Chapter 75
Kanina pa ako palingon-lingon sa orasan ko. Quarter to six na, pero nakapila pa rin ako sa BPI dito sa may Greenbelt. Baka abutin na ako ng Pasko at ugatin na ako dito sa kinatatayuan ko, hindi pa rin ako makapag-withdraw. It was my fault, though. I had the luxury of time a while ago, but I chose to sleep at the pantry. No one can blame me, anyway. Anong oras na nga ba ako nakauwi mula sa victory party kagabi? 11? 12? Or 1am? I don't know. I lost track of the time.
"Ano bang ritwal ang ginagawa ni Ate diyan sa machine at ang tagal niya?" I heard someone say from the woman behind me. She, then, tutted. Halos sabay lang kaming nakarating dito. Nakipagpaligsahan pa nga ako sa kaniya papunta sa pila dahil kailangan ko ding bumalik sa opisina. Nandoon pa ang gamit ko. Hindi ko muna dinala dahil akala ko saglit lang ako dito. Nakalimutan ko na Friday pala ngayon. People are very excited to spend their money somewhere. While I, on the other hand, just want to have some cash right now because I forgot my wallet at home, and I should be buying some baby stuff. Next month, January, Jasmine is gonna give birth to her little girl. I'm so excited! Pakiramdam ko ako ang magkakaanak sa sobrang saya ko. Maybe it's because I have not experienced the feeling of having a brother. There had been this imaginary competition between Mitch and me. She's trying her best to outwit me with her gifts. She's spoiling Jasmine with all that she wants. Because she said that when the baby comes out, she wants to brag that she has been the best Tita ever. Guian thought that it was nonsense for us to think that way. Ha. Palibhasa, lalaki siya. He doesn't know how it rolls for us, girls.
"Miss, ikaw na," ani ng tinig mula sa aking likod. I snapped out from my reverie. Oh, it's me.
Lumapit ako sa machine, at kinapa mula sa likod kong bulsa ang card ko. I was nonchalantly pushing the card unto the slot, but the machine doesn't want to accept it. I tried for yet another three times. No help. I was so frustrated. There's so much pressure behind my back. I feel like everyone's looking at me because it's taking me too long already.
I'm not doing any ritual at all. It's just that, it doesn't want to cooperate with me. So annoying.
"Why? Please. Come on," I whispered under my breath. Unti-unti na akong napipikon. Napakaiksi pa naman ng pisi ko pagdating sa mga ganitong bagay.
When I got really pissed off, I took it out and impatiently held it with all my might.
And while I was looking at it intently, I realized how stupid I had been. I slapped my forehead out of frustration when my fatuity has gotten into me. Kaya naman pala ayaw tanggapin ng system. Hindi pala ATM ang hawak ko. It's my Laking National card. Pareho kasing kulay pula. Namali yata ako ng kuha dahil sa pagmamadali ko kaninang makalabas.
Oh, Jillian, you dope, I thought. I mentally kicked my butt for that.
I'm so hopeless. And no matter how much I try to stand here in front of the machine, nothing will change. I can't perform some magic and turn this into my ATM card.
Hindi nagtagal, natawa na ako sa sarili kong kapalpakan. Marahan akong lumayo mula sa kinatatayuan ko sa labis na kahihiyan. I akwardly moved backwards, staring at the floor like it was my best friend. Then, I rushed my way, heading back, with all the embarrassment in the world.
Shame vomit, really.
I tried to shake my head to forget about what happened. Sigurado, kapag kinuwento ko 'to kay Mitch, hahagalpak siya sa sobrang tawa. Hindi ko na babanggitin kay Jasmine, baka manganak siya ng wala sa oras dahil sa akin at sa kahangalan ko.
While I was on my way to the Office, my phone vibrated. It was Qwen, my officemate from the Sales and Public Relations Department. Isa sa mga close friends ko sa R.O.D.
