Lean on the Acrux

Chapter 3

"Hindi ba naghahalo ang mga laway natin dito?" tanong ni Zale.

Tapos na namin kainin ang cheese cake at ice cream kanina. Itong kinakain namin ngayon ay bagong kuha lang ni Zale. Actually, kaka-upo lang niya ulit dito sa tabi ko dahil kumuha siya ng ice cream. Nasarapan kasi kami masyado sa cookies and cream.

We were talking about love while we were eating. He was asking questions about Caden and my relationship with him. I also asked questions about his dream girl with the hope that the girl he will be going to describe is one of my friends.

My hope gone when he said that he doesn't have a dream girl. Kapag tinamaan daw siya iyon na daw 'yon.

Siya kaya tamaan ko riyan. Kaiinis 'to.

"We already finished one cup of ice cream tapos ngayon mo lang 'yan naisip?"

Talking to Zale is fun kahit pa puro kaartehan, pang-aasar, at pagsusungit ang kadalasan na laman ng bibig niya. I learned a lot of things about him while talking to him. Oo, may pagkamasungit siya but it doesn't make him a bad guy. Medyo mabait naman siya.

"Ikaw nga 'di mo naisip." Pinagsingkitan niya ako ng kanyang mga mata. "May sakit ka ba?" tanong niya habang kumukuha ng ice cream sa baso namin.

"Wala naman. Ikaw ba?" Pagkatapos niya, kumuha na rin ako.

"I don't have either."

"Kung naghahalo ang mga laway natin, okay na 'yan. Kukuha ka pa ba bagong baso, e, nahalo na nga kaya sagarin na natin." I laughed.

Hindi naman ako maarte. I even share my food and drinks with my friends. Take note that we are using the same cup, spoon, and fork.

Before, I didn't want to share my utensils or cups with my friends pero may time talaga na wala na akong pake kung mag share kami kaya nasanay nalang ako. My friends and I can use the same utensils or cups at the same time but I'm not going to do that with strangers.

Zale is not my friend nor a stranger but we are close to being in a friend stage that's why I don't mind sharing with him.

"It's also okay with me as long na wala kang ubo or kahit anong sakit na pwede ako mahawa. I want to maintain my healthy body." Kinuha niya ang lalagyan ng ice cream sa kamay ko para siya na ang maghawak.

Healthy body daw pero hindi naman kumakain ng gulay.

"Zale! Why are you here?" Nagulat ako nang biglang may nagsalita sa gild namin. It was ninang Gretchen's son.

Do they know each other?

"My brother's wife is her sister. Sinama nila ako," Zale explained and glanced at me. Tumingin ulit siya sa kausap.

"Oh." Tumango-tango ang lalaki. "Who is she?" tanong nito.

Narinig ko naman ang pagtawa ng kaunti ni Zale. Tinignan ko nang masama ang lalaki. Nakita ko naman na nagulat siya sa reaksiyon ko sa tanong niya.

Who wouldn't look at him with an angry eyes because of the question he asked? Like, hello?! Nakikikain ka sa moving up party ko tapos 'di mo ko kilala?

"She is Elysia, the reason why there's a party right now." Tumingin ulit saglit sa 'kin si Zale at ngumisi ng kaunti.

Magsasalita sana ulit ang lalaki sa harap namin but ninang Gretchen called him to say that they are going home already. Tumango siya at tumingin sa 'kin. Magsasalita sana siya but I interrupted him.

"Tawag ka na, umalis ka na rito." I faked a smile.

"Sorry," sabi niya bago umalis.

"You knew that man?" inis na tanong ko kay Zale nang makaalis na sa harapan namin ang lalaki.