What Happened? || MaColet (BINI #1)

Chapter 29: Café

"No, I won’t allow it, Colet." Sam forbade me to have a relationship with Maloi. Ang sabi niya either aalis ako sa banda o aalisin niya si Maloi. Isa lang doon if we want to have a relationship.

Hindi ko rin naman siya masisisi dahil umpisa pa lang ay ayaw niya na talaga nang may magkarelasyon sa banda. Okay lang sa kanya ’yung ginagawa ni Franz dahil aware din naman siya na hanggang doon lang si Franz, but this time ibang story na ito. Seryoso ako and I want to have a relationship with Maloi.

"Edi sige. Aalis ako."

Sam looked at me with knitted brows. He's infuriated. "What did you say?"

"Ako na lang aalis." I repeated. "The band needs Maloi's voice."

"But we have Jhoanna already, Colet. We need a guitarist. Why can't you just sacrifice her?" he asked na nagpakulo ng dugo ko.

"So, you want me to remove Maloi from the band? Sa tingin mo kaya ko ’yon, Sam?" I huffed. "I'd rather not play at all kung hindi rin naman siya ang kakanta."

I turned my back to leave, but Sam grabbed my arms.

"We've been together in a band for three years. Tatlong taon, Colet. And you'll tell me na aalis ka para lang sa babae?" he asked. "Saan na ’yung passion na sinasabi mo dati? Na kaya ka sumali sa banda ay dahil sa passion. Where the fuck is that, Colet?"

"I lost it." I replied honestly. "I realized that there's something more than it na kailangan ko."

"No, I'll give you time, Colet. Think it through. I'd rather lose Maloi than to lose you," he said and shook his head in disappointment.

"Sadly, I'd rather lose the band than lose her. I don't need time, Sam. You know what I want."

"Hindi nga kasi pwede!" He yelled and then stopped when he realized that he was controlled by his anger. "I'm sorry. But that's not how it works. You know what happened before, I don't want it to happen again."

"Aalis ako." I heard Maloi's voice from behind kaya agad akong napalingon. She was smiling and slowly walking towards me. "Okay lang naman. Ayaw rin naman ng parents ko na magbanda ako. I can join other organizations."

Sam and I felt silent. Nakakainis. Anong gagawin ko sa headquarters kung hindi ko naman siya makikita? Alam kaya niya na nagpapractice na lang ako para makita siya?

"No," I said. "I won't let you leave."

"Cole, anong gagawin ko sa banda kung wala ka?" she asked and reached for my hand. "Hindi naman tayo magb-break. Lilipat lang ako ng org." She chuckled.

I only looked at her. "Saan?"

"Perhaps, sa Dance Troupe na lang. Nandoon naman si Shee. Magiging okay ako agad doon." She smiled at me and looked at Sam. "Ang plastic mo." She rolled her eyes.

"Sinabi ko lang naman totoo." Sam defended himself. "Kailangan namin si Colet. Kung marunong ka maggitara at magbass, sige. Palitan mo siya."

"Oo na lang," she said and pouted. "Pero sure na si Jho ang magiging vocalist?"

"Oo, narinig mo na ba si Jho kumanta?" Sam asked her.

"Malamang. Ex-member ako ng banda mo, Sam. Minsan nga duet pa kami." Maloi furrowed her brows at him, at hinila na ako palabas dahil pakiramdam ko kung mags-stay pa siya sa loob ay masasapak niya si Sam.

I could see Maloi's eyes na sobrang disappointed siya sa nangyayari but she accepted it. She knew that having an argument with Sam would lead nowhere.

"Nag-breakfast ka na ba? May café na malapit. Gusto mo ba i-try?" she asked and looked at me.

She looked fine now. She could easily hide the pain in her eyes. Parang walang nangyari. Parang wala siyang sinacrifice for me.

I knew her family didn't know she's in a band, but I knew how much she loved to sing. Siguro iniisip niya that this was a win-win situation. She'd have me while also obeying her family.

"Anong oras pasok mo?" I asked.

