Celine
"Bad day?" Tanong ni Mina sa akin.
Napatango ako. It was Thursday night. Excited ako kanina na dumating ang Friday. Miko texted me already of the time and location.
Wala kaming palya.
But then my unwanted visitor came.
Nakatitig lang ako sa cellphone ngayon at hindi alam kung pano babawiin iyon.
"PMS?"
Tumango ako.
"I have plans for tomorrow and it got canceled."
"Bakit?" Tanong ni Mina. Team Lead ito sa ibang department. Magkasabay kaming bumaba ng elevator.
"I have to cancel it." Napabuntung hininga ako. "Bakit ba napakamalas ko?"
Napangiti ito. "E ano naman kung meron ka? Bat di mo na lang ituloy yung lakad mo? Di ka naman makikipag-sex dun."
"Hahaha." Sarcastic kong sabi dito na ikinatawa nito. She hit the jackpot.
Lumapad ang ngiti nito ng makita ang naghihintay sa lobby. "Nandyan na yung jowa ko. See you tomorrow, sis."
Tumango ako at malungkot na nakatingin dito habang patakbong sinalubong ng boyfriend.
To Miko:
Sorry. Not available tomorrow. Something came up. Pwede bang Sunday na lang? Holiday naman sa Monday.
At naglagay ako ng smiley face sa dulo. But I deleted the last two sentences.
He's not your boyfriend, Celine.
I can't just resched anything with him.
To Miko:
Sorry. Not available tomorrow. Something came up.
And sent it to him. Hinintay kong magreply ito bago ako lumabas ng building. Asking for a sign that he would want to reschedule it some other day. Or maybe a sign that he's sad about not seeing me this week.
Miko:
That's ok.
That's ok? Napailing ako at binasa iyon ng limang beses. Baka may invisible na mensahe akong hindi nabasa. Nag-scroll down pa ako at baka may hidden message doon.
"Seriously, Celine."
Nag-ring yung cellphone ko. Muntik ng bumagsak iyon sa pagmamadali. I groaned. It was Vito.
"Ano?"
"Bakit ka nakasigaw?"
"Just tell me what you need. Palabas na ako ng building at papunta na sa pilahan ng van pauwi."
"Bat kasi di ka pa matutong magdrive?" Hindi ito nag-abalang hintayin ang sagot ko. "You want to watch a movie on Sunday? May tickets ako. Free pass. Kahit anong movie." Sabi nito.
"I don't want to go out. Meron ako." Sabi ko ng diretsahan.
"Got it. Can you... ask Aya for me?"
Umikot yung mata ko. "Ginawa mo naman akong tanga. Sana direkta mo ng sinabi if you'd want me to invite Aya."
Ewan ko kung sasama sayo yun.
"Hindi naman ako sasama. Bibigay ko lang sa kanya yung tickets." Parang nabasa nito ang nasa utak ko.
"At sino naman makakasama niyang manuod, aber? Gago ka ba. Manunuod ba yun mag-isa?"
"Si Sadie?"
"Sunday is family day for Sadie. Nandito sa Pinas asawa niya."
BINABASA MO ANG
Nice to meet you, Celine
Romance"He likes Aya. I like him. And I was never going to tell him. Until that one fateful night." Celine or C for her friends, knows Miko for as long as she can remember. As long as she can remember him crushing on her bestfriend... as long as she can re...
