"𝑪𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒆, 𝑱𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒆?"

𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒚..

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Natapos na naman ang isang araw sa trabaho. As usual, pagod, antok, gutom at the same uninspired.

Pakiramdam ko lately, parang walang nagmomotivate sa akin, I feel empty and alone.

Sinipa ko ang isang makopang hilaw na nahulog sa puno, durog at tila naapak-apakan na ng mga dumadaan. Sa kabila ng hindi na nito pagiging buo, tuloy-tuloy ito sa paggulong dahilan para makarating ito sa isang coffee shop.

Sa labas pa lang ay maaamoy mo na ang kakaibang aroma ng iba't ibang timpla ng kape.

You can have any flavor you want according to your mood - may konting pait, may konting tamis, iced or hot. But I grew knowing only one coffee flavor, the black one - just pure.

But because I hate bitterness, up until now, I'm really not into coffee. Hindi ko lang maintindihan kung bakit sinundan ko ang makopang 'yon dahilan kung bakit nasa loob na ako ng coffee shop.

Nakakarelax ang ambiance which suits my mood today. Umorder ako ng Espresso Romano without having an idea how it looks like nor how it tastes.

While waiting, nabasag ang katahimikan nang mabitawan ng barista ang isang cup na naging sanhi ng ingay. Out of curiosity, tumingin ako sa gawi ng barista, si Ridge.

Hindi sinasadyang magtama ang aming paningin. Ang isang segundo ay naging tatlo ngunit wala pa ring bumibitaw sa amin.

Pakiramdam ko ay nag-iinit ang aking mukha at lalo pa itong namula nang ang seryoso niyang mukha ay ngumiti at nagpeace sign pa.

"Luh, parang bata." Nasabi ko na lang sa sarili ko but it's kinda cute though.

Later on, that coffee shop became my favorite place apparently because Ridge became my favorite person though he has no idea.

He learned to read my mood. According to how my day looks, he will decide what coffee to make then he'll leave a note..

"Bad day? Coffee."

"Good day? Coffee."

"Stressed? Coffee."

"Happy? Coffee."

"Inspired? Coffee."

Just like that, we became closer. Just like that, I became a coffee lover. Just like that, I broke my own rule of not drinking coffee. I bent my own principle of not drinking coffee.

But just like that, you'll realize that in love, you shouldn't just think of your own happiness, you will learn to consider also the happiness of the person you love.

"Do you love coffee? I love you, Jaylee." And just like this, he confessed.

We were happy for such a time, I guess. People say you should love someone who will make a cup of coffee for you. I did. But where did I go wrong?

Dahil kung gaano kabilis ang attachment namin sa isa't-isa, ganung bilis din 'yon nawala. Just like how a hot coffee that is left behind gets cold and loses its aroma.

I fell in love first. But he wanted me first. Now, I have to assess being hurt by a person who wanted you first. It's more than painful.

My favorite coffee shop became the place I hate the most. My favorite Espresso Romano is now a drink I can't even look at. Despite of this all, something great happened. My favorite person now is my own self.

Just like that, people come and go. If they stayed, they're inspirations. If they left, they're lessons.

So now, I am enjoying life. Tuwing madadaan ako sa coffee shop na 'yon, naninipa na lang ako ng mga nagsilaglagang makopa.

Sisipain mo tapos hahabulin mo tapos sisipain mo ulit. Simple lang pero nakakalift ng spirit.

Kung dati ay pagtambay sa coffee shop ang routine ko after work, ngayon ay ang pagsipa ng makopa na. Para siyang  therapy na inaalis ang pagod at stress sa trabaho.

Pero.. Joke lang pala na nakakawala ng stress. Actually, nakakadagdag ng stress.

Napahinto ako sa paglalakad at napahilamos ang kamay.

Ang sinipa kong makopa ay lumipad patungo sa hawak na kape ng isang nakacorporate attire na lalaking nakasalubong ko. Kasabay ng paglaki ng mata ko ay ang pagkunot ng noo niya.

Tiningnan niya ang kape niyang makopa flavor na sabay lipat ng mata sa ID ko. Akmang iaabot ang kape, inalok ito sabay sabing...

"𝑪𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒆, 𝑱𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒆?"