Stacey can't get over what Nick said. Gaano man niya gustong kalimutan ang lahat, pilit pa din niyang naaalala.
He has caused her a lot of troubles already mula ng makilala niya ito. Mas mahirap pa itong iwasan ngayon dahil boss niya ito.
Nakapag-shower na siya and she was ready to call Derick dahil ang dami nitong missed calls sa kanya. Kinuha niya ang telepono then bigla itong nag-ring. Napangiti siya nang makita na si Derick ang caller.
"Hello." she huskily answered.She has been longing for him. Pero deep inside guilty siya dahil may kilig talaga siyang naramdaman kaninang kasama niya si Nick.
No! Ayaw ko sa sobrang guwapo at saksakan ng yaman! Besides napagtripan lang niya siguro ako dahil bored siya. I shouldn't take what he said seriously. She told herself.
"Honey, why didn't you answer my calls?" he asked in a gruff voice.
"Sorry, naiwan ko sa kotse ang cp ko." sagot niya.
She almost bit her tongue ng maalala na hindi niya dapat sinabi yun.S he knows that he is going to ask questions.
I won't lie to him kung magtatanong siya. Sasabihin ko na sumama ako kay Blake but I will omit some parts. She thought.
"Naiwan mo sa kotse? " he asked.
Nick frowned slightly. Ngayon niya ma-tetest lalo si Stacey if magsasabi ito ng totoo.
"Derick, may sasabihin ako. I hope hindi ka magagalit .I just want to be honest." she said.
He sat on the edge of his bed. "I am listening honey."
There was silence for few minutes.
Then she finally said, "I went out with my friend. Yung isa sa may-ari ng bar where ako dating kumakanta."
"Yung lalake?" he asked.
"Yes." she bit her bottom lip.
She heard him sighed. "Where did you go?" tanong nito.
He doesn't sound angry but his voice is a little arctic.
"We dined out."
"Then?"
"Err..umuwi ako agad." sabi niya.
"Why did he ask you out? And bakit ka sumama? Hindi ba you promised me that you won't go out on dates with other men?" tanong nito in a rough voice.
"H-Hindi naman date yun. He's my friend. We didn't get to talk much dahil dumating ang boss ko and wanted to talk to me." she explained.
"Kahit na! Lalake pa din yun and niligawan ka niya dati! " pagalit na sabi nito.
"S-Sorry na. It won't happen again.And Derick? Can't we meet earlier than Friday? May sasabihin kasi ako sayo."
Nick stood up from the bed. What the fuck?! At ano naman kaya yun? He angrily asked himself. Bigla itong kinabahan.
"What do you want to tell me?" he asked in a controlled voice.
He heard her sighed heavily. "HONEY!"
"Derick, pag nagkita na lang tayo please." pakiusap ni Stacey.
Should I dare see her before Friday? Tanong ni Nick sa sarili. The other part of his brain said that he should wait until Friday.
Don't let your emotions control you again Alcantara! He solded himself.
"Derick?" Stacey was worried that he hang up.
"I'm here." he answered throatily.
"Can we meet tomorrow? Miss na miss na kita." she said sounding breathy. Namimiss niya ang mga yakap at halik nito. Parang lalo niyang na-rerealize na sa set-up nila mas mahihirapan siya. He has the say kung kelan sila magkakasama. Maybe she should impose on what she wants this time.
"I can't .May seminar ako hanggang Thursday, out-of-town."
She almost groaned in frustration. Sa inis niya," It's so unfair! Bakit kasi kailangan pang may araw pag magmi-meet tayo? Pag gusto kitang makasama , hindi pwede! You set the day kung kelan mo lang gusto .Daig ko pa angkabit mo!"
Nahilamos ni Nick ang mukha with his right hand out of frustration. "Akala mo ba ikaw lang ang nahihirapan? Ako din! Please honey, konting time na lang okay? After that magkikita na tayo. Kahilt araw-araw pa if gusto mo." he said while trying to hide his annoyance.
Halos gusto ng bagsakan ni Stacey ng phone ang binata sa inis.
"Miss na miss na nga kita! Gaano ba katagal ang time na sinasabi mo?" bugnot na tanong niya.
She is pissed dahil kailangan niyang makasama si Derick para maramdaman na naman niya yung feeling that she has when she's with him. His absence is making her more prone to Nick Alcantara's charm. Ang hirap kasi ang daming hindi pwede sa set-up nila. Parang gusto na niyang magsisi kung bakit pumayag pa siya sa gusto nito.
Pikunin ko kaya? Baka kagaya dati susulpot na lang ito. She thought.
Parang gusto niyang sabihin dito na ayaw na niya. Alam niya magagalit ito and malamang puntahan siya kahit gabing-gabi na. But naguilty din siya kasi sabi nito out-of-town seminar. Hindi naman siya bratty kagaya ni Heater. Hindi niya yata kaya na maapektuhan ang work nito dahil lang sa kapritso niya.
"Honey?" tawag nito .He sounds a bit pissed too.
Then na-realize ni Stacey na he's right. For sure hirap din ito. She knows na he likes being with her. Yun nga lang, malamang hindi nga talaga pwede ito ngayong week na to cause of his work.
"Sige na Derick, pagod na ako.I am sure you are tired too. Sa Friday na lang." sabi na lang niya then ibinaba ang phone then turned it off. She decided to just try to forget about him and Nick tonight.Mas makakabuti sa kanya ang matulog na.
