Reality

Sometimes, some things aren't what it seems to look like. Every person has their own past they've dealt with and everybody has their own mask that they used to wear in their daily lives, particularly for ordinary people. Commoners have to strive harder in order to survive the crucial world where they are leaving. Rules are painstaking and taxes are higher than a person's annual salary. Everyone is striving to overcome others without a care in the world if they are hurting other people's feelings. It is sad, but life is a mess and in order to survive, you must go on and Ria is no different from the other's. Her family is living far away from her, she has nobody else other than her boyfriend who's living with her in a small condo at the heart of Manila. Finding a job is very hard for her, especially since she didn't study in a popular University that big companies first eye for. She studied interior designing, but she ends up working as a slave in a company where her boyfriend recruited her. She doesn't know if it's a good riddance or such pure bad luck that she accepted it. But neither less it's better than roaming around searching for any kind of work she can have. Her boyfriend for two and a half years thought that she's doing fine in her current job but he had no idea that he put her on a cliff without a safety harness. Ria is doing everything in that said company from photocopying, proofreading, English translation of documents. She even does some business proposal that an assistant or clerk would usually do.Sometimes the staff would even taunt her as Ms. all-around girl. But she didn't mind it at all. What she cares about is to earn money so she can support her younger sister who is still studying and the rest is to save some money Incase of emergency and of course, she also shares expenses in the condo where she lives together with her boyfriend.

One morning she received a call from Ms. Jen saying that the CEO of their company wanted to meet her . Ria's heart is beating so hard it almost jumps out of her chest while she proceeds to see her boss. She braced herself for the possible reason why the CEO insists to see her in his office. Normally the assistant and other high ranking employees are the only ones allowed to see him. She is just a nobody in the company and she knows for sure that it's going to be bad news to meet him. It's either she will be fired, or worst she had made a very big mistake that cost the company to lose a lot of money with her business proposal. That thought alone made her chill to the bone. She gulps a big sum of air and releases it to ease her tense nerves. Knocking twice at the wooden door of her boss office. Ria hears a voice that is opposite from what she expected inside her head, instead a very gentle voice commands her to 'come in'. Being a timid person, and because she's a bit terrified she slowly walked in and closed gently the door behind her. She lowered her head and stared on her feet in the ground while saying.

"Good morning Sir, sorry to interrupt your busy day but assistant Jen told me you wanted to see me," She stated in a monotone voice without raising her head.

"Hmn..Ms.Santiago? Does my face look so ugly that you choose to stare on the floor than to look at me straight in the face?" Mr.Cuenca said, looking annoyed. Ria gulps the lump forming on her throat and quickly defends herself.

"Of course not sir! I was just a bit nervous, I know I'm just a mere employee of this company and I felt like I don't have the right to meet you in the eyes that's all sir I'm sorry if I offended you with my actions."She bowed her head and tried not to show how nervous she is deep inside. She bit her lower lips and scolded herself for making a mistake in front of her boss. She was already sweating profusely before entering his office but now it's combined with cold feet which are running up to her spine. Hearing her humbled words Charles didn't have the guts to scold her further.

"Hmn, that's fine, one mistake can be forgiven, I just hate it when people hide their faces to me. Please come here and have a sit."The word 'Please' was etched at the back of her mind. It seems like the rumored aloof and rude C.E.O is not true.

Mr.Charles motioned to her to sit on the chair next to his table. Ria tried to walk straight while uttering words 'I'm sorry". She sits where she was asked to sit when she felt a strange atmosphere in the air. When she looked up she saw Mr.Charles blatantly staring at her face analyzing her like she's some kind of specimen. She felt awkward instantly. There is a dreadful feeling that is starting to build up in the pit of her stomach. She can't comprehend why Mr. Charles is eyeing her from head to toe. She starts to feel inferior about how she looked but luckily, after a few minutes past Mr.Charles layout a thick manila envelope with a thud. Startled she stared at it for a moment before glancing back to her boss with a questionable look plastered on her face."You seem to be a clever woman, Ms.Santiago and up close I find you as beautiful as an angel. I think your eyes are the most catchy one and probably the best asset of yours." He said while comfortably laying his back on his expensive swivel chair. Clueless of what her boss is uttering all about Ria said.

" I beg your pardon sir but I don't see any connection of my features to what business you wanted to talk about? Please forgive my bluntness, but is this your way of telling me nice words before asking me to sign a resignation letter?" Ria who couldn't wait anymore,let the bomb drop.It's better like this' She consoled herself. She thought there's a big reason why she's asked to come here in the first place. She really hates un-frank people. If they want to tell something just be blunt and say it.Panting, from the exhilarating feeling she mustered enough courage to look straight in the face of her boss. Although she didn't voice out these fast few months her thoughts and real feelings about why she's given a task she didn't apply for.That doesn't mean she has no guts at all. If today is her last day then might as well speak what's inside her head. A gentle and almost like a girl laugh echoed in the office room."Ohh Ms. Santiago, you just got me there... all along is this what's running in your head?" Mr.Charles wiped the unshed tears in his eyes.