"Some things are so good that you would want it badly."
The article entitled Last Seen Good released by Mighty Pen's Club spread like a wildfire.
She, the lady named Callie just wanted to achieve her one thing goal in life - to pursue her dreams wit...
"Ako na lang magbabalik gusto mo?" Rina volunteered when I closed my book. I'm done reading. Siya naman ay dumadaldal habang nagbabasa. Paano niya nakakayanan ma-absorb ang binabasa niya habang chumichika?
"Hindi na. Kaya ko naman. Tsaka ako yung nanghiram e" I said then shook my head. Cassy agreed at me. Nakakahiya namang ako yung gumamit tapos iba magbabalik.
Nakatambay kami ngayon sa bench malapit sa labas ng building namin. Busy si Cassy magbasa at si Rina well, malay ko ba kung nababasa talaga 'yan. Si Haldrin naman katabi ko busy maglaro ng LOL sa phone niya. Sarap nga dukutin bigla yung phone e, tignan lang natin kung makapagfocus ka pa!
"Samahan na lang kita" I frowned when he spoke.
"Baliw! That would be awkward" Cassy said at him and looked at her readings again.
"Oo nga! Ano 'yon? Yung ex kikitain tapos may kasama kang lalaki?" Singit ni Rina sa usapan. I rolled my eyes at her.
"Hindi ko siya ex!"
"Sapakin ko pa yun e!" Sabat naman ng katabi ko.
"Warfreak! Wala namang ginagawang masama yung tao sayo tapos sasapukin mo!" I monologued to him speaking the obvious.
"Bakit ba? Eh trip ko lang o!" Sagot naman niya habang tutok pa rin ang atensyon sa cellphone. Tumawa lang naman ang dalawang babae at umirap lang ako sa kanya. Iba talaga madalas takbo ng utak ng isang 'to eh!
But kahit ganon, I'm so lucky to have them. Kahit madalas kami nagbabangayan ni Haldrin, tapos si Rina lagi akong inaaya maglasing at si Cassy naman laging gusto magbasa kami. Okay lang. That's what makes our friendship whole and happy.
Thursday night inayos ko lang ang mga gamit ko at nilagay sa isang paper bag ang jacket niya. Buti na lang at hindi nag-aya uli uminom si Rina. Ayokong makipagkita sa kanya ng may hangover at bloated ang mukha.
Friday came so fast. I just wore a simple checkered matcha dress with thin white belt around my waist. I looked at my wristwatch while waiting inside an ice cream parlor. We just chatted last night and decided to meet up halfway. Hindi naman niya ako inalok na sunduin at buti naman. Ang layo niya. Kung ginawa niya 'yon iaabot ko na lang sana sa kanya ang jacket at pwede na siyang umalis.
Kaso ganito ngayon. He's already 10 minutes late sa napag-usapang oras. I can wait for more minutes but not hours. Kaso ako ang may kailangang ibalik kaya dapat hintayin ko.
I just ordered my all time favorite strawberry with banana ice cream para ma-lessen ang inis na namumuo dahilang tagal niya. I'm not fond of waiting lalo na kapag ako lang mag-isa. Feel ko pathetic at loser ako kapag ganito tapos baka ma-MIA ako ika nga.
I'm just scrolling through my twitter feed because I'm not fond of facebook though nakakatawa ang mga memes na nauuso ngayon. Nag-pop up ang groupchat namin nila Rina. Nag-aabang ng chismis ang gaga! I didn't open it dahil magtatanong lang siya eh wala pa nga ang kikitain ko!
"Sorry, I'm late" May nagsalita kaya naman naputol ang tingin ko sa cellphone. I looked up at him and saw him breathing heavily then he brushed his hair.
Napatulala ako. Then I return my poker face expression when I realized I'm gaping at him. My heart is beating so fast.
He's wearing a simple v-neck buttoned shirt with his faded denim pants. Hindi nakatakas sa paningin ko ang butil ng pawis na nasa noo niya. Overall, he still looks fresh and gwapo. Ang unfair!
My thoughts were taken aback when he pulled the chair across mine.
"I'm really sorry. Traffic sa katipunan" He said again and looked at me apologetically. He scratched his neck while smiling awkwardly.
"Uhh...okay lang" Awkward kong sabi at inabot ang paper bag.
"I was thinking of treating you to make it up but you already ordered. Do you want something else like—" I cut him off.
"No. Okay na ako dito sa ice cream ko hehe" I nodded and tightened my grip at the paper bag beside me.
I remembered him treating me in a place like this back then na dahil umiyak ako nang na-dissolved club namin.
"Sure ka? I can get you something else" He offered and smiled. I just shrugged it off and nodded.
"Oo. Okay na ako dito"
Bakit ganon? Parang ako lang yung nakaka-feel ng awkwardness. Bakit ang bait niya pa rin?
Ah! Baka kaya okay na siya dahil nga may girlfriend na siya. Tama! Yun nga siguro.
But still, dapat may hard feelings siya sakin diba? Nirejected ko siya. Hindi ko siya nitrato ng mabuti. Marami akong iniwang tanong na hindi ko naman inibigay ang sagot sa kanya.
Mukhang di na big deal sa kanya yung nangyari. Mukhang okay na sa kanya lahat eh.
Pero, bakit ako ngayon yung mukhang maraming tanong at masama ang loob? Dahil sakin na lang big deal? Nakakainis ka talaga self!
I came back to reality when he spoke.
"Wait lang. Order muna 'ko?" He looked at me like asking for my permission. I confusedly nodded and said 'okay'.
I sighed and let go my hold of the paper bag I was about to give to him. I just want to be over with this. Tanging jacket lang naman niya ang dahilan talaga kaya kami nagkasama ngayon. Lalo na ngayong mukhang may girlfriend na siya. Baka maging issue pa 'to kung sakali.
I felt he's glancing at me from the counter so I busied myself scanning the place outside through the glass walls.
I watched how the couples walked through holding each other's hands and smiling. I watched how they took pictures and the girl kissed her boyfriend in the cheeks. I smiled bitterly and looked away at them.
Then the famous phrase I have mostly seen in social media platforms "sana all" came into my mind.
Binalik ko ang tingin sa loob ng lugar. Para akong tanga na sinusuri ang lugar dahil wala akong magawa. I got tired scanning the people inside and started eating again my ice cream.
Accidentally, I caught a glimpse of his phone. Naiwan niya pala sa table.
I feel my mouth slightly open and my eyes widened.
That's the graduation polaroid picture of us at the back of his phone.
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
