"What would you like to eat, Rina?" ang tanong ni Sabrina sakin habang nakapila kami sa counter ng McDonald's.
"I actually didn't bring any money because I thought we were just gonna talk." walang hiya hiya na sabi ko sa kanya.
It was true. Wala talaga akong dalang pera dahil akala ko saglit lang kaming maguusap.
I and Nick was dumping the garbage nung huminto samin ang isang sasakyan, the windows were rolled down kaya agad na nakilala namin ang nakasakay doon. Si Sabrina.
She looked fresh in her dress, her make-up, her style. I hate to admit it pero ang ganda ganda nya lang din.
No wonder they—Yubi, Nick, and Carter fell for her. That was what I thought, kasabay non ay ang kirot na naramdaman ko.
She then asked if pwede ba akong makausap. I said yes because I thought doon lang kami maguusap sa sasakyan and it was gonna be a quick talk lang. But I thought wrong because after kong makasakay ay sinabihan nya yung driver na dumiretso dito sa McDonald's.
I have no problems with it naman if we are gonna talk somewhere else. But the problem is hindi pa ako naliligo, wala pang hilamos, wala pang sipilyo—as in wala pa lahat.
I swear to God, I look like a rug beside Sabrina.
"Libre ko na," she smiled at me. "Ano nga ang gusto mong kainin?"
Tumingin ako sa menu. "Hm, McFlurry and Fries?" halos patanong na sabi ko that earned a giggle from Sabrina.
"You're cute. No wonder." pailing iling na sabi nya. Weird sh*t. "Doon nalang siguro tayo umupo, Rina." turo nya sa isang corner na bakante.
"Sige. Uuna ako don?"
Tumango naman sya. "Para di tayo maunahan. Maglulunch pa naman."
Gaya ng sabi nya. Nauna nga ako doon sa tinuro nyang spot and looked outside the glass window. I started counting taxi cars na dumadaan para di ako mainip.
23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 2—.
"Ang tagal matapos mag order ni Ale," napalingon ako sa nagsalita and saw Sabrina na nilalapag ang tray sa lamesa.
Tumingin ako sa tinutukoy ni Sabrina, iyong babae na nasa harapan namin kanina. She was with five kids, and they were happily digging their food with smile on their faces.
She could be their Mom.
"Madami din kasi iyong inorder nya." nilingon ko si Sabrina na nilalapag sa side ko ang McFlurry at fries.
"It's hard becoming a Mom of 5 kids. If ever anak nya ang mga iyan." sabi ko saka muling tinignan ang Ale.
"It is hard. Especially if wala kang sakto na work para buhayin ang mga anak mo, especially nowadays na mahal ang mga pamilihin." napatango ako sa sabi nya. "Kaya we should encourage talaga na magtapos ng pagaaral para may trabaho."
"I do not think so. There are people out there na nagtapos ng pagaaral pero walang trabaho." was what I said.
Totoo naman. I have uncles, aunties, cousins, distant relative, close relative na nakapagtapos ng magandang kurso pero walang trabaho. Nakanganga at nakaasa pa din sa magulang.
"Ace student ka ba, Rina? You sound very smart." biglang sabi ni Sabrina. "Are you holding back?"
"I'll take that as a compliment ha," ngiting sabi ko. "I definitely do not sound smart, totoo naman na hindi lahat ng nakapagtapos ay may trabaho. And I am not holding back. Ano ba ang pipigilan ko?"
"Hm, halata naman kasing nagiingat ka sa mga sasabihin mo. Don't worry, I did not invite you to have a fight over Yubi." ngumiti sya sakin ulit.
"Ano ba ang paguusapan natin?"
"Mamaya na. Kumain muna tayo. Sabi pa naman ni Nick na hindi ka pa kumakain kasi tinanghali ka ng gising. Bakit ka nga pala puyat? Late night talks with Yubi?"
Umiling ako. "Saglit lang kami nagkausap kagabi. I was talking to Erich, kung natatandaan mo pa sya iyong pinsan ko."
"Hindi ko masyado matandaan yung mga friends nyo ni Yubi." ngumiti ulit sya. "How are you and Yubi?"
I felt my throat dry. Technically she is the girlfriend. "We're good."
"I called her nung araw ng kasal ng Mama mo. I badly need to talk to her, I am sorry about that. Nagusap kami tungkol samin. She wanted out, Rina. For you."
I felt my heart flatter like the wings of the bees.
"But I said no."
"Why?" ramdam ko ang pagsalubong ng mga kilay ko.
"Because I could not let her go, Rina. Mahal ko si Yubi."
"Pero niloko mo sya, Sabrina."
"I know. And I regretted it. I asked for forgiveness pero wala eh. She wanted out. Kaya natagalan sya."
"And last night, I asked her to come para magusap ulit. This time, I will let her go. Unless, she finish my little errands."
"Ano ba ang mga iyon?" ang tanong ko sa kanya.
"You'll know pero kumain muna tayo. Nagpaghahalataan kang baliw na baliw sa ex ko." tumawa sya ng mahina na ikinairap ko sa kawalan.
"Shut up. Akala mo naman di ka na baliw kay Yubi." rebut ko sa kanya na ikinatahimik nya. "Oh, sor—," napanganga ako nang bigla syang humalakhak ng malakas.
It was not sarcastic or fake. It was a genuine kind of laugh, she got teary eyed pa nga.
"Gosh. You are funny. I am starting to like you, Rina. Do take care of Yubi." ngumiti sya sakin bago nagsimulang kumain ng order nya para sa sarili nya.
We got the same order. And she likes dipping fries into the ice cream too!
Tahimik lang kaming kumakain habang pinagmamasdan ang mga sasakyan na dumaraan. Paminsan minsan ay kinakausap nya ako at ganon din ako sa kanya.
She's kind of nice, sweet, and considerate. She talked mahinhin din. Walang hindi mahuhulog kay Sabrina.
"Tara, ihahatid kita kung nasaan si Yubi. Wala ka pa namang dalang money. We should hurry kasi traffic pa naman." ngumiti sya sakin.
"Salamat sa libre, Sabrina." ang sabi ko habang naglalakad kami papunta sa kotse nya.
"Walang anuman. It was fun having a chat with you, it felt like our souls connects." ngiting sabi ni Sabrina sakin habang pasakay kami.
Habang sa byahe ay panay pa din ang kwentuhan namin, minsan ay nananahimik pero ilang minuto lang ang lilipas ay kwentuhan na naman.
"Naroon sya." turo ni Sabrina sa isang direksyon.
It was a home for orphans.
"Bakit nandyan sya?" takang tanong ko.
"Told you, my little errands." sabi ni Sabrina.
I looked at her in the eye and noticed her eyes starting to get watery.
I pulled her into a hug and said, "Thank you, Sabrina. It was wonderful to meet and talk with you."
"It—thank you for making Yubi happy. I hope we can be friends in the near future, Rina."
Kumalas ako sa yakap namin saka ningitian sya. "Oo naman basta no monkey business ha." pagbibiro ko na ikinatawa nya.
"Sira. Sige na, naghihintay na yung Princess Charming mo." napatawa ako nang simulan nya akong itulak tulak palabas. "See you around, Rina."
"See you around, Sabrina." I smiled at her bago lumabas sa sasakyan saka naglakad kung nasaan si Yubi.
