Slobby Firsts

#36

The next few days were all about training and academics. Malapit na kasing matapos ang second quarter. The exam had been scheduled on the week before the semestral break which also happened to fall on the second week of October.

The last day of September fell on a Saturday. It was Kim's birthday so Mika and I decided to bring her out. Pero dahil wala naman kaming ibang mapuntahan at pabalik-balik na lang kami sa mall na favourite place namin ever, nag-suggest si Mika na sa Coffee Bay na lang kami mag-celebrate ng birthday ng pinakamamahal naming Dora.

"Bakit sa Coffee Bay?" Tanong ko noong nag-aabang na kami papunta doon mula sa mall.

"Masarap naman kape nila ha." Mika commented. "Saka maganda yung view dun para sa paningin mo." Sabi niya at nag-gesture pa ng binoculars.

"Enebe..." Kinikilig ko na sabi. "Baka mahalata nung Barista." On duty si Pong ngayon dahil sabado.

"Hindi niya mahahalata." She said sweetly as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Kasi manhid din siya."

"HAHAHAHA!" I laughed.

"Yung totoo, sino yung may birthday sa ating tatlo?" Tanong ni Kim bigla na siya naman dahilan kung bakit kami natigil ni Mika at natawa pa lalo.

Hindi man lang namin tinanong ang opinion niya. Pasensya naman. Katwiran ni Mika ay kami naman ang magbabayad at manlilibre kay Kim kaya makisama na lang siya. We were happy as the larks when we arrived at the Coffee Bay.

Papasok pa lang napansin ko na agad na maraming mga kabataang babae ang nakapila sa counter. Akala ko si Miss Arra ang pinagkakaguluhan pero nagulat ako nang makita si Thomas doon. It was just Thomas. Ano kayang meron? The three of us occupied a seat beside the window.

"Grabe, ang dami atang tao ngayon." Kim noticed as we sat.

I looked around and noticed the same thing. Habang nag-iisip ng io-order, dumating naman si Arra. Hindi siya dumiretso sa office. She headed straight to our table to greet us.

"Hi Girls! Napadpad kayo dito ha." Nakangiti niyang sabi sa amin.

"Birthday ni Kim e." Mika told her.

"Oh my... Happy birthday, Kim!" Bati niya.

"Thanks, Miss Arra." Kimy said.

"Ako na bahala sa cake mo."

"WOOOOW. You're such an angel, Miss Arra!" Mika clapped her hand, her eyes twinkling. Nabawasan ang libre namin. May sasagot na nang cake ni Kim.

Arra chuckled angelically. "Hey don't mention it. At saka ano ba, stop calling me Miss you make me feel so old. Just call me, Arra."

"Thank you, Arra." Sagot naman ni Kim at Mika sa kanya.

Napatingin ako sa likod ni Arra at nakita si Thomas na panay ang ngiti sa mga kaharap niya sa counter habang kumukuha ng orders. Hindi ko alam pero I don't like this scenario. Napatingin ulit ako kay Arra, "Bakit ang daming tao ngayon? May libreng kape bang giveaway?" I asked hoping we could get more free stuff for Kim's birthday.

She turned a little as she glanced back to the cashier. "No. We don't have freebies today. Simula nung last week ng August, palagi nang ganito ang eksena nang shop every Saturday."

"Bakit naman?" Tanong ni Kim. "Parang may rasyon ng relief goods dito." Turo niya sa pila na mas lalo pa atang humaba in just a span of few seconds.