Always, My Jade

I See You (6)

Jade

Familiar ang number ng tumatawag, dko pa kasi na add sa contact ko. ah yes yong si miss pan(yo)

"Yes?" malditang sagot ko. Nagulat ata at hindi agad nakasagot, "sumagot ka naman kahit ano lang para naman alam kong may kausap ako sa kabilang dulo diyan" dugtong ko pa. Tuluyan na atang umurong ang dila kaya nainis na ako lalo at pasigaw ko," hey! look! If you're just wasting my time--" "--I--I'm sorry Ms. Jane--, I was so wasted last night and I don't really answer calls when I'm drunk but then it's just that...ah never mind...I ah I just want to say sorry, really." bigla niyang putol sa sasabihin ko.

Wow dahil lang sa panyo nagpakumbaba talaga siya. Gusto ko pa sana siyang awayin dahil sa pag tawag niya ng Jane sa akin pero, there's something in her voice that made me calm down.

Huminga ako ng malalim and composed myself then sumagot ako" Fine, gusto ko lang ibigay tong panyo na bilin ni Ama. can we meet somewhere?, and correction please I'm Jade-as in stone Jade and not Tarzan's Jane" I corrected.

I heard a silent chuckle but it quickly changed to a quick stammer voice again. Anong nakakatawa sa sinabi ko.

"Ahm, S-so sorry for that Ms. Stone Jane... No I mean Jade of Stone...oh shit"---

---"what's that supposed to mean?'!kagabi tinawag mo akong Jane and not to mention na inisip mo pa na ka one night stand mo ako and now you're cursing at me?'!!!---

"-- No!No! P-please I'm sorry Ms. Jade, I didn't mean it...--"

Silence...pero I'm secretly smiling at how she's freaking worried from the sound of her voice.

"Ok let's just finish this, so where can we meet?" Tanong ko ulit.

"N-no don't bother to go. Ms. Jade. I-if you want kahit mag utos ka na lang ng maghahatid ng panyo para hindi ka na maabala or if you want I can ask one of my personnel to pick it up from your place." Bakit parang ayaw akong makita ng panyolitang ito, baka nahihiya kako naman sa isip ko dahil sa nangyari kagabi at ngayon.

Ayaw ko rin naman siyang makita pero Ama insist na personal kong ibalik. No choice.

Pero ayaw ko nga ba? bakit parang I sense a bit of tampo nang parang ayaw niya akong mameet. Hay ano ba to. Napansin ata ni Althea pananahimik ko.
"Ahm sorry, but if you want I can go there to your place instead or just name a place where we can meet...and the time" bawing habol niya. Nabasa niya ba isip ko? Bigla ng bawi eh, just meet her sagot ng utak ko.

"May bagong open na resto near my place in BCG if you know it, Runner's Kitchen. But if not--" I know that resto " she interrupted me.

"We'll see each other then, early lunch"sagot ko and ended the call. No byes para alam niya inis pa rin ako.

- - -
Althea

Kinabukasan. Wala pang 9am nasa RK na ako, takang tulala ang mga kasama ko lalo na si Batchi na parang nakakita ng multo "Anong breakfast mo?"bati niya

"good morning, too...dpa nga ako kumain eh" sagot ko.

"Anong dinner mo kagabi?" Sunod na tanong niya. Kunot noo kong binalikan and answered "the usual, bakit?"

Ok, I get it, first time in the history of my work na pumasok ako ng ganito kaaga, sa branch pa ako pumunta.

"Bakit ka nga pala andito, dba dapat nasa main ka?"balik tanong ko sa kanya.

"Palibhasa...ewan sayo, wag ka nga magtanong...don't worry nasa main si Wila at Abby. Kailangan lang ako saglit dito" with irap na sagot niya. Nang irap pa talaga, patol ko kay Batchi sa isip ko.

Past 11am na and while I was unconsciously tapping the table I noticed someone opened the door. There I saw a face that I absentmindedly smiled and like something inside me felt relieved to see a face so familiar. Nakatitig lang ako ng dko alam kung gaano katagal, when suddenly Batchi passed my way to greet this lovely figure walking towards my direction.

"Hi Ms. Jade, not running today?"tanong ni Batchi, " Nope, I'm meeting someone" ngiti niyang sagot. Tulala lang akong naka tingin sa kanila, nagtataka.

"Oh, lunch date, I see" dagdag ni Batchi. Bakit parang kilalang kilala niya ang babaeng to. "Nope actually, messenger ako ngayon, no delivery girl pala." And she laughed and flashed that smile na lalong nagpa tulala sa akin. Nanlalamig ako, parang mahihimatay ako, dna ako makagalaw sa pwesto ko.

Bigla akong nagulat ng nagsalita si Batchi, "Hey Althea, ayos ka lang?" Tapik niya sa akin, nakalapit na pla siya. "Ha!?" Gulat kong sabi. Kita ko ang taka sa mukha ni Jade ng marinig ang pangalan kong tinawag ni Batchi "You're Athea?!"takang tanong pero may ngiting hindi ko mawari sa kanyang mga labi. Mas lalo akong naging tuod sa kinatatayuan ko. Lumalapit siya, pero napapahakbang ako paatras.

Nahihiya ako dahil nasigawan ko siya, pero bakit parang mas natatakot akong baka galit siya. Pero ngumiti siya, yon nga lang para kay Batchi ang ngiting yon. Pareho na silang malapit sa akin ng nagsalita ulit si Batchi "Kilala mo si Althea?" Napailing lang si Jade "actually, ngayon ko lang in person, nakausap ko na siya kagabi. Panyo girl?" Sabay baling sa akin, at biglaang nagtakip ng bibig si Batchi.

Napa lingon naman si Jade sa kanya "ikaw yong sumagot kagabi na friend ni Althea?" Tango lang nai sagot ni Batchi. Ang instantly nagbago ang expression niya at apologetically approached Batchi asking sorry while holding her hand "Sorry naging rude ako sa yo, Batchi!" Hinging paumanhin niya...iiling iling naman si Batchi sabay sabing "Ayos lang yon, naintindihan kita ikaw ba naman pagsalitaan at pagkamalan ng ganon dba!?" sabay tingin sa akin as per saying o ikaw naman magsalita.

I was so overwhelmed with the feeling so alien to me, strange and weird. Indescribably that I don't know what to say. "A-about last night, Ahm I-I am, so sorry Ms. Jade" utal kong sabi. Kailan pa ako nautal sa harap ng babae. Gosh, I always make the first move. Say the first words and flash that sweet smile that attracts them to me.

Jade suddenly step a little closer to me and look into my eyes and said " Apology accepted, for the sake of your friend" sabay tapik sa braso ko smiling, nagulat pa ako. Pero nagbago ang tingin niya when a look of concern registered on her face. I froze when I felt her palm in may face, "are you alright, namumutla ka ah". And there, I felt my knees weaken as I closed my eyes and felt the warmth of her hand. She quickly grabbed me by the waist and held my hand "Easy" she said while Batchi got to my other side and they lead me to sit.

I placed my hands and cover my face and remember Jade's hand in my face earlier. It was so sudden yet I felt calm with the warmth of her touch.

I stayed bowed down, not wanting to look up to see her.
Afraid of this new feeling that's making me weak and I felt like I'm dying inside.