Hear the mind's need

Chapter 9

Chase became the person available whenever I want to make daldal, my complaints and my rants about everything. His ears became my go-to listener. Well, marami kasing akong say sa halos lahat ng bagay.

Buti na lang talaga, I'm pretty! Sometimes I wonder why he's letting me disturb him at times when there's a lot of women asking for his attention too. It's not a secret, there will always be a time na ma-witness ko iyon. Even if I try not to be observant, Chase is just so attractive not to be noticed.

Nakakalungkot lang whenever he gets busier, tulad ngayong buwan— we only saw each other twice.

It's sad.

I feel like I didn't get to see my bestfriend because he's absent. I understand naman, we quite have years between our age which applies also to our experience, situation and... even environment.

Pero malapit na ang birthday ko! Sana he's not busy...

"Are we going to have a party?"

Napalinga ako kay daddy.

They know I don't have close friends, may mga kaibigan pa rin naman akong matatawag... but you know? They are not those types that will hang-out with you most of the time, quick daldals and greetings lang.

Actually those are not friends, just acquaintance.

And so, why would I need a party?

I'm not like my ex-friends who invite me to flaunt their parties I didn't even want to see. Like, they can keep asking for my attention pero sorry hindi ko kaya i-give 'yon. And hello, we're rich but I wouldn't want to spend money just to feed people who aren't even aware when is my birthday if not for my social media's reminder.

Umiling-iling ako. "No daddy, I don't need naman that. Maybe a quick getaway?"

Nagkibilit balikat ako at tinuloy ang pagsubo sa kinakaing breakfast.

"Hmm. Where do you want?" Mommy is the one who asked this time.

Tumigil ako sa pagkain. Sinubukan  kong mag-isip ako ng lugar na pwede namin puntahan, gusto ko 'yung hindi ko pa nagagawa uli. Well, there's a lot but we can narrow it down to just the possible for now.

"Maybe sa malamig na lugar?" I unsurely suggested. "Oh, not out the country!" dagdag ko bago pa nila maisipan.

Baka kasi magtagal kami if ever, baka malaki ang possibility na hindi ko uli makita si Chase. And I don't want to have absents too, saka na lang uli kapag vacation na. It's few months from now na lang naman.

"Oh, sakto. I know a place, I want to visit our branch there too."

Tumango ako kay mommy, they are always busy too but at least, hindi sila tuluyang nawawalan ng oras for me. Though madalas...

A week has passed, and like what I ask to my parents—we really went out of the town to visit a cold place. There's a lot of parks and strawberry farms that we can visit. The cold city's ambience is between peaceful and loud. Ang dami rin kasing tourists, plus the population of the place isn't few naman. Marami pa ring malls, especially hotels in which we decided to stay to one of those. We don't have our own farm here base on what I can remember. Matagal na rin kasi nang makabisita ako sa mga farms namin.

I look up to the signage of Eleste Resto, my mommy's restaurant here. Unlike to other branches, it's structure is quite different. It was more open. The real plants and trees are present in most corners. Actually, first time ko makavisit here. I can say na this is my favorite branch na. The aesthetics and structure is quite unique from other branches. Kaya medyo fresh tignan, a time-out to the usual image of our restaurant.