Perfect Timing

[12] Calm

Weeks passed and everything was peaceful. Naks, parang katatapos lang ng gera no? But seriously, things have never been better at our house.

Rich is back to being his usual antisocial self - only greets us good morning and good evening. He doesn't hang out with us in the living room while the rest of us chat and watch TV.

More often than not, he spends his time inside the room he shares with Ben - malamang kausap si gf. Hoy observation lang yun! Walang something-something sa comment ko! Promise!

Pero, subalit, datapwat! He now joins us when we go out for dinner once a week! O di ba? Improving!

We even managed to watch a movie together one time by chance. O, walang assuming ha?! We happened to see each other at SM Cinema, both of us looking for a movie to watch without knowing the other is there.

I found one to my liking and as I turned to line up at the ticket booth, I bumped into him.

"Oops, sorry!" I apologized to the person I bumped into. "Uy Rich! Ikaw pala yan! Pasensya na ha, nagmamadali kasi ako kasi malapit na magsimula yung papanoorin ko."

"Ako din. Manonood ako ng 'Harry Potter' muna bago umuwi ng bahay," he replied.

"Ah, pareho pala tayo ng papanoorin! Sige, bili na muna ako ng ticket, mukhang ikaw ready na manood e. Kita-kits sa bahay," I said as I waved goodbye and lined up to purchase my ticket.

I was patiently waiting for my turn when Rich appeared at my side. "Dei, kung gusto mo, sabay na lang tayo manood saka umuwi mamaya. Para at least kung may gusto satin mag-CR mamaya, di na kailangan tiisin kasi merong magbabantay ng grocery natin. Saka mas tipid sa pamasahe, di ba?" he said with a bedimpled smile.

Kunsabagay, may point sya...

"Ok lang naman noh. Akala ko lang kasi nagmamadali ka na pumasok sa loob. Pero sige ba, at least mamaya pwede tayo magkwentuhan about the movie. And yes, tipid sa pamasahe. Alam mo na, malapit na ang pasko, kailangan ng ipon. First Christmas na may trabaho ako e."

"Bakit? Ikaw lang ba gagastos sa handa ninyo?" he asked with a frown on his forehead.

"Hindi naman. Pero malamang mas malaki share ko. Ako pa lang naman ang may maayos na trabaho sa amin, kaya hindi naman pwede asahan yung iba sa bahay. Tapos regalo pa sa mga kapatid at pinsan ko, lalo na sa lola ko! Saka kayo, reregaluhan ko din syempre."

"Ha? Pati sa amin magreregalo ka? Bakit naman?" He said with a baffled look on his face.

"Oo naman noh! First time ko tumira nang malayo sa family ko kaya kayo na ang family ko dito. Super thankful ako na kayo nakasama ko kahit na ang weirdo mo minsan."

He didn't get to answer anymore as it was already my turn to get my ticket. As we settled into our seats, he finally replied in a mock hurt tone, "Grabe ka naman, weirdo talaga? Palibhasa tahimik lang ako, ganon na agad?"

"E kasi sa amin, sanay ako na lahat kami nag-uusap kahit na sandali lang in a day. Isipin mo, mahigit 20 kami sa bahay pero nakakapag-usap pa rin. Pero kung san ka komportable, e di dun ka. Nanibago lang siguro ako kasi iba sa amin," I answered back.

He turned thoughtful for a bit before he turned to me and said, "Sandali lang ha? Balik ako agad."

Na-offend ko na naman ba? Ito kasing pagka-taklesa ko. Pero huy! Wag ka muna mag-assume dyan. Baka naiihi lang. Yun nga siguro - nag-CR lang.

I was surprised when he returned as he was carrying two cups of softdrink and one bucket of popcorn. "O, para san yan?" I asked.

"Hindi kumpleto ang movie pag walang snacks di ba? Eto softdrinks mo," he said while handing over one of the cups. "Share na tayo dito sa popcorn, malaki yung binili ko. Cheese flavor!"

"Wow! Thanks, Rich! Paminsan-minsan pala hindi ka rin kuripot," I teased him.

"Ayan ka na naman ha. Kanina weirdo, ngayon kuripot. Nilibre na nga, nang-inis pa. Akin na nga ulit yan!"

"Uy biro lang! Pikon mo noh?" I retorted as I protected my softdrink.

"E ikaw naman naniwala agad na napikon ako. Napipikon lang ako pag paulit-ulit at pabalik-balik ang tanong sa akin. Saka, hindi ko yan babawiin kasi nga meron na din akong softdrink. Di ko naman kayang ubusin pati yung sayo," he replied in a teasing tone.

We stopped talking after that as the lights in the cinema grew dim, signalling that the movie will start soon. Once the movie started, I was fully engrossed in the movie until the popcorn appeared under my nose.

"Kain ka muna ng popcorn, sayang naman, cheese flavor yan, paborito mo," he coaxed.

"Ah, sige, kukuha-kuha lang ako. Pasensya na, makalat akong kumain," I whispered back.

Rich placed the popcorn on the space beside his leg so it wouldn't fall over. I started to reach in and absent-mindedly scooped the popcorn into my mouth. Pero walang instance na naghawak yung kamay namin habang dumudukot ako ng popcorn - akala nyo meron ano? Ang cheesy na nga ng popcorn, tapos cheesy pa mangyari samin? Nevah! 😂

"Grabe ang Harry Potter, ang ganda!!! Ang cute pa ng bidang bata noh? Mahanap nga yung libro nun, mabasa ko." I exclaimed as we went out of the cinema.

"Huy! Napanood mo na nga, babasahin mo pa? Nakakapagod kaya magbasa. Yikes!" He answered with a matching shudder.

"Ang OA mo! Mas masarap kaya magbasa. Kasi sa pelikula, you have to limit it to two hours kaya maraming nawawala sa story. Sa libro, you can use your imagination. Saka hello, wala naman pumipilit sayo magbasa noh!" I stuck out my tongue at him in the end.

We laughed at how silly both of us were acting until my phone rang, showing a number I didn't recognize on the screen of my Nokia 6210 phone.

"Oy, may secret admirer!" he teased.

"Sira! Baka mag-o-offer lang yan ng credit card! Teka, sandali, sagutin ko lang. Hello?"

And my face showed surprise as I found out who the caller was.
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A/N: Hello! So, who do you think called? The first person to guess will get a shoutout from me in the next chapter.

Salamat nga pala sa lahat ng nagbabasa ng "Perfect Timing"! Malapit sa puso ko itong story, promise. Pasensya na po if hindi naka-update kahapon, had to help out somewhere kasi.

Shoutout to our company's HRBP, Potchi, who always reminds me pag Wednesday na that it's time for an update. Mga pasimple pa minsan ang style nya e 😂. Pero thank you for the support - Mooshi yogurt tayo minsan!