Nights Like This

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Party

I must have been so tired and sleepy that I easily dozed off minutes into the morning traffic. Rex Niccolo and I weren't talking so I was able to drift to sleep. Nagising lang ako nang marinig ang ring ng cellphone na nasa pocket ng hoodie na suot. Nang makuha iyon ay namatay na ang tawag na mula kay Mama.

"What is it again this time..." sambit ko, iniisip pa ang rason sa pagtawag niya.

Nilingon ko si Rex Niccolo at naabutan siya na nakatitig sa akin. My eyes widened when it dawned on me that he's not driving anymore. I looked around and saw that he parked the car near our subdivision's clubhouse.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone para matingnan ang oras.

"Shit, you have work!" I exclaimed when I saw that it's way past the start of his working hours.

He glanced at his watch and wasn't even bothered that he's already late.

"I didn't want to wake you up. You looked like you badly needed sleep," he said.

"What? Ihatid mo na ako sa bahay!"

Ano ba ang tumatakbo sa isip nito ni Rex Niccolo? He didn't have to let me sleep on his front seat! Pwede namang gisingin ako kung nasa bahay na. It makes me feel guilty that I took his time just because I was asleep.

"Why were you there so early? You covered a shift?"

"Yeah and I studied for an exam after."

Malayo pa ang clubhouse sa amin. Why would he even go here? Parang baliw.

"I don't know what you want so I just got you waffles and pancakes," aniya sabay lahat ng paperbag mula sa isang breakfast joint.

I got it from him and I took a peek inside.

"Ang dami naman nito. It's like three people could eat this! But, thanks. You didn't have to."

I was asleep that long, huh? Nakuha niya pang bumili ng breakfast? Plus the traffic we had to endure. Crazy.

"Hot cocoa. I doubt if it's still hot," aniya at tinuro ang cup holder. Naroon ang tinutukoy na inumin pati na ang kape niya. Kumunot ang noo ko nang nakita na hindi iyon galing sa coffee shop. Sa iba niya binili.

Hindi lang naman pala ang coffee shop ang pwede niyang bilhan. Why would he go there at night? He's almost always there when it's my shift.

Well, maybe he likes variety?

Right. Everybody likes that.

"How much for all of these? Can we split? This is a lot. Hindi ko naman 'to mauubos."

"Huwag mo nang bayaran."

That made me raise my eyebrow. "Shut up. Sisingilin mo pa rin ako nito, e. Maybe not now but in the future. Ngayon na lang para wala tayong problema."

The corner of his mouth turned up, as if amused by something. I don't think I said something amusing.

"No, really. You don't have to pay."

"How much?" I asked, still.

"I just said you don't have to."

"Tss. Magbabayad ako. I don't like being indebted."

"Don't bother, okay? That's on me."

"Are you being serious?"

Saglit niya akong tiningnan. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"