She got up on the wrong side of the bed .Medyo inis pa din siya sa napag-usapan nila ni Derick. She has to wait until Friday para makasama ito.Wish niya lang hindi siya topakin bago ang araw na yun baka kung ano pa ang magawa niya. She wants to have physical contact with him. Hindi naman totally sex. Basta she just likes to feel his touch. She just sighed as she gets ready for work.
Kagaya dati, she tried to tone down her looks. Naka-ponytail siya this morning and just applied a very light lipstick. Nag-cardigan din siya over her sleeveless top. Naka-pants siya na black and tinertuhan niya ng black-low-heeled pumps.
She was inside the elevator when two ladies entered the lift. Ngumiti ang mga ito sa kanya.
"Baka finally magpopropose na siya kay sir." hagikgik ng isa as the door closed.
"Hay naku! Hindi ko siya gusto for sir. Masyado siyang mukhang makamundo. Nakita mo ba kung paano halos kainin si sir pag magkasama sila?" medyo inis na sabi ng isa.
Pabirong hinampas ito ng isa sa balikat.
"Selos ka lang baliw! As if naman mapapansin tayo ni sir! Pero huwag kang mag-alala, hindi ang tipo ni sir ang magpapatali. Gayumahin mo baka sakaling patulan ka!" she joked.
"Sana lang ma-transfer ako sa sa PNMK floor! Machika nga si Cherry mamaya! Absent kasi ako kahapon eh!" maktol ng isa.
The elevator stopped on the 6th floor. Bago lumabas ang dalawa narinig ni Stacey ang sinabi ng isa.
"May bago yatang empleyada, maganda daw..bilisan mo baka maunahan ka...."her voice faded as the door closed.
Medyo kumunot ang noo ni Stacey sa sinabi nito na may bagong empleyada daw.
Are they talking about me? Tanong niya sa sarili. Naiiling na lumabas siya ng lift at the next floor.
She is sure na si Nick Alcantara ang sinasabi nilang sir. Kaso sino ang binanggit nilang babae? Ang dami yata talagang nauugnay na babae dito. Naisip niya na talagang grabe ang boss niyang palikero. Hindi yata nababakante. Tama lang ang desisyon niya na iwasan ito.
Sinuot niya ang bracelet na galing kay Derick kahit inis pa siya dito. At least pwede niyang sabihin kay Nick Alcantara mamaya na bigay ito ng nobyo niya.
"Stace! Good morning!" bati ni Cherry.
She smiled and said good morning too. Inilapag niya ang mga gamit sa lamesa.
Bigla itong lumapit sa kanya and took hold of her hand. "WOW!!" she exclained habang nakatitig sa bracelet."Grabe Stace! Ang ganda nito! At tadtad ng bato!"
"Bigay ng boyfriend ko." sabi niya.
"Ha? Kala ko wala kang boyfriend?" gulat na sabi nito bago ibinaba ang kamay niya.
She pretended to sigh. "Sorry. I lied. Nag-away kasi kami. Parang nag-cool off. Tapos kagabi okay na ulit." pagsisinungaling niya.
Pumapalatak na bumalik ito kabilang lamesa. "Sabi ko na nga ba eh! Sa ganda mong yan imposibleng wala kang nobyo!" sabi nito.
"Pakilala mo naman sa akin minsan! For sure saksakan ng guwapo yan!" kilig na dagdag pa nito.
Nick was about to open the door widely when he heard his secretary and Stacey talking.
"Sa ganda mong yan pihadong artistahin ang dyowa mo at mayaman! " Cherry said.
Narinig niyang tumawa ng mahina si Stacey.
"Cherry, hindi ako mahilig sa guwapo kasi habulin ng mga babae lalo if mayaman pa."
"Naku Stace! Nasa lalake din yun! Huwag lahatin! Tsaka kung ikaw ba naman ang nobya, maghahanap pa ba ng iba?"
"Hindi naman assurance na pag maganda ang girlfriend ,makukuntento na ang lalaki. Masyadong madaming tukso sa paligid."
"What if manligaw sayo si sir? Don't tell me hindi mo sasagutin?" tanong ni Cherry.
"Out of the question. May nobyo na ako."
"What if wala?"
"I would rather say yes sa former boss ko."
"Nanligaw sayo? Matanda? May asawa? Kaya ka ba nag-resign dun?" gulat na tanong ng sekretarya.
Natawa si Stacey. "Hindi. Ano ka ba? Bata pa. Guwapo din at binata .Kaso nga may bf na ako. He is better for me kesa sa mukhang babaerong boss natin in case wala pa akong nobyo."
Naningkit ang mga mata ni Nick. Pagalit na binuksan nito ang pintuan. Napalingon ang dalawang babae.
Cherry's face turned a little pale. Marahil dahil naisip nito na baka narinig ng boss ang pag-uusap nila.
But it was Stacey's lovely face which he is staring at. She looks cool and composed. Parang wala itong pakialam if he overheard or not.
"Good morning sir." bati ni Cherry.
"Miss Mendez, paakyatin mo si Emong para mailipat sa loob opisina ko ang lamesa ni Miss Ledesma." utos nito sa sekretarya pero kay Stacey nakatingin.
Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Stacey. Ano daw? Stacey asked herself.
"O-Opo sir." sagot naman ni Cherry.
"Sir? Bakit kailangang ilipat ang lamesa ko? I am comfortable here." sabi ni Stacey.
Nick ran his eyes from her face slowly down her body.
So hindi niya talaga ako gusto? Well we'll see how long you'll be able to resist me honey. He thought.
"Since you are going to work for me for a long time, we should build a good rapport. And I always look after my interests so I want to watch you closely. " he said seriously.