Finding Me In You

14 Birthday (2)

Kiran Lin

We started walking around the park at namutawi ang katahimikan. Damn awkward.

"So uhm, what's the book about?" I randomly asked. Pakiramdam ko paulit-ulit ako ng tanong.

"It's an inspirational book, talking about having the power to control how you think, and what you do. By the way, do you like streetfoods?" This time, I couldn't hide my flustered face.

Did she just ask me that?

"Yes! Why did you ask though?" It was so random. Her smile literally got brighter when it showed her perfect white teeth and her eye smile bewildered me.

"Me too! I didn't think you'd like streetfoods. Sila Iza kasi, sabi nila marumi raw iyon and hindi raw masustansiya. Like, food is food, unless it's not good then why would I refuse it?" nawala na ang ngiti niya at napalitan ito ng pagkalukot sa mukha. How do girls manage to change their mood that fast?

"I agree. My dad told me the same. He's a chef kaya lagi niya akong pinagsasabihan na hindi masustansya ang streetfood. He even told me what illness I could get if I ate those but I did anyways." She laughed again and said, "There's a nearby place na nagbebenta ng streetfood. Literally, all streetfoods are aligned and you'd be shocked to see how it looks like. Napakalinis tignan dahil maayos ang pagkakalinya ng mga stall tapos mababait at malinis rin ang mga street vendors." Her eyes gleamed in excitement.

"You wanna go there?" I suggested. Nagtagpo ang mga kilay niya at halata ang pagtataka. "Hindi ka ba hahanapin sa cafe?" aniya. Luckily, this one is easy to escape. "Yes, I told them I might take longer. Besides, hindi na ganoon karami ang customer dahil malapit nang mag lunch."

She didn't argue with it at ilang minuto ay nakarating na kami sa sinasabi niyang streetfood place at tama nga ang sabi niya. Halatang malinis ang mga street vendors dahil may tigta-tatlong garbage bins ang bawat stall.

Hinatak ako ni Yivie papunta sa isang stall na nagbebenta ng kwek-kwek.

"Dalawang kwek-kwek ho." abot niya sa bayad. I can feel her excitement nang abutin sa kaniya ng tindera ang dalawang kwek-kwek. Kinuha ko ang isa at nilagyan ng sauce.

"Which do you prefer, maanghang na suka or suka at asin?" tanong niya. This girl. Dumadaldal kapag pagkain o di kaya ay libro ang pinag-uusapan. I chuckled with the thought. I find it cute though.

"Maanghang. You?" Ako habang sinusubo ang isang slice ng pipino. "Gusto ko rin ang maanghang." She smiled at dinamihan ang paglagay ng suka sa kwek-kwek niya. She's a spice-lover, I bet.

To my surprise, may mga monoblock tables na nakalinya sa ginta ng bawat stall. May nakaattach na malalaking payong rito.

We sat there and conitued eating. Hindi kami nagsalita dahil pareho kaming busy sa pagnguya.

Pupunta pa sana kami sa isa pang stall nang biglang mag vibrate ang phone ko.

Tapos na kami rito, you can bring her back.

Ani text ni Iza. Kinalabit ko si Yivie dahil patuloy parin ito sa paglalakad.

"Yivie, I think we need to go back now, we spent too much time already. We can come back later." malumanay kong sabi nang lumingon siya. The wide smile she was wearing before turned into a small one. I can't help but to feel guilty.

Damn, I feel like pinutulan ko siya ng kasiyahan. I'm sorry but you need to go back now.

"Oh, Okay. You can go ahead. I want to eat that kikiam first before going back." aniya. Putek naman oh, bakit niya pa kasi nakita ang kikiam. Tsk.

"I'll just wait for you then. Kikiam lang naman ang kakainin mo, diba?" I asked at buti nga dahil tumango siya. This girl is really making this role hard.

Patago kong kinuha ang phone ko para itext si Iza na mad-delay kami ng kaunti. She just sent me back an okay sign.

Tinignan ko si Yivie na ngayon ay kumakain ng kikiam sa table. Lumapit ako at sinabihan siya, "Last na talaga ang kikiam. Pinapabalik na tayo ni Iza." ako. I sensed that she did something when she stoped chewing and just straight up looked at me with her eyes wide open.

"What? What did you do?" ako na ang nagsalita dahil mukhang mas mapapabagal siya sa paghinto niya. Kinuha ko ang toothpick na nakatusok sa isang kikiam at kinain iyon.

I suddenly felt an intense stare from her. "What? What did I do?" Why am I feeling guilty when I don't even know if I did something wrong?

"You just ate the last piece." Oh. What's wrong about that?

"Uh.. We can just buy again?" patanong kong sabi. Takte, ang gulo niya. Kanina lang ay para siyang may nagawang kasalanan tapos ngayon ay parang ako ang may kasalanan.

"No, I bought isaw." She bought what?
My eyebrow furrowed. "I thought kikiam lang ang bibilhin mo?" Seriously.

What should I do with the surprise?