Nights Like This

Chapter 07

Chapter 07

Like

Ali ordered for me. She recommended a particular food so I tried it. Ganoon din naman ang order niya kaya pareho lang kami. Sa inumin lang magkaiba. I ordered fresh strawberry fruit drink while it's just water for her.

The cafe is nice. I haven't been here because I'm not the biggest fan of cafes. Malapit lang ito sa Aquinas. Just a few blocks away which is good if you want to eat outside school but not too far.

"Your brothers are already working, Ate Bobbi?" Ali asked.

I nodded at her. Hindi pala ito naabot ng usapan namin kanina dahil naputol iyon sa experiences bilang nag-iisang anak na babae.

"Yeah. Both of them are architects like my father. Sa firm din nagtatrabaho."

"I see... I heard your father is a great architect. Before Kuya Rex moved out of our house, he always talked about how he wanted your father to be his mentor."

Oh... May ganoon? E 'di natupad ang gusto niya kasi hanggang ngayon, malapit pa rin siya kay Papa.

"But you said your mom is an architect too, right? Ayaw niya maging mentor ang mom n'yo?"

Natawa si Ali. "It's not like he doesn't want to. Mom and Kuya's interests just don't align, I guess. But growing up, Mom taught him a lot. At least that's what I heard from Kuya Austin."

"Your other brother is working na rin?" tanong ko.

"Ah, no. He's in his last year in college. Sa Chanston University."

Tumango ako at uminom sa fruit drink. Hindi ako pamilyar sa kuya niyang iyon. Pati naman pala kay Ali kung hindi ko siya nakilala ngayon. Si Rex Niccolo lang talaga ang kilala kong Uvero at wala rin naman ako masyadong alam tungkol sa kanya.

"How's your friendship with Kuya Rex? I'm really curious, sorry. Wala kasi talaga iyon babaeng kaibigan na mas bata sa kanya. The most I've encountered were his age or older."

Nangapa ako ng isasagot. I mean, how would I describe our dynamic? E halos magalit ako kay Rex Niccolo dahil sa suhestiyon niya kina Papa. And it's not like he is fond of me. Badtrip lang iyon dahil gusto niya lang magtrabaho roon sa big project nila pero okupado sa akin sina Papa.

"We're not close, Ali. Kina Papa at sa mga kuya ko siya malapit. Maybe he's just nice because I'm a family member of the people he works with."

"He's... nice? How so, Ate?" intriga niya pa.

Nasa dulo ng dila ko ang mga masasamang saloobin kay Rex Niccolo. I want to tell it to Ali but she's his sister so I decided against it. Ang pangit naman kapag ganoon. Nag-isip ako ng kahit isang mabuting nagawa ni Rex Niccolo para sa akin.

"A few days ago, he drove me home when I was drunk and couldn't drive," I said.

Nakita ko ang bahagyang panlalaki ng mga mata niya.

"Really?"

"Yeah... That counts as nice, right?"

Ali tilted her head a bit. Parang hindi naman narinig ang sinabi ko dahil may iniisip na. A small smile even appeared on her lips. I'll just think that she randomly remembered something funny at hindi iyon related sa pinag-uusapan namin.

I changed our topic. I asked her about her subjects this semester and her life in the course so far. Nagugustuhan naman daw niya ang takbo dahil gaya ko, passionate rin siya sa interior designing. We talked more about that. Nagkasundo pa nga kami na ipakita ang sariling designs sa isa't-isa.