Hey You

Chapter 18

Jane chuckled nervously. "Grabe namang tanong yan," she took a sip of her drink and forced the liquid to push the lump down her throat. "Eh pano naman kung sabihin ko sayo na I'm not meant for love?"

Nella stared at her and fidgeted before she put one leg on top of the other and sat at the edge of her seat. She put one hand on the table closer towards Jane. "Eto ha. This is my honest take dyan sa tanong mo na yan. First of all, words are tricky. It can be manipulated in a way na you can ask or say something and mean something without directly asking or saying it. For example, 'kumain ka na ba?' If you take it literally, it's simply asking if you ate na, pero a simple question as that often misleads people kasi nga it's caring for the person to ask if kumain ka na ba. Yung 'kumain ka na ba' kasi na tanong is most of the time a way to show someone you care for them, na you love them. Kaya kung the person asking it simply just wants to know if you ate na tapos yung tinanong nya sees it as a sign of concern and care which leads to further assumptions, then lagot tayo dyan. Mixed signals cause miscommunication. Am I right?"

Jane nodded. She was in awe of Nella's mind, although, she wasn't sure where the conversation was heading.

"Sorry, san-san na umabot yung explanation ko but I had to establish that kasi I want to understand what you're really asking me. Sabi mo pano kung sabihin mo sakin na you're not meant for love, diba? Do you mean that in a literal way? O may something hidden underneath it like there's more to that question than what is really being asked? Kasi for me, ang inisip ko una sa lahat is what brought you to the conclusion na hindi ka meant for love for you to ask me that? Kasi—and let me remind you na this is just my take, okay? Kasi EVERY SINGLE ONE of us are meant for love," Nella explained.

However, Jane shook her head. "No, I don't mean na hindi ako meant for love sa mga kaibigan and kapamilya. I just meant romantically like falling in love kumbaga."

Nella nodded. "Good na you cleared that up, at least we can get that out of the way."

Jane laughed. "Jusko po, mukhang hindi lang seafood ang hihimayin natin today ah. Please help me, Lord."

Nella laughed with her. "Korek. Nasan na nga ba kasi yung pagkain natin? Gutom nako."

Jane snickered. "Kaya ako yung hinihimay mo?"

Nella bobbed her eyebrows up and down.

"Hoy, ano yan? Ano-ano iniisip nito ni vaNella," Jane shook her head and took another sip of her drink.

"Mabubusog ka nyan kaiinom mo dyan. Na-tetense ka noh?" Nella teased.

Jane shook her head one more time. "Hindi noh."

Nella continued to move like a serpent slowly slithering into Jane's heart. "Eh bakit ka inom ng inom dyan? Na-tetense ka eh. Do I make you tense?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Eh kasi you make me thirsty."

Nella leaned forward like she was being seductive towards her friend. "Do I, Jane?"

Jane's eyes disappeared as her laughter filled the air. "Alam mo ikaw—ay naku, gutom lang yan."

Nella loves making her laugh. She giggled, "I make you thirsty pala ha."

Jane chuckled. "Oo, sa mga tanong mo."

Nella laughed even more.

"O go, continue mo yung sinasabi mo. Di pako nalilinawan sa sagot mo sa tanong ko," Jane nodded for Nella to continue.

"Oh, right," Nella sat up straight. "Eh ayun, the reason why I said all of those kanina prior to answering your question is because I want to make sure naiintindihan ko yung tanong mo ng maayos para masagot ko din ng maayos, diba? Kasi para sakin—para sakin lang ha, it doesn't make sense yung sinabi mo na hindi ka meant for love. I was honestly thinking: why on earth would she ever think that about herself? Kasi sayang eh. Feeling ko you have so much to give, and deserve mo rin ng kung anong kayang ibigay ng magiging partner mo."