RIVAL (KAU SIKSA ANAKKU, KUHANCURKAN HIDUPMU)

(Jessamine’s POV)

“Is this the best thing you can do?”

My supervisor asked, waving the folder in her hand.

I lifted an eyebrow, which was a no-no in front of Trina.

Her lips curled into a sneer, gritting her teeth as she pinned her eyes on me. She hated me. The best way to say it was that she despised me more than any villains in the movie. She never liked even the tip of a single strand of my hair. Not even my shadow!

Well, those were my coworkers’ words, not mine.  I had this presumption that in our previous lives, we were mortal enemies, and maybe when our soul reincarnated, the hatred also regenerated, loathing me already the day we first met here in the office.

“You know what this is? A trash!”

One minute it was in her hand; the next, it was flying and falling flat, scattered on the floor. Inside the folder was the marketing plan I did for ten days, out of my working time in the office, including my precious weekend, during which I was supposed to go with Deborah to the beach.

My lips were trembling as I picked up my baby on the floor. If we were not in the office, I would make strips of paper out of this project and mummify my supervisor with this. The last time I made an effort to make a report was in college because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to graduate. This was the second time I devoted much of my time to making this, treating it as my window of opportunity to be transferred to another department. I wasn’t even asking her for a promotion but a chance to shine in the PR department.

Trina stood up, watching me crouching on my knees while picking up the papers on the floor. I should have stapled it, but it was so precious that I couldn’t hurt the papers with staple wire.

“I don’t know what James sees in you. You’re worthless. Ever since you came here, you did nothing but give me a headache! You’re slow, and you don’t care about the department.” She crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows at me. 

Pursing my lips, I imprisoned the folder in my arms and stood up, giving her a dagger look as I thought of thousand ways to strangle my despicable boss without laying my hands on her neck.

Trina must have forgotten we were working in an open office. She could have at least called me into the conference room and told me nicely what was wrong with my work. I was confident showing it to her because when I mentioned this to James earlier, he praised me, telling me our client would be happy with my plan.

“If you don’t like my output, you can simply tell me you don’t like it. Do you know how much time I spend making this, huh?” I yelled, wanting to add that I missed my opportunity to go on a vacation for free. It was an all-expense paid vacation!

Gritting my teeth, I stepped toward her table, banging her table with my clenched fist. Her body jerked, startled by the sound. She opened her mouth, but I leaned forward, causing her to press her lips tighter.

“You don’t have to insult me, Trina. I may not be the best employee here, but you know I do my job efficiently. I always have lots on my plate, and it was your fault! You just kept adding tasks to my main responsibilities. FYI, I am not your secretary. Oh! By the way, you don’t have to insult me.” Only one person could insult me this much. “You’re not my mother!”

“You!” Trina growled. “You’re -”

“You don’t have to fire me, Trina. I. Quit!” My nostrils flared angrily, glaring at her, wishing her soul would burn in hell.

I turned around, standing straight as I returned to my table, raising my head to show everyone I was proud of myself. I heard James calling me, but I ignored him and continued to walk until I reached my table. I had a ready file for my resignation letter but didn’t bother printing it. Instead, I took my bag and advanced toward the elevator.

“Jessamine,” James grabbed my arm but released me quickly when I scowled at him.

“This is all your fault, James,” I hissed annoyingly. “If you’re not too showy of your feelings to me, Trina would never get jealous.”

His forehead creased, confused. “Why would she get jealous? I favored good and hardworking employees. What’s wrong with that?”

“What’s wrong? There are many good and hardworking employees here, James, so why don’t you send them chocolates and flowers too!”  I lifted an eyebrow and sneered at him. “James, you’re our manager! Open your eyes because that witch over there is head over heels for you. Can’t you see it?”

He heaved a sigh, glancing at the other employees. Their eyes were pinned on their computers, while others pretended to be busy on the phone, but I knew I was their main topic in the chat box. It was no secret in our department that James tried to woo me but failed to get my attention.

“Don’t follow me, okay?” I said, pressing the down button of the elevator. “I’m not interested in you, James, and I’m not up for a workplace romance.”

