VANGUARDIA

Chapter 6

Regina's POV

I paid for the groceries, and I hand carry the bags to the exit going to the parking lot. I noticed that there is a plant shop at the side. What caught my attention are the pots of cactus lined up in front.

Naalala ko si Narda. May kasalanan pa ako dun.

Well, she didn't know that, but I still felt a little guilty with the lies I told her. Though, there is no way that I will take back what I said.

After ko makipag-away? Panindigan ko na lang.

So maybe, siya na lang bigyan ko ng cactus? Idea naman nya to e. A token for peace offering. Huwag ka na sanang choosy, Narda.

"Ma'am.." the vendor noticed that I'm just standing there so she called me.

"Plantita ka ba Ma'am? Madami kami dito, yung uso sa Instagram. Meron din kaming mga, eto mini cactus, may mga bulaklak pa, succulents. Bili ka na Ma'am."

"How much for that size?" I asked and I pointed at the item that I want to buy.

"Etong cactus Ma'am, 600 lang po. Kakaiba kasi yan, konti pa lang ang meron nyan."

"No, just the pot."

"Po?"

"The pot, with soil na din." I said.

She looked at me confused.

"What?" I asked her.

"Ma'am, ang bentahan po namin ay may cactus. Hindi po kami nagbebenta ng pot lang, at di rin po kami nagbebenta ng garden soil."

"Can't you make an exception?" I asked.

"Ma'am, ano namang klase yun? Hindi po kami nagbebenta ng paso lang."

Ugh. Ayoko makipagtalo. I had enough yesterday.

"I just. I don't want that cactus."

First of all, hindi naman healthy looking yung cactus niya. Baka matagal nang natambay dito. Second, I can make one that is so much better than that.

"E di sa iba kayo bumili." Nagalit na si Ate.

"150. Just give me a pot with soil. That's more than enough."

She squinted her eyes on me.

"350."

I rolled my eyes. Ang mahal naman.

"Fine." Yung desire ko na makauwi ay mas matimbang kesa sa kung anuman na pinaglalaban ko dito.

...

I put all the groceries at the trunk of car and the planter at the passenger seat. I just covered the seat with something para hindi kumalat yung lupa. Mamaya pati car ko, may mga halaman na.

Pagkaupo ko pa lang sa driver seat, I let a cactus grow from the pot.

How come they are selling it for 600? My eyes barely changed when I made that.

Hindi man lang ako pinagpawisan.

Tinitigan ko ang cactus deciding if I will have little flowers bloomed from it.

Baka magtaka siya na hindi nalalanta? But whatever, it's a cactus.

Hope she likes deep red, kasi either that or white lang naman kaya ko gawin.

...

I went home late.

Bumalik pa ako sa office to finish my to-do list for the day.

Narda's probably asleep so I decided to give the cactus tomorrow.

...

Wednesday night