At the IPU assembly, Pia kept dozing off on her chair after listening to one speech after another in the past four hours. Right beside her is Leni jotting down notes and important points from each speaker.
She then checked her watch for the fifth time in a span of five minutes. Usually, Pia listens to the debates on the assembly floor and looks for nuggets of insights she could find.
Except for the fact that right before the lunch break, Leni mentioned a so-called 'surprise' she prepared for her. This made Pia even more bored and antsy than usual.
"Lens, di pa ba ito matatapos?", Pia whined. "Excited nako sa surprise mo, eh."
Leni wore her eyeglasses and read the paper containing the agenda. "Hmm, I think siya na ata ung last for today. Kaunting kembot na lang, Peej."
Pia fidgeted in her seat while waiting for the parliamentarian on the podium to end his speech. After what seemed like forever, the gavel banged three times, signaling the adjournment of the assembly.
"Hmm, medyo overtime tayo today", Leni said, checking her watch. "Sana hindi pa naiinip kasama natin."
As soon as they got out of the convention center, Leni led the relatively long stroll to the Sessions Arts Club. Once the two of them got there, Leni blocked Pia from entering the restaurant. "Teka lang, Pia. Wait mo lang ako."
Pia grinned in anticipation of what was coming next. Whatever this is, it's definitely going to be one for the books.
A couple of minutes later, Leni popped back outside with a sequined eye mask on-hand. 'PJ, suot mo ito."
Pia complied and wore the eye mask as told. Once the mask was all secured, Leni held her hand and guided her inside the restaurant. As they got closer to their destination, Pia could smell a familiar scent in front of her - one that takes her back to happier times.
"Sige, upo ka dito.", Leni's said as she led Pia to her seat, before giving the signal. "Okay, you may now remove your blindfolds."
Quickly, Pia removed her blindfold only to find Loren, donning a green suede jacket, plum lipstick, and large shell earrings sitting right in front of her. Clearly, the London air has done her favors because, in her eyes, she looked even more beautiful than the last time she saw her.
"Reg– Loren?"
"Pia?", Loren called out before giving her that smile that just crinkles her nose a certain way.
"Lord, I am not your strongest soldier...", Pia thought to herself.
Pia then faced Leni in amazement. "Grabe ka, how did you pull this off?"
Leni simply smirked at them. "I have my ways."
Seconds after, Pia turned her attention back to Loren. "So...how are you doing?"
Loren took a sip of her water before stirring the glass with it. "Doing great...(miss na miss na kita)."
Pia didn't quite catch that last sentence. "What?"
"Wala...", Loren answered, staring at Pia with a dreamy look. "London's all right - currently writing my dissertation, seeing a therapist every week, even took up painting and writing poetry again. Ikaw? Balita ko kayo ni Risa sumusunod sa yapak ko diyan."
Slowly, Pia snapped out of her lovestruck haze and landed back into reality. "Pretty busy. I kind of...encouraged...Leni to join the IPU so we ended up joining the assembly together."
Leni let out a loud laugh and slapped Pia's arm. "Encourage ka diyan, binraso mo 'ko, eh."
Pia gasped in feigned indignation. "I did not, Leni. I just shared that it gives you a chance to travel abroad a lot."
ΔΙΑΒΑΖΕΙΣ
Watching Sunrises
ΡομαντικήIn the first of a series of spin-offs to Talk First, Think Later, Pia and Loren, whose relationship status still remains in limbo, find themselves on two different paths after the Great Senate Feud of 2025. On one path, there's Pia, thrust into the...
