Kathang-isip

Chapter 02: Coffee

# 02: Coffee

"Oh crap!" Ninakaw niya ang cellphone ko?! Oh, no, no,no, no.

I don't want to judge someone but, what if she did? Geez, stop it Claude. Bumuntong-hininga na lang ako bago sumandal sa pintuan ng kotse. I closed my eyes and felt the cold breeze of air hugging my skin, a smile crept on my lips. Parang kanina lang eh ang lakas ng ulan, but now, all I can hear is the distant muffled voice of people having fun and the nostalgic joy in the air. Ramdan na ramdam ko ang diwa ng pasko, and it makes me grateful for the blessings that I have right now, and I hope everyone feels the same way too.

I sighed and tried remembering the girl earlier. She's pretty and fierce, really not my type. Mukhang suplada tapos assuming pa, ngi dele lang. 

(Translation: ayoko lang/ hindi lang po/ No )

Okay,  If I remember correctly, we bid goodbyes, then as I started maneuvering, I saw her waving with a phone on her hands while smirking at me. Oh, wait, wait, wait. What if phone ko yun? Tapos yung kwentuhan namin kanina eh modus lang niya para makapagnakaw? Pero wala pa naman akong narinig na balita tungkol sa ganiyang modus. Pero what if lang naman.

I shook my head in disagreement and massaged the bridge of my nose. Ano na bang nangyayari sa'kin? Judging someone was never right, Claude. We should at least give her the benefit of the doubt. Bumunot ako ng isang malalim na hininga bago pumasok sa loob nga bahay. Dad asked if I found my phone, and I answered no.

"I was thinking, what if the girl accidentally bought your phone?" Ate Micah said while eating spaghetti. I looked at her and pursed my lips. 

"What if intentionally?" I voiced out my supposedly thought. Ate looked at me in disbelief, napahinto pa siya sa paglamon ng favorite food niya. She stared at my eyes with a serious expression. 

"Were you raised to judge someone, Claude?" Tanong niya sa seryosong paraan. Natigilan ako at na-guilty sa sinabi. Bumuntong hininga ang Daddy na kanina pa pala dismayadong nakatingin sa'kin. Their expression is enough to knock some senses in my being. 

"Sorry." Yumuko ako sa hiya at napagtantong mali talaga ang manghusga. We aren't raised by our parents like that. We were taught to give someone the benefit of the doubt, to forgive, to understand, to help, and to love. I took a deep breath as guilt started creeping in me.

"Don't be sorry to me, Claude." She replied, softly. "At least give her the benefit of the doubt. No matter how trustworthy or not the person looks like, you should not judge someone based on their appearance nor their first impression on you." She stated before smiling at me kindly. 

Her words pierced through me, making me realize and remember that we should not judge a book by its cover.

"Buti na lang talaga tayo lang ng Ate mo ang nandito, kung hindi, naku, baka sermon abutin mo sa kanila." Ani ng Daddy habang tumatawa para pagaanin ang pakiramdam ko. I nodded in response as he pats my shoulder softly.

 I looked back up at Ate Micah and saw her eating happily again. She's just like that, she can be so serious to the point that it may intimidate you, or she can be as calm and quiet that makes her look quite angelic. Never ko pa talaga  siyang nakitang nagalit. She's the calmest among all of us, at ayoko ring makitang magalit siya sa'kin. Kung hindi lang talaga siya sumeseryoso ay aakalain mong anghel ngang tunay. 

Nakatayo pa rin ako sa may pintuan nang tumunog ang teleponong nakakabit sa dingding namin. I was going to answer it but my Dad stopped me, siya na lang daw. After a minute he ended the call. Ngumiti siya sakin bago ginulo ang buhok ko. 

"'Di naman, nagmumukha akong bata niyan eh." Reklamo ko na tinawanan niya lang. He then handed me my car keys. "Kunin mo na yung cellphone mo, nasa guard house daw." My eyes lit up and I plastered a smile. Nilingon ko si Ate MIcah pero tutok pa rin siya sa pagkain. Tinanguan lang ako ng Daddy para sabihing umalis na ako.