Chapter 33
"After more than three years, huh."
I slightly laughed at his remark. Niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit bago pinakawalan. Iginiya niya ako sa aking upuan bago umupo sa harapan ko. I looked around the café he had chosen.
"It's nearer Medical City... and I also had to do something nearby. If you want, we could move to TMC, marami namang café ro'n. So you can proceed to work easily." He offered.
"Maaga pa naman, this is fine." I smiled.
His Atlantic blue eyes gleamed and I couldn't help but smile more. I seriously missed those pair of ocean eyes. We proceeded to order our chosen choice of foods as we asked questions about each other.
He messaged me last week, asking if I want to meet. For months, ngayon lang siya nagkaro'n ng oras kaya naman hindi ko na tinanggihan. And seeing him right now gave me a sweet feeling of nostalgia.
Ang huling kita ko sa kaniya ay no'ng nasa Tuguegarao pa kami para sa celebration ng board exam passers. I haven't seen him since then but we have kept in communication. Nothing had changed about him, he just looked more mature and his hair was longer the last time I saw him.
"Aidan's in Cebu right now, right?" He asked after talking about my work in TMC.
Ngumuso ako at tumango. Two weeks after the bar exam, Kuya Aidan went to Cebu with his friends. They deserve to unwind after all that they've been through so they're really spending a good two weeks there. Maghihintay na lang naman ng resulta ang gagawin nila, which is next year pa.
"Kasama ang mga kaibigan niya."
He groaned and smirked. "Must be rewarding."
"Malapit ka na rin, Attorney."
"Don't jinx it," he grounded and I smirked.
Napunta ang usapan namin sa iba naming batch mates, those working like me and those in med school. We're talking about Kirb whose studying at UST when he mentioned Malik. It caught me off-guard.
"Last year pa huling kita ko sa kaniya. It's rare to bump into him. Nakita mo na ba? TMC is just near Ateneo and they might have their rotations there."
"Kagaya ng sinabi mo, it's hard to bump into him." Tipid akong ngumiti. "But yeah, I've seen him a few times since I've worked here."
He nodded and smiled. "You really don't have an interest in going to med school?"
Tinitigan ko siya. He slightly raised his brows on me. I sipped on my iced coffee and glanced at the glass wall of the shop. Huminga ako ng malalim at binalik ang tingin sa kaniya.
"I decided to... take the NMAT next year." Nagkibit ako ng balikat.
"At kapag pumasa ka?"
Ngumuso ako. "Hindi ko pa alam."
Bigla siyang natawa. Umiling ako at ngumisi. Pinasadahan niya ng kamay ang kaniyang buhok at pinisil ang tungki ng ilong. Ibang iba siya sa Hayes na nakilala ko no'ng unang araw ng pasukan sa first year college.
Back then, he was cold and uptight with dark and menacing ocean eyes. Right now, I'm staring at someone with an upbeat smirk and enamoring blue eyes. It's fascinating how people can change over the years.
"Whatever it is, I'm rooting for you, Ailani."
Tumingala ako sa kalangitan pagkalabas namin ng café. Isang magandang dapit-hapon ang bumungad sa amin. I'm taking the night shift today and he said he have some business too, in Pasay.
