Vitamin U

31- Gayuma

Nicolas' POV

"Oh, these are beautiful, Cole!"

Napangiti ako habang isa-isang inaamoy ni Ate Niña ang mga bouquet ng bulaklak sa mesa. Limang pumpon iyon at iba't iba ang mga klase. Me and Lala are having a date later. Sa wakas ay pumayag na rin siya after my numerous invitations. That woman is a prick. Ang hirap suyuin.

A very lovely prick to be exact.

Napangiti ako habang naalala si Lala. Panyang taught me several effective strategies to win a bario girl's heart. According to Panyang, bario girls are different from city girls in terms of preferences and way of thinking. Mas mahirap daw ligawan ang mga taga bario dahil konserbatibo ang mga ito.

Kumunot ang noo ni Ate Niña nang mahuli akong nakangiti sa kawalan.
"Your smile looks strange...and what's with all these flowers? May bago ka bang dine-date?"

"Yeah. Which among these flowers do you think a bario girl would love?"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "A bario girl? Hmm..." hinimas niya ang baba saka nag-isip, "Why dont you ask Lala instead? She's a bario girl, isn't she?"

Hindi ako kumibo. She's that Bario girl, Sis.

"How did you meet this 'Bario Girl'? She must be insanely gorgeous because you're not the type of guy who would fall for a simple woman. You're a sucker for a model-like or a goddess-like to flaunt everywhere."

Napasimangot ako. Ganoon ba ang tingin ng ate ko sa akin? Some of the girls I dated were not just a mere trophy. I had a bond with them. Most of them remained my friends including Caroline and Mia. Though I cant consider how I felt for them was love. I cant even tell myself that I have already fallen in love with anyone.

"You know, it would be better if that bario girl was Lala. Me and our folks love her so much but knowing your personality and your cringy treatment towards her, I doubt it."

I cant tell her the truth. I'm not even sure Lala's gonna be my girl. I don't wanna disappoint my sister. Honestly, I am having a hard time reading Lala's mind and behavior. She's unpredictable unlike those girls I used to date. However her indecisiveness makes me want her more.

I have never been challenged like this in wooing a girl.

Excited akong sumakay ng aking sasakyan at nagtungo kina Lala. Mabilis akong lumabas ng sasakyan at binitbit ang pumpon ng bulaklak. Funny how I felt butterflies in my stomach. I've never felt this before. Para akong lumilipad habang tinatahak ang bahay nina Lala. Napahinto ako nang biglang may humarang na babae sa dinadaanan ko.

Medyo may edad na ang babae, palagay ko'y kasing edad ng Tiyang Carmen ni Lala. Weird thing is, titig na titig siya sa akin. Mukhang sadya niya talaga akong hinarangan. May pakay kaya sa akin ang babae? Napilitan akong batiin siya.

"Hi," tipid kong sabi.

"Si Lala ba ang sadya mo dine?" sagot niya sa seryosong tono.

Tumango ako. The woman looks disturbing. Nakakapangilabot siyang tumingin.

"Lagi kitang nakikitang dumadalaw dito."

"Uhm...Lala's my employee and a very good friend of mine," sagot ko.

Bumaba ang mga mata niya sa pumpon ng mga bulaklak na bitbit ko tapos ibinalik niya ang tingin sa akin.
"Mag-iingat ka..." makahulugan niyang sabi.

My eyebrow rose. "I beg your pardon?"

"Guwapo ka, mukhang mayaman..." napatingin siya sa sasakyan kong nakaparada tapos ibinalik sa akin ang mga tingin, "hindi ka ba nagtataka at lagi kang nagpupunta sa mabaho, masikip at mahirap na lugar na 'to?"