Fleeting Moments

Chapter 05: Dinner

#HHFM Chapter 05:

Dinner

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"Talie Alvarez, welcome to the program!"

Pumalakpak ang studio audience. Mayroon pa ngang humiyaw nang malakas kaya napalingon si Talie at ang host. It was then followed by her giggles—and the way it rang inside my head annoyed me. I should be sleeping at this hour, pero hindi ako mapakali at may parte sa akin na gustong manood.

I picked my pillows up and set up a cozy spot on my bed so I could watch without worrying about my backache. For the next minute, all I heard was how the host praised Talie's superficial attributes. Iba talaga ang rehistro ng mukha niya sa camera. Kahit naman off-cam ay maganda talaga siya. Sadyang may iba lang na effect kapag nasa tapat ng lente.

The interview started with light topics. Ang dahilan kung bakit nasa national TV siya ngayon ay gawa n'ong photoshoot teaser na ini-release ng kabilang magazine. It broke the Internet because, duh? People are obsessed with her face and her body.

Pinag-usapan lang nila ang career ni Talie. She would be working for the network kaya raw hindi niya ipu-pursue ang full-time modeling. My lips twisted as their conversation focused on her being a full-time sports reporter.

Wala akong duda sa kakayahan ni Ryo, so for sure, a team would gladly accept him. Baka nga pag-agawan pa siya. But, God. That meant seeing Natalie while watching him play dahil sabi niya, "You'll be seeing me next season." That meant her voice. Her laugh. Hearing her talk about Ryo. I wasn't sure if I was just annoyed because of my pregnancy dahil hindi naman ako ganito kairitable sa kaniya dati.

I grumbled when the show was interrupted by a commercial break. Lalo lang akong nainis nang makita ang commercial ng pizza sa malapad na screen. Napahawak tuloy ako sa tiyan ko. Lately, parang salitan lang yata ang pagiging pagod at gutom ko.

I lifted my weight out of the pile of pillows I was in when I heard someone knocking on the door.

Who could it be? Kanina pa naman nakauwi si Ryo at nakita niya naman akong buhay at humihinga pa kaya imposibleng siya ulit ito para i-check kung okay pa ako.

I pulled my eyebrows together, confused, when I saw Ryo outside. Gaya kaninang dinner ay nakaputi siyang T-shirt at itim na sweatpants. My eyes wandered to what he was holding—two mugs with light steam over them.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Hindi mo muna ako papapasukin?"

I shook my head. "No. What's that?"

He dramatically sighed and shook his head unbelievingly. "Milo na may gatas."

"Oh." Lumuwag ang pagkakakunot ng noo ko. I didn't want to look too thankful even if I kind of wanted to wrap my arms around him. He looked as cozy as the bunch of pillows on my bed.

It's just the hormones, I reminded myself. Don't do things you wouldn't do if you were not pregnant.

"Thanks," I said after receiving the mug from him. I felt like I was salivating on its sweet aroma. I was about to close the door when I noticed that he was still standing on the same spot. "Do you still need anything?"

Napasimangot siya, malalim. "Hindi mo man lang ako aaluking pumasok?"

I shook my head. "No."

He scoffed. Tumaas ang kilay ko roon. "Pasok ako," aniya. I blocked the doorway. Agad na tumalim nang bahagya ang tingin niya sa akin.