Say My Name

Chapter 6-Lunch date or Not?

A/N: Hi guys! Singit muna ako. Magpapasalamat lang ako sa mga sumusuporta ng story ko. Hindi ko inexpect pero sobrang thank you talaga kasi ang bilis natin umakyat sa ranking. Thank you, thank you rin sa mga nag follow sakin. Promise, magfollow back po ako later kapag naasikaso ko na. I appreciate all your efforts to read and vote for my story guys although new author palang ako. Promise, I will always reach out to you. Ah, basta kinikilig ako. Binabasa ko po lahat ng comments and I am trying my very best to reply (akala mo naman daming commenters). Kahit pa busy sa personal life at sa work. Bilang pasasalamat, here's my treat to all of you. Happy reading guys!

Chapter 6

"Can I join you for lunch?" Jade asked. Natulala si Rina, hindi makapaniwala. Wait, was he really asking? Baka naman guni-guni lang ng dalaga. She pinched her palm to assure she's not dreaming. Nasaktan siya so ibig sabihin, this is must be her reality. Napangiti siya ng palihim. Woi, try mo din kayang maaya ng lunch by the person you admire most. Sige na, she's admiring him lalo ang intelligence and diligence ng binata. 

"Sure, ahm, I'll just collect our outputs and passed them then we're good to go." Rina replied. Di na siya nag atubili. Baka mamaya masiko pa siya ni Cheyne kung magpabebe pa siya. Malakas pa man din yung maniko. Legit ang sakit.

"Sige, paalam lang ako sa tropa. I'll meet you near the gate." Jade casually said while waving his hand and started walking towards the table he's occupying a while ago. 

Si Rina naman ay nagsimula ng kunin ang mga papel ng mga classmates at in-arrange ang mga outputs nila para ready na agad iabot nalang sa desk ng prof ang kailangan pagbaba nila ng department mamaya. After few minutes, she's done with her task. Inaya niya si Cheyne na maglunch kasama nila ni Jade pero tumanggi ang classmate niya at nagmamadali na daw itong pinapauwi sa kanila kasi may pinapabili pa ang mama nito na groceries.

Rina walked near the gate with a smile plastered on her face. Wow, parang may date ah. Kastigo niya sa sarili. 

"Rina, I'm here. Oh, asan na yung friend mo?" Si Jade na nakasandal sa guardhouse malapit sa gate.

"Friend who? Si Cheyne? She declined my offer. She said her mama's waiting for her." Mabilis na paliwanag ng dalaga. Iwasan mo mag blush, bi. Baka sabihin nagpapa cute ka. You just got to admire him but never develop awkward feelings towards him.

"Ganun ba? Sige, tara na. Diyan lang naman tayo kakain sa malapit." He smiled freakin' again. Natahimik na siya. Saan kaya naman siya dadalhin neto? Naglakad lang silang dalawa a few blocks away from the school. Lakad lang, walang usap. Yung tipong nagpapakiramdaman. 

"We're here. Favorite namin tong resto. Masarap ang mga luto nila saka affordable. Saktong sakto ang budget meal nila para mga gaya naming tipid lagi." He announced with humor. Tinignan ni Rina ang resto. Maganda ang ambiance, student-friendly siya. Tama naman ang lalake. It's simple but it looks cozy. Parang lahat welcome ganun. Saka pansin niya karamihan sa  mga nasa loob na kumakain ay mga schoolmates nila, judging from their uniforms.

Pumasok sila at lumapit sa counter. Jade casually greeted the man in the cashier and the woman in her late forties in the counter. He ordered food from"Aling Sally" just like how Jade called. Aling Sally beamed at him when he said the usual for two. Medyo nalito pa si Rina kung alin ang usual. Kung yung food ba na order o yung food for two. Aba, ma-issue kang utak ka!

