Harlem
"The chance to love and be loved exists no matter who or where you are."
“Hey,” I said to Jake when I found him toasting some bread in the kitchen. Alam ko I was on an impulsive mode again, I mean who the hell says ‘hey’ to a person she was supposed to avoid after having a confrontation just last night? Bahala na nga.
“Lem, about last night? I didn’t..I—“ Jake began, fumbling with his words. I knew I had to be the one to say something, to free him from the burden that I knew was eating him from the inside so I let out a humorless laugh, cutting him off in the process. “Oo nga!Ang saya no kagabi?!”
“Lem, about what I—“
“Ahhh. Yun ba? I think I heard you say you can’t wait for the party! Sorry ha! Wala na kasi akong ibang maalala. I must have been really drunk.” Something in my words must have hit a weak spot in him because I saw him gulped and shook his head, I could see the disappointment written on his face.
But he nodded after a while, taking my words. “Yeah.”
“Hoy, Jake! Parang may sunog!!!!” Vio says from below. When we both realized that the bread he was toasting was burnt, Jake chuckled.
I chuckled too. I was more relaxed than I thought I would be.
For a few minutes, we just stood there, unmoving until Kara and Qen emerged from the other side of the house bickering again.
“Hindi kaya! Ikaw nga matagal mag-ready dyan! Duh, who fixes their hair for 45 mins?!”
“Karina, that was 30 mins kaya! Ikaw nga dyan 3 hours maligo!”
“Well, that’s understable kasi babae ako! E ikaw?”
“Wow, sexist ha!”
Jake and I rolled our eyes. They seemed to get along these days. Buti pa yung dalawa. Maybe that's how it works, you know, pag mahal mo pa yung tao: you accept him with open arms although that's not really the case for the two of them.
“Alam nyo guys, para kayong mag-asawa! Magpakasal na nga kayo~” Jake teased only to receive a disapproving grunt from Kara. Qen just sat on the opposite end, grinning tapos nagstart kumain.
“Guys, una na ako ha! Formal training na kasi for Bb. Pilipinas.” Sabi ko habang inaayos yung mga gamit ko. My handler’s going to kill me pag na-late nanaman ako.
“Hatid na kita.” Napatingin kaming tatlo kay Jake. I gave him a puzzled look. “Sabi ko hatid na kita.” And then I remembered that Lochi asked the same question yesterday and I had said yes already.
“Uh..kasi ano, may maghahatid na sa akin e.”
He stared at me for a complete moment of silence and then nodded slowly. “Ah, okay sige. Take care.”
“Hey, what’s with the long face?” Lochi greeted as soon as he got outside of his car and helped me with some of my bags. He drew a deep brought. My face probably says it all.
Actually, last night when Jake and I had our confrontation, Lochi was the one who found me at the rooftop. He seemed surprised at first, but when he saw the tears streaming down my face, lumapit sya sakin and then he hoisted me up after he ran his fingers thru my cheek, wiping the tears and the smeared mascara that ruined my make-up. I then began to sob and when he told me he’d listen to anything that night, hindi na ako nagdalawang- isip na mag-confide sa kanya. It turned out well because the next morning, I actually felt better.
