Captured Through The Lenses

Capture 12: Billion Food Dates

Capture Twelve

Buong gabi kaming magkatext ni Isaac. We've been classmates for years and have been talking for a while but we never got each other's number. Isaac doesn't know much about texting. Mas sanay siya sa social media. Kinailangan ko pang iintroduce sa kanya ang sim cards.

"Give me your number," inilabas niya ang kanyang phone sa bulsa habang hinahatid niya ako papuntang tricycle terminal.

Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mata. "You're not such an obedient student like how they made you out to be. Akala ko pa naman sinusunod mo ang rules sa handbook."

He shrugged his shoulders. "We all go through rebellious phases."

"Sus," umiling iling ako at pumunta sa contacts niya. "Globe itong number ko eh. Ikaw, globe ka ba?"

"Why?" his mouth quirked upward.

Kumunot ang aking noo. "Anong why? Tinatanong lang kita kung globe ba ang sim card mo."

"I thought it was a pick-up line," he looked bemused. "And what is sim card?"

I choked a laughter. It took everything in me to hold it back. Isaac Rios doesn't know what a sim card is? Damn!

"Hindi mo alam ang sim card?" ngumuso ako para itago ang pinipigilang ngiti ngunit hindi rin ako nagtagumpay. "So wala kang sim card? Ilalagay mo ang number ko diyan tapos wala ka naman pala noon. Hindi natin makokontak ang isa't isa kung wala kang sim card."

"I can contact my parents. They call me when I'm out," his brows were knit together.

"Yun yung parang maliit na card na ipinasok mo sa cellphone mo. Andoon yung number mo tapos yon ang loloadan mo para makapagtext o tawag," paliwanag ko.

"I didn't do any of that. Mama gave me that phone and I can already use it for texting and calling. I thought it was a built in feature on phones."

Nakaplan siguro siya na binabayaran din mismo ng parents niya. Dahil 'yon lang ang rason na nakikita ko kung paano siya nakakapagtext at tawag ng hindi niya ito pinaloloadan ng siya lang. He doesn't even know sim card.

"Hmm, okay. Now you know," I smiled. "Don't worry, I won't tell your admirers that you don't know about sim cards."

Sinimangutan niya ako. He looked so grumpy.

Isaac:

Got home?

Ako:

Yep.

Hanggang sa pagkain namin nila Brooklyn ay tunog nang tunong ang aking cellphone. Hindi ko pinakikialaman dahil hindi angkop at nakakawalang respeto sa hapag.

Tumikhim si Brooklyn. "Hindi mo ba sasagutin yan, Lilly Catherine? Parang galit na galit kung magtext eh," umiinom siya ng tubig at ngumisi.

I shook my head. "Hayaan mo na 'yan. Hindi naman urgent. Makakapaghintay naman."

"Sa bagay, limang taon ka rin naman naghintay, dapat siya rin," she replied detachedly. Tita Ruth's eye switched between Brooklyn and me, perplexed, for she is without context of what we're conversing about.

Isaac:

Are you asleep?

Why aren't you answering?

Do you feel comfortable at Brooklyn's?

Tell your friends that I'll be picking you up tomorrow.

Brooklyn rolled her eyes. Nakikibasa rin kase siya ng text ni Isaac. We're getting ready for bed. Nakapagtoothbrush na ako't nakapagshower.

I looked at her. Asking if she's fine with the set up.