The Surprise

Depths: 20

“Ma’am, pinapatawag po kayo ni Sir Keil sa opsisina n’ya” sabi sa akin ng Secretary ‘ko through my intercom, maybe the CEO is looking for the report.

Damn, I’m still not done with the report. Masyadong naging malaki ang gastos ng investigation team!

“Is it urgent?” I cautiously asked.

“Opo”

“Okay” wala akong choice kundi i-cut ang intercom naming ng sekretarya ‘ko at tumayo sa aking upuan. I fixed myself and readied for things.

Lumabas ako sa opisina dala-dala ang kaninang hiningi ‘kong report kay Kally at nagmadaling makapunta sa office ni Keil.

I don’t know what’s with him to call for me, usually tatawagin n’ya lang ako sa tuwing kailangan n’ya ang report or to fix a problem in financing.

I breath in and out while inside the elevator, I even hugged the folder close and tightly in my chest. I can’t afford to lost this happy atmosphere around me.

The elevator stopped and made a sound na nakadating na ako sa floor na pupuntahan ‘ko, unang bumati sa akin ang personal secretary ng CEO at sinabing nag-iintay sa loob si Keil.

Hindi ‘ko na talaga alam ang nangyayari, maybe he’s in a good mood to be masungit?

I knocked twice before saying something, agad naman akong pinapasok sa opisina.

For the past two years, hindi nagbago ang opisina na ito. It’s still the same, same interior design, same furniture, same annoying boss.

“Tawag mo daw po ako, Sir?” I smiled and held the folder to my side.

“Birthday mo?” sabi n’ya sa akin habang hindi pa din inaalis ang tingin sa kanyang kaharap na papeles.

“Yes, sir” I said being quite confused, what’s the big deal of my birthday?

“9 sharp, magdinner tayo” sabi n’ya na dahilan kung bakit bigla akong napaurong sa kinatatayuan ‘ko.

“What?” I asked, parang mali kase ang mga narinig ‘kong salita, ngayon tinanggal na n’ya ang tingin sa mga papeles at sa akin ngayon tumingin ng deretsho.

Oh those blue eyes, kung dati para akong nahahatak nito ngayon para bang gusto ‘ko na lang umalis at hindi na makita ito. I remember the water, the ocean, the vow Alen made when he asked me to be his girlfriend.

“Why? Hindi ako puwedeng maging good friend?” sagot n’ya na dahilan kung bakit napaubo ako.

“Now, now. Pano tayo naging ‘good friend’?” I asked with the confused tone. He let out a deep chuckle and placed his chin on top of his hand.

“I have news” he said, always as sly as a fox. I think hindi ‘ko magugustuhan kng saan papunta ang dinner na ito.

“Why not ngayon mo sabihin?” I crossed my arms and gave him the bored look.

“Mas magandang pagdinner na para may thrill” I groaned and just left the office. I can’t believe I have a boss like him.

Really? Anong klase bang balita iyon at kailangan pang may pa-dinner?

Pumasok ako sa elevator at pinindot ang floor ng Finance Department, he could have just said that through the intercom edi sana hindi nasayang ang oras ‘ko para matapos ang report.

I really need to finish that, I just want to go home and enjoy the comfort of my room. I sighed and then bumukas ang elevator, few employees came in.

Pumuwesto ako sa sulok ng elevator and luckily hindi naman ganoong karami ang mga sumakay. Just two more floors at makakalabas na ako.

May ilang bumati ng happy birthday sa akin na mukhang nakilala ako dahil sa mga  mukha ng Head of Departments na nakapaskil sa lobby ng company. I just thanked them and left the elevator as soon as it opened.

It’s around 7 PM and I still have two hours para matapos ang report at makapaghanda sa padinner ng isang Keil Hermino.

“Cheer up, para ka naman pong pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa” a coworker said, I chuckled and just nodded my head.

I need my head clear so nagpunta ako sa pantry to brew some coffee. Hindi pa din nawawala sa isipan ‘ko kung ano na naman bang balita ang ihahatid sa akin.

I sighed and dragged my coffee with me to my office, two hours and matatapos ‘ko din ‘to. Almost half way done.

Hindi ‘ko na namalayan ang oras, mabuti na lang ay natapos ‘ko na ang report bago pa may kumatoksa opisina ‘ko. I stretched my back before ‘ko pinapasok ang kumatok.

