I Hate U, I Love U

7. Eyes

"Hi, my Kuyas, fancy seeing you here." I heard a familiar voice. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad pabalik sa counter.

"Mitch! What brought you here all of a sudden? Buti naisipan mong magpakita sa amin bago kayo bumalik sa US... nakakatampo." I heard Bogs.

"Nice seeing all of you my gwapo Kuyas, but I just came here to see ate Karen. Where is she?" Great, she pulled the pin and threw that bomb inside the cafe. What a way to start this day.

Silence. I saw how they exchanged glances as if asking if they heard it right.

"Are we thinking about the same Karen? I mean, the Karen that we know..." Sir Mel looked around, maybe finding me and when he saw me beside the wall he pointed at me" ...her, that's the Karen that we know. Is she the one you're referring to?" 

"ATE! Nice seeing you again after Batangas! I have been asking Kuya to tell me where can I find you or just give me your contact but he is so madamot. Buti nalang naalala kong you're working here. So here I am." tumakbo sya papunta sa kinatatayuan ko at excited na nagbabato ng madami pang bomba. 

I grimace, hindi ko alam ang gagawin. I looked at the guys, gulat na gulat sila sa nakikita, kung hindi lang ito tungkol sa akin matatawa ako sa mga itsura nila. 

Tumayo si Kit walking directly in our direction. "This is the reason kaya ayoko magbigay ng details sayo, guguluhin mo lang sya. Kailangan nya pa magtrabaho so please leave." he said calmly, sana all calm.

"Until what time yung shift mo Ate Karen? I wanna bring you somewhere." baling sa akin ni Mitch.

"'Till 1 am pa ako."

"Ganyan palagi oras mo?" I nodded. "How about your day off?"

"On Friday. Bumalik ka nalang sa Friday. Now, go Mitch. Inaabala mo na sya. I'll just send you her mobile number." again, he is so calm. Para bang walang mga Tolits na naghihintay sakanya ng paliwanag sa nangyayari, samantalang ako, nagiisip na ako mag resign para iwasan ang mga naka ambang tanong pag alis na pag alis ni Mitch.

"Suplado, stop acting like her husband, jowa ka palang no. Sige ate message nalang kita ha. I missed you so much. Mommy will be happy kasi natagpuan na kita. Ito kasing si Kuya, masyado kung magdamot sayo."

Napalingon kami sa kinaroroonan ng banda, exaggerated silang nag ubuhan sa narinig kay Mitch. Kahit ako ay nabilaukan sa sarili kong laway.

Inihatid ni Kit si Mitch sa labas, ako naman ay bumalik sa counter at umaktong madaming ginagawa, but I can sense the boys staring at me. Ignore is the key, Karen.

~We're only gettin' older, baby
And I've been thinkin' about it lately
Does it ever drive you crazy
Just how fast the night changes?~

Narinig ko ang sabay sabay na kanta ng tatlo. Hindi ko mapigilan ang tawa ko, I was suppresing my laughter knowing this is about us, but I cannot seem to ignore the fact that they easily picked up that trend to our situation. 

"Care to tell us? I mean, it is none of our business, malaki na kayo at wala namang masama if there is something going on between the two of you but..." sabi ni Sir Mel na mukhang hindi alam ang sasabihin.

"Hindi kami, OA lang magisip si Mitch, you know her. But Karen and I were good." 

"That's it? I mean, how does it happen? Karen with your family in Batangas. And to think pinagdadamot mo ang lugar na yun, quote unquote that is my 'private space'. Kahit nga visit ayaw mo kami papuntahin, which we understand and we respect private spaces. But math is not mathing with you and Karen, you know what I mean?" kuda ni Ian