The Calm and the Storm

06

06

Hindi ako nakatulog nang maayos. Kaya naman nakasimangot ako nang pumasok sa opisina. Plus, my headache was making me ten times annoyed. Kaya talagang huminto ako sa isang coffee shop upang mag-order ng kape.

All day, I was grumpy. Hindi ako makapag-usap nang maayos sa mga katrabaho ko. Good thing, I was inside my office the whole day. The silence somehow calmed me down. Until my sister knocked and went inside.

"So, what do you think?"

Ipinakita niya sa akin ang hawak na dalawang card. I figured they were invitation cards. Kulay gold at blue. I tried not to be mean and forced a smile despite the headache.

"Mas formal kung pipiliin mo 'yung gold."

"Really?" Tumingin siya sa card na pinili ko. "Hindi ba masyadong... elegant? Eh, magdi-dinner lang naman kami."

"It's more presentable than the blue one," at nagpatuloy ako sa pagtipa.

"Okay. I'm going to finish this today since wala naman akong ginagawa."

Akala ko ay aalis na siya ngunit umupo siya sa upuan na nasa tapat ng mesa ko. I noticed that she looked excited and giddy.

"Bakit?" I asked.

"Actually, I have a favor to ask."

Hinagod ko ang tulay ng ilong. "Busy pa ako, Ate, eh. Tsaka I have a thing to cram."

"Don't worry, hindi naman ito time-consuming. May ipapaabot lang naman ako sa 'yo."

"What's that?"

Huminga nang malalim si Ate Therese. "Kasi binibilisan ko ang pagpi-print nito. I want it to be finished before this week para ma-send ko na sa kanila lahat."

"And then?"

"Mamaya, for sure tapos ko na itong i-print. And I want you to send an invitation to Jeno Emmanuel."

Mas lumala yata ang headache ko. Sinubukan kong kumalma at magpanggap na ayos lang para hindi niya mahalata na may interactions kami ng lalaking binanggit niya.

I faked a laugh. "Ano? Huh? Bakit?"

"Help me send an invitation to him."

At talagang inulit pa niya. I moved the laptop away from me. Hinarap ko si Ate at hindi siya nagbibiro. She's really going to ask me to do it.

"Bakit? Ikaw na lang kaya. Tutal, friends kayo."

"Iyon na nga, eh." She exhaled. "We haven't seen each other for years. Alam ko na nandito na siya sa bansa, pero hindi pa rin kami nagkikita. We only talked online."

"So? That's a chance to talk to him."

"Trinity, nai-intimidate kasi ako sa kanya."

Ate Therese was always the confident one. Kung ganyan ang nararamdaman niya kay Jeno Emmanuel, ibig sabihin na may epekto nga ito sa kanya. But I tried to be fine.

"Nahihiya ako. Kailangan ko pa ng time para maghanda upang harapin siya," she continued.

"You want me to send it to him?"

Tumango siya. "I don't really know how to send it to him until I thought of you. Ayos lang naman sa 'yo, 'di ba? Hindi naman kayo close."

That's the thing, Ate. Close kami. Naging close lang kami lately. Hindi kami nag-usap buong college pero nag-usap kami nitong mga nakaraang araw. Worse, I have his phone number. He asked it from me.

Ang dami kong gustong sabihin sa kanya pero itinikom ko na lang ang bibig ko. My gut was clenching thinking of the guilt that slowly consumed me. Sabi ni Aida ay hindi ito big deal, pero bakit iba ang nararamdaman ko?