Cliche (Candy Stories #5)

Chapter 19 part 2

***

September first week

Celine de Blas:
malapit na kayo?

I looked outside the car to check if the streets are familiar to me. Sadly—but not surprisingly—na-puzzle lang ako. Most of my workmates know that I have no sense of direction or road recall. Puwedeng-puwede akong iligaw ninuman, lalo na dahil bad din ako sa paggamit ng mga navigational apps. I easily get confused. Maybe wala pang nakapagsabi kay Celine.

So it doesn't matter kung isang oras na kaming nasa road ni Calyx galing sa restaurant na assignment namin. I don't have an idea kung nasaang parte ng Metro Manila kami. Ang fail.

Aurora Arranza:
I actually don't know. : (

Aurora Arranza:
I'll ask Calyx muna . . .

Celine de Blas:
Oh. You're bad at roads nga pala.

Aurora Arranza:
I'm sorry. : (

Celine de Blas:
Why do you always apologize, girl?
No one's good at everything.

Maybe . . . except Maxwell. He's good at too many things, it's hard to keep track of what he's not good at.

"Cal? Malapit na ba tayo?"

He quickly glanced at the phone in my hand, then at me. "Thirty minutes pa siguro."

That's reasonable with all the traffic. Rush hour. Maiinit na ang ulo ng mga motorists at kasabay na namin sa kalsada ang naglalakihang buses.

"Who's asking you?" balik-tanong ni Cal.

"Si Celine," sagot ko at nagtuon na ng atensyon sa pagre-reply.

Aurora Arranza:
30 minutes pa raw.

Celine de Blas:
Oh, okay. We're already
eating here. I'll save you both
a seat? Para hindi kayo mapunta
sa ibang table?

We're having a company dinner to celebrate the successful release of Savory magazine's September issue. Miss Kylie reserved a resto-bar called Barsio. It's a buffet style restaurant, both in food and drinks. Na-feature namin last year sa app at sa magazine.

Celine's offer is nice pero baka kasama niya si Maxwell sa table. Nag-dwindle naman na 'yong inisan nina Maxwell at Cal lately, but I'm not sure I'm ready to be near him.

I bit on my nails and stopped immediately. Ayokong masira uli ang nail art na bagong pagawa ko lang. It's cute pa naman. It's frosted pink with some crystals and flower art.

"Kumakain na siguro sila by now," sabi ni Calyx.

"Yes daw."

"Sabihin mo kay Celine, ipag-save tayo ng upuan. Baka sa ibang table tayo mapunta. You won't be comfortable."

"But . . ."

"Mas magiging komportable ka sa table nina Celine at Maxwell kaysa sa production staff ng mga taga-Savory," dagdag ni Cal.

I pouted. True din naman 'yon. "Okay, sige. She offered din naman to save us seats."

Tumango lang si Cal.

Aurora Arranza:
Thanks, Celine.

Celine de Blas:
No problem.

Itatago ko na sana ang phone sa bag ko pero nagpahabol siya ng message.

Celine de Blas:
Oh, btw, Maxwell's on a drinking game.
Just letting you know para di ka magulat
pagdating mo.