Cindy's Time (Ongoing)

CHAPTER 6

"DO YOU have everything you need? Toothbrush, shampoo, mosquito lotion?" I laughed as Nana Tessa again repeated the question for the nth time this morning.

I rode with Nana Tessa and the service crew on the van we use for catering jobs. Kuya Andoy and Ate Nanette was with us too.

Today's our scheduled trip to Batangas. Lorenzo and Kally agreed to pick us up at Elina's dorm at six o'clock this morning. We agreed to leave town early so we can be there before noon.

"I got everything, Nana. Besides, I'll be gone just for two days and one night. I'll be back before you even miss me."

"You take good care, okay? And tell your friend to drive carefully."

"I will. I see Elina now," I said, waving at my friend who was waiting at the dormitory's lobby. "Goodbye, everyone! Good luck with the catering today!"

I walked to where Elina was waiting for me.

"Looks like you're bringing quite a few things," I said to Elina as I saw two boxes and two plastic bags near the door.

"Do you think Lorenzo would mind? My grandparents needed a few more things for their wedding anniversary."

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Where's Nicko by the way? Lorenzo and Kally will be here in a few minutes."

As if one cue, we heard the gate open and Nicko's trademark high-pitched greeting. "Hello, girls! Are we ready to go?"

"We're just waiting for Lorenzo and Kally," Elina replied.

"Speaking of the two of them, now that we are a hundred and one percent that they're not a couple, how's your friendship with him?" Nicko asked me with a teasing tone in his voice.

After Lorenzo's confirmation of his real relationship with Kally, I was quick to share the information with my best friends. They were as excited as I was, if not more.

After our lunch at Sisig Street - what a memorable day that was! - I felt more at ease in Lorenzo's presence. My heart still flutters like mad but I found myself being more open to him when he talks to me since I don't have to worry that I might be wreaking a good romance between the two of them.

"We're friends, that's it. You know that I do like him but he hasn't said anything about liking me," I said casually. "And that's okay. I'm really enjoying my friendship with him."

"Trust me, baby girl, that boy is interested in being more than just your friend."

"If we don't know you guys at all, we would probably think that you're in a relationship or something with the way you're acting all mushy with each other," Elina added matter-of-factly.

"We do not act mushy together!" I denied.

"Please, baby girl, we have a 20/20 vision! We know what we see." Nicko winked.

Our conversation ended when we hear the sound of a car's horn outside. Beep! Beep!

"That must be them already," I said.

The dorm's security guard entered the lobby and told us that Lorenzo and Kally was indeed waiting for us. We carried our bags and helped Elina with her load.

"Hi guys!" Kally greeted from the car's passenger seat.

Lorenzo opened the back door of his SUV. "You guys can put those here. Let me, Cindy." He relieved me of the box that I was carrying.

"Thank you." I smiled at him. "Let's go?"

After making sure that the back door was secured, he opened the back seat door for me. "Hop in," he said, smiling.