Taste of Life

29

"Is this okay?" Mom's checking my outfit. Kanina niya pa sinasabi na my outfit is not good enough. This isn't a date naman ata. Do I want this to be a date?

"Why do you dress better back in NY?" She blurted out.

"The weather's nice there." I said. Totoo naman.

Umiling siya atyaka may pinakita saking photo.

"I was searching yacht date outfit. I found this on pinterest." She looks so happy. I sighed.

"Yeah I'll copy that nalang." It's just a white buttondown, a khaki shorts and a sperry. I have all of those things. Sana pinakita na niya kanina pa. When I finished fixing up, I checked my phone. Actually, Eli didn't reply when I texted her last night. But that's okay. If she doesn't want to come. That's okay. I won't force her. I'll just say what I need to say.

Bumaba ako, and saw that there's a picnic basket in the dining table. Kumunot ang noo ko.

"Food for your date." Dad said. Hindi siya pumasok sa The Grid to cook me and Eli food? Why are they so extras?

"It's not a date, Dad."

"Yeah right." He said at bumalik sa kitchen. Mom's nowhere to be found.

"Can you tell her umalis na ko?" I asked Dad. And he just nodded and waved goodbye. Umiling nalang ako at dinala ang picnic basket. Sayang naman effort ni Dad if hindi ko dadalin.

I am actually nervous. Hindi ko rin alam bakit. I called Annie and she answered immediately. Kapag talaga chismis mabilis 'to eh.

"Still no reply?" She asked.

"Yeah. Paano kapag ayaw niya pala. I have lots of food. Can you join me instead?"

"Shut up. She'll come. Saan ka na?"

"Lapit na sa España. For some reason, I needed the traffic now pero ang luwag ng kalsada."

She laughed. Pinagtatawanan ako. Hindi ko naman siya pinagtatawanan pag parang ewan rants niya sa crush niya ah.

"OA. Si Madame Eli lang yon. At isa pa, sasabihin mo lang naman na papasok ka seminaryo. Hindi naman big deal yon. Basta sabi sayo magdala ka tissue o kaya salbabida kasi baka tulak ka niya sa dagat." Why am I friends with Annie? I don't even know bakit ko siya crush before? Pangit ng ugali.

She's just laughing at me the whole time but I guess mas okay yon kesa wala akong kausap. When I parked outside her condo building, Annie became serious.

"Just tell her what you really feel. And please tell her about seminary if ever seryoso ka pa dyan." She keeps telling me na feel niya kahit pumasok ako sa seminaryo, lalabas rin ako agad. I think that's -50 ligtas points.

"Whatever. I'll call her na." I ended the call and dialed Eli's number. It took a few rings before she answered pero at least sumagot.

"Hi."

"Hello."

"Uhm I know you didn't reply but I'm here outside your building. If you don't wanna go can we just talk?"

"I uhm will go down in a minute." She sounds so tired. Naguilty ako.

"Okay. Ingat." And I ended the call. She didn't say if sasama siya sa yacht or maguusap nalang kami.

Now, this is killing me. I was ranting to Annie and bombarding her with my nervousness through text message, when I saw Eli already walking towards me. She's wearing a white romper. She looks so beautiful. Forgive me, Lord.

She went inside my car and suddenly her perfume is all over the car.

"Nice .. outfit." I stuttered.