HINGAL KONG INILAPAG ang biniling pagkain sa harapan ni Troy. Maging ang mga kasama nito'y napatingin sa akin. Masama ang tingin ko sa kanya. My eyes are glaring as if it has lasers to penetrate deeply on Troy's skin.

Sino ang hindi mas lalong manggagalaitin?

They are done eating their lunches! Like what the hell?! Anong silbi ng pagbili ko ng pagkain sa kanya? I even exhaust myself too much just to get here on time. Tapos ito ang maabutan kong eksena? Nagkakasayahan sila sa isang malaking pizza at softdrinks?

Pasimple ko ring sinamaan ng tingin ang apat nitong kaibigan lalo na ang kapatid kong nakangisi sa'kin.

He didn't even inform me that they have just eaten! Sunod-sunod ang naging paghinga ko ng malalim. And I think I made them all stumbled in shock.

"S-Serena..."

"I ordered your favorite Italian dish for your lunch, Sir. And here's your card." Sabay abot ko sa kanya ng card nito. "I'll be just outside. Let me know if you have any concerns."

Wala miski isa ang nagsalita sa kanilang lima. If my brother really knows me well, ito ang panahon para seryosohin niya ang galit ko. Nagkapatong patong na mula pa kanina kaya huwag niya akong batuhan ng ngisi.

Nang makaupo sa aking lamesa ay nagbitiw ako ng isang malalim na buntung-hininga bago muling nag-ayos at sinimulang gawin ang trabaho.

I should just concentrate myself with work. Work sometimes relieves my stress, how ironically it may sound.

I started reading all the approvals needed by each departments. I sorted it out first from high prio documents to the least. After that, I reviewed the high prio documents and checked if all those things are good or if there's anything that should be revised. Bawat pahina ay nilalagyan ko ng sticky note to point out which part of the pages need revisions.

The high prio documents are the ones I asked last week. The plan of getting the international market exportation venture is one of the biggest brands of funitures in the US and in Europe.

Monteverde Group of Companies has the reputation of having good quality of furnitures in the whole nation. From design to manufacturing, the MGC has an established product development system.

Hindi ko lang makuha ang point kung bakit ngayon lang sila nagpaplano ng ganito. They should have done this before. Kung si Adrianna ang Chairwoman even before, ano'ng pumasok sa kokote no'n at hindi man lang ginamit ang impluwensya nito sa ibang bansa.

MGC definitely has the spot to be known globally. And yet, here they are, struggling to get a spot inside.

I put the chosen folders in a bin. Ito ang mga dapat pirmahan ni Troy mamaya. It includes the budget proposals, meeting the deadlines reports and such.

MGC should release a huge amount of money for this venture. Hindi basta basta ang plano nila. Kung noon, madali lang sa kanila dapat, ngayon ay iba na. They have a lot of competitors globally. They should impress them big time. One way to do that is to show that they are financially capable. Pero nang chineck ko na ang annual reports na binigay sa'kin ng Financial Manager, there's a lot of discrepancies with the numbers.

"You're too serious," napahawak ako sa aking dibdib sa gulat nang marinig ko si Trav na nagsalita. Nakadukwang ito sa table ko habang nakangisi.

Inikutan ko siya ng mata. "Huwag mo 'kong kausapin, busy ako."

Marahan lang itong natawa sa sinabi ko. "This is not your day, I see."

"Isn't it obvious?" I commented. Mas lalo akong nag-agree na hindi ko 'to araw dahil sa nababasa kong mali sa report.

"Travis, do you know anything why MGC only decided to do this venture now?" I asked him. Nang tingnan ko siya sa mata ay bakas ro'n ang pagkagulat.

Ano'ng nakakagulat sa tinanong ko?

"Trav?" Tawag kong muli.

"A crisis happened before." Iyon lang ang naisagot nito dahil marahas na bumukas ang pintuan ng opisina ni Troy.

Nilabas niyon ang hindi maipintang mukha ng binata.

"Hindi ka pa ba uuwi, Travis?" Galit na tanong ni Troy sa kapatid ko.

Tapos nakita kong nakadugaw sa may likuran ni Troy ang tatlo pang kaibigan nila at kapwang mga nakangisi habang nanunuod na animo'y may show.

"I still have time, bruh. Why? Ayaw mo na ba ako rito?" Tugon ni Trav na nakangisi ng todo kay Troy. Then Trav walked through my station at umakbay sa'kin. "Besides, we're having fun talking here."

Kung may usok lang talaga na nalabas sa tainga at ilong nitong si Troy baka siya na ang kauna-unahang taong nakagawa niyon. Mabilis itong lumapit kay Trav para siguro sana saktan pero mabilis na nakaalis at nagtatakbo ang kapatid kong timang tapos ay hinahabol naman ito ni Troy.

I rolled my eyes because they are both being childish.

"You must be something," napaangat ang tingin ko sa tatlong binatang nakatanghod sa table ko habang nakatingin sa'kin nang nakangisi.

It was Luke who spoke.

"I'm just ordinary." I replied nonchalantly. Being ordinary is an understatement for me. If they're talking about me being a woman, then yes I am. I'm ordinary because I'm just a normal girl like everyone else. But if they're talking about social status? That is something I don't even know if I can change. Lady Elle has her own term to be described from being ordinary. That woman has a different level of being a specie.

