After the "CUT!"

Soy Latte

Maine finished steeping the tea she will be taking home before walking over to where Belle is.

It's been an extra busy day at the coffee shop and it doesn't help that she's been on double duty the whole day to cover for the other staff who can't make it to work.

She had to multi-task as a cashier and barista that's why she just can't wait to take off her apron, drink some tea, and relax.

"One extra-hot soy latte for...err Bae!" Maine heard her buddy Belle shout from the bar, "Latte at the bar for Bae."

Ah bakit hindi lumalapit si pogi?

Maine waited for a couple of minutes, but nobody came forward to claim the drink.

"Huy girl! Walang kumukuha nung kape!"

"Alin sorry?"

Sige girl, school of maang-maangan. Inabangan mo kaya na tawagin yang pangalan ni Bae. Ano inarte pa?

"Lutang lang girl? Yun soy latte, walang nagcclaim. Sure ka ba sa name na nasulat mo?

Sure na sure. Bae na Bae kaya siya sa Bes.

"Patingin nga ako..." Maine took the cup from Belle to double check what she wrote, "Ah si Bae? Ayun oh... yun si kuya dimple, yun nakaupo sa may sulok."

Yung pogi na maputi na matangkad na kahit na sa harap ko lang eh naamoy ko pa din sa bango. Yung tipo ng pogi na ipapakilala mo sa magulang. Yung tipo ng pogi na inaasawa. Yung tipo ng pogi na alam mong masasaktan ka lang sa huli kasi mukhang may siyota na. Masaquette!

His dimple was the first thing she noticed when he walked up to her to give out his order. It was a little bit noisy in the shop when he was ordering, she's not sure if she heard his name right - that and she was busy ogling at his dimple too.

"Dalhin ko na lang sa kanya, off na din naman ako. Hatid ko lang bago ako umalis."

Ayan sige, landi muna bago off sa trabaho. Panindigan mo yan.

"Aysus ayan tayo eh. Oh siya sige, eto tsaa mo! Dalhin mo na din, pogi si kuya at alone... samahan mo na din." Belle winked at her and handed another cup to Maine.

"Baliw."

Pero pwede din. Awra, Nicomaine! Alone nga siya ano? baka galing sa break-up at kailangan ng shoulder to cry on. Hello pogi, I am ready for you. Cry all you want. Unli!

Chuckling, Maine grabbed both cups and made her way over to where Bae is seated to personally deliver his coffee. She cleared her throat to get Bae's attention and extended her hand holding the coffee to him.

"Hello! I'm just here to bring you your coffee, extra-hot sir."

Ano ba girl?!

"I mean extra-hot coffee... but I'm not saying that you're not hot, because you are."

Puta strike two!

"Hotter than this coffee pa I think."

Strike three, and you're out!

And only after her three blunders did Maine have the audacity to actually blush while Bae is just looking at her, trying to hide his amused smile. "I am not making sense, huh? Sorry sorry... anyway, coffee niyo po sir."

Gising girl, ano na? Pa-demure muna dapat diba? Yung pabebe ng slight, tapos konting landi lang. Bakit may pagsuko agad ng Bataan?

"Uhh thanks for bringing this over, hindi mo kailangan ihatid though."

Siyet nagsmile! Mas pogi si sir ng nakangiti. Lahat ihahatid ko sayo pogi, pati sarili ko ihahatid ko sayo. Sa bahay mo. Now na. Or mamayang gabi. Or kahit kailan mo gustuhin.

"Kanina pa kasi tinatawag yun name mo sa bar, baka lumamig na yun kape mo."

Sayang naman ang extra-hot. Pero ok lang din, kahit na malamig na kape mo... extra-hot ka pa din.

"Ah sorry. Hindi ko ata narinig..." Bae took the cup from Maine and frowned when he saw the name written in the cup. "Uhm... are you sure this is mine? It says Bae in the cup."

"Yes I'm yours... wait I mean its yours."

Ano Nicomaine, hindi ka titigil sa kakalandi? Yours agad? Ayaw mo magpaligaw? Ayaw mo ng flowers, chocolates, at teddy bear? Ay tumatawa ang loko, siyet panty ko natunaw na sa sa tawa niya.

"Ah ok thank you... Maine."

Ang lambot ng kamay oh. Mawweirdohan ba siya sa akin kung aamuyin ko yun kamay na nahawakan niya. Pero teka wait, thank you na daw. Awra na girl. Asa ka pa ba na aalukin ka niya ng upuan eh nag-thank you na. Parang babye na din yun. Pero teka wait alam niya ang pangalan ko, baka chinecheck out niya din ako. Gaga, binigay ko nga pala kanina nun kinuha ko yun order - 'Hi I'm Maine, may I take your order?' pa nga diba?

"... by the way.... are you getting off?"

Ano daw? Getting off? Would you like to get me off? Hello gutter!

"Wait what?"

Ang bilis naman ni Bae, may 'getting off' na agad na ganap. Hindi mo pa nga kinukuha ang numero at address ng bahay ko eh. Dalagang Pilipina ako noh, may puri at dangal na pinapangalagaan, wag po... pero pweds din.

"You are one funny girl who just can't concentrate no?" Bae is now full blown laughing at her while gesturing at the seat opposite his. "I said thank you for the coffee, and it was noisy kanina... you must've misheard my name. I saw you take off your apron so I assumed you're on break or you're off already... and I can use some company... you know someone to talk to over coffee."

Ay assumerang frog, yun pala ibig niyang sabihin. Sayang. Pero just in case, I can take off more than the apron you know. At company daw, hire mo na ba ako kuya? Pwede kita ipagtimpla ng kape or tsaa or pwede din ako. Oh yez, for you ititimpla ko ang sarili ko.

"Yes I'm off. I prefer tea though. But coffee is good too, or maybe I'll just have you."

Or you can have me, or bahala na. Ieeehh landii. Pero seriously... coffee at tea lang ba ang choices? Tumawa nanaman siya, ano na bes? Tutunawin mo na lang ba ako sa pag-ngiti at pag-tawa mo? Paano na ang future? Ang mga anak natin? Paano na?

"You're really funny. Come on take a seat. Join me. By the way, the name's Jay not Bae."

"Huh, what?"

Ano daw uli yun? Not listening ka na naman sa listahan. Kasi naman yang dimple na yan, Mariana's trench ang lalim. Ang sarap magswimming. Ang hirap mag-concentrate!

"I said my name is Jay."

Maine took the offered seat and sweetly smiled, "Yeah, I actually heard you the first time."

//

AN: So here's my sabaw entry to AMACon4 Day 4 drabble. And because I'm tamad, this is like hitting two birds with one stone na din.

Hi beebraver, remember your prompt about M not hearing A's name and instead wrote Bae in the cup. Eto na po ang matabang na nasobrahan sa tubig na kape. hahaha.

Prompt: Coffee, Tea, or Me