Behind That Mellifluous Melody

19

"Bye! See you tomorrow!" Sigaw ko kay Bree pagkalabas namin sa gate. Today's Wednesday and hanggang 6:00 p.m. ang last subject namin. I'm already hungry but ang tagal ng jeep. Hindi ko ginamit ang kotse ngayon dahil late na rin ako nagising at wala pa itong gas.

I've been preoccupied lately.

Napansin kong may tumabi sa akin and a familiar scent lingers around me. Ibinaling ko ang tingin ko sa aking tabi. I knew it was her.

Valentin smiled at me.

I felt something in my stomach. I'm just probably hungry. Right, gutom lang 'to. Nothing more, nothing less. What is she doing here, anyway?

She's wearing a creamy long sleeve polo tucked in a brown dress pants which perfectly matched her. The two upper buttons of her polo are left open, revealing her collarbones. It took me almost minutes bago iniwas ang tingin sa kaniya. Damn, hindi ko namalayan na nakatitig na pala ako kay Val.

"Hi!" I greeted nervously.

"Hello?" she replied. I heard her chuckled. Oh my God, there it is again, is there something wrong sa tiyan ko? Gano'n na ba ako ka-gutom? "Have you eaten? If not, sabay na tayo."

Nagulat naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"Ikaw ha, are you asking me on a date? Sana naman inaya mo ako nang mas maaga para nakapag-prepare ako," I joked.

"Nevermind," sagot nito. Mag-aaya siya tapos hindi niya papanindigan? No, hindi ako papayag.

Saktong may jeep na tumigil sa harap namin and I immediately grabbed her hand. Wala siyang choice kung hindi sumunod sa akin, "Ikaw naman hindi mabiro, tara na."

"OH DALAWA PA KASYA!" sigaw ng nasa labas.

Nahalata ko na grabe ang tingin ng mga tao sa gawi namin. They are probably staring at Val, attention grabber talaga. Umayos ako ng upo at nakita ko ang dalawang lalaki sa tapat namin na nakataas ang id na habang nakahawak sa handle ng jeep. Halatang pinapakita ang full name nila. I don't know whether I should laugh or what but Val just didn't cared... or maybe she didn't noticed.

"Saan tayo?" Val whispered.

"Kahit saan, okay na ako sa fastfood. Ikaw ba?"

"Wherever you want."

"Parang bet ko mag-Mang Inasal, extra rice at its finest. Okay lang sa'yo?"

She gave me a nod.

"Where's your car?" tanong nito. Is she trying to make our conversation longer? This is new. Usually she doesn't want to talk at all.

"Binenta ko na," biro ko.

She looked kinda amazed, "Oh, really?" komento niya. P— don't tell me she really fell for it?

Wala ba siyang sense of humor? "Joke lang. Hindi ko ibebenta 'yon, no! Na saan na ba ang sense of humor mo?"

"Nawala, can you share yours?"

Inilapit ko ang mukha ko sa kaniya at bumulong. "You can have me," I said with my playful voice.

-

"May alaga ka bang dragon sa tiyan mo? That's already your fifth rice! Maybe next time I'll take you on a buffet," Val said. Kanina pa siya tapos kumain and she's just watching me eat like a mad dog. Na saan ang hiya ko? Hindi ko alam, basta gutom ako, that's all.

Wait a minute..."So, there will be a next time? Is that a date or what?" Of course I need an assurance.

Val nodded, "Yes, it's a date."