It's You

Three

CHAPTER 3
WHAT IF?

"She really said that?!" Chesca exclaimed after I told them my encounter with Eunice and her group.
"What are you gonna do now Chesie?" Zack is now teasing Chesca. Paano ba namang hindi siya magagalit kung nalaman niyang may ka-date daw ngayon yung crush niya.

"Ang kapal din talaga ng mukha ng Eunice na yun," galit na tugon ni Chesca habang binubugbog ng tinidor yung pasta niya. Hay poor pasta.

"She's really getting on my nerves na!" Chesca's really mad now and some of the people inside the restaurant are already looking at us.

"Hey Chesie, calm down. And I think it is not an actual date I'm sure of that. You're way too beautiful to be that mad so keep your cool okay," I tried to calm her but I really can't help but laugh because she's so red.

"Oooh speaking of the devil," Zack caught our attention as he tapped the table and pointed the entrance using his lips. So Filipino.

We gazed at the two people who just entered the premise. Ali, being the gentleman himself, guided Eunice to enter first as he opened the glass door. Eunice was smiling ear to ear when Ali pulled a chair for her to sit when they reached their table, until she saw us and her expression immediately turned sour. Ali on the other hand wasn't able to see us because he's sitting with his back facing towards us.

Dahil hindi naman ako interesado sa nakikita ko, pinagpatuloy ko nalang ang pagkain ko habang si Zack at Chesca naman ay patuloy na nakatingin sa dalawa na ngayo'y may hawak nang menu.

"Hey you two! Stop staring and eat na," I snapped at them at sumunod naman sila pero si Chesca bakas padin yung irita sa mukha.

"Alam mo Chesie, magshopping nalang tayo para mawala 'yang inis mo," Zack offered na ikinangiti naman ni Chesca.

"So it's settled then," I said and then we finished our food not minding the sharp stares of Eunice.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ay tinawag ko na ang waiter para hingin ang bill. After paying we headed to the exit door, pero bago pa man kami makalabas ay may tumawag sa akin.

"Alex! You're here!," so Ali finally saw us. He walked towards our way kaya naman tumabi muna kami sa gilid to give way dun sa nga palabas ng restaurant.

"Hindi mo man lang sinabi na pupunta pala kayo ng mall edi sana nagsabay tayo," he said nang makalapit na siya sa amin and gave me a peck on the cheek. It's his way of saying hi to me and I'm used to it.

"Hindi ko rin naman alam na may date ka pala ngayon," I replied and looked at Eunice na ngayo'y masama ang tingin sa amin, lalo na saken.

"Oh no, I'm just having a casual meeting with Eunice. We're talking about the remaining projects of the council para ma-accomplish na before the semester ends," mahabang paliwanag ni Ali na siya namang ikinahinga ng maluwag ni Chesca. I know because I can see her reaction in my peripheral view.

"Meeting lang naman daw pala Chesie eh," Zack said while looking at his nails but obviously just teasing Chesca again. Tinampal naman ni Chesca ang balikat ni bakla dahil sa hiya.

"Hi Zackario," Ali acknowledged Zack.

"Can I get a kiss too?" nakangusong tanong ng bakla habang kumikindat-kindat ng sabay ang mga pilikmatang nakatingin kay Ali. Tinawanan lamang siya nito at tumingin kay Chesca.

"Hey there Chesca! You look good with your dress." Ali complemented her which made her blush.

"U-hm, thank you. You look good too in anything you wear," Chesca replied. Talaga namang di napigilan ng babaeng 'to ang bibig niya. Lalo namang natawa sa Ali at nag-thank you kay Chesca.

"So where are you headed?" Ali asked now giving his full attention to me.

"Shopping." I replied. "How about you? San kayo after niyo dito?" tanong ko naman sa kanya pabalik.

"Chesca said that she'll be waiting for her friends after this meeting," he said as he gazed at Eunice who sweetly smiled at him nung napansin niyang tumingin sa kaniya si Ali. Napairap nalang ako sa isip ko and then I looked at Ali when he spoke again. "So I guess baka puntahan ko nalang kayo after ko dito," he added.

