“Wait dude. Inlove ka?” Derrick asked Sam. Maqui elbowed me and she smiled at me sheepishly.
“Yeah. Been in a relationship for 4 years now.” bigla namang nagbago ang expression ni Maqui. I looked at her and she mouthed an ‘I’m sorry’ to me.
“Ooooh!” sabay-sabay na sabi nina Sef, Gino, Derrick and Kris. Bigla namang napatingin si Sam sa akin.
“Oh no. I’m sorry, Julie. I-I didn’t know. Kasi they—“ Sam said.
“It’s okay Sam. Di din naman ako naghahanap eh. Sila lang problemado sa lovelife ko.” I said. I looked at Elmo and he was grimacing. Problema nun? Parang baliw. “Uhm… Anyway, blow mo
na yung candle, muppet!” I said trying to shift everyone’s attention back to the birthday boy.
“You haven’t wished for me yet, bestfriend.” he said.
“Oo nga! Let’s hear it from Julie!!” Diva excitedly said. “Oh guys, quiet. Magwiwish na ang hilaw na girlfriend.” I looked at Diva and she raised her hands in mock surrender.
“Hm. Wish ko for y—“
“Ay wait! Ako na lang magwwish.” Elmo cut me off. “Hm. Sana bestfriend, mahanap mo na yung guy for you.” he said sabay akbay sa akin.
“Tsk. Birthday mo tapos para saken wish mo? Tanga ka talaga eno?” I said to him shrugging his arm away from my shoulder.
“Seryoso kasi, Jules. I just want you to be happy. And gusto ko, you’ll find the right guy before you turn 25. Hahaha.”
“May deadline talaga, Muppet?” I asked him. And everyone in the room laughed.
“Yeah. You want to be an old maid?” he asked me. Umiling naman ako. Syempre gusto ko din naman magkaron ng family ko no. “Good. Kaya wag na aangal. You still have 2 years.” and he winked at me before he blew out the candle.
*****
I was preparing to go to sleep when the doorbell rang.
“Seriously? At 2am?” I asked. I went downstairs and opened the door.
“Manager!!” my visitor cried and even embraced me.
“Oh. Medyo madaling araw na Elmo ano pang ginagawa mo dito?” I asked. Baliw talaga to eh.
Di ata uso tulog dito sa mokong na to.
“Wala. It’s still my birthday and I want to chill lang with you. Look! I brought ice cream!!” He said and showed me 2 pints of our favorite ice cream flavors.
I went to the kitchen to get cookies and 2 teaspoons and went back to the sala where Elmo is already lying on the sofa.
“Psst. Feet off the table.” I said. He removed his feet and sat up straight. I sat beside him and he immediately opened the box of cookies I have in hand. Tapos he crumbled them and sprinkled them over our ice cream.
“So bakit napadalaw ka? Thought you and Lauren will go home?” I asked as I eat a spoonful of ice cream.
“Ha! She wished!” He answered. Suddenly, his phone vibrated. “Wait. May nagtext.” sabi niya.
“Sino yan? Si Lo?” I asked while looking at his phone.
“No. This is different. Listen, ‘Happy birthday, handsome. Wanna spend your birthday on my bed?’ Bwahahahahaha. Yuck!” We both laugh at how gross that text is.
“Seriously Elmo? Ganyan mga babae mo?” I asked him. “Yuck! Ano yang mga yan? Katawan lang habol sayo? Hahahaha.” I said.
“Tss. Wala naman akong paki sa kanila. Ikaw lang talaga iniisip ko dito eh.” He said. Napatingin ako sa kanya and he looked pretty serious. “Listen, Jules…” sabi niya habang kinukuha ang ice cream pint sa akin and placing it on the table. “Seryoso ako kanina.”
