"Are you okay?"
My gaze shifted from my food to Lauvender, who was looking at me with a mixture of wonder and concern in her eyes.
I put on a forced smile. "Why wouldn't I? Of course, I am." Nilingon ko si Aid na kunot ang noo habang nakatingin sa akin.
Kinalma ko ang sarili at tahimik lang na kumakain habang nag-uusap sila sa mga bagay na hindi naman ako makasabay. Gosh, I hate this so much!
"I need to go. Hinahanap na siguro ako ng mga friends ko." Lauvender stood up. Napatingala tuloy ako sa kanya.
Nagbakasyon lang kasi siya kasama ng mga friends niya rito. Friends silang dalawa ni Aid kahit noong bata pa lang sila. Hindi ako nagtanong, okay? I just heard them talking about their childhood memories.
"Take care, Lauv. See you!" Aid told her while giving her an embrace.
"Treat me next time, Uriel." The woman grinned when their arms let each other go.
Uriel? Lauv? Ang kokorni nila. Ganyan ba talaga si Aid? Ang hilig niya pala talagang magbigay ng nicknames sa mga taong kilala niya.
"It's nice to meet you, Ava," she said and gave me her sweetest smile. Sinuklian ko naman dahil wala naman siyang ginawang masama sa akin.
Hinatid siya ni Aid sa may pintuan ng restaurant. Sumama lang naman ako rito nang napagdesisyunan nilang kumain ng lunch. The biggest mistake ever. Pakiramdam ko tuloy third wheel ako.
"Tapos ka nang kumain? Let's go?"
Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Aid. "Mukha ba akong tapos nang kumain?"
Amusement stayed on his face as he licked his lower lip, trying to suppress his chuckle. I only arched my brow at him before munching my food again.
"Bakit nagsusungit ka na naman?" He sat down on the vacant chair where he was seated earlier.
I didn't say anything. Nakatingin lang siya sa akin hanggang sa matapos ako. I drank my juice and got some cash from my wallet. Nilagay ko iyon sa mesa bago tumayo at walang salitang lumabas.
"Hey!" he called but I didn't look back.
Patuloy lang ako sa paglalakad hanggang sa masabayan niya ako. Hinihingal pa siya pero nanatili akong walang imik.
"Anong ginawa kong mali?" he asked, slipping the money back inside my pocket.
I faked a smile. "Wala." I entered a bookstore. Sumunod naman siya. Biglang naglaho ang inis na kanina ko pa nararamdaman nang makita ang mga nakahilerang libro. Parang antique ang theme sa loob kaya para akong bata na tumingin-tingin.
"Is this the price you were talking about?" tanong niya habang nakangiting nakatingin sa akin.
Tumango ako at ngumiti rin. Kumuha ako ng mga libro na nakakuha ng atensyon ko. Nakasunod lang si Aid sa akin all the time.
"You looked so happy," he commented while I was caressing the spine of a hardbound book.
"I am," pag-amin ko.
Hindi siya sumagot at nakatitig lang sa akin. When I finished picking books, I went to the counter. Nakatingin lang kaming dalawa ni Aid sa babae habang nag-sa-scan siya sa mga binili ko.
Namilog ang mga mata ko nang makita sa screen na 367 euro lahat ng mga binili ko. While I was calculating how much would it cost in php, Aid already paid it using his card.
"I was just kidding! Ako na lang ang magbabayad," sabi ko dahil pakiramdam ko sobrang laki ng nabayaran niya.
He only smiled and lifted the carton of books. Mas lalo lang akong nataranta. I tried to get it away from him but he kept on insisting.
YOU ARE READING
Visual of Elysian (Abstract Series #2)
RomantizmShe must be flawless in every way. There is no space for error, otherwise she will be labeled a futile daughter. However, with him, every flaws appears to be a beautiful fracture aligning with the perfect glass. The unblemished mask has a crack bet...