I took off my jacket's hood as I entered the coffee shop. I have an appointment to meet someone. Pinuntahan ko ang mesa na nakareserba para sa akin at nakita kong naroon siya at naghihintay sa pagdating ko.
"How is it?" I asked bago maupo. He smiled and handed me the brown envelope. I instantly check the content.
"May mag-asawang taga-Australia ang naghahanap ng orphanage. Nagbabakasakali silang makapag-ampon ng bata bago sila makabalik sa bansa nila. Mga isang taon o dalawang tanong gulang..." Aniya.
The envelope he handed are the personal profiles of the two foreigners, and also the profile of the orphanage that I've been monitoring this past few days.
"Siguraduhin mong pipiliin nila ang orphanage na'to. Also make sure that they will choose the kid. Magkakaroon siya ng magandang kinabukasan sa pangangalaga nila. There are no history nor bad records about the two. The safety of the kid is assured..." I said at tinago na ang envelope sa loob ng backpack ko.
"Thanks for your business. Paki-ayos at asikaso na lang ang lahat. Balitaan mo ako kaagad..." I added and he nodded. Before I leave my seat, I handed him a small envelope containing some cash.
"May binigay ka na noong nakaraan, hindi ba?" Nagtatakang tanong niya. I stood up and let him get it.
"Additional..." I shortly replied bago umalis. Umuwi ako sa apartment at hindi ulit pumasok sa campus.
As I arrived, napansin kong bukas ang pinto ng apartment ko. At first I'm hesitant to enter because someone might've barged in to rob or other reason that might be dangerous. Ngunit sa huli ay pumasok ako. I noticed a pair of shoes properly arranged at the entrance.
Hindi ko pa man naisasara ang pinto, naamoy ko na ang masarap na ulam na nanggagaling sa kusina. One person instantly goes inside my mind... Si Paolo.
Nagmamadali kong hinubad ang suot kong sapatos at kaagad na dumiretso sa kusina. It's impossible to think that it's him because he's already gone, but other part of my head hopes that it's him...
I decided to realize things lightly, iniisip kong nasa probinsiya lang siya at maraming inaasikaso dahil sa may sakit niyang tatay. That's a lie, that's a delusion I made but I decided to hold onto that lie just to escape the truth.
"Oh? Nandito ka na pala. Saan ka galing?" Professor Jed asked nang makita niya ako sa pinto ng kusina. Katatapos niya lang magluto ng adobo.
After all this time that I knew, I still feel disappointed that it wasn't Paolo who's messing with my kitchen, just like what he always does before...
"Check-ups. How about you? What are you doing here at nakialam ka pa ng kusina ko." tanong ko at naupo sa upuan na nasa mesa.
"Hindi ba halata? Syempre bumisita ako. Pambihira... Ganoon na ba kablangko ang utak mo para makalimutang i-lock ang apartment mo? Amazing..." Hindi makapaniwalang sabi niya at hinandaan ako ng makakain. I didn't reply because I don't feel the obligue to do so.
"Nag-usap na ba kayo ni Darlene?" Dagdag na tanong niya at naupo na rin para kumain. Napahinto ako sa paghiwa sa manok ng ilang segundo bago umiling.
"Wala naman kaming dapat pag-usapan", paglilinaw ko before I took a bite. He sighed at nagsandok para sa plato niya.
"Nawalan rin siya ng kaibigan at hindi tulad mo, matagal na silang magkaibigan ni Paolo. Hindi naman iyun lingid sa kaalaman mo. Mas mabigat ang pagtanggap niya nun..." Pagpapaalala niya. Marahas lamang akong napahinga sa sinabi niya.
"Dapat kausapin mo siya---"
"Why would I? At isa pa, may ibang taong nagpapagaan ng loob niya ngayon. She will get plenty of those---"
BINABASA MO ANG
𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐬✓
Tienerfictie[Soon to be Published] BLURB Eve I. Meneses, a principled fourth year Architecture student and an artist who started hating people after what happened two years ago which changed his outlooks in life. The loathing in his heart created an overwhelm...
