"Crush mo, 'no?! He's pogi. Alam ko rin." Euna concluded my thoughts. "I'll give you his number."
I know she meant Stefano and he is attractive, both up close and even from afar. Nakilala ko pa lang siya pero nirereto na agad ako ni Euna! Wala namang mali. I want that kind of experience, too, to be honest. I would like to gain different and memorable experiences here in Milan. Gusto ko, but I'm not getting a stranger's phone number through someone else.
"'Wag mo na!" tanggi ko kay Euna at tumawa.
Sumimangot siya. "Ma perché? Hindi naman siya... fucker," (But why?) she whispered the last word.
A chuckle escaped me. That's good news. Nagsisikuhan sina Rosette at Stefano sa harap ng waiter kaya nang lumapit si Euna sa kanila, I followed, my hair dramatically bouncing sideways. Stefano glanced at me and flashed a friendly smile. I smiled back at him, which made Euna look at me. Nanliit ang mga mata niya, nanunukso. Nagco-conclude na naman siya.
"So, uhm, want his number?" mahinang bulong ni Euna sa akin.
Kumunot ang noo ko sa kanya." What? Hindi, ah. When I'm finally desperate, hmm, sige."
She nudged me with a frown on her face as we walked along with Stefano and Rosette on our way to the bus. Dire-diretso na kami pero nang masulyapan ko ang gelato store, I had a sudden craving for it. Si Euna na lang ang sumama sa akin dahil gusto niya rin daw, habang si Rosette ay walang katapusang nakikipag-kwentuhan kay Stefano.
Pagkalabas ko ng store, hawak-hawak na ang gelato, tumayo lang muna ako sa gilid ng sidewalk dahil bumalik si Euna sa loob. I was just standing right there, but someone still managed to bump on my left elbow and shoulder!
"Scusi."
Bahagya akong lumingon sa nakatama sa akin 'tsaka tumango. I immediately turned my head back to the bus.
"Adriana, andiamo," masayang anyaya sa akin ni Euna. I cast a glance at her and saw her showing off her gelato.
"Masarap ba?" kuryuso kong tanong.
"Want some tikim?" she smirked proudly.
Umiling ako sa kanya. I would want to but I was never fond of sharing other people's food. Ngumisi si Euna sa pagtanggi ko. Ayaw niya rin naman pala, e! We were about to continue our walk when I heard my name from behind. I didn't turn around because I figured out that my name is not unique in this country.
"Hey! Wait." An arm pulled me back, causing my ice cream to almost fall out of shock. Binitawan din agad ako. "Scusa..." (Sorry)
Lines were in between my eyebrows as I was a bit annoyed that someone would just randomly do that kind of stunt to md. Humarap ako sa humila sa akin ng gano'n ang itsura ng mukha ko. Those lines disappeared the moment I perceived who was in front of me. I gulped. Curiosity drew on Euna's face when she saw my expression.
"Ciao..." He's the stranger I had dinner with at Di Savoia hotel! "We met... Didn't we?"
"Si..." Patanong iyon. "Cosimo was it?"
His iconic smile fell on his lips. "Right. I saw you leaving the hotel but I didn't have the chance to bid farewell."
"O-oh? Hindi ko kasi alam na gusto mo pala magpaalam," sabi ko at medyo nalito pa. Naalala kong may kasama pala ako. "Uhm, this is Euna."
Cosimo was smiling when he turned to her. "You look good."
Euna chuckled. "Eh, grazie. Non sembri male tu stesso." (Thank you. You don't look bad yourself)
BINABASA MO ANG
Halfway Down There
RomanceBittersweet Series #3. "He was light as a feather, soft as my skin, but was never fragile on the surface." As a fashion enthusiast, her every move speaks trends, style, and grace. She has a good eye for what fits a person perfectly and yet failed to...
