Deep in the Blue Sea (One-Shot Stories)

Unsuccessful Robber

Today's Horoscope for Cancer:
Someone will attempt to steal. Though won't succeed. Wait for the right time.

CANDICE

"Ma, alis na ako." Paalam ko nang may mga luhang tumutulo mula sa aking mga mata.

"Ingat, 'nak!" Niyakap ako muli ni Mama sa huling pagkakataon. Malipat na ako sa ipinagawa kong bahay sa siyudad, na pinag-ipunan ko sa loob ng maraming taon.

Oh, where are my manners? I am Candice Cereno, 24 years old. Single and ready to mingle. Joke! Hanap muna ako trabaho, noh.

Mula sa probinsya namin, bumyahe ako ng 3 oras para marating ang Maynila. Ganoon din ang truck kung asan ang mga magigibat kong gamit. This is it! My part-time jobs finally paid off.

When I arrived in front of MY one-storey house, I am so contented with the structure. Hindi man kalakihan, hindi rin naman maliit. It suits for a cute and chubby lady like moi. Ayy, ka-excite! Naiyak tuloy ako.

I entered and unpacked my stuffs. Some men from the truck helped me arrange the furnitures I brought. This is sooooo perfect!

Not until the night came. The start when everything was ruined.

I'm preparing for bed. Currently, I'm brushing my teeth in my room's bathroom, wearing my pajamas Mama bought from a thrift shop. Nakakapagod pala maglipat ng bahay. But it's worth it.

Screeeech! Arf! Arf...!

Huh? M-May multo ba dito? Makapunta nga sa kusina. Baka yung aso ko lang yun, si Grizzly.

Pagdating ko sa kusina, maraming tanong ang bumagabag sa akin. Bakit bukas ang pinto sa kusina? Bakit bukas ang drawers para sa mga kubyertos? Bakit pati refrigerator ko bukas?

I saw a frying pan near the sink. I cooked an omelette for dinner but I'm too tired to wash the dishes so I'll do it tomorrow. Anyway, I reached for it and slowly walked to the living room- where I heard footsteps.

I positioned myself like Rapunzel in Tangled, when she revealed herself to Flynn Rider. As I walk towards the room, my heart beats faster and faster like a horse in a race.

I switched on the light and there I saw, a man wearing all black and a mask of a clown. I looked at him and he looked at me. And then it hit me. I started screaming and throwing things at him including the frying pan. "KYAAAAAAAAAAAA! TULONG! MAGNANAKAW! TULONG, MAY MAGNANAKAW! AKYAT BAHAY! KRIMINAL!-"

BLAG! BLAG! BOGSH!

Y-Yung pinto ko... May sumira ng pinto ko. Bago lang yan eh.

Whoever ruined my door, ran so fast and pinned the robber to the ground. He reached for the frying pan. "P're, sorry not sorry." Then he knocked him out. He looked at me. "Tumawag ka ng police. Ngayon na!"

"A-Ah. E-Eh. W-Wala akong load." Sambit ko dito. Nag-expired na 2 days ago.

"Fine, I'll do it. Stop crying. It will be okay." He said and dialled on his phone. A few minutes later, he hung up and talked to me. "You're safe now. We'll just tie this guy for a while to make sure he won't escape."

"O-Okay. But I only have my dog's leash here on the table- Hold on, where's my dog? Grizzly? Grizzly?! Grizzly! GRIZZLY! OH MY GOSH!" In the corner of the room, I found my pet lying on the ground unconscious. "Please call a vet."

"On it." He dialled again.

A few minutes later, the police and the vet both arrived at the house at the same time. While the latter is treating Grizzly who bumped its head, the former is asking me and this guy who ruined my door, about what happened.

"I'm Candice Cereno, the owner of the house. Nagsisipilyo po ako noong makarinig ako ng tunog. Pumunta po ako sa kusina at nakitang bukas ang pinto, drawer at ref ko. Kinuha ko yung frying pan at pumunta sa sala. Pagbukas ko ng ilaw ay nakita ko siya." Itinuro ko yoong magnanakaw na wala ng maskara at mukhang takas sa zoo, na nakaposas na ngayon. "Di ko alam ang gagawin kaya pinagtatapon ko yoong mga gamit sa kaniya at sumigaw ng tulong."

