Kindly please read the author's note after this part.

CHAPTER NINE: ASSISTANT

Ivy's POV

"What's wrong with you?!" 

Tanong ko sa P.A ko nung pinalabas nya ako ng meeting room kalakaladkad pa yung buhok ko.

"You keep sleeping in the meeting! Give us some shame!"

"So you need to drag me by hair out?!! Oh my please...I curl it for almost TWO HOURS, MARIE!!"

"I. DON'T. CARE! JUST DO NOT SL—"

"I'M TIRED! I SLEPT AT 4 IN THE MORNING AND DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE ACTIVE IN THE MEETING!"

"Watch your words, Ivy!"

"Well you too, Marie!"

"IVY! IM STILL OLDER THAN YOU SO YOU SHOULD—"

"RESCPECT?! YOU?! I. AM. YOUR. BOSS HERE MARIELLE REYES!"

"What's happening he—"

"SHUT UP!" 

Sabay naming sigaw ni Marie. Agad akong napatingin sa bagong dating at si Tito pala yun. Agad akong nagsorry sa kanya dahil nagsigawan ko sya.

"Sorry too, sir." -Marie

"Shut up, Marie. You don't deserved his forgiveness." I gave her one of my fiercest glares.

"Ivy, it's okay. Can you please tell me what's happening here? Bakit kayo nagsisigawan?"

"It's Marie's mistake. Boss nya ako pero kinaladkad nya ako palabas ng meeting hall just because I'm sleeping at talagang SS buhok ko pa. Tito, natulog ako ng 4am kanina dahil sa fight! Remember?" 

Pagpapaliwanag ko tapos nagflip pa ng buhok.

"But sir...bawal matulog sa meeting ang isang—"

"But it's still wrong Marie." Tito insists. I smirked.

"I'm so sorry again." Sabi ni Marie at yumuko. "Sorry too, Mam Ivy."

"Oh yes. You should be sorry and BTW, pack your things. Today's your last day here in my company."

Inayos ko yung buhok ko at naglakad na palayo. Kaimbyerna. Puta, yung buhok ko pa yung pinunterya.

"What?" Tanong ni Tito.

"But maam—"

I smiled bitterly. Kompanya ko toh kaya may karapatan ako.

"Yes...you're fired."

========

"You fired her?" Tanong ni Joy.

"Of course. That bitch thinks that she's over me." 

Sagot ko tapos inayos yung ibang papeles na nakakalat sa lamesa ko.

"Buti na yun sa kanya, Joy. She don't deserves Ivy's company."

Napatingin ako kay Alice na lumabas mula sa kusina ng opisina ko. As usual, may hawak na namang pagkain. My friends are here to come over. Manggugulo lang. Sa opisina ko.

"But Ivy still fired her."

"Joy, wag mo syang problemahin. Ivy can find a new personal assistant. Yung mas matino pa." Denise insisted.

"Tsaka guys, wag na nating problemahin yung P.A ko, okay? Madaling humanap ng iba. Tito can handle it."

Speaking of Tito, pumasok sya kaagad ng opisina ko with a smirk on his face.

"Ivy, I heard your talking about finding your new assistant, right?"

Tumango ako.

"Well, I found new one."

Tinaasan ko sya ng kilay. "Sorry Tito but she needs to pass my review."

Natawa sya ng mahina. I know that my friends are eavesdropping on our convo but I didn't care.

"You don't need to. I know him for too long. He's trustworthy."

"Then who is he?"

"Xand, come in!" Tawag ni Tito sa labas.

Pumasok ang isang lalaking nakajacket at V neck white shirt. To be honest, he's giving me an aristocratic air.

Then he faced me. Napatayo kaagad ako sa upuan ko at maski sya nagulat sakin.

"You?!" Sabay naming sabi.

"Ivy, welcome your new personal assistant. Alexander."

========

"I don't get you, Tito. Bakit si Alexander pa? He's an a*shole." 

Sabi ko nung pansamantalang pinalabas ni Tito si Alex para bumili ng pagkain.

"Is anything wrong with him?"

"Him! Sya mismo ang mali." Saad ko tapos hinimas yung noo ko.

This day is stressing me, for Pete's sake. I need time to rest. Si Marie. Si Alexander. Nakakapunyeta silang lahat.

"Ivy...you'll get with it soon."

"Of course not! Never Tito."

"Here's the food." 

Tinignan ko si Alexander papasok ng opisina ko at may hawak na dalawang paper bag ng pagkain. Inilapag nya yun sa lamesa ng kusina ko at naghain narin sya.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Yaya ni Tito.

"No. I'm going out. Need to time to digest." 

Sarkastikong sabi ko. Nagmake up lang ako sandali at nagayos ng buhok na ginulo ni Marie kanina bago ko binitbit yung bag ko.

"Sayang yung pagkain."

"But I don't want to eat wit you. Can't you get me?" Taas kilay kong tanong kay Alexander.

"Magutom ka sana."

"Sana nga."

I flipped my hair tapos nagmartsa palabas ng opisina ko. Sumakay ako sa kotse ko at dumeretso sa isang malapit na mall. I need time to stress out myself. Problems are always coming my way. I need to give myself a day off with it.

Dumeretso ako sa Forever 21 at pumili ng mumurahing damit. Wag kayong mag-alala, para sa mga katulong ko toh. Nakakaawa sila eh, luray luray ang mga damit.

I picked to dresses, two shorts and blouses tapos nagbayad ako sa counter.

"Sobra sobra po itong bigay nyo ma'am."

I smiled at the cashier.

"Keep the change."

Mabait ako ngayong araw para layuan ako ng mga problema. See? Keep the change. Ten thousand lang yung mga pinamili ko pero 20,000 yung bigay ko. Oh, di na sila lugi sa sampung libong donation ko sa F21.

Then, naglakad ako papuntang Starbucks. Umorder ako ng isang mocha cappuccino at waffles. Yun lang. I'm on a diet.

Nagmumuni-muni ako sa Starbucks. Nakikinig sa music, nagfe-Facebook at...umiinom ng inorder ko. How simple my life is. Sadyang ginagawang complicated lang iyon ni Alexander.

Tumingin ako sa labas. Maraming tao. May event.

Then a young petite lady caught my eye. Her face—no, my eyes, my nose, my lips, my eyebrows...are the same with her.

I'm not wrong. Tama ang nakikita ko.

I immediately run out of Starbucks at sinundan yung babae. Hindi nga ako nagkakamali.

It's my sister.

It's my Ate Ghil.

Author's Note:

Two short updates in one day. Sinulit ang wifi ng kapitbahay. Sana nagustuhan nyo kahit masabaw. Thanks.