"Hey Ali, matagal pa ba 'yan? It's not cool to make the food wait," singit ni Eunice na di ko napansing nakalapit na pala sa amin. Everyone's looking at her but her eyes settled on me and flashed her plastic smile. "Hi Alex and friends!" she said at tiningnan din yung mga kasama ko na walang pagkukubling iniirapan siya.

"Can we continue our date na-," she stopped midway when she realized what she said. Tinaasan ko naman siya ng kilay. "I mean the m-meeting, yeah. So Ali come on, I have an important suggestion pa naman para dun sa project na pinag-uusapan natin," she continued while smiling sweetly kay Ali na sumang-ayon naman sa kanya. Dahil likas na malandi ang bruha, she held Ali's arms and slightly pulled him towards her.

Kaya naman bago pa mag-init lalo ang ulo ni Chesca, ay nagpaalam na kami kay Ali. Sinabi ko rin sa kanya kung saan kami magshoshopping banda incase na pupuntahan niya kami. May sasabihin pa sana si Ali pero itinuro ko nalang ang phone ko to tell him to message me nalang.

Habang naglalakad patungo sa bag's section, patuloy pa rin ang pagrarant si Chesca.

"That girl is really a total flirt gaaad!" naiinis niyang sambit habang pahigpit ng pahigpit ang grip niya sa hawak niyang frappe. We stumbled on a frappe station kasi while heading to the bag department. Sabi niya she needs something to cool her down. Naubos nalang yung frappe niya wala naman yatang epekto.

I am trying to calm her down pero itong si Zack naman ay inaasar padin si Chesca. Like telling her na mauunahan na siya ni Eunice or baka lasingin ni Eunice si Ali and then just imagine the next scenario because err I just can't.

"Bakit naman kasi hanggang ngayon Chesie 'di ka pa rin umaamin kay Ali. Malay mo, the feeling's mutual naman pala," Zack said.

"Yeah, I agree. Ali's a good man, he won't hurt you. Kung ano man ang magiging resulta ng confession mo, well atleast you tried," pagsang-ayon ko kay Zack while looking at the displayed bags.

Napahinto ako sa ginagawa when I realized that Chesca went silent. "Why? Is there something wrong," tanong ko sa kanya pero nanatili lang siyang nakayuko habang tintingnan ang frappe niyang napitpit na.

"Ohhh don't tell you confessed already and you were dumped?!" Zack said and covered his mouth because of his sudden suspection kay Chesca. Bigla namang napaangat ang tingin ni Chesca at tinampal sa balikat si Zack at tumingin sa akin with a lonely expression.

"No, I did not," Chesca said na nakayuko na naman. "I won't bother to confess my feeling to him anymore bacause..." she stopped at tumingin muli sa akin. "...maybe hindi mo napapansin pero Ali likes you Alex. Everyone can see it except you."

I was taken aback with what she said pero nakabawi naman agad at napatawa nalang. Because it's impossible. Kapatid ang turing ko kay Ali at ni minsan hindi sumagi sa isip ko na will be more than that and I know na ganun din si Ali sa akin. I guess our closeness together were misunderstood by the people around us.

"Chesie that's nonsense. I only see Ali as a brother and a bestfriend. Yes he's important to me because we shared lots of memories together pero di niya 'ko gusto ano ka ba," I said and laughed pero ganun parin ang expression ni Chesca kaya naman binaling ko ang tingin ko kay Zack.

"Zackario it's ridiculous right?" I asked him while still laughing but looking at Zack's expression I guess he agreed with Chesca. Gaaad this is so frustrating!

"Why don't we just ask the guy himself," Zack said na ngayo'y nakatingin sa likod ko. So I turned to see what he's looking at and there I saw Ali walking towards us.

Tiningnan ko ang kabuuan ni Ali habang naglalakad patungo sa direksyon namin. He really did grew up handsomely. I know the salesladies would aggree dahil kahit sila ay nakatuon ang atensyon sa binata. Kung ibang tao siguro ako, hindi malayong magkagusto ako sa kanya.

They said he likes me huh, sambit ko sa isip ko. Impossible.

But what if he really does like me? What am I gonna do?

♍