Lipstick Stains

5 - Letters (Part 2)

Note:
Italics - dialogue
Bold - nakasulat sa letter
Bold & italics - song lyrics
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3

"Good morning, Risa..."

I moaned sleepily in reply. Feeling the sunlight hit my face through my window, I couldn't help but close my eyes tighter. Tinatamad pa akong tumayo at dumilat. Wait...

"Get up na, Pangga. We have a long day ahead."

That's Leni's voice. I sat up quicker than I intended to dahil sa gulat and I felt my head throb because of the light. Looking around the room, wala naman akong nakitang tao.

Wala na talaga akong takas sa babaeng 'to. I'm starting to think about her from the moment I wake up, while I'm doing my work, when I look at my phone, before going to sleep, at ngayon kahit sa panaginip siya pa rin iniisip ko. I hid my face in my hands and sighed. Leni Robredo, I'm losing my mind because of you.

However much I'm feeling slightly frustrated that I can't get her off my mind, I couldn't help but think how amazing it must feel kung boses at mukha niya ang unang sasalubong sa akin sa umaga. I mentally slapped myself. Ang aga-aga puro overthink.

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When I arrived sa office, I saw a purple envelope on my desk. "What's this?" I asked my staff, pointing to it.

"Pagdating po namin nandito na rin 'yan eh."

I sat down and opened it. There were two pieces of paper inside. Isang similar to the paper used on the previous notes from my "secret admirer" and the other one was a QR code. I decided to read the note first:

To the ever beautiful Ana Theresia,

3 more days before your birthday. I hope you know how much brighter the world is with you in it. The other paper contains a QR code, scan it and you'll see what I have for you. Don't let anything bring you down :)

I quickly scanned the code and na-direct ako sa isang spotify playlist created by an anonymous person. I scrolled and carefully surveyed the playlist.

Almost all of my favorite songs are here. Galing naman ng gumawa nito, mukhang alam na alam ang type ko when it comes to music. I put the playlist on shuffle and started to work.

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We finished early so I decided to go to the mall alone. I really needed to unwind so I seized the opportunity.

I wore my earphones and continued to listen to the playlist habang naglalakad-lakad. Nakarating ako sa National Bookstore and I was about to grab a book from the shelf that looked interesting when I felt someone poke my arm. I turned around to see who it was at para bang nagkaroon ako ng boy-meets-girl moment sa mga movies.

At that moment, Leni's face was all I could see — dark kind eyes that reflected her genuine smile, dimples na sobrang cute, her pointed nose, and her lips stained with the same burgundy color she's worn since the past two months.

Ang daming tao sa store pero tanging siya lang ang nakikita ko. Sobrang ganda.

"Uy, Risa! You're here rin pala." She greeted and leaned in para makapag-beso kami.

"Oo, maaga kasi ako natapos sa work. Ikaw, what are you doing here?"

"Same with you. Busy 'yung mga bata so I'm alone today."

"Ako rin walang kasama." I laughed.

"If that's the case, tayong dalawa na lang ang magsama."