5AM and we're ready to go. Hindi naman ganoon kalayo ang uni, mga two hour drive. Malas na lang kapag traffic.
"Take away Pizza for breakfast?! You're crazy, James." He just smirked as we passed by a drive-thru counter.
Past eight na nang nakarating kami sa uni. Dami kasing pasikot sikot na pinuntahan nito ni James. "Saglit lang ha. Just enjoy yourself around."
Napansin ko lang na natagalan na ako noong nagtext si James na may kukunin lang siya. Siguro mga three hours din bago ako natapos. Dami kasing pinaasikaso tapos medyo mahaba na yung line because it's the last day of submission. At least, natapos ako before lunch break!
Bumalik ako sa kung saan kami huling nagkita ni James. He arrived about ten minutes later. "Done with your errands, D?"
"Yup." And he proudly showed me an envelope printed with 'Confidential file for Mr. Davidson'. Binuksan niya ito at pinakita niya sa akin ang diploma niya.
"I didn't had a chance to walk during graduation so I'm just having this now." Sa nakasulat sa diploma niya, he's a graduate of BA Business Economics two years ago. The same course I was supposed to take up! To be honest, di ko inakalang nagaral pala 'to.
"Busy?"
"Had a tour, yeah." That alone tells it. Super nabusy siguro siya.
He drove away. Ang layo. Feeling ko we're heading to Manchester or somewhere Northern England. I'm enjoying the view beside the expressway. Even though the sky is getting pretty dark at three in the afternoon. The trees and other plantations are so obviously healthy.
"Did you see that?!"
"Bloody hell. Can you stop shouting? We're gonna get crashed!"
"Sorry. It was just a lightning. It was amazing! Bet it's going to rain."
"Really? I don't like lightnings."
Nakarating na kami sa isang vineyard. Sabi niya kasi mayroon daw mini-party yung isa sa bosses ng SyncUK and this is his share. Cheap no! Parang ako lang.
Ang dami niyang tinikman na wine at kumuha siya dito ng lima. Hindi pala siya cheap, the wines are expensive. Umulan ng malakas bago pa kami makalabas ng vineyard.
"I love the rain but definitely not the lightnings." He's staring outside the window na parang binibilang ang mga tubig na pumapatak. "Seeing them makes me worry bout what it's going to hit."
"But haven't you thought about the reason for that effect is how the positive and the negative electrons collide. Those two things that are exactly opposite makes something that has a great impact and importance to others."
"What are its importance?"
"Uh. It helps in the nitrogen cycle?" Feeling ko sinakyan na lang niya yung sinabi ko. Di ko din naintindihan sinabi ko eh.
"I haven't thought of it actually. Opposite attracts, I see. They're just like us." ... "Uhm, well it doesn't erase the fact that it might hurt somebody, still scary."
I used to be afraid of them. Pero noong nagkaroon ako ng mga kapatid at sila naman ang natakot, tinatawanan ko na lang yun.
It's natural. You don't have to be afraid of it kasi it's somehow a gift. It comes naturally.
"Cover your ears, James." I made him look at the strikes. "Is it still scary?" He shook his head as his answer of disapproval. "Maybe you're just scared of what you think it is. Maybe you're scared of what you hear it is."
"Like rumours." He smiled faintly at the thought. "People thought I was on drugs. Guess I was so depressed that it came to the point I looked high. Fans and parents of the younger ones slightly backed away." And that's where I enter. The management tried to persuade him to date girls but he doesn't want to. He went on charities instead, but it didn't made such a buzz to erase his stained image.
Gladly the rain stopped and we made it in time to the party. Hindi ako nainform na parang may red carpet something pa pala 'to!
"All smiles for the cameras, Beatrice. You probably don't want to get ugly on HD."
We posed for a few pictures together. His hand made its way onto my waist noong papasok na kami sa lobby.
Jelly legs activated.
