I sit firmly, my elbows resting on the table, hands interlocked under my chin, and I feel the weight of this situation pressing down.
"Does anyone here know where Jazz lives?" I ask, breaking the silence.
Veloz shakes his head, a quiet denial, and Johnson only looks over his coffee mug, not saying anything. Potato, however, hesitates, as if something stirs in her memory. "I do," she finally says.
I stand up quickly, my heart leaping with this small bit of hope. "Okay, then let's go." I extend a hand to her, and she accepts, rising from her seat. But she stops, sniffs herself, then grins sheepishly. "Well, we should go to my place first because..." She glances down, and I realize she's checking if she reeks of last night's booze.
I look over at the two guys who, with an almost dramatic sigh, close their eyes in agreement. I don't even need to smell myself to know I probably do too, so I nod.
"My apologies, Commander..." I say, moving aside toward the door.
"Potato, could you get Commander's contact?" I ask, realizing my phone is dead. Potato approaches Veloz, and they quickly exchange numbers. "I'll update you on what happens," I say, as she joins me at the door. Together, we wave goodbye.
"Need a ride?" Johnson says.
"I would appreciate it." I say. Johnson downs his coffee and places the mug on the table, stands up, takes a key from the wall and he gestured us to wait outside, "Commander, I'll be back soon." Johnson says.
We got outside and the sunlight hit our eyes, we squinted, and visored with our hands, I look at Potato, her pale skin glowing against the sun, she looked angelic, her japanese features being a bit more prominent, but I lean over and smelled her, "Sumisingaw katawan mo ng red horse, Miyuki." I say
"Ligo muna tayo."
"Magkasama?" I teased, her face wrinkled up expressions you couldn't even fathom, it was like she got excited and couldn't believe it, "Just kidding." I say teasingly again,
"Okay lang naman sakin." She replies, shrugging casually, "Kuskusan tayo ng ekups."
"Gago!" Tawa ko at nasa kabila lang pala namin si Johnson, "Let's go." He says, probably doesn't understand a filipino word we said, thankfully.
Johnson opens the door for us with a polite nod, and Potato and I slide in. I end up in the passenger seat, while she takes the back. As I settle in, memories of past rides in this car come rushing back—like when I drove Veloz back the military base and reclined Veloz's seat for him, making him sleep soundly and leaving some desserts behind.
On the way, I glance over at Potato and suddenly remember. "May GCash kayo, 1500?" I ask, a bit sheepish. I can't use the black card because Jazz has my wallet.
"Meron, why?" she asks curiously, already reaching for her phone.
"Could you GCash 09683232009? 1500? I'll pay you back once I get the black card." She nods without hesitation, and a few moments later, she says, "I sent it."
"Yun oh," I reply, grateful.
"Wait—black card?" Johnson asks, catching up late to the conversation.
"Yes, I have one," I reply, a touch of pride creeping into my voice. He raises an eyebrow, impressed. "Wow, Ms. Heart."
"Wow talaga!" Tawa ko at ilang sandali pa, nasa tapat na kami ng bahay ni Potato, "At dahil jan, bibilhan kita ng sasakyan." Nauna na ang kayabangan ko dahil may black card ako, pero hindi sakin, kaya medyo binabawi ko, pero nasabi ko na, kaya bahala na.
