Anna smiled as Lizzie finally show up. Anna waited for her at the café and is badly wanted to talk to her.
"Hi." It's a bit awkward seeing Lizzie's unexcited face. Alam ni Anna kung saan ito nagmumula. She's now jobless because of her and still possibly annoyed by what happened.
After nights of guiltness, nagkaroon ng pagkakataon si Anna para isipin ang nangyari at makabawi kay Lizzie. After all, naging tulay din naman ito para maisakatuparan ang pangarap niya kahit sa pinamaiksing oras lang.
"Alam kong galit ka sakin pero I just did what I have to. Hindi na importante kung bakit but I have something to tell you and thank you because you came."
Lizzie looked at her.
"See that's why naiinis ako, because you actually thought that because I lost my job galit ako sayo." Kumunot ang noo ni Anna.
"....you ignored me Anna. I'm happy to build a friendship with you because you're cool and nice to me pero bigla ka nalang umiwas. You know what, f*ck that job, I don't care. I care about other things. Remember I told you I don't have real friends, and you just made me feel kung anong kulang sakin." Nagulat si Anna.
"S-o, you're not mad at me because you lost your job?" She repeats.
"Kakasabi ko lang." Unti-unti humuhupa ang inis nito.
"I'm sorry." Anna apologized. Hinawakan nito ang kamay ni Lizzie.
"It was all misunderstanding. I'm sorry Lizzie." Hindi na rin nakapagtimpi ito at nagpakita na ng maliit na ngiti.
"Okay. Apology accepted." They both smiled and cherish the peace moment hanggang sa nanumbalik ang pagiging bibo ni Lizzie. That's all she wanted.
"So what is up?" Lizzie revive their convo.
"You want a job?" Hindi na nag-atubili si Anna.
"Oh my god! I just told you na hindi ako galit dahil....." Anna cut her.
"I heard you loud and very clear." She got a card at her purse and give it to Lizzie.
"My friend is looking for an IT Support Staff, you're the only qualified person I know." Lizzie laugh as if Anna shared a joke.
"IT Support Staff? Pano mo naman nasabi na qualified ako dito." Hindi matigil si Lizzie sa pagtawa hanggang sa ma-realized nito kung gaano siya kadaldal at ang posibleng pagkekwento niya ng kanyang talambuhay noon kay Anna.
"You're an IT Graduate. Maybe it's about time for you to have a job connected to what you've studied." Natahimik si Lizzie.
Lizzie seems to be confident of all she's doing but some things you must know about her. She has a quiet rough past. Some people made her feel down, made her feel she's awful on the things she's good at before but she shifted her path for her to gain her strength back . Past which quiet the same as Anna's.
Lizzie took the card.
"Give it a chance." and it echoed on Lizzie's ears.
They enjoyed their drinks, catching up things and randomly talks about their days and nights nang mga panahong wala silang balita sa isa't-isa. Nalaman ni Anna na muli nanaman sila naghiwalay ng kanyang boyfriend pero sigurado si Anna na paglipas nanaman ng ilang araw, okay na ulit sila. Lizzie's in a toxic relationship and para kay Anna hindi siya ang tao para magbigay ng opinyon tungkol dito.
It is a happy day. Unang nagpaalam si Lizzie dahil sa pinakamadalang na family dinner nila ngayon sakto namang nakatanggap ng mensahe si Anna mula kay Zach na siyang pauwi na at balak sunduin siya. She caught herself smiling at her phone hanggang sa tumunog ito. It's Zach and she answered him.
"I'm outside." He said. Agad na nakita nito si Zach sa labas, still in his suit. Lumapit si Anna dito na agad ding pinagbuksan ng kotse ni Zach.
"Thank you." She said.
"How's your....." Napatigil silang dalawa sa tangka at sabay nilang tanong sa isa't-isa. And Zach being a gentleman, pinauna nito si Anna.
"How's your work?" This is new, first time he was asked by her. Hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili kung bakit tutok ito sa salitang lumalabas sa bibig ni Anna.
"Good. Tiring." He wanted to say more pero ayaw niyang magmukhang sabik sa pakikipag-usap sa kanya. He expects to have a conversation with her pero hindi na ito nadugtungan. Bigla nalang itong natahamik at nakafocus sa daan.
"You okay?" Hindi na nakapagpigil si Zach na tanungin ito. Agad naman siyang tumango.
"Gutom kaba?" Out of the blue na tanong ni Anna. He isn't sure what to answer but he said yes.
"Y-es. are you hungry?" He asked her too.
"Then pull up." She said.
"What?"
"Kakain tayo." Itinuro nito ang isang restaurant na kung saan sobrang daming kustomer. Buong akala nito ay nagbibiro lang si Anna subalit ng tignan niya ito, wala itong bakas ng pagbibiro. Katulad ng sabi nito, huminto ito sa tapat ng restaurant.
Bumaba si Anna at dire-diretsong naglakad papasok dito pero saglit na huminto para lingunin si Zach at nang mapansin nitong hindi ito sumusunod...
"Akala ko ba gutom ka?" Talagang dito sila kakain. He thought about sanitation and safety pero mas malakas ang impluwensya ni Anna. This is very far from fine dining.
Umupo si Anna at agad nilapitan ng isang babae.
"Ate, dalawang bulalo." Nakangiting nililibot ni Anna ang tingin sa lugar hanggang sa napatid ang tingin nito sa hitsura ng nasa harap niya.
"Wag kang mag-alala, malinis dito." Nakangiti ito sa aburidong si Zach na ngayon ay inaayos ang postura at ginagaya kung pano umakto si Anna.
Tuwang-tuwa si Anna na panoorin si Zach, hindi naman pambubully ang ginagawa niya pero nakakatuwa lang makita itong pilit pinapakitang hindi na bago sa kanya kung nasan sila.
Dumating ang kanilang order at amoy na amoy kung gaano ito kasarap. Masayang dinagdagan no Anna ng ilang condiments at pampaanghang ang kanyang bulalo. She caught Zach na ginagaya nito ang ginagawa niya. Hindi na nakapagtimpi si Anna at napatawa ito.
"I'm sorry . I realy dont know what is this."Pagsuko at nahihiyang sabi ni Zach.
"No. It's okay. Let me handle this." Kabisado na ni Anna ang timpla. Pinaghalo-halo niya ito.
Hindi mawala sa labi nito ang ngiti habang pinagmamasdan siya ni Zach. She looks so expensive but she's so simple. Clearly Zach never met someone like her in his whole life.
"Let's eat." Pinagmasdan ni Anna kung paano tikman at husgahan ni Zach ang unang higop niya sa pagkain. Hindi nagkakamali si Anna.
They enjoyed the food with full of laughter.
BINABASA MO ANG
ANNA (R18+)
Mistero / Thriller"Some secrets refuse to stay buried." Anna, who is residing in the US, was finally convinced by her art agency to fly back to the Philippines to receive the proper recognition and a bigger opportunity as an artist. This was also the best way to prov...