"Froilan Buenaventura. I live beside this house. Pauwi na ako galing sa trabaho at papasok na ng gate nang marinig ko ang sigaw niya. Dali akong pumunta dito ngunit naka-lock ang pinto kaya sapilitan ko itong binuksan. Iyon nga lang, sobra ata yung pagkasira ng pintuan." Tapos humarap siya sa akin. "I'll fix the door tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"It's fine. I'm actually indebted to you. You saved me."

Dinala na ng pulis yung magnanakaw habang nagpaalam naman si Froilan na uuwi na siya. Maayos na ang lagay ni Grizzly, kaya naman natulog na rin ako.

Kinaumagahan, nagising ako sa ingay. I did my morning routine first and headed outside. I carried Grizzly in my arms along the way.

"Froilan? Ang aga mo naman." Ngayon ko lang napansin, he's good looking upclose. He might be one year older than me, but he's still charming, dreamy and- Okay, I have to stop that.

"Candice, good morning. How are you feeling? You cried too much last night."

After hearing what he said, I felt warm running on my cheeks. He leans and wipes it. "You're crying again. Sorry. It must be traumatic for you."

"Hahaha. Mababaw lang talaga luha ko. Sandali, ipaghahain kita ng makakain. Baka gutom ka na sa paggawa ng pinto ko." Sabi ko dito at nagluto ako ng umagahan.

Saktong pagkatapos ko magluto ay siyang pagkatapos din niya sa pag-ayos ng pinto ko. Niyaya ko na siya sa hapag-kainan at sabay na kumain.

"Mmmm! Masarap, ah. Gusto mo magtrabaho sa akin?" Sabi ni Froilan.

"Bilang katulong? Sige ba. Wala rin naman aking trabaho. Naghahanap pa rin." Sagot ko naman sa kaniya.

"Hindi. Ang trabaho mo ay pakasalan ako at maging asawa ko. No need for an interview or resume. You're already hired."

"Ay hahaha. Pass muna. Mahanap na lang ako ng totoong trabaho." Ani ko sabay subo ng kanin.

"Ang cute mo."

"Kasi chubby at mababa ako? Marami nang nagsabi niyan. Tanggap ko naman na tawagin mo akong mataba o pandak. I may be sensitive about it but I have to face the truth."

"Di naman ah. Cute lang."

"Che! Kain ka na nga lang." Naramdaman kong umiinit ang pisngi ko. Am I blushing?

Mula noong akyat-bahay na insidente, naging magkaibigan kami ni Froilan. Tinulungan niya ako maghanap ng trabaho na inline sa culinary. Yes, I'm a culinary graduate. After a few tries, I got accepted in a fine restaurant not far from Froilan's workplace. Kaya naman sabay kami pumasok at umuwi para daw secured ako. Saka kapag break nila, dito sa restaurant ang tambay niya at kain lang kami nang kain.

Until one day...

Nasa isang parke kami. It's my day off and Froilan accompanied me to walk Grizzly. It's already evening and we're eating cotton candy when he asked for something that almost made me choke.

"Candice, I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend... Yet. But starting that day I ruined your door, I already got interested in you. Then we got close to each other and I want to be with you. I know I have to work hard for this. You have your priorities and dreams and I want to be in it one day. I'm a kind robber and I want to ask your permission before I steal your heart. Can I court you?"

We fell into a long silence. Uhm what am I supposed to say? But he deserves to know the truth, right? My tears started falling. I can feel it.

"Froilan... I'm sorry. You said it yourself. I still have my priorities and dreams. I only started and I haven't proved anything much worthy yet. I need to strive harder and to do that, I need full focus. Can't we stay as friends until I'm ready for a love life? Pinangako ko sa sarili ko na bago ko pasukin ang pag-ibig, may napatunayan na muna dapat ako."

"I understand. I won't leave you. We'll stay friends until the end. I will wait for your permission to rob you." He wiped my tears... Like always. "Oh come here you cute crybaby." We hugged each other and Grizzly wagged his tail.

I'm not giving false hope or leading him on. He may not be successful in stealing my heart right now, but who knows? When the time comes I might give him my heart voluntarily.

THE END