The (not so) Sweet Serendipity

15.3

I opened the door.

And to my relief.

"Tangina naman Kenneth."

"O, bakit ganyan itsura mo? Were you expecting someone else?"

"Gaga, tinakot mo 'ko! Anong oras na, anong ginagawa mo dito?"

He showed me what he brought. Pizza and beer. "Valeen told me about this morning and I wanted to see you for myself. Sana okay lang kila tita, medyo late na rin eh."

Natatawa nanaman ako, jusko marinig lang pangalan ni Val. "Ano ka ba, walang problem sa mga yun. Tara pasok. Ito ba yung kay Jerald? Alam mo na ba yung tungkol dun sakanila?" I let Kenneth in. He laughed with me.

"Oo, pero bago ko lang rin nalaman. Nagulat nga ako eh." We settled down sa dining room. "Pero teka kasi, hindi yun yung pinunta ko. Si Richard at Louise kasi."

Hay my friends. "Kayo ni Valeen talaga pag-uuntugin ko na eh."

"Seryoso kasi Maine."

I was tempted to tell him that before he came, Richard actually texted me. But no, I don't know why I didn't. At the same time, since Kenneth was here, I wasn't able to reply. But then again, honestly, I don't really know what or how to reply to his message. So I'm glad Kenneth is here to keep me busy.

"Ano ba, seryoso nga ako. Labas naman ako dun. Tsaka parang di ka pa nasanay sa dalawang yun." It was true. They break up but they just go back together again.

"Well, that is true. Pero wala lang, kasi syempre may reunion and all. Gusto ko naman happy ka sa reunion natin."

"Alam mo, ang OA ninyo ha. I am still looking forward to the reunion. Walang magbabago. And besides, feeling ko talaga hindi totoo yun."

"Paano mo naman nasabi na hindi totoo?"

"Well, kanina after namin mag kita ni Val, pauwi na dapat ako tapos nung paglabas ko ng restaurant, nagulat ako kasi papasok naman si Louise, grabe yung timing diba. Tapos mukhang okay naman siya. Nag hi pa nga ako eh. Nagulat siya na nag hi ako pero nag hi rin naman siya. Tapos ayun lang sabi ko see you sa reunion tapos umalis nako."

Parang nagulat si Kenneth pero he agreed with me in the end, "Ahh ganun ba. Okay naman pala. That's nice. Pero grabe ha, talagang nakita mo pa si Louise."

"Actually. Pinapagtripan ata ako ng timing eh." Natatawa kong sinabi but Kenneth didn't know how much timing was playing its tricks on me. And I will know soon that timing wasn't finished.

It was almost midnight, when Kenneth said he would go ahead. Hinatid ko siya palabas, beso tapos umalis na siya. I was supposed to close the door already when tangina para akong nakakita ng aswang. Richard was in his car, 2 houses down, just looking at me. I'm 100% sure it was him. Then he drove off.

Okay, did that just happen? I took out my phone, contemplating whether to call him or send him a text but stopped myself. I mean, what the hell is going on?

I decided to drop it and just sleep it off.