Salmon

19: Beginning and End

19: Beginning and End

   "Ate, alin ba rito?"

   Idge rolled her eyes as she tried to find the keychain her sister wanted her to buy, but she couldn't find the shop. Kanina pa siya palakad-lakad dahil hindi naman madali ang pinapahanap ng Ate niya. Mainit na nga ang panahon, mainit pa ang ulo niya.

   "Nasa mall ka na diba? Hindi mo naman kailangan hanapin 'yng shop mismo— kahit 'yong gamit na lang, please! Libre na lang kita kapag may time."

   Idge rolled her eyes, and turned the phone down without saying anything. She wasn't irritated because her sister asked her a favor again, but because of her block mates. Mga wala kasing kwenta. They knew their thesis defense were coming, they even promised they would study their paper— but she saw them wandering as if Idge didn't proofread their paper, for the nth time.

   "Bwisit. Bakit kasi hindi pwedeng mag-isa?" naaasar niyang tanong sa sarili at marahas na inalis ang ID.

   She glanced at the setting sun before entering a shop. Nang makitang wala roon ang hinahanap, agad siyang lumabas. She looked at the animated picture of a man on her phone, and entered a shop again.

   "Wala ba nito sa internet?" bulong niya.

   Halos makahinga siya nang maluwang nang makita ang keychain na hinahanap. Her sister wanted her to buy ten pieces of those, but she just saw nine.

   Kung hindi ka ba naman minamalas.

   Nakatitig lang siya sa lalaking keychain na hawak nang may kumalabit sa kaniya. She turned around, and looked up. She saw a man— maybe around her age. He was wearing a green polo shirt, with an awkward smile on his face.

   Before the man could say anything, she spoke, "Uh... yeah. May stock pa po ba kayo nito?"

   Nawala awkward na ngiti sa mukha ng lalaki at kumunot ang noo. The man looker at the keychain she was holding before shaking his head.

   Sumimangot si Idge, pero ngumiti sa lalaki kalaunan. "Ay wala? Thank—"

   "No— I mean, hindi ko alam. Hindi kasi ako ano... uhm..." He scratched his head.

   Nanlaki ang mata ni Idge at naibaba ang keychain na hawak. She felt her cheeks reddened when it hit her. "I— I'm sorry," she said.

   Muntik pa niyang madala palabas ang keycahian kaya naman nagmamadali siyang bumalik. Naabutan niya pa roon ang lalaking tila naestatwa. She smiled awkwardly, and rushed towards the exit door. Fortunately, the comfort room was just near her kaya pumasok na siya roon.

   "Ano ba 'yan, Idge, nakakahiya ka naman. Kanino ka ba nagmana?" kaussap niya sa sarili.

   Dahil wala naman siyang balak gawin sa loob ng cubicle, lumabas na siya at sa loob na lamang ng banyo tumambay. She was waiting for fifteen minutes to pass to make sure that the man was not there anymore. Nakakahiya naman.

   "Hello?"

   Sumama ang mukha niya nang marinig sa kabilang linya ang boses ng kapatid. "Ate! Siyam lang nandito," naasar niyang balita.

   "Bilhin mo na. Hindi ka ba nagtanong? Malay mo may stock pa?"

   Bumuga siya ng hangin at binabaan ang kapatid. Nang maramdamang pinagtitinginan na siya sa loob, doon lamang siya nagdesisyong lumabas ng banyo. She was having her hands on her face as she walked toward the store again, slowly.

   "Ay butete!"

   "Ma'am?"

   She smiled hesistantly at the woman in front of her. She tried to peek a glance inside the door, and find the man earlier. When she felt fine, she guided the woman to the keychain.