Chapter 3
Sila impatiently looked at his watch. He has never like picking anyone up at the airport but since he had promised Lana a while ago that he would, he kept his words. He might be a lot of things, but one thing had been instilled in him, a man is as good as his words.
He looked around at the people hurrying themselves either to get home or rushing to catch their flight. He noticed a few couples that displayed such affection for a returning loved one, while he wished Lana would stay where she’s at forever. She doesn’t know that he had found out while she was away, but Sila would find out the truth to anything if he wanted to know badly enough.
He watched the crowed once more coming and going from different directions before lifting his eyes and spotted Lana waving her arm up to signaled that she had saw him. And there stood the truth that what they once had pretty much vanished between the miles.
She made her way to him as some onlookers watched her with envy. Lana is a beautiful girl, all the curves in the right places, with long straight hair reaching her waist accompanied by round eyes and almost a heart shape lips, any man would be proud and boastful to have someone like her next to him. But Sila wasn’t that man, beauty without heart was no beauty at all.
“Sila…I missed you.” Lana threw herself at him and hugged him tightly.
Once her voice was a sweet sound in his ears now it’s like nails running across a chalkboard.
“Did you miss me?”
Sila pulled her of off him and gave her not a missing look but one Lana didn’t quite understand. Her smiled subsided and was replaced with confusion. “Why aren’t you happy to see me?” Her voice laced with nervousness and something else she isn’t willing to admit.
“Let’s get your luggage and go home.” Sila didn’t wait for her but walked off to the luggage section leaving her standing there wanting to scream but couldn’t.
She quietly followed him to his car knowing whatever questions or conversation she wanted was going to have to wait for its own time. If he’s acting like she’s no more than a mere individual he knows, she was likely not getting anything from him. Lana slid inside the car watching Sila from the corner of her eyes. This is not exactly what she thought of when she came home. But it’s what given to her by Sila, her boyfriend of almost a year. She nervously looked out the window.
Sila saw her eyes movements but was not in a hurry to break the cold silent. She wanted to play her games then so be it. He wasn’t going to deny her of such a thing.
“Sila, I’m sorry I didn’t make it to your dad’s funeral.” Maybe if she sounded sincere enough for missing out on it, he’ll forgive her if that’s the cause of his attitude.
“No worry.”
And Lana knew that was the nail in the coffin. If one thing she knows of Sila, it’s those short answers. Once he started with them that was a sign he was done with the entire conversation. Feeling like she came to a dead end, Lana remained quiet for the rest of the ride home.
She was starting to feel a little relief when they pulled into her driveway, but when Sila got out the car leaving her sitting there by herself, her mind began to race once more. She watched as he took her luggage out the trunk with more force than necessary.
“Do you want to come in for a bit?” She was hoping he would meet her halfway and say yes but her optimism was short lived.
“No, I have too much work to do.”
Sila left without so much as a good bye much less a hug. She was angry at him for being so heartless to her on her fist day back home. She wanted to know why he is treating her this way, but her heart was fearful to know the answer. She looked at her luggage, with enough anger to go around for a few days, she yanked it and dragged them all the way inside the house.
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“Have a good day at school, I am going to venture out and try to find a job today,” Minta smiled and gave a quick kiss on her brother’s cheek. “Wish me luck,” She reached out to mess with his hair.
Nat playfully brushed her hand away. “Good luck, don’t settle for less.” He rushed out the door.
She wanted to laugh at her brother for being a kid with high expectation, she just wanted something even if it pays slightly less than what she used to make at her old job, at this point she’ll accept it until she finds something better.
“I am leaving Auntie.” Minta yelled out and grabbed her purse and once again look at her watch.
“May luck follow you today.” Milan shouted. “I hope to hear some good news by dinner time.”
“Thank you, I will need it,” Minta puts on her shoes, locking the door she sighed when looking at her car. “I will fix you up, little bug once I save enough money.” Saying a little prayer, she smiled with hope that things are going to turn out just fine but when she tried starting the car it refused to start, grabbing the steering wheel she gently banged her head against it. “Goodness, don’t do this to me, not today.” Once again, she started the car only for it to give her a sound like it’s dying. “Ok, look, I promise I will get you fix, just hang on for a little longer….please.” She sounded so pitiful begging her car to work. But at this point she’s about to do whatever it takes to get it hitting the road.
