[untitled]


For the first few times, it was still okay. I mean, it was pretty obvious Larry and Tessa were into each other. They were like Siamese fighting fish: no barrier could simply stop them from engaging in physical contact, in any form or shape. They were in love. They cooed and gurgled sweet mushy tidings to each other in the office, in the comfort room (it was a common CR, Ally Macbeal’s), during lunch meetings, after work. They even had their own song: “September,” by Earth, Wind & Fire.

And besides, it was cute. I mean, they seemed so happy together, that it was cute. For the first few times. And we didn’t really mind because, we thought, hey, who cares? As long as they are happy, diba?

Larry and Tessa were the youngest in our group of friends at the office. Larry joined us last year. He had finished his Masscomm degree out of San Jose the earlier year and spent the next nine months as a volunteer for an NGO. He was also an alumnus of the school pub (ed-in-chief, no less!), the Forward Publication. When he got accepted, he was assigned to my team, which pleased Louie (short for Louisa May, and a Forward Alumna) and me very much.

Louie and I had been editors at the school pub during the mid-90s string of student protests. Back then, we joined fellow students protesting against the male uniform, tuition fee hikes, the ID scheme and school canteen cleanliness and prices. We collaborated with a few non-students and put up a special series on the ceaseless yet invisible control the admin had over the student government. The admin denied it, of course, and waved it off as fiction. Because that’s how we published the series. We published it like a cloak and dagger comic book series and it became a hit with the students. We fervently hoped that the students would be able to read between the lines. We also knew, back then, that the school pub was their most coveted prey. Tantalus’ fruit, kung baga. Larry confirmed that the admin as at its tricks when he joined the staff.

Until recently, we had held off their thinly disguised bribes and threats. Larry had told us, how disgusted he and his Ed Board when the second Ed board that followed them had given in to the administration’s advances. A mass resignation ensued, the alumni withdrew their support, the student government entered the picture and accused the current staff of libel and misinformation. A few weeks after Larry’s batch graduated, their advisor, Ms. Annie, resigned and accepted a teaching position in a Manila university. It was poetic justice, quipped Larry. Louie and I couldn’t agree more.

Tessa arrived at the office October of this year. She was a sweet little thing, about 4’10”, bright eyes, long lush black hair, pretty little pout, and long slender limbs that made her look taller than she really was.


[To be continued.]





[FICTION]

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