Bakit?

Una

[ B : paminsan boyfriend, madalas bwisit ]

Inalis ko ang tingin mula sa cellphone na hawak at inis na nilapag 'yon sa mesang nasa harapan ko.

It has been exactly three hours since my boyfriend texted me na on the way na raw siya rito sa restaurant kung saan dapat kami magkikita for lunch pero hanggang ngayon, kahit ang anino niya hindi ko pa rin nahahagilap.

Ilang texts at missed calls na ang nagawa ko pero ni isa ay hindi niya nirereplyan. Konting konti na lang, magwawala na talaga ako.

But I can't make a scene...yet.

Ininom ko ang tubig mula sa basong nasa harapan para kumalma. Kung tutuusin pwede naman akong umalis na lang o di kaya'y mauna nang umorder at kumain; I have every right to do so but, I won't.

Bakit?

Dahil gusto ko siyang makonsensya pagkadating niya rito at makita ako sa ganitong kalagayan. Pinaghintay at ginutom niya ang girlfriend niya ng tatlong oras? Let's see kung hindi siya maguilty ng sobra.

Isa pa, aminin ko man o hindi, ay mahal ko ang gagong iyon at hindi ko mapigilang hindi mag-alala kahit papano. Paano kung, worst case scenario ay naaksidente pala siya or something, 'di ba?

Kaya kahit gutom na gutom na ako at alam kong kanina pa ako tinitingnan ng mga waiter dahil siguro'y iniisip nila'y tumtambay lang ako rito ay pinili ko pa ring maghintay. I am the Jamie Chua, after all. This is nothing.

After a few more agonizing minutes ay sa wakas, bumukas ang double doors ng restaurant at dumating na rin ang taong kanina ko pa hinihintay.

Dressed in a charcoal business suit with  its matching silver tie and his hair styled in a fixed mess, if there's even such a thing, my boyfriend of five years - Bryan Tiotuyco Yap - strutted in front of me and planted a soft kiss on my cheek before taking a seat in front of me.

"Babe," he said in a gentle voice, as soon as he sat down; "I'm so sorry I'm late for our date."

"Ano na naman bang excuse mo this time ha, Bry? It better be worth the three hours I waited," inirapan ko siya and crossed my arms across my chest; "starving to death and fuming mad, if I may add."

"My dad called for a sudden business meeting, babe. Alam mo namang hindi ko pwedeng takasan iyon."

"If that's the case, couldn't you have texted me to inform me nang hindi na nagaksaya ng oras na maghintay ng parang tanga rito?"

"Babe, I was in a meeting with my dad. You know how it is, you know how he is," he said in a soothing tone; ang parehong ginagamit ng mga magulang kapag pinapatahan ang isang batang nagwawala.

"For God's sake, how many seconds would it have taken to text me that you'll be late?" I hissed, "I was worried! Akala ko may masamang nangyari sayo kaya I couldn't bring myself to eat even when I'm starving tapos -"

"And I said I'm sorry," he interrupted except he didn't sound sorry at all.

It took a lot of willpower to calm myself down and ignore the pain caused by the annoyance in his tone. Sa halip ay tinawag ko ang waiter para umorder.

Nang makaalis na ito ay binalik ko ang tingin ko sa gagong nasa harapan  ko who was busy taking off his coat and loosening his tie. Nahagilap ng mga mata ko ang malaking orasan na nakadisplay 'di kalayuan sa amin. 3:21 PM, the shiny quartz watch said.

"We went here for lunch pero hindi ko alam na merienda na pala yung kakain natin," I commented, venom dripping from my tone.

"Jamie," he warned with a reproachful look on his face.