It was a typical Friday morning at the office, and everyone was buzzing with the excitement of casual clothes and an early weekend. The Chizmozas—Maloi, Sheena, JR, and Gian—were gathered by the cafeteria near the entrance, sipping their coffee and engaging in their favorite activity: *chismis.*
Today's subject? Dug.
It was 9:00 AM, and the quartet was strategically positioned to keep their eyes peeled on Dug the moment she walked in. Their suspicions about her relationship with Maxene had been eating away at them all week, and today was the day they hoped to catch more clues.
"*Hoy, eto na si Dug!*" Sheena whispered in a hushed, excited tone as Dug entered the office, pushing the glass door open with a carefree air.
Dug strolled in wearing a pair of light denim jeans, a white spaghetti-strapped fitted cropped top, and an olive-green cardigan. The buttons of her cardigan were undone, and for a second, her cropped top revealed a glimpse of her toned midriff.
Maloi's eyes immediately narrowed as she observed Dug. "*Girl, parang wala naman stretchmarks?*"
Sheena turned to look, raising an eyebrow. "Oo nga, *pansin ko din eh.*" Her tone was laced with curiosity, her head slightly tilting as she tried to squint at Dug's exposed skin before she started buttoning her cardigan.
"Pero what if... *hindi siya ang tunay na nanay*?" JR added, his voice dramatic as if he was sharing a conspiracy theory. He leaned back in his seat, one eyebrow raised, watching Dug as she walked confidently across the office.
Gian, who had been silently listening, shook his head in disbelief. He didn't bother saying anything. As usual, he let the three go on with their wild speculations.
As Dug walked towards her desk, the Chizmozas followed her movements, their eyes laser-focused. They noticed how she moved gracefully, greeting a few coworkers with a smile, and then quietly settled into her cubicle. The day was just starting, and they had no plans of letting this day go by without uncovering something juicy.
Hours passed, but the Chizmozas never let their attention waver. Dug remained busy, typing away on her laptop, but they noticed something else.
"*Hoy, tingnan mo si Nick Wilde,*" JR suddenly whispered. His eyes darted toward another table. "*Tinitingnan niya lang si Dug.* Pero si Dug di naman tumitingin sa kanya. *Todo chika lang kay Unicorn.*"
Maloi, Sheena, and Gian quickly shifted their focus. True enough, Nick Wilde—sitting at a separate table—was subtly eyeing Dug, while Dug was busy talking to Unicorn. The two of them were engrossed in their conversation, seated far from Nick Wilde and McWolf, who were at the opposite end of the cafeteria.
"*Oo nga!*" Maloi agreed, her eyes widening. "*Pero tingnan niyo din si Unicorn. Parang may something sa tingin niya kay Nick Wilde.*"
Sheena squinted and leaned forward. "*Girl, parang may pinipigilang emosyon sa mata ni Unicorn.*"
"*Parang naaawa, no?*" Sheena added, looking at Maloi.
JR took a dramatic sip of his iced coffee, his face suddenly animated. "OMGGGG, *ang daming plot twists dito!*"
Gian, who had remained silent for most of the day, raised an eyebrow. He shifted in his seat and glanced between Nick Wilde and Dug. He shook his head in disbelief at his friends' theories but couldn't help but be intrigued by the unfolding drama.
The four of them kept watching, sneaking glances at the other table. Dug was still animatedly talking to Unicorn, unaware of Nick Wilde's lingering stare. Every now and then, Nick Wilde would glance at McWolf, who was too busy scrolling on his phone to notice anything happening around him.
"*Pansin niyo si McWolf, parang wala siyang pakialam,*" JR said, trying to dissect the vibes at the table. "*Nakakaawa si Nick Wilde, parang gusto niya kausapin si Dug, pero deadma siya.*"
Maloi nodded, whispering. "*Ang awkward kaya. Tapos si Dug, dedma din kay Nick Wilde. Parang walang pakialam!*"
"Alam niyo," Sheena added thoughtfully, her voice low, "*parang may malaking backstory to. May hugot ang mga tinginan nila, for sure.*"
Just then, something shifted in the air.
Nick Wilde stood up from his table, his expression shifting from contemplative to determined. He started walking toward Dug, who was still deep in conversation with Unicorn. The Chizmozas froze in their seats, their eyes wide as they watched the scene unfold.
"*Ay, ito na, ito na!*" Maloi whispered excitedly, her hands gripping the edge of the table.
"*Guys, tumayo na si Nick Wilde. Papalapit na kay Dug!*" JR's voice was barely a whisper, his eyes darting nervously between the two.
Nick Wilde approached Dug, his steps confident but hesitant at the same time. As he reached their table, Dug finally sensed his presence. She slowly turned her head toward him, and with one swift motion, raised an eyebrow.
The air around them froze.
Nick Wilde visibly tensed. His confidence wavered, and before he could utter a word, Dug's single, piercing look was enough to make him shut his mouth. He paused, blinked, and just... backed off.
He turned around, heading back to his table, his demeanor deflated. The entire cafeteria seemed to be holding its breath.
The Chizmozas were stunned.
"Girl. *Did you see that?*" Maloi whispered, her mouth hanging open.
Sheena grabbed Maloi's arm in excitement. "*Nakita mo yun, Ate Girl?!* *Gosh, Nick Wilde didn't even say a word! Ang lakas ng eyebrow game ni Dug!*"
JR, already fanning himself, chimed in with exaggerated enthusiasm. "OMG, *kayo mga accla!*"
Gian, who had been trying to hold back his laughter, turned to JR with a raised eyebrow. "*Buti na lang may nakita kaming kadate mong babae. Akala ko talaga gayman ka na.*"
Before JR could react, Unicorn subtly bumped JR's swivel chair, causing him to wobble slightly. JR caught himself and gave a mock gasp. "*Hoy, ang intense ng pasa-pasa ng tension, okay! Chill ka lang diyan!*"
Unicorn shot JR a subtle but deadly glare, the kind that screamed, "Don't test me." JR's dramatic personality took a backseat for a second as he adjusted his chair and let out a nervous laugh.
"*Pahamak ka talaga, Gian!*" JR muttered under his breath as the group shared a knowing glance.
The cafeteria went back to its usual buzz, but the Chizmozas were buzzing with even more energy now. The tension between Dug, Nick Wilde, Unicorn, and McWolf was just too delicious to ignore. Whatever history was brewing between them, it was far from over—and they were ready to watch it all unfold.
