The Author's Rewritten Drafts

[xxxi]

[xxxi]

That almost kiss created tension between Magda and Agila. Halata ang mga patagong tinginan ng dalawa. Litong-lito na si Boy Buwesit sa galawan ni Magda, iba yata ang memo na natanggap nito.

Wala naman sa task na paibigin ang hero. Kailangan niyang pabagsakin ang karakter nito hanggang tumulad sa kanya. Sa ngayon ay malabo pa sa kanya na magawa ito ni Magda. She could raise a few percent... but not fully a hundred.

Mas kinakabahan pa siya sa babae na kalmado lang at halos pabebe ang bawat galaw. Balak na nga yata nitong sukuan ang task.

Tahimik silang naglakad, inihatid si Magda ng lalaki sa tapat ng kanyang apartamento. Malayo ang kanilang agwat sa tensyong nanalaytay sa bawat isa.

"Thank you." Nahihiyang wika ni Magda.

Agila faced her. Namulsa ang lalaki. "Can we have coffee?"

She hesitated. "Wala bang magagalit?"

"Friendly date..."

Ngumiti si Magda at tumango. But her eyes were saying otherwise. May halong lungkot sa kanyang mga mata. Napansin iyon ni Agila.

"Friendly date, wushu. Muntikan na ngang magngabngaban ng labi." Boy Buwesit commented.

"If you continue that... I might think you're being jealous." Magda said with all confidence.

Blushing, Boy Buwesit replied, "Now, why would you do that?"

Imbes na pumasok sa building ng kanyang apartamento, muli silang naglakad na dalawa patungo sa isang coffee shop hindi kalayuan sa kanyang tinutuluyan. Pinagbuksan siya nito ng pinto, namula naman ang kanyang pisngi. She offered to pay for their coffee, the man just laughed.

Ipinaghila siya nito ng upuan bago tumungo sa counter upang um-order. She was asked what kind of coffee she liked. Pinapili na lang niya ang lalaki. Pinanindigan na niyang wala siyang kaalaman sa ganitong bagay. Isang kahig, isang tuka.

After ordering, Agila went back to their table. Pinagmasdan niya ang babaeng kaharap. Palinga-linga ito at pinagmamasdan ang paligid ng may pagkamangha.

"Magda," He called her. "I'm sorry for hurting you. It always replays in my mind. Kung kaya ko lang ibalik ang oras, hindi ko iyon magagawa sa'yo. There's no excuse for what I've done."

"Nasaktan ako, Achilles." She said with honesty. "I wasn't expecting that from you. Hindi lang ako pisikal na nasaktan. Pinagkatiwalaan kita." Huminga siya ng malalim. "Mayroon ba akong kinalaman sa pagkawala ng... kasintahan mo?"

He looked at her for a second.

"I think the answer is connected to your memory..." sagot nito.

"Is that why you're helping me?"

Partly.

"I want to help you because we were good friends back then." Because his guilt is eating him. No other answer.

The coffee date somehow ended up awkwardly. Halos walang namagitang pag-uusap sa kanilang dalawa ng lalaki. She was even avoiding eye contact with him. Somehow, it made Agila worry.

Muling humingi ng tawad ang lalaki sa biglaan na lang nitong pagkompronta sa kanya. She was weary but decided to give him a second chance. Normally, Magda would kill the man, but the plan doesn't revolve around killing him.

After that awkward coffee date as friends, they headed back to Magda's apartment building owned by Agila.

Napatigil ang lalaki, hinawakan siya nito at itinago sa kanyang likuran. Agila sensed the danger lurking around.

"What's happening?" She acted cluelessly.