GETTING TO KNOW MS. ANGER | MaColet

28 PLAN

YVES

"Come on, Loi! introduce your friend, wag mo naman i-gate keep!" pangungulit pa ni Stacey.

Napailing ako and I cleared my throat.

"Girls, this is..." saglit akong natigilan. "This is Nico."

I almost said 'uyab'. The word was right there, ready to slip out, but I stopped myself just in time.

"Siya yung... t-tumulong sakin na itakas ako that time." sabi ko, halos may pag-aalinlangan.

Biglang nanahimik ang mesa. Lahat sila ay nakatingin dito sa katabi ko na nakapoker face lang.

Biglang nagliwanag ang mga mata ni Sheena. "And where exactly did you two go? Galing niyo magtago ha." she asked, half-joking.

"Sa rest house nyo sa Bohol." I answered.

Pero biglang nag-iba ang expression ni Sheena. Napakunot-noo siya, halatang naguguluhan.

"Ha? As far as I know, wala kaming rest house." sabi niya pa, at sa tono ng boses niya, halatang hindi siya nagpapanggap.

Clueless talaga siya.

I felt Nico flinch beside me. It was subtle, but I noticed.

What's going on?

"Unless... binili yun ni kuya." halos pabulong na sabi ni Sheena, at parang natigilan pa siya sa pagbanggit ng salitang 'kuya.'

I glanced at Nico. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more she wasn't telling me.

"Nice to meet you, Nico" sabi ni Sheena, at para bang biglang bumalik ang sigla sa boses niya.

Parang wala lang nangyari.

Tumango lang si uyab at bahagyang ngumiti.

"Nico? Is that a boy's name?" biglang sabat ni Stacey, with her usual sass.

Heto na naman siya.

"Bakit, bawal na bang ipangalan sa babae?" mabilis na rebat ni Jho.

"Shhh, mag-aaway na naman kayo." awat ni Ate Aiah.

Buti na lang, dumating ang waiter, dala ang menu cards na tila nagsilbing distraction sa lahat.

"What do you want to eat?" tanong ko kay uyab, na tila seryoso pa rin habang nakatitig sa menu card na hawak niya.

Pero sa halip na magbigay ng order, ibinigay niya sa akin ang menu na hawak niya at tumingin sa akin ng diretso.

"Kung ano ang order mo." she simple said.

Napatigil ako at napalunok. Parang biglang uminit ang paligid. Swear.

Narinig ko ang malakas na pag-fake cough ni Ate Aiah, kasabay ng mahinang pagtawa ni Sheena.

Ang issue.

"Grabe, ano ba yan, wala pang dessert, nilalanggam na!" singit ni Stacey, halatang nang aasar.

--

After we finished giving our orders, Sheena wasted no time and jumped straight into questioning.

"Ate Loi, bakit bigla ka na lang nag-disappear?"

I hesitated, feeling the weight of their stares on me, and then I saw Ate Aiah's eyes narrow with concern.

"Is it related to that arranged marriage again?" seryosong tanong niya na may halong diin sa boses.

Tumango lang ako, walang imik.

"So Tito's putting pressure on you again na magpakasal ka kay Maki?" this time it was Jho, her voice rising a bit, frustration bubbling beneath her words.