“I said 9 sharp pero anong oras na?” sabi ng isang Keil sa loob ng opisina ‘ko na nakapagpalaki ng mga mata ‘ko.

Tiningnan ‘ko ang orasan sa wall clock sa taas ng pintuan, 9:10 PM na. I slapped my forehead and gathered my things, sinigurado ‘ko ding nai-save ‘ko ang report before shutting the computer down.

“Let’s go, tinapos ‘ko lang kase ang report” I said and walked passed him holding my Michael bag and my gifts.

“Let me” sabi n’ya at inabot ang mga regalo.

“No, ako na” sabi ‘ko at inilayo sa kanya ang mga regalo.

“May sasakyan ka ba?” he asked as we entered the elevator.

“Yes, kabibigay lang sa akin” I said and looked for the black box. When I found it, Keil let out a fake cough.

“Hindi ‘to engagement ring” I said rolling my eyes.

Ako lang talaga ang empleyado n’yang nakakaya s’yang irapan at maging sarkastiko. Well, yes ‘good friends’ nga naman kami.

“Okay” he said and pulled out his phone. “Let’s just make to this place, I sent the location to your phone”

Tumigil ang elevator at tumunog indicating na nasa underground parking lot na kami ng kompanya. Luckily, madali lang naming mahulaan kung anong Audi ang iniregalo sa akin ni bakla dahil may red ribbon pa talaga ito.

I clicked the unlock, it made a sound and Keil whistled.

“Nice” he said and got in his Austin Martin.

Inilagay ‘ko na lamang ang mga regalo sa back seat, I removed the ribbon at isinama sa mga regalo sa back seat. Mabuti na lang ay mayroon na akong driving lincense.

I started the engine and drove to the location of the restaurant. Adrenaline is rushing through my veins, ngayon lang uli kase ako nagkapagdrive after the driving lessons.

Realization hit me when I arrived to the location he sent me, it was the first restaurant me and Alen had our first official date.

Pagkapasok ‘ko ay tinanong ‘ko agad ang reservation ni Keil, itinuro naman nila ako sa isang table for two. The same table me and Alen used.

Before I could asked kung nasaan si Keil, a familiar guy came up to me. It was Alen, teka nasaan si Keil? I thought… wait, is this what he was going to tell me?

Alen handed a bouquet of red roses and sunflower to me, he smiled and then took the seat in front of me. I don’t know how to reacted, nakatitig lang ako sa kanyan nang tumunog ang phone ‘ko.

Message ni Keil ang bumungad sa lockscreen.

“Happy birthday, he’s free now and he contacted me to set you up on a date”

I held my mouth tightly, hoping I won’t cry. I kept on looking up and down from Alen to Keil’s message. I don’t even know what to feel, all wounds have healed but I think this is too overwhelming.

“Happy birthday” ani ni Alen habang nakangiti sa akin, he looks like he’s about to cry.

I can’t help but just really cry, look how much he changed. He looks so much mature now, he even grew facial hair and he has a scar across his right eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, I just…” hindi ‘ko man lang matapos ang sasabihin ‘ko dahil mabilis nag-unahan ang mga luha ‘ko.

“It’s okay, let’s order after you stop crying” he let out a chuckle even though he sounds like he would break down any moment now.

“How w-were you?” I said kahit medyo nahihirapan na sa pag-iyak, inabutan naman ako agad ng isang employee ng restaurant ng tissue. I said my thank you and wiped down my tears.

I tried to calm down before looking back at Alen.                    

“I’m good now, I did my best to be the better me for you. Medyo nakakatampo lang na hindi mo ako binisita” I don’t know how to answer dahil sa sinabi n’ya.

“Sorry” that’s all I could say and looked down.

“Let’s start again” he said as he held my hands, maybe this is the reason I never entered another relationship.

Maybe this is how we were planned out from the start, maybe we are really for each other. No matter what’s the answer, I just found myself nodding at what he said as my answer.

Maybe what happened in the past is all planed out by fate, maybe it was its way to make us the better version of ourselves. Maybe we are for each other.

The moment I nodded, I felt like I’m being pulled out from the depths of my darkness. As if for the past two years, I was just waiting for him to pull me out of the depths of that coldness.

It is as if his love is like the ocean, forever changing but will always be deep.