Tactless Temerity

02

Josephine

***6 years ago

I felt really conscious as I started eating my empanada. I had no problem sharing a table or conversing with the opposite sex before...'till now. Dr. Aragon was not even talking to me dahil abala siya sa pag-ubos ng kinakain na siopao, pero bakit masyado akong alerto sa kung anu man itong antisipasyon na hindi ko madecipher?

I felt anxious all of the sudden dahil...okay fine, aaminin ko. I found him quite appealing. Unang beses ko pa lang ito nararamdaman kaya hindi ako handa at ni hindi pa sumasagi sa isip ko ang mga ganitong bagay.

Oh Josephine, please stop! Pakiusap ko sa sarili habang pilit na nginunguya na ang pagkain.

I was realizing that growing up in a very traditional family despite of the changes that modernity had brought upon the environment that I was in had a major downside too.

Aside from what I was learning at the uni ay hindi naman nagkulang sina Daddy at Mommy sa pagpapaintindi sa amin ni Rory ng tama, mali, nakasanayan at kung ano na ang katanggap-tanggap, pero hindi ko naisip na ganito pala talaga kapag...kapag ano? Oh geeze.

I mean... I had crushes before, but intellectually.

Maverick, for one, siya ang mahigipit na kalaban ko sa pagka Suma Cum Laude sa uni and I admired his intellect over the years that I had known him. I even blushed and secretly gushed about how perfect his diction and delivery was whenever it came to his oral presentations.

And how old was the doctor anyways? At bakit ngayon ko lang siya nakita dito sa ospital? Matagal na kasi akong may monthly check-up sa Andrade med, a mandatory health order from my parents which Rory and I had been doing religiously at ni minsan ay hindi pa kami nagkasabay dito sa cafeteria.

Oh, and was he sporting a day old stubble? Hindi ko napigilang mapako ang mga mata sa panga niya habang ngumunguya. God, I was even ogling him.

Nagbaba na ako ng tingin bago niya pa man mahuli. Nakakahiya. I was already 20 years old for heaven's sake, I should act like a lady my age and not like a teenager. Ibinaling ko na lang ulit ang atensiyon sa empanada at kumagat ulit.

"Are you here to look after someone or...?"

Crappppp!

I swear...I swear tumaas ang balahibo sa likod ng leeg ko ng marinig ulit ang boses niya. I stiffened for a sec, unable to comprehend but I managed to compose myself before raising my head and looking at him.

Umiling ako bago nagsalita, hopefully I did not look funny.

"No, uhm...I'm here for a monthly health check-up."

"I see, what's the name of your doctor?" Ibinaba niya ang plastic ng siopao kaya napasunod ang mga mata ko sa maugat niyang mga kamay.

Oh hell, what? Mabilis ako nagtaas ng tingin, trying my best to be my best self.

"Uhm, Ian Go po ang pangalan niya." I awkwardly and politely responded, noting the appalled look on his face after.

Humalakhak siya saglit and yes, I had to add 'sexy chuckle' next to his 'compelling' description.

"Po..." He echoed. "I do hear that from time to time, but I must admit I find it disconcerting hearing you say that to me."

I gulped for I don't know what to say dahil titig na titig na siya sa akin. There was both wonder and something else in his eyes kaya mas lalo akong natigilan.