"Afternoon pa. Sabi mo kasi kakausapin natin si Sam kaya maaga akong pumunta. Nag-start na pala kayo nang wala ako." She pouted.

"I know Sam would react like that kasi. Ayokong marinig mo. Ayokong isipin mo na hindi ka magaling kaya he's willing to remove you from the band." I explained while slowly caressing the back of her hand.

"Okay lang, ano ka ba. Marami pang org na masasalihan. I love to sing, yes. But I love you more, Cole."

Dahan-dahan akong napangiti sa sinabi niya. I slowly nodded and wrapped my arms around her bago ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad.

All eyes were on us dahil nga sobrang dikit namin. Maloi was smiling from ear to ear. This was what she wanted. Ang malaman ng lahat na taken na ako. Nakakatawa lang kasi kapag may tumitingin talagang hinaharot niya ako.

"Aimer, dito na lang tayo kumain." Maloi pointed the FG's café. It was the newly built café near our university and sabi nila na ang affordable daw dito. Budget-friendly raw at masasarap ang pastries and coffee. "Mikha told me about this café last time. Baka gusto mo lang i-try."

"Aimer?" I asked and furrowed my brows. "Cole ang pangalan ko." Dahan-dahan kong inalis ang kamay niya na nakapalupot sa akin.

"Para kang sira," she said and entered the café.

The café has minimalist interior with a vintage theme. There's a bookshelf in the corner na p’wedeng basahin while you're inside the café. Mayroon din free wifi and if you need to do your activities or research, may corner din sila wherein hindi mo makikita ’yung mga pumapasok at lumalabas sa café para iwas distraction na rin.

"Welcome, Miss Ricalde." The barista greeted Maloi with a big smile. If I wasn't mistaken, I saw this guy before. I couldn't remember where pero sobrang familiar niya.

"Kailan ka pa naging barista rito?" Maloi chuckled.

"My sister told me na to apply here para may income. Wala talaga siyang balak tulungan ako," he said and sighed. "Ano pa lang order mo?"

"Ah, wait." Maloi turned to me and waited for my order pero tinignan ko lamang siya. Wala na akong balak mag-order. I hate how she smiled at that guy.

"Oh, you brought a friend?" The barista asked again and smiled at me.

"I'm her girlfriend."

The guy suddenly squinted and looked at Maloi. "There's a delulu behind you." Mas nag-init ang ulo ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Eh kung buhusan ko kaya siya ng mainit na kape? Ang aga aga pinapalabas niya pagiging dragon ko.

"She's not a delulu, Maki. She's indeed my girl." Maloi reached for my hand. "We'll have two Caramel Macchiato na lang and then a slice of strawberry cake."

Umupo na kami malapit sa glass wall. Nakakawala talaga ng mood kapag maraming umaaligid sa girlfriend mo. Although I know that she's friendly pero bakit kasi lahat na lang kailangan nginitian nang ganoon? Hindi ba pwedeng exclusive lang sa akin ’yon?

"Nakasimangot ka na lang palagi," Maloi sang and chuckled nang mapatingin ako sa kaniya. "What's with you and your frown? I mentioned Maki before, right?"

"I don't like him."

"I don't like him romantically, too." She clarified. "Pero andito crush ko."

"E ‘di sa kanya ka makipagdate." I was about to stand up when Maloi stopped me and laughed. "OA mo. Ikaw ‘yon, okay?"

Our order came and Maloi was looking at me intently while her chin was resting upon her hand. She was watching me sip my coffee and smiled.

"Why?" I asked. "May dumi ba?"

"Nothing." She shook her head. "I'm just wondering what it feels like to wake up every morning tapos ganito makikita mo."

"Guard, may in love po sa ’kin dito." I chuckled and Maloi rolled her eyes. "Kumain ka na dyan. May klase ka pa mamaya."

She pouted and eventually ate her strawberry cake. While eating, pinapanuod ko lang siya. She seemed to be enjoying her cake at para siyang batang tuwang-tuwa sa lasa nito.

I slowly smiled at the thought. First day, yet Maloi could see our future together. Was this foreshadowing? If it was, then I love it.