Mabilis na nakahanap sila ni Jade ng upuan. Wag na kayo magtaka kung bakit walang kuya. Ayaw kasi magpatawag ni Jade ng kuya kasi magmumukha daw siyang matanda. They have three years age gap pero two years lang pagitan nila sa year level kasi maaga si Rina nag-aral. 

"Rina hindi na kita tinanong kung anong gusto mo. I want you to taste their meals. Magugustuhan mo yun for sure." Masayang sabi ni Jade. What made him so sure? Char. Oo na po, KUYA Jade. Kakainin ko naman kahit pa allergic ako diyan. Magte-take nalang ako ng gamot ko mamaya if ever may di nga pwede sakin. Mahabang litanya ni Rina sa utak niya. Tanging tango at ngiti nalang ang naging sagot niya. Kala mo hindi kinakausap ang sarili.

Their food was immediately served after. Mas mabilis pa ata kay 'The Flash'. Nagkuwentuhan ang dalawa habang kumakain. Rina was amazed that all of the ordered food were delicious. Pupurihin na sana niya ang taste ni Jade ng may biglang sumulpot at tumawag sa kasama niya. 

"Jade, andito kana pala. Nay Sally, isang order po nung paborito kong luto mo." A woman's voice said. Rina turned to see the woman. It was the same girl she used to see na kasama ni Jade sa school. Her face became stoic. Shocked as she is, she tried to plaster a smile but it faded right away when the woman did not even notice her. Kay Jade lang ito nakatingin. Humila agad ang babae ng upuan as if she invited herself to join them.

Rina tried to hide her embarrassment. She continued to dig in as Jade and the woman chatted. 

"Nga pala Kate, siya si Rina yung sinasabi ko sayong may potensiyal." Jade said afterwards. Napaangat ang tingin ni Rina sa dalawa. Binaba niya ang kubyertos at tumingin sa mga kaharap.

"Hi, there Rina. The name's Kate."  Maikling pakilala nito.

"Hello po, nice to meet you." Rina awakwarly replied. Nakikita na niya ito dati pero ngayon lang sila nagkaharap ng ganito.

"Wag kang mahiya sakin. So, what are you into? I mean, writer, quizzer or debater?" Kate casually asked. Parang pinapagaan ang awkwardness nila. 

"I don't know. I tried all of those when I was in high school. But right now, I just wanna focus with my studies." Rina truthfully said. It wasn't a lie. She really needs to focus now because her end goal is her independence and not those extra curricular activities.

"Oh, that's nice. But you might wanna join any organization. Kahit isa lang. Minsan kasi dapat mag explore ka rin sa college hindi puro classroom lang. I know you know what I mean." Kate said.

"Yeah, I get you." Rina smiled.

"Sabihan mo ako if ever. Might as well convince you to join us." Jade interjected.

Kate finished her meal faster than the two of them. She jokingly said that she's in a hurry because her stomach had been growling too much because she's been waiting for Jade for too long inside the campus but he forgot about her. Rina laughed with the two. She finds them cute. Too CUTE not to be a couple.

Nang matapos ay nagpaalam na rin silang dalawa kay Kate. Babalik pa raw ito sa office ng org nila kasi may aasikasuhin pa for the next activities nila.

Jade and Rina went home after seeing Kate went back to school. 

"Thank you so much for today, Jade. From the library to the lunch. Nakakahiya, ikaw pa talaga ang nanlibre." Rina shyly said.

"Wala yun. It's my pleasure to help our baby girl. Ganun naman talaga dapat ang gagawin ng higher years." Jade said while laughing softly. 

"Tama ako diba? Masarap yung ulam?" Jade then asked.

"I concede. Masarap nga." Rina agreed.

Tila nakontento naman ang binata sa sagot niya. Medyo awkward pa sila pero biglang may nag pop na tanong sa isip ni Rina. Hahayaan nalang sana niya ang pagka curious niya pero maya maya lang ay nagtanong na siya. Hindi na nakatimpi.

"Jade, si Kate ba... I mean, kayo ni ate Kate?"

#SMNChapter6