"I don't think so." It was Erik Angelo who commented.

Just by looking at them this very close, I'm not sure if I can call myself lucky. The five of them have their own ways to intimidate people by just their mere presence. All of them are, well, if calling them handsome and gorgeous are too common then it must be. They exude this combination of being a bad boy, ruthless and playful in just one body.

Luke Francis Rodriguez if I'm not mistaken, he has the royal attached on his blood. His European features scream that he's a man who has a title in-born. Just like the others, he has strong jaws and a beared to die for.

Erik Angelo Ramirez is one hell of a man. If my research about him was right, he's one of the Military Elite Force member of PMA. Meaning to say, he has a rank to show off. Having those brooding shoulders behind his American designed tuxedo can tell that he's in a different level as well.

"You're too serious, come on! Loosen up a bit!" It was Ethan who spoke.

Ethan Jake Asturia has this presence that you should need to be careful for. He's the one dominating the construction and mining industry in this region and his influence to other business influencers was beyond imaginable. He's handling that industry just a couple of months but he managed to boom it as if they're just starting. Before he managed his family business, he's been doing stock investment already and that made his connection widen.

"I'm a part-time employee, Sirs. I need to work hard so I can pay for my daily expenses." I reasoned out.

White lies again, Serena. Damn, trouble is now my bestfriend.

"We actually have one request for you, Serena." Napatingin ako kay Ethan nang magseryoso ang mukha nito. "Out of five of us, Troy has the most terrifying past that he hadn't yet overcome. It only triggers once he's being hurt deeply and I hope you won't hurt him."

"No," sumingit si Luke na may same intensity of seriousness. "She has no right to hurt him. It's a fair warning, Ms. Angeles."

Napakurap kurap ako ng mata sa sinabi nila. Kahit walang sinabi si Erik, alam kong gano'n rin ang gusto niyang sabihin. Pero ewan ko, ah. Ako? Ako talaga ang mananakit? Yes, I may be lying right now to everyone by pretending someone I don't even know pero masasaktan na ba no'n ng sobra si Troy? Or do they mean something beyond that?

Hindi naman ako manhid para hindi maisip ang pinupunto nila. If they're pertaining about hurting his heart by means of loving Troy, then rest assured that it won't happen. Yes, I like him. I must admit. Pero hindi 'yon aabot sa punto ng gano'n. I know myself. I know where to go and I know where to stop.

If everything will not goes well then I'll stop this being pretentious and just be back from my usual self.

NAKAALIS na silang lahat nang lapitan ako ni Troy na kanina pang nakabusangot. Mukhang 'di yata ito ang araw ng binata. Ang ganda ng mood nang pumasok pero mag-o-out nang banas.

"Pinopormahan ka na ba ng mga 'yon kanina while I'm chasing Travis the fucker?"

Parehas na nagtaas ang kilay ko sa tanong niya. Alangan namang sabihin kong oo. At kung hindi naman, dapat ko bang sabihin na pinagbantaan ako?

"Hindi, ano bang klaseng tanong 'yan? Bumalik ka na nga do'n sa opisina mo. Binabadtrip mo ang sarili mo d'yan. Akala mo naman kagandahan ako para pormahan ng mga gwapo mong kaibigan." Tugon ko pero mas nagpa-badtrip yata iyon sa binata.

"Gwapo? Nagagwapuhan ka sa mga 'yon?" He asked me then he scoffed, as if it's unbelievable. "Are you blind, Serena? Hindi gwapo ang mga 'yon. Sige nga, sinong mas gwapo sa amin?"

Gusto kong matawa sa inaasta ng taong 'to. Para naman 'tong bata na naagawan dahil nasabihang mas gwapo ang mga kaibigan kesa sa kanya. Gusto lang nitong sabihin kong mas gwapo s'ya 'eh.

Ewan ko ba but I find this side of him cute. But at the same time nosy and annoying. Tiningnan ko muna ang elevator sa may kalapit at nagpalinga linga saglit bago ko mabilis na hinablot ang kwelyo ng binata at banatan ng isang madiin na halik.

Troy's body stiffened in shock from what I did. He was about to kiss me back when I pulled myself and stare at him with grin plastered on my lips.

"I only kiss the person who's really really handsome amongst them. Satisfied? Now get back to work, Mr. Monteverde." Wika ko habang inaayos ayos ang kwelyo at suot nito.

When I look at his eyes, I don't know what happened but he ended up kissing me again. His face is serious and it seems I really did a great job inflating his ego.

Natatawa akong bumitaw sa halikan namin pero ang kuya niyo hinahabol pa ang labi ko. Tinampal ko siya ng marahan.

"Seloso mo," natatawa kong biro habang muling naupo sa office chair na gamit ko.

Napaatras ako nang bahagya nang bigla itong dumukwang sa'kin habang seryosong tinitingnan ang mga labi ko.

"I am. So, don't entertain any other men from now on or you'll see my bad side. You wouldn't like to see it, Serena. I'll punish you in bed once you did." He said announcing that he's possessing me.

Nagnakaw pa ito ng isa pang halik bago tuluyang nag-ayos at nakangisi nang pumasok sa opisina nito. "I think I can finish my job today."

Namula ang mukha ko sa sinabi niya. Jusko, that man is insatiable.