Clarity (A SANDRO MARCOS FANFICTION)

46. I

VINNY

I was talking to my team when Airi entered in my study holding a takeout Starbucks on her right hand. I guessed it was iced coffee. She smiled at me from ear to ear and sat down on the sofa in front of me, watching me. I signalled her that I'll be finished in a few minutes. She just nodded and scrolled through her phone.

"Let's take a 20-minute break everyone." I told my team on the video call. Everyone agreed and turned off their camera and muted their microphones.

I stood up to stretch and walked towards Airi who was waiting for me.

"Where'd you go?" I asked.

"Sa labas. I dragged your driver. I hope it was okay."

I laughed. "You should have asked him not me."

"Mukha naman siyang masaya kasi nilibre ko ng coffee so I'm good. I bought you coffee too and some cinnamon bun."

I took the paper bag and bought out the iced coffee and cinnamon.

"Thanks."

"No problem. I return favours din naman from time to time."

Tumawa ako. "What else did you do outside?" I asked.

"Binilhan kita ng shirt. I kinda thought you look good in it." She said, biting her lips.

"Where is it?" I asked, excited. It was a first time that Airi bought something for me.

"Pina-akyat ko sa room natin."

"Okay then. I'll check it later. What else did you do?" I asked. I sat beside her while I sipped my coffee. Her coffee was right on time. It was hot and I was getting stressed with the meeting.

"I got my armpit waxed because it's summer and I want to wear tank tops, I bought myself clothes too since most of my clothes are for winter tapos I went to watch a movie pala. I offered kuya driver na dalawa kaming manood but he was uncomfortable so gave him money and had him go for shopping or whatever while he waits for me." Kwento niya. She was smiling as she told me about her day which was cute.

"What did you watch?"

"Garden of words. It's an old anime. Parang yung cinema na yun they show old movies and such tapos yun naabutan ko when I got there so I watched it again na lang."

I smiled. "Let's go there sometimes."

"Busy ka naman palagi." She said, rolling her eyes.

"I have off on Sundays."

"Sunday lang naman."

"And holidays."

She looked at me with her eyebrows raised. "Alangan naman antayin natin na mag-holiday? Next month pa ata susunod na holiday."

That got me laughing. "Fine. I'll see what I can do Airi. Or maybe we can just watch a movie here at home. We have a huge flat screen. We have internet. I say Netflix and chill?"

"Netflix lang walang chill. Iba na ibig sabihin noon." She replied.

"Airi I won't do anything to you that wouldn't like."

"Tigilan mo ako. Medyo marupok pa rin ako."

"What?"

"Pretend you did not hear that. Work ka na matutulog ako." She answered right away and left.

I texted Simon.

"What's marupok? Is that some kind of a Filipino word for a hoe?"

Simon: Mukha mo hoe