A Road To Azlan's Heart (Azlan's Heart Sequel)

Kabanata 2

Stuck

"Ayshia..."

Napalingon ako sa tumawag sa akin. My co-worker's forehead was knotted while curiously staring at me. Pero sa kabila niyon ay bakas din sa mga mata niya ang pag-aalala dahil siguro hindi ako umiimik kahit ganoon naman na talaga ako lagi.

"You are spacing out again. Are you alright, dear? Boss was calling you earlier and I doubt it if you heard what he just said," Starlight said. Her brows were elevated, batting her thin eyelashes at me.

She is an American-New Yorkan citizen that decided to apply in our company. Alam nito ang koneksyon ko sa kompanya pero kailan man ay hindi niya ako tinatratrong iba. More like, she is treating me as a friend and co-worker that she can piss and lean on at the same time. Kaya kahit wala ang mga kaibigan ko rito sa New York ay hindi pa rin naman ako nangungulila.

And now, I have learned that my friends were lying to me. That for years, they knew, that he... he was alive. But no one dared to tell me about it. Wala ni isa sa kanila ang nakaisip man lang sa kalagayan ko at talagang mas pinili nilang magsinungaling.

For what? Dahil ba mahal ko siya? Kaya ba kailangan nilang itago dahil akala nila maghahabol ako? No, I won't. Definitely not. Kung alam ko namang masaya na siya ay bakit pa ako hahabol? Bakit ko pa ipagpipilitan ang sarili ko sa taong ayaw naman sa akin?

Because if he truly loves me like what he said years ago, then we would---

Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko nang mapagtanto ang sariling iniisp. No, don't go there... you can't. Stop it, Ayshia.

"Hey, girl. What now? Until when are you going to space out? Am I gonna get you a barrel of cold water to wake you up? Hello! I have been talking here for an hour now and you are not even listening to me! Nekeketempo ke ne!" Sa ikalawang pagkatataon ay natauhan na naman ako sa malakas na boses na iyon ng kaibigan. She even talk Tagalog for me. Kahit na halos mamilipit na ang dila niya sa sinabi.

With that, I smiled. When she sees my lips curved in a smile, her eyes immediately rolled for me. Pinalo niya pa ang braso ko bago nanlalambing na yumakap doon pagkatapos.

"Gosh, girl! Stop travelling using your mind. I'm... what's that word again? I'm..." She closed her eyes and suddenly snap it open as she grinned widely at me. "I'm neloloke!" she then added with a proud expression on her face.

Hindi ko na napigilan na matawa nang mahina roon. Tinanggal ko ang kamay nitong kumakapit sa akin pagkatapos ay pinitik ang noo niya sa marahang paraan.

"It's naloloka, not neloloke. What are you? Kokey the alien?" Her face crumpled with what I said. Napalabi pa ito at inilayo na talaga niya nang tuluyan ang sarili niya sa akin.

"I'm still learning! Stop comparing me to that ugly and creepy creature who visited your country with their own kind of airship! Geez, I have never seen someone like that alien!"

Napailing na ako rito at hinarap na lang ang lamesa ko. Nakabukas pa ang laptop ko at naroon sa pahina kung saan ay nagsusulat ako ng report para ipasa sa boss ng kompanya. I haven't finish it yet because yes, my mind were traveling somewhere else. Iyon na lamang ang pinagtuonan ko nang pansin habang nagrereklamo pa rin si Starlight tungkol sa pinanood ko noong una kaming nagkakilala.

The movie was interesting tho. Tungkol iyon sa isang alien na nasiraan ng masasakyan at napadpad sa planetang earth. Dahil masiyado akong huli sa mga bagay-bagay ay kung ano-ano na lamang ang mga pinapanood ko na sa tingin ko ay maganda naman. But sometimes, people just don't understand each other's taste. Like Starlight to me. And me to her. I mean, why name her like that? It's unique, but also weird.