Heartbound Part Two (Lovestruck Series)

Day 27.3 - 28.2 | N/E

#HeartboundWP

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Day 27.3 - 28.2 | N/E

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY," NADIA whispers, greeting Lev for the fifth time today. Lev links their arms tighter, snuggling to the side of her arm while they're walking to their destination for drinks.

It's a good thing that Nadia wore her flats today. Ginawa niya lang talaga iyon knowing that the birthday girl is going to be wearing her highest heels, pero mabuti na rin talaga dahil mapapalakad pala siya ngayon. They have just finished having Lev's birthday dinner on the restaurant about two blocks away. Upon seeing the number of cars outside during the peak of the rush hour, they have just decided to walk to the bar. Walang may dalang sasakyan sa kanila kaya magbu-book pa kung sakali. At kung meron man, mata-traffic lang din at baka mahirapan sa parking.

"Are you going to open our gifts na later?" she asks. Hers are two dresses that Lev has been eyeing for a while now pero ayaw nitong bilhin. Bitbit niya ang paperbag nito dahil may kalakihan, while Lev is hand carrying the two small boxes of gifts from her workmates, Ysabella and Joanna, who are just trailing behind them. Lev likes to dress up but refuses to spend on clothing, and Nadia supported her decision not to buy anything for the past few weeks dahil ito na nga ang balak niyang iregalo dito.

Umiling si Lev sa tabi niya. "Sa bahay na siguro."

Nadia pouts. "Why not?" She wants to see her reaction when she opens the paper bag.

"Baka umiyak ako. Sayang make up ko, beh," natatawang sabi ni Lev. Hindi na nagpumilit si Nadia because, after all, it's Lev's birthday so she makes the decisions. Nadia just asks her to video call her if bubuksan na niya, so she can watch.

They arrive at the place just a few minutes after 6 p.m. Nadia scans the place. The walls are jade green, all wood is in the shade of walnut, while the rest of the decor is in some shade of blue-black. She spots some ambient lights that are still off, probably because they're useless because it's still quite bright outside and the huge windows by the door allow most of it in. They occupy a corner booth after being assisted by one of the staff.

The floor area is huge. There are only a few people standing-slash-dancing on the opposite corner, na probably magkakaibigan o magkakakilala rin. On another table, there's even a middle-aged man with his laptop open. The menu they were handed classifies the place as a 'café+bar.' Maybe Lev really meant it noong sinabi nitong 'chill' lang sila.

It did not take long for Nadia's hypothesis to be proven false. Chill nga lang iyong place, but her friend? Definitely not. Malakas talagang uminom si Lev ever since—trained na by her dad, as she used to tell her. Nadia's going easy on the drinks dahil kinakabahan siya para sa tatlong kasama niya even if Lev already told her that someone can and will pick them up kapag kailangan na. She doesn't know if it's because she hasn't done this for a while, she's spent for the week, or siya ang napapagod sa energy ni Lev, but by just a little past 10 p.m., she's already looking for the comfort of her bed.

Hindi naman nambubulabog ng ibang tao ang mga kasama niya, but their voices are loud! Nilakasan na din naman iyong live beats kinalaunan, and everyone around them are talking in very loud voices. Hindi naman nahihiya si Nadia sa volume ng usapan sa table niya, pero sa topic!

She's sure that it's not her drink that make her cheeks burn nang biglang mag-anunsyo si Joanna, "Girl, alam mo 'yung bite block?" malakas na tanong nito kay Ysabella, tinatapik pa ito sa braso. Halos masmid naman iyong isa kahit hindi pa nabubuo ni Joanna ang sasabihin niya.

"Alam mo 'yon di ba? Suki ka sa dentist e! 'Yung pinapakagat na rubber? Gano'n, teh! Mga tatlo sigurong gano'n, o apat?" Lev gives Joanna a backslap on the arm while laughing. "'Tang ina tapos basta salpak, girl! E kita mong ang liit-liit nga ng bibig ko!" she adds, gesturing to the small frame of her face. "Tapos ewan ko do'n sa kanong 'yon! Baka hindi naligo. O di ko lang bet yung lotion at pabango niya? Pero, jusko, alam mo 'yung maasim na damit? Hinayupak na titi 'yan!"