OLIVIA
"Fancy meeting you here, Ms. Olivia," nakangiting sabi niya sa 'kin habang inaayos ang kanyang buhok na bahagyang nagulo ng hangin.
"Ditto." I timidly smiled at him. Nagkatitigan kami saglit at ako ang unang bumawi.
Bakit ba sa tuwing nagpapangkita kami nito ni Lance ay madalas akong tumitig sa kanya? Siguro ay nagagandahan ako sa hugis ng kanyang mukha at isama mo na rin ang nakakaakit niyang mala-tsokolate na mata. Maayos din siya kung manamit. Tulad ngayon, simple lang pero may dating. Naka-white t-shirt lang siya at khaki shorts na pinaresan niya ng Korean beach sandals. Malinis rin ang kanyang mga kuko sa kamay at paa. Halatang anak mayaman talaga dahil na rin sa kutis nito. Noong unang kita ko pa lang sa kanya sa cafe ay alam ko ng maraming babae ang nabibighani sa kanya. He's charming and, not to mention, friendly, too.
Madami na siguro itong napaiyak na babae? Kung sa bagay kung ako ba naman may ganyang mukha, pakikinabangan ko na 'di ba? But not to the point that I'd use it just to break every woman's heart, I'd rather use it in the safest possible way as I could, like freelance modeling or acting, maybe? Anywhere, as long as, I wouldn't hurt anybody. Pero teka? Bakit ba ang layo na nang narating ng isip ko?
We still momentarily kept silent, feeling the awkwardness between us. It was kinda like when none of us wanted to talk for a while.
"What are-"
"Anong-"
Sabay naming sabi sa isa't isa at natawa pareho. This is really awkward.
"You go first," he insisted.
Tumingin ako saglit sa kanya bago nagsalita. "Anong ginagawa mo rito? I even thought you were a bad guy." Pag-aamin ko sa kanya na medyo nahiya matapos kong sabihin iyon.
"You did? Ang gwapo ko naman ata para maging "bad guy", he laughingly said, air quoting the words, "bad guy". He's so cute while doing that.
"Sorry," I mumbled. "Hindi ko naman kasi alam na ikaw pala 'yan." Paghingi ko naman ng paumanhin sa kanya at bahagyang yumuko. Pero hindi nakatakas sa pandinig ko ang marahan niyang pagtawa sa sinabi ko. May nakakatawa ba?
"That's okay. I'm just kidding," he chuckled. "Anyway, to answer your question. I'm here for vacation. Nakaka-stress kasi sa school," pagpapatuloy niya at bumuntong-hininga ng malalim. Ibinaling niya saglit ang kanyang tingin sa malawak na karagatan na para bang may naisip siya bigla na di ko mawari kung ano.
"That's normal. Lahat naman ng estudyante napagdadaanan 'yan", sabi ko naman at bumalik ulit ang tingin niya sa 'kin. "Siya nga pala, ano 'yong sasabihin mo sa 'kin kanina?"
Yumuko siya saglit habang nilalaro ang sombrero sa kanyang kamay. "Ah, that. Gusto ko lang sana itanong kung ano ginagawa mo rin dito," he chortled, putting back his hat on his head.
"Same as you. I'm here for vacation, too," I blurted, playing with the wine bottle and making round motions while holding the neck of it.
"I see," he softly sniggered. I glanced up over at him, then nodded as an answer. He was looking at the wine bottle I was holding in. "You drinking?" He asked, out of his curiosity.
"Yep," I chirped, popping the 'p'. "Pampaantok lang. Hindi kasi ko makatulog kaagad. Hindi sanay katawan ko nang walang ginagawa maghapon," pagpapatuloy ko at nagsalin ng alak.
"Mind if I drink some, too?" He suddenly asked.
I was a bit surprised but managed to answer back. "O-Of course, I don't mind. Kukuha lang ako ng isa pang wine glass-"
BINABASA MO ANG
A Hard Habit To Break
RomanceOlivia is a 31-year-old businesswoman, single and still mending her broken heart after cutting the ties with her good-for-nothing ex. She was still in great turmoil when a sudden twist and turn of fate played with her heart once more when Knox, a 19...