It Might Be You

1

Maria Selena Ocampo

Paano ba habaan ang pasensya? Pakituruan ako, dahil kanina pa pa-ubos yung akin dahil sa sing-bilis ni Quicksilver at Flash, pinagsama, na connection ng internet namin dito sa dorm ko.

Of all days na pwede siyang bumagal, ngayon pa kung kailang Hell Week namin.

I have many deadlines to meet. I even have online quizzes to finish. May research pa kami. AND, may online meeting pa ang group namin for a final requirement. See how much the internet is a necessity these days especially to people like me.

Kaso yun nga, nagpa-importante pa yung connection namin.

If not for the contract sa dorm namin matagal ko nang linayasan yun. Di bale, after this sem, I'll be looking for a new place na.

I took a bath and fixed my things. Lalabas ako, obviously. I'll look for a cafe or resto that offers free wifi to their customers. Last resort ko na yun. Kahit na ayaw kong lumabas.

I decided to head to this newly opened coffee shop nearby dahil mukhang onti lang ang tao. Ayan nanaman tayo sa mga coffee shop na yan.

Ang cute nga ng name ng café eh--Café de Quintero. Ganda no?

And the name spoke for itself, napaka-modern ng feel sa loob. From the lights, the music, the menu. Ang ganda ng interior. And the wallpaper is so amazing. Chalk art ng ba't ibang timpla ng kape sa menu nila. Ang ganda diba?

I chose the table for two near the corner of the room. Table for two, eh mag-isa lang naman ako.

Anyway, sanay naman ako lagi mag-isa. Wala nang bago dun.

Para naman hindi ako mukhang oportunista at nakiki-wifi lang talaga dito, ay umorder ako ng cake at coffee.

In fairness, masarap yung food nila dito. Medyo above the range of affordability nga lang, pero worth it kung ang pagbabasehan ay lasa at aesthetic value. Medyo selfish kasi sila sa amount per serving.

Okay, so hindi naman ako pumunta dito para icritic ang bagong bukas na café na ito, kaya nagsimula na ako magtrabaho.

I was busy on our research nang biglang nag-message si Mommy. Ang mom ko ay isang nurse, working in London.

Single mom siya because the man she made love with and created me was too much of a coward to stand up for her nung nalaman niyang nakabuntis siya, so my mom did her best to raise me on her own. And I admire her so much for being one of the toughest and bravest persons I've met.

And, obviously, single child ako. Aba naman kung magka-anak pa uli si Mommy diba? Tama na 'ko.

I checked the time and saw na end na ng shift ni Mommy, kaya niya ako minessage. And as usual, she was checking on me. Kakausapin niya muna ako before she sleeps. Graveyard shift kasi ang duty ni Mommy ngayon kaya ganon.

Di din naman kami ganon katagal nag-usap cause she knows that I'm busy as hell today. She understands.

Pero ang best friend ko, hindi. Dahil hindi siya tumitigil sa pag-spam sa'kin sa messenger.

Pashot: wru?

Ano, rereplyan ko ba?

Me: in a café nearby. Studying. Busy ako.

Pashot: hmm, sige na nga. Text me nalamg if you're free. But i won't stop spamming HAHAHA

Me: ya go ahead

Then pinabayaan ko na siya. Despite her being like that, I know she understands me and my priorities. Well, ganun din naman kasi ako sa kanya. Since magkaiba kami ng university na pinapasukan, it's expected na magkaiba ang academic calendar namin.

I just kept myself busy with all these school works. I gotta hustle. Magrereview pa ako.

In between works, I stop and sigh and just can't hep but miss Baguio. Lalo pa ngayon na sobrang init dito sa Manila.

How rare are those times na umuuwi ako dun, particularly only during summer and Christmas vacations.

Pero I kept myself focused on the tasks at hand. Di bale, this Christmas, I'll be coming back home! Yay!

Medyo nakakaraos na din ako sa mga gawain na di ko namalayang naka-ilang oras na din ako dito. A lot of people have come and gone pero andito padin ako, naka-upo at nakatutok sa laptop.

"Excuse me Ma'am," I heard a male's voice in front of me.

I looked up at him and saw my destiny.

Char.

Naka-button down siya with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. And then may plate sa chest niya that read "Jack Valerio". Holy mother of megazon, ang gwapo ng Jack.

"Would you like to try our new cookie?" He asked and offered me the tray he's holding containing pieces of the cookie he was referring to. "And our new espresso mix?" Tinuro niya naman yung mga maliliit na cup ng coffee sa isang tabi ng tray na dala niya.

"It's a free taste Ma'am before we add it in our menu," dagdag niya.

And since binanggit niya naman libre, kumuha na din ako. I took a piece of cookie and placed it on my plate. Nang kukuha na ko ng maliit na cup ng kape ay pinigilan niya ako.

Siya ang kumuha ng cup at nilagay sa lamesa.

Okay, that was suspicious. Di kaya may lason 'tong specific cup na 'to.

I looked back up at him and saw that he had a faint smile on his face. He held the cup he placed on my table and slowly turned it.

"Have a great day," he said before he left to proceed to the other customers.

Pagbalik ng tingin ko sa cup, may note na nakalagay dun, handwritten, to be specific.

"Good luck on what you're working at, but take a sip first ;) Have a great day!"

Napatingin ako dun sa Jack Valerio at nakitang namimigay pa siya sa ibang costumers and I noticed na walang note yung sa iba.

Napapangiti akong parang ewan. That's sweet. A simple note, but made specially for me.

Allow me to make kilig. Slight lang. Wala na sanang umepal.

Thank you 💕