya. "Diba sya yung gagong ex mo? Why are you with him?"

"Don't talk to me either!"

Hinila nya si Alex paalis sa lugar na iyon para hindi na din magkagulo. Sa nakikita nyang tension sa mata ni Mount ay para bang handa itong makipag basag ulo kung hindi pa sila umalis doon.

"Cristina!" rinig nyang sigaw nito pero hindi nya iyon pinansin.

"Sorry sa nangyari kanina. May masakit ba sayo? Mukhang malakas yung pag kakatulak sayo ni Mount eh."

"Nah I'm all good. Pero baka mamaya hindi na dahil mukhang papatay yung lalaki kanina. Sino ba yun? Syota mo?"

"Gago ka ba? Tingin mo hihilain kita paalis don kung boyfriend ko yun?"

"Malay ko ba, kung makaasta sya kanina parang selos na selos eh. I thought he's your lover or something."

"Si Mount Vesuvius Moulen yon, friend ng boyfriend ni Gly."

"The famous Mountain, sya pala yun."

"You know him?"

"Cristina, everyone in the business industry know his name. Anyways, he's Glycel's boyfriends' best friend and?

"And what?"

"Ano natulak ako ng malakas sa buhangin tapos wala man lang akong mapapala? Ato 'to?"

Pinitik nya si Alex sa noo dahil sa kakulitan nito. Pero ngumiti lang ang binata at hinuli ang kanyang kamay.

"Basta sunod lang sya ng sunod sakin. Hindi ko alam kung bakit basta sumusunod sya."

"That's it?"

"Hmm. Babaero sya."

"I see." He knew how much she hates a play boy. Napag usapan na nila iyon noong nanliligaw palang ito kaya naman umiwas ito sa mga babae noong mga panahon na sinusuyo palang sya ni Alex.

Nasa Cabin na si Cristina and checking all the files that was sent to her by her staff. May mga urgent na hinihingi sakanila ang audit department. She instructed everyone to send everything to her and wait for her go signal before submitting it. Biglaan ang mga iyon kaya kahit nasa bakasyon sya ay kinailangan nyang mag tabaho.

It was already past eight in the evening nang may kumatok sa kanyang pinto.

"Might be Alex?" she thought, sinabi nito na sabay na silang mag dinner kapag tapos na sya sa ginagawa.

"Hey, sorry- oh! You are not Alex."

"So kahit dito sa cabin mo iniexpect mo padin yung gago mong ex?"

"You care because?"

"Cristina, ilang lingo lang akong naging busy biglang malalaman ko nalang na nag bakasyon ka kasama yung gagong alex na yon? I thought you hate him?"

"He said sorry."

"That's it? So nag kabalikan na ba kayo?"

"Mr. Moulen, why do you care. Saka pwede ba wag kang pupunta sa cabin ko at maninigaw na para bang pag mamay ari mo ako. Wag ka din basta bastang nanunulak ng mga tao."

"I thought we have something." Mahina nitong sabi pero narinig nya iyon.

"Hindi ko alam kung saan mo nakuha yang idea nayan Mr. Moulen but let me clarify it. Me being nice to you doesn't mean I am your girlfriend or something that makes you entitled of me. Hindi naman sa kakapalan ng mukha pero alam nating pareho na hindi kita gusto. I hope this makes everything clear."

Tiim bangang na nakatingin sakanya si Mount.

"Alright then." Galit nitong sabi bago umalis.

Hindi nalang nya masyadong inisip ang binata. She is having vacation to relax. Hindi nya hahayaan na masira iyon ng kahit na sino. That was her plan until she receives a text message from one of her staff.

"Ma'am, nag instruct po si chairman na ibigay din po sakanya yung mga files na hinihingi ng audit pag katapos nyo pong reviewhin. Kami na lang po ba ang mag sesend sakanya?"

"No, let me do it, I will just send all the files to Mr. Rodriguez after I review."

"Ma'am, hindi po si Mr. Rodrigues ang nanghihingi. Yung bagong chairman po si Mr. Mount Vesuvius Moulen."

Parang hindi sya makapaniwala sa nabasa. Ang buong akala nya ang kaibigan nito ang papalit sa dati nilang chairman, how come it was him? And how come none of her friends or co-worker informed her about it? Kung kelan kung ano-anong mga sinabi nya sa binata tapos malalaman nya na ito na pala ang nag mamay ari nang pinag tatrabahuan nya.

"How can I relax now?" nang hihinang tanong nya sa sarili.