Minta leaned against the seat, giving herself a few extra minutes to calm nerves down, gathering herself she sat up straight and gave half a smile and tried again. Her heart almost stops but finally with enough persistent her car came to life. “I know it, you would not let me down,” She kissed the steering wheel and started her day by knocking down a trash can on her way out.
Minta’s first place was a recommendation by an old co-worker. It went as good as she had hoped. They said, they would give her call but that line is tricky. It could go both ways. They say it to just be polite and never call or they would in a few days. She will have to hope for the best. It’s the only choice she has. Expecting the worst has been so normal in her life, there’s no cost in expecting the best from now on. Walking slowly to her car she noticed a construction worker on a ladder with another man looking on from below instructing him on how to fix a sign on the building. She could not read the name of the company as a few letters were missing, but what does it matter. It looked like a promising place. Would it hurt to just go in and drop off a resume since she’s already standing in front of it? Minta refusing to believe she can’t find anything decided it’s better to take a chance than to have that chance slip away. She opened the door and right away there sits the receptionist.
Minta handed her resume to the receptionist, as she was standing there waiting for her resume to be looked over she thought of a couple of questions to ask but when she looked up she saw a man walking straight towards them as their eyes slowly met she couldn’t believe it, it can’t be it just can’t be but the closer the figure got to her she knew it was no other than Sila.
The way he walked with a straight back giving out the notion that the world is his and everyone else is just visiting. Each step he took was careful and authoritative, and a vibe that he’s a man that knows what he wants and everybody else be damn. He came to a stop but didn’t look at her initially, almost not believing it’s Minta standing in front of him. He averted his eyes to something above her head but once it came back to her, the deepness of his stare made her feel like she doesn’t belong in the same space he occupied.
“What is it?” He asked his receptionist, but his eyes never left Minta.
“This young lady here is dropping off her resume…” The receptionist opened her mouth to say something else but Sila took the resume from her hand and without so much a sound from him threw it in the trash.
Minta and the receptionist almost gave out the same look, speechless.
“Sir…”
“We don’t have any opening right now.” Sila said it in such a tone that leaves no room for any argument. All the while, he intensely stared at Minta. His mouth may have moved but his eyes were fixated on her.
Minta stood there not able to move partly because she couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed, she stared at him with confused eyes but there’s no mistake anger quickly overshadowed every other emotion, lowering her eyes to the trash can that her resume seemed to bury itself in, she had never met anyone as callous and cruel like the man that’s standing in front of her. Does he know that finding a job to her is basically her livelihood, that her brother depends on it, but looking at him she has no doubt he doesn’t realized the importance of a job that he deemed as nothing. His world is set, anything he wants is at his fingertips while she struggled just to buy a new part for her old car that’s barely running. She pulled herself from the corner of the desk and walked over to the trash can.
She paused as Sila refused to get out of the way, but she was going to retrieve her resume back whether he likes it or not. She looked at him, wondering if he was going to move but there’s no indication he was going to do as such, he stood there like he has all day and looked down at her.
If he wanted to make it hard that’s up to him. Minta nudged her way through causing him to take a small step backward. She didn’t realize just how close she is to him. But being close to Sila is the least of her problem, she could have stepped on him to get to her resume for all she cares, bending down she reached into the trash can when her eyes accidentally locked with the receptionist and she froze. The way the older woman looked at her, it was with such overwhelming sympathy. Like a mother seeing her kid gets hurt and in a lot of pain, but there’s nothing she could do to help.
Minta closed her eyes before opening them, briefly looking at her resume she took a deep breath and righted herself. Standing up straight she brushed past Sila without any acknowledgement, taking a few purposeful steps she stopped in her track, as her hands started to slightly shake from different feelings all tangled up at once. Counting to three silently, she grabbed the strap of her purse to steady them. Minta smiled bitterly and with calmness she walked over to where Sila still standing like a statue. And it made her angrier with each step she took.
