CHAPTER 17
JOYCE POV
It’s Friday night so shift namin ni Lexi sa coffeeshop.
May napapansin ako kay Lexi. Parang ang tahimik niya these past few days. It’s so unlike her! Hindi naman siya nagsasabi kung ano problema niya, which is also unlike her. So I decided to ask her instead.
Joyce: Sis, tahimik natin ah. Are you ok?
Lexi: Ha? Yup. I’m ok.
Joyce: You sure?
Lexi: Yes! Does it look like something’s wrong with me?!
Joyce: Ok, relax! You're so high-strung. Sabi mo eh. Sigurado ka ha?
Lexi: Joyce! Ang kulit! Wala nga po akong problema!
Joyce: Ok. Just making sure.
Knowing Lexi…I counted up to five…1…2…3…4…
Lexi: Sis…
5…Sabi ko na eh ! Hindi niya matitiis hindi sabihin whatever is bugging her.
Joyce: Yep?
Lexi: Joyce, I don’t know what to do.
Joyce: Why? Kwento mo na kasi.
Lexi: It’s about Rick….
Joyce: What about Rick?
Lexi: Remember the time when he gave me flowers?
Joyce: Oo naman. Ang saya mo kaya nun diba? Grabe, ang sweet din pala ni Rick no? He got you bigtime Lex!
Lexi: Yun ang problem.
Joyce: Ha? Why?
Lexi: I don’t know how to react to that. Sanay kasi ako na deadma lang siya. Eh baka mamaya mag-expect siya.
Joyce: Expect what? I don’t get it.
HIndi siya sumasagot.
Joyce: Expect ng ano?
After a long pause...
Lexi: I don’t know how to be sweet! There is no sweet bone in my body! There I’ve said it!
HIndi ko napigilan ang sarili ko. Natawa ako kay Lexi.
Joyce: That’s what’s been bothering you these past few days? Haha! …..Uy Lex!
Oh my god! She’s serious! Naiiyak na siya!
Joyce: Are you serious? Lexi, you don’t need to pretend to be sweet kung naging sweet man si Rick sa iyo.
This time, umiiyak na talaga siya!
Joyce: Uy Lexi! Hala! Why are you crying? It’s ok sis.
Lexi: (in between sobs) Eh kasi hindi ako sweet. Paano if maghanap siya ng ibang babae na kasing-sweet niya? Hindi ko ata kakayanin yun.
This sounds serious.
Joyce: Lexi…are you…falling for…Rick?
Lexi: (still crying) Obvious na ba ako?
If Lexi wasn’t crying I might actually find this situation funny. Naaalala ko kasi yung sinabi ni Lexi before na pahihirapan niya si Rick tapos biniro ko pa siya na baka mapaso siya sa mga sinasabi niya. It’s actually happening!
Joyce: Sis, it’s ok. Finally, nain-love ka na din. Diba matagal mo na sinasabi sa akin na gusto mo ng someone special in your life? Ayan na siya, si Rick. What’s the problem with that?
Lexi: Hindi ko alam.
Joyce: Nagustuhan ka nga ni Rick kahit na sobrang nagger ka eh. I mean he likes you for who you are. You don’t have to change anything about you. You don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not. If you’re uncomfortable being sweet, bakit mo pipilitin diba?
Lexi: Ang weird ko na! Hindi naman ako ganito dati diba? Nakakainis!
Joyce: Ganyan talaga pag in-love.
Lexi: Sa tingin mo ok lang if I continue to be like what I am now?
Joyce: Oo naman. Pero it wouldn’t hurt if sometimes you get out of your comfort zone for someone you care about. As long as it’s within reason ha.
Lexi: Ok, I’ll try to remember that. Thank you ha.
Joyce: Ok lang yan. We'll talk some more pagdating sa house. O sige na, punta ka na sa station mo. Counter ka diba ?
Lexi : Uhmm, Joyce...pwede ba palit tayo ? Dito muna ko sa stockroom, dun ka na lang muna sa counter. It’s kinda awkward for me eh. Di pa ko ready to face him.
Hmmm...Why does this scene seem familiar?
Joyce: Sige na. Ako na sa counter. Magtago ka na lang dito.
Lexi: Thank you sis. Love you.
I hugged her. In love talaga si Lexi kay Rick. I’m so happy for my bestfriend.