When the lift opened, I entered it without looking back. I worked as a marketing staff, but my responsibilities were beyond the scope of my job description. I was more like an all-around employee, sometimes a janitress, because of how Trina treated me.

If not for my mother, I would have probably resigned the first week I got here because my coworkers, including Trina, had a bad habit of power-tripping new employees. I smirked, thinking of what she would say this time. I could imagine her blabbering, comparing me to my saint brother and genius sisters.

As soon as I got out of the building, I did not waste time. I hailed a taxi, and when I got one, I plopped myself inside and took my phone.

“Island Brook, West Avenue,” I told the driver, not looking at him.

He didn’t need direction, not even the use of GPS, as the name of the residential area where I lived was famous for being not an island, not even with a small stream, but the amenities and the quiet neighborhood were okay.

I looked for Deborah’s number on my phone and sent her a message.

Me: Celebrating my freedom from the witch. See you later at Hilltop Ranch. Bring Xavier.

Just like the driver, Deborah didn’t need its address as the name of the club was prominent in Carterville, even famous for celebrities hooking up and getting drunk. Tonight, my sole purpose is to get drunk and celebrate quitting my fifth job.  

My phone chimed with a message, but when I checked it, it wasn’t from my housemate, but from my best friend, who is coming tomorrow and will live in the apartment next to mine. I pressed Aiden’s message.

Aiden: Now here at the airport. I hate long flights. What will I do for twelve hours?

Me: How did you survive before?

Aiden and I had become best friends in third grade. His mother died in a car accident, leaving him an orphan until his grandmother took him under her care. The nine-year-old Aiden found me in the school playground, wailing because I could not finish my homework in Math. At that time, I was struggling to understand word problems in Math.  

This was Mom’s fault... or maybe mine for recognizing alphabet letters at an early age. My mother enrolled me in elementary at four, so I was three years younger than Aiden. Mom thought I was a genius because I could read and spell words well at the age of two and could recite all the names of flowers and trees in our garden at three, but her expectations were too high, putting me in an advanced class, not caring if I wanted it.

When the cutie and chubby Aiden found me, he was like my big brother, gently talking to me and asking what my problem was. I showed him my book, the solution still blank, and cried as I told him that my mother would be disappointed with me if our teacher put an F on the paper. I remembered him holding my hand, tugging me to the table nearby, helping me with our homework, and explaining them patiently.  

It was how we became best friends.

Since then, we had been inseparable, except in our last year in high school when his grandmother died. His father, whom he only saw and met at his grandmother’s wake, came and took him abroad.

Aiden: Still there? Busy? Are you okay?

I wished to cry like the child he met in the playground, but I would only make him worry on his flight. I heaved a deep sigh and stared at his message.

Me: Yup. Very busy. Call me as soon as you arrive, okay? I’ll pick you up at the airport. Survive the flight for me.

My eyes pinned on my cell phone screen for a minute, hoping he would reply, but he didn’t. Sighing, I tossed my phone inside my bag and took some bills to pay the driver as he stopped the car at my destination.

As I reached home, I went straight to the bathroom and spent plenty of time in the tub, trying to reflect on what had happened today. I was doing it in advance because Mom would say the same thing once she knew I had quit my job again.

Reflect, Jessamine!

My parents had four fruits, one she considered rotten, and that’s me! Benedict, my eldest brother, is a cardiologist. Colleen, younger than me, the real genius in the family, and my mom’s favorite is an Internist at the age of twenty. Shayla, also with exceptional I.Q., is studying law in college. In my case, I enjoyed my life in college, promising only one thing to my parents that I would finish it on time.

I continued reflecting while choosing what dress to wear, taking a black mini-dress that perfectly hugged my body. I pulled my hair into a ponytail to show my neck and drew attention to my cleavage.

“Look at you! Wild and all fun. No ambition at all!” I smirked, repeating what my Mom used to say to me. “You have no direction!”

I smiled sadly at my reflection in the mirror, wanting to prove my mom wrong, but my question was...

Where was the right direction?