Notes From The Heart: Chapter 10: The Other Side of Him

Chapter 10: The other side of him

(A/N: hi. Sobrang naaappreciate ko yung mga nagco-comment. Salamat! :)) enjoy reading. Sorry if may errors whatsoever. )

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After their encounter in the cemetery, Chard’s been acting strange, well atleast for Maya. Because for those who had worked in their company for years, they are already used to his actions. Yes, every morning when they would greet him a goodmorning, Chard would not even dare to look at them. Maya would want him to just be annoying and not like this. He has been like the last time that she saw him… Sad, depressed… Inside the train.

One day, she was supposed to pass her report to her boss. Unfortunately, her report should be reviewed by Chard first thing in the morning. It was already 11 in the morning when Maya finished scanning her report. Paper works are all over her desk. There are a lot of deadlines to meet that made her needed report today to be a little bit forgotten. She almost forgot that another important paper work should be passed today, and add to that, it should be reviewed by Chard who is now ignoring her. Anyway, she doesn’t really should care. They are not really close, right?

But why does it kept on bugging her on why Chard is acting differently? Somehow, deep within her, she is hoping that he would cast even a glance at her.

Her hands shaking, she gave two soft knocks before slowly opening the door.

As she entered the room, she saw him seated on his swivel chair, eyes on his laptop. He momentarily lifted his gaze to her and just nodded in acknowledgment.

“Uhm.. Goodmorning po sir.” She said as she took baby steps to reach his table.

“Yes?” He answered, still eyes on his laptop.

“Ah. Yung report po kasi na ipapareview ko po. Ito na po. Sir, sor-” she fidgeted as she tries to talk to him.

“Bakit ngayon lang yan?” He cut her off before she could apologize. His eyes shifted now on her.

It seemed as though her tongue was cut off. She cannot utter any word. His eyes were shooting daggers at her. Yes, she saw him sad, depressed, happy, but not like this. She was scared as she discovered the angry side of him. But more than that, she doesn’t want him to get mad at her. No. Never.

And why is that so, Maya?

“So, you just lost your tongue yet again?” He said sarcastically.

“Uhm. Sorry po talaga sir, nagkapatong-patong lang po talaga yung trabaho eh.”

“If that is the case, I guess hindi mo pala kaya magtrabaho dito. That is an unacceptable excuse. Very lame. We are all busy here. The deadline is 9 in the morning. And what time is it? Eleven, right?”

Her heart is beating fast. She wanted to answer back, but she knows too well that she shouldn’t. That would lead to a worse scenario.

So she kept mum and had her head bowed down. She knows that she is really at fault. She was wrong.

“Sorry sir. Promise, it won’t happen again.” She answered almost inaudibly.

“Dapat lang!” He almost shouted, in which startled Maya. She keep her head bowed down, staring at her fingers.

“You may go. I’ll just talk to you later after I’m done with it.” He said in a calmer tone when he saw Maya’s misty eyes.

Maya nodded and headed outside his office. Wanting to go out as fast as she can. Before, she was annoyed by him yet she appreciates his kindness the last time that he helped her. But now, she hates him. Yes, she is to blame on why he acted like that but she was badly hurt. All these time, she thought that he is an ideal man. That he will never hurt a girl. Anyway, she shouldn’t be that affected. It is business. This is work. She should be professional. They are not friends, anyway.
~~

She was revising her report in the afternoon after Chard’s disapproval of it. She hasn’t eaten yet for she has a lot of things to do.

“Girl, hindi ka pa ba uuwi?” Emman asked her. Maya lifted her gaze from her paper works to look at their office clock. It is now 10 minutes pass 5 in the afternoon. She didn’t realize that it was now their dismissal.

“Di pa eh. I’m not yet done with this. Masyadong madaming gusto si Sir baguhin eh. Besides, madami pa din ako dapat na matapos. Mag-oovertime na lang siguro ako.” She answered reluctant with her own idea

“Hay nako girl. Gusto sana kita samahan kaso may pupuntahan ako. Teka, di ka pa kumakain! Gusto mo ba ibili muna kita ng food?” He offered her as he remembered that his friend didn’t have her lunch.

Her stomach is grumbling yet, she declined his offer “di na. Bababa na lang ako mamaya. May biscuits pa naman ako dito. Yun na lang muna.”

“Nako! Para ka namang nasa lamay. O siya, basta kumain ka ha?”

Maya smiled and nodded at her friend before she watched him walk away.
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Darkness is covering the whole city. Lights are lit up on the buildings that can be seen outside the office’s windows.

Yawn. She is sleepy and tired. It is almost 7 o’clock in the evening. She is munching her biscuits which served as her lunch and dinner when suddenly, a door flew open.

Realization sank in, she never thought that Chard was still in his office. He had let her revised her report today and let it reviewed again tomorrow morning.

Since her table was only few steps away from his office, he immediately saw her when he walks pass by the tables. She glanced and smiled at him but quickly removed her eyes from him.

“Is that your dinner?” He asked, somewhat annoyed. “Ano na naman bang problema nito?” She asked herself.

A nod.

“Couldn’t you get any descent meal?” He probed further raising his eyebrow.

She wanted to answer that she cannot afford to eat and waste few minutes and it is all his fault. But she knows that she can’t answer him like that. So, she paused for a while to gather right words to say.

“Ah. Tatapusin ko lang po ito sir. Malapit na naman po eh, tapos kakain na din po ako after.” She smiled tentatively

After hearing her out, he left without saying anything. Maya could only shrug her shoulders. He is totally weird.
~~

“Here.” He placed a paper bag on top of her table few minutes after he left her

“Po? Ano po yan sir?” She asked out of curiosity

“A descent meal. I cannot also afford to lose man power, you know. Ayokong may magkasakit lalo na at kailangan natin matapos lahat ng requirements ng clients.” He answered. “Now eat. I will go back inside my office. You can go once you’re done.” And with that, he left her again.

Now she doesn’t know if she should be happy about his thoughtfulness. And for the record, he is not concerned to you Maya, he is concerned in their business. You should take note of that! She reminded herself.
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