Perfect Timing

[4] Operation Surprise

I opened my eyes and smiled when I felt the warmth of the sun inching towards my little red cot as the day officially starts. As I stand up, fold my blanket and fix my bed, my smile gets wider as I realize one more good thing: It's Rich's birthday today!

It's the first birthday among our group and we'll celebrate it together tonight! The time for planning is done; Operation: Surprise is officially being put into action.

Sam and I planned the surprise for today. Okay, correction, I HELPED Sam plan the surprise. Geez, that woman is a walking party organizer!

Ben, as usual, did his best to antagonize Sam while Ryan and I let the two bicker to their hearts content. I suddenly remembered their "discussion" last weekend as we shared to them the plans for Rich's birthday while he was out buying his groceries.

Sam and I were seated on the fuchsia colored sofa while the boys grabbed some plastic chairs from the kitchenette so we could talk properly.

We agreed on the date and time of the celebration, what to get him for his gift, who should be invited. Everything went well - until the menu was brought up.

"Hindi uubra yan, sinasabi ko sayo. Kelan mo ba napansin na kumain yan ng lasagna o spaghetti? Roasted chicken o kaya grilled pork na lang handa mo para sigurado!" Ben argued.

"Excuse me po, sir. Sino ba namang tao ang hindi kumakain ng pasta? Siguro na lang kung may allergy sya sa noodles. At saka pag weekend kumakain na tayo pirmi ng grilled meat; iba naman ang ihahanda natin sa birthday noh!" retorted Sam.

"Bakit kasi hindi mo na lang tanungin yung tao kung kumakain sya nun?"

"SURPRISE NGA! How will it be a surprise if we ask him what he likes to eat, aber?"

Ben sputtered. "Di mo naman sasabihin na may surprise! Aargh! Hay, bahala ka na nga. Sabihan mo lang ako kung magkano share ko. Wag ka na lang manghingi ng input kung kontra ka naman palagi."

Ben was walking away when Sam replied, "I wasn't asking for your input - sinasabi lang namin ni Dei kung anong mangyayari! Hmph!"

Ben raised his hands in exasperation and walked away while Sam sat there, smirking, happy that she won the round.

Turning to Ryan, she asked, "O ikaw, may reklamo ka sa menu?" Ryan shook his head and scampered off, happy not to be Sam's next target.

"Ikaw Sam ha, may crush ka dyan kay Ben noh?" I asked as we were left alone in the living room.

"Huh? Crush? Gusto ko syang i-crush! As in durugin! Di hamak na mas guwapo naman boyfriend ko dyan noh!" Sam insisted. Trying to divert the topic, she then teased, "Hindi kagaya ng iba dyan na laging ang lawak ng ngiti pag nakikita si Rich."

"Hoy! Ano yan? Hindi kaya noh!" I vehemently denied it, blushing out of embarrassment.

"Sows! May sinabi ba akong pangalan? Sabi ko lang 'iba dyan'. Guilty daw ba?"

"Style mo! Wag na nga natin pag-usapan yan and let's stick to the details of the surprise."

Eventually, we agreed that I'll be the one to buy the gift and the cake while Sam will handle everything else.

Over the past few weeks that I've been here, I learned a few useful things about him which helped me pick out his gift. Like the fact that he likes basic colors such as black, white and blue. That he prefers t-shirts and polo shirts for his day to day wear. That he never leaves the house without his headphones and discman. Yes, it's only for the purpose of buying the gift, wag kayong ano ha!

So, I managed to buy him a blue shirt with thin red stripes and a CD of his favorite rock band, Slapshock. I think I did pretty good in buying him a gift if I may say so myself.

Back to the present, I finally finished fixing my bed and now I can take a bath. Going out of my room and approaching the bathroom with a spring in my step, I was about to open the bathroom door when, to my surprise, Rich came out.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, not knowing where to look as he only had a towel wrapped around his waist while his chest was bare.

"Ok lang, wala ka namang nakita e. Siguro kung mas maaga ng mga 30 seconds pa, dun ka dapat mag-sorry, kasi may makikita ka talaga," he teased as he wiggled his brows.

I blushed as I realized what he was saying. Shems, dapat pala mas maaga akong lumabas. Whoa there, now where did that thought come from?

"Ah, hehe, buti nga," I lamely replied after a few seconds. Seeing that I stood there unmoving, he smiled and asked, "Pwedeng padaan?"

Flustered, I moved to the side and let him pass by, careful to give him a wide berth so we wouldn't brush against each other.

He was almost at his door when I suddenly remembered, "Ay, teka nga pala!" He turned and looked at me inquisitively.

"Happy birthday, Rich!" I greeted him with a big smile. He smiled back and said, "Salamat!"

I was about to enter the bathroom when he called my attention. "Dei, oo nga pala, bago ko makalimutan. Dinner pala tayo mamaya, my treat."

IS HE ASKING ME OUT ON A DATE?!?

"Pakisabihan mo na lang si Sam pag nagkita kayo mamaya. After office hours, sabay-sabay na lang tayo papunta sa Dad's Buffet sa SM City," he continued then went inside his room to change.

Ah, kami palang lahat. Wag assumera kasi, Dei!

And then suddenly, a thought struck me - what about our Operation: Birthday Surprise?

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A/N: Pasensya na po sa sabaw! I hope you still enjoyed this update.

By the way, since it will be a long weekend in Cebu, I'll have another chapter posted on Sunday! What do you think will happen when the housemates celebrate Rich's birthday?