My Other Half

11 - Confused

Just as she promised. Inimbita ni Patience si Luke na kumain sa bahay nila. She also thought it'll be good for Louisa to meet other people from work. School at bahay lang din ang routine nito, aside fron her classmates at yayas, si Tina lamang ang lagi nitong nakikita sa bahay.

"Gwapo ba iyang si Luke?" usisang tanong ni Tina. Nasa kusina sila at naghahanda ng pagkain para sa dinner.

"Base sa taste mo, pasado siya. Sobra pa nga e," sagot ni Patience habang naghihiwa ng sibuyas.

Abot-tengang ngiti ang ibinigay ni Tina. "Talaga? Mas gwapo pa kaysa kay Blaze?"

Napa-isip siya. Both of the men has different features and very different personalities. Pero para sa kanya, mas gwapo si Blaze. "Ewan ko. Iba-iba naman ang taste nang tao," sagot niya.

"Ito talaga. Oo, hindi, lang sagot doon. Ako nalang ang magdecide. Mas may tiwala ako sa taste ko," wika ni Tina habang hinahalo ang ulam na niluluto.

"Really? Base sa mga past relationship mo? No comment na lang ako." She said and laughed. She meant it as a joke. Sa tagal nilang magkasama, at kahit sa pagiging liberated, tatlo pa lamang ang nagiging nobyo nito. She act like a wild woman in the outside but in the inside, she is just a girl wanting to be loved.

"Hoy, mga gwapo rin naman sila. Hindi nga lang kasing gwapo ni Blaze. Anyway, I'm so happy and proud of you," pinatay nito ang gas stove at naglakad papunta kay Patience and hugged her.

"Thank you, i guess," she hugged her back. "Hindi ko lang alam kung saan ka happy and proud sa akin."

Bumitaw sa pagyakap si Tina and looked at Patience's face with happiness. "It's been a while since I have seen you like this, at this is the first time na may makikita akong lalaki sa buhay mo since Louis. Alam kong you're taking a big risk by opening up to other people and proud ako sayo doon."

"Thank you," sagot niya. "Kaya ayokong nag-e-speech ka e, pinapaiyak mo ko at friendly dinner lang 'to. Wag ka OA" She added.

"So, Is he courting you?" Usisa ni Tina.

"No, we're just friends."

"Really? Friends don't invite you to lunch a lot of times and ngayon, you invited him to dinner at your own home to meet your lovable daughter." She nagged.

"You forced me to invite him and friends do. I just want you to meet him. My new friend." Patience emphasized the word 'friend'.

"Fine, what ever."

They prepared their cooked food of sinigang na hipon, chicken curry and pork stake, and prepared the table for four.

Everything was in place when they heard the door bell rang at exactly 7 pm.

"Can you get that Tina?" Ani Patience.

Naglakad si Tina palabas para buksan ang gate. While Patience is preparing for the orange juice. She was so occupied nang hindi niya napansin ang lalaki sa likod niya.

"It smells great." Napatingin si Patience sa nagsalita, and he was the last person she expected to see tonight.

"Bla...Blaze, Wha... what are you doing here?" She stammered.

He just smiled amusingly. Si Luke ang sumagot na nasa likod nito. "Hi sunshine, I was on my way here nang i-text ako ni Blaze, nasiraan siya ng kotse so I had to pick him up."

"I hope I'm not intruding." Blaze said.

Umiling si Patience. "Of course not." Kinabahan siya bigla, she doesn't know why.

"The more the merrier, I'm Cristina," sabat ni Tina na abot-tenga ang ngiti at pakilala nito sa sarili kay Blaze and Luke.

"Luke."