The Roommate Situation

Chapter 7

Alex

Kakatimpla ko lang ng pansampung tasa ng kape ko ngayong shift nang makita ko siya. Gracie Elizalde in her full glory, barging into the hospital's cafeteria like it was her own personal stage. Nakatali sa messy bun ang mahaba niyang buhok, some strands of her hair were framing her delicate face. Mukha siyang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa.

She marched right over to me and plopped into the seat across the table. "Hoy ikaw. Usap tayo."

I blinked at her, caught between confusion and caffeine withdrawal. "Gracie? Ginagawa mo dito?" tanong ko na para bang hindi ako ang nag-text sa kanya five minutes ago kung saan niya 'ko matatagpuan.

Inirapan niya lang ako. "Okay," she took a deep breath. "Alex, I really need a favor."

I immediately set the cup down. "Hm. I figured. You've got that look like you're about to ask me the most insane thing in the world."

Muli nanaman siyang umirap na para bang siya 'yung nadedehado. "It's not insane."

"Gracie, may I remind you, pinuntahan mo 'ko dito sa workplace ko when you could've waited for me sa apartment. If that's not insane and unhinged, I don't know what is."

Namula ang magkabilang pisngi niya. Cute. But instead of backing down, mas nilapit niya pa ang mukha niya sa'kin habang nakasalumbaba siya. "I need you to be my boyfriend."

Huh? Teka, nabingi yata ako. 

Muntik ko nang mabuga sa mukha niya 'yung kape ko. "You what?!" My voice came out louder than I intended. A few nurses who were also at the cafeteria turned to stare at us.

Nanliit lalo si Gracie sa kinauupuan niya at napahilamos ng mukha.

"Not for real!" she hissed. She said it in such a way like she didn't just asked me the most absurd thing. "Fake lang, okay. Like.. pretend. For Tristan."

Tristan. Of course. It was about him.

I fake groaned. "Tristan. As in your ex Tristan?"

"Yes, that Tristan," she said, her voice tight.

"At bakit kailangan kong magpanggap na boyfriend mo para sa kanya?"

Gracie's cheeks turned redder as she avoided my gaze. "Kasi nakita ka niyang lumabas sa apartment ko the other night, and I may have... panicked and told him you were my boyfriend."

I blinked, letting her words sink in. "You panicked. Over eye contact."

She squirmed in her seat. "Hindi lang dahil sa eye contact, okay? It was his stupid face and the way he was looking at me like I'm some kind of sad little sore loser."

Hindi ko na napigilan at natawa na ako. Akala ko noon todo na 'yung pagiging baliw niya, may mas ilalala pa pala. "So you invented a boyfriend. On the spot. That tracks."

"It was a moment of weakness, and now I really need your help, Alex," she said, her tone defensive.

Umiling ako, still half-laughing. "Nope. Not my problem."

"Alex!" she whined, and I had to admit, it was kind of funny seeing her this flustered.

Napansin ko tuloy habang nakaupo siya sa harap ko—I've never seen this side of Gracie. The side where she's flustered and shy. She's beautiful. She's radiating a warm glow of positivity all the time. At 'yung mata niya, parang may sariling buhay at palaging nanghahatak, lalo na kapag nagke-kwento siya ng mga bagay na gusto niya.

Bumalik lang ako sa huwisyo nang pandilatan niya ako ng mata na para bang sinasabing Hello, Earth calling Alex?

"It's still a no, Gracie." I repeated, reaching for my coffee. "You'll figure it out."