When Love Lasts

08

This is a work of FICTION. All characters are used in FICTITIOUS manner.

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It's already nine in the morning when I woke up kaya dali-dali akong naligo at nagbihis. Nine thirty ang usapan namin nila Dawn and I'm running late. Inayos ko ang mga dadalhin ko dahil kanina pa sila tawag ng tawag.

I drove to the restaurant, kompleto na daw sila at ako na lang ang hinihintay. I reached there five minutes after ten in the morning na.

"Great she's here! My god akala ko makakaubos pa tayo ng ilang serving ng chips bago makarating to" Ana exclaimed.

Si Dawn, Kaye at Cristina naman ay kinuha agad ang dala ko at nag-unahan sa mga pasalubong from Ilocos.

"Come sit beside me dahil may itatanong akong importante" ani Small.

"Ay alam ko yang importanteng iyan dahil kanina pa naming topic yan and we really want answers Irene, dear." sabi ni Dawn at nagkumpulan sa amin.

"Is it true na kayo na ni Greggy?" Michelle asked.

"As in Gregorio Araneta?" tanong ni Karen.

"Tingnan mo to hindi nakikinig kanina" ani Michelle pointing Karen.

"I was doing something earlier kaya hindi ko kayo naiintindihan" she chuckled then faced me. "Is it true?"

"Can't we eat first? Akala ko ba gutom na kayo?" I said.

"Oh no dear, we can eat later, this one can't wait. Now tell us" sabi ni Alice.

Wala akong takas sa mga ito. Hindi na naman nila ako tatantanan.

Huminga muna ako ng malalim. "We're not yet officially together. He's still courting me. Advance kayo masyado." I looked at them one by one as they absorb the information. "Now, can we order food na?"

"So I am assumming na siya ang kasama mo noong anniversary nila Tita Cat. The guard told me you left with a man." Cristina said so I just nodded.

"And omg, you two are spotted in your festival sa Ilocos. That's the first time I saw him there kaya nagulat ako." Ana

Ang dami pa nilang sinasabi kaya tinawag ko nalang ang waiter. We ordered our food. Hanggang sa pagkain ay madami pa rin silang sinasabi. Our lunch became too loud, good thing we rent a room for privacy. Tumayo ako para tawagan si Trisha.

"Taray may ka-call." ngisi ni Dawn

"Silly. It's Trisha, regarding sa lakad ko mamaya" I said and excused my self.

"Hello Trisha. Mauna ka na sa condo ko, paki-ayos na lang ang damit ko, nakaprepare naman na. Pauwi na din ako mamaya."

"Copy po Ms. Irene. Ingat po kayo."

I thanked her and ended the call. Nagkwentuhan lang kami saglit before we decided to go home. Past one na nang maka uwi ako.

Dire-diretso ang pasok ko sa kwarto para magbihis. As I put on my dress, I had problem with the zipper kaya lumabas ako showing my bare back.

"Trisha help me close my zi--" napatigil ako nang makita ko si Greggy. I forgot he's coming with us. "Kanina ka pa? I didn't see you there."

"Oo" he let out a chuckle. "Nauna pa ako sa assisstant mo kanina. May I help you with something?" he asked.

"A-ano kasi. I-i can't close m-my zipper" bakit ba ako nauutal.

"Let me do it for you then." he said and motioned me to turn back so I did. I flinched when he touched my nape as he bring up the zipper.