This must be the beginning that she was wondering about. He’s determined to ruin her life, not because it’s something that she has done, but because she’s guilty by association. She found those cold eyes that seemed to see through anyone’s soul if they are not careful. But she was never one afraid of what others will do to her, if she’s innocent. He wanted to go battle with her, then she will see to it that she at least won’t go down without a fight.
“Is this your way of getting back at me?”
Sila didn’t answer but got the nerve to look at her like he has no idea what she’s talking about.
“Do you know how important a job is to me?” Minta quickly went on. “You think it’s funny playing with people’s lives because you have the power to do so. I hope that one day, you will never have to feel what it’s like having to desperately search for a job just so you can pay your bills or to pay for your brother’s medications.” Minta fought back the tears that’s threatened to spill over. She would never give Sila the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
She watched Sila’s feet moved forward but stopped when he saw her stepped to the side.
“Are we done here?”
Minta swallowed her anger, if she thought her purse was in any way helpful in hurting him, she would have given it a good swing right about now, instead she turned to the receptionist that’s trying so hard not to pay attention to what’s going on. “Thank you for your time, but it’s a mistake for me to come here,” She threw a quick glanced at Sila. “It would never work out anyway,” Minta turned around and walked out with her head held high but she could feel Sila’s eyes following her every step.
Sila watched as Minta once again walked away from him without so much a glance back. This has become the norm and he’s not liking it. She managed to say a few parting words at him, holding his tongue wasn’t an easy thing to do but he knew once he starts it wasn’t beneficial to any of them, particularly him at the workplace.
He turned around and looked at her resume his eyebrows came together briefly but returned to normal once his thinking was done and over with. He slightly bent down and pulled her resume out of the trash can, folding it into a small piece of paper he shoved it in his suit pocket.
“Consider this never happen.”
The receptionist nodded as she watched her boss walked away and wonder to herself what is the relationship between them. But as much as she felt sorry for the young lady, there was not much she could do to help, sighing away to nothing in specific she returned to her work.
The moment Minta made it past the door she wanted to scream, out of all the places she decided to stop why does it has to be his? If she only knew, she could have saved herself one miserable encounter from a man that has been nothing but bad luck. Minta walked over to her car, leaning against it she thought of where to go next. She looked outward, but the sun was rushing towards her eyes.
“It’s quite hot and half a day is gone.” She mumbled to herself, Minta looked at her watch. “I probably can get to a couple of more places and that’s it.”
She stood there thinking when something came to her causing her to lift her head up and smiled in a way that took one person that’s been watching her from his window by surprise.
Sila has been watching her for almost as long as she has been standing there, with a cup of coffee in hand, sipping it slowly he concentrated on her. He observed the way she stood thinking to herself. He has never met anyone quite like her, where her convictions are as strong as he has ever seen in a person. Once she thinks, what she’s about to do is right, she’ll die trying to fight for it. Her courage is probably bigger than the size of her body. As he attempted to take another sip, her next movement cause him to temporary stopped before the warm liquid touched his lips. Her smile that pretty much light up her entire face came about when he least expected it. How can a person that is struggling to find a job have such an optimistic smile? It was so pure and almost a childlike smile with all its innocent flashed so beautifully. His fingers tightened around the cup, but his eyes never once left her. He continued to watch the way she pulled herself away from the car, he expected her to just get inside and drove off instead she opened the door and threw what she was holding in her hands inside it, in its place was a pair of sneakers.
Sila’s eyes questioned her actions briefly but came back to its normal form when it saw that she quickly changed shoes. He noticed what to be a knowing smile as she hurriedly made her way to wherever those shoes will take her, finishing his coffee Sila knew exactly what he wanted to do with her but succeeding it will take careful planning. But no one has ever said he has no patient in getting what he wants, if it’s something he truly want, he has a lifetime to wait. He set the now empty cup of coffee down and walked over to his desk, taking an image of a girl that has no idea what’s about to happen, a girl with a smile that seemed to contradict her daily struggles and one that Sila vowed to forever have her life change.
