In The Arms Of An Angel (ON HOLD)

Chapter 19

"Good morning, beshie! How was your sleep?!" Dei cheerfully greeted Valerie who trudged into their kitchen looking like she just came back from the dead.

"Bes, I love you pero pwede bang pakibawasan muna ng konti ang energy mo this morning at hindi ko kinakaya. Parang sinusuntok ang ulo ko dahil sa hangover..." As she walked slowly towards the kitchen counter to get the cup of brewed coffee that Dei prepared for her.

"Eh, ikaw ba naman ang halos umagahin sa bar kasama ng barkada paano ka di mahahangover! Ni di ko na nga namalayan ano oras ka na nakauwi at sino naghatid sayo." She reprimanded her friend as she placed plates of rice, eggs and bacon on the table in front of Valerie who immediately perked up upon smelling the breakfast in front of her.

"Well, to answer your indirect question, 12 midnight lang ako umuwi which is still quite early sa standards natin at si Papa Uno ang naghatid sa akin dito. Umasa kasi syang gising ka pa para makapagkwentuhan kayo kaso dead to the world ka na pagsilip ko sa room mo." Valerie helped herself to the food in front of her while Dei sipped her own cup of coffee.

"Medyo napagod kasi ako sa photoshoot natin kahapon kaya natulog ako ng maaga..." She reasoned out.

"Sa studio lang tayo nagshoot, ah! Saka napapansin ko syo lately lagi ka nang hyper sa maghapon. Parang sobrang inspired ka ngayon samantalang parang kailan lang halos di ka makafocus sa work. Bipolar lang ang peg, bes?!" Dei threw the crumpled paper towel she was using to wipe her hands with on Valerie who was hit square in the forehead.

"Loka! Kung anu ano ang napapansin mo. Pag malungkot ako super affected ka. Pag masaya ako affected ka pa rin. Sino kaya ang bipolar sa atin nun?! She retaliated.

"Okay, fine. Ikaw na masaya. Ikaw na inspired. Ang tanong ano or sino ang nagpapasaya sa iyo? May bago ka bang crush na di ko alam? At bakit lagi ka ng nagmamadaling umuwi sa gabi at maaga ka nagkukulong sa room mo? Ikaw beshie ang dami mo nang secrets sa akin, ah! Nakakatampo na.." And Valerie crossed her arms in front of her as Dei tried to hide her reddening cheeks.

"Alam mo ikaw, Val. Issue ka. Lahat na lang may opinyon ka. Kumain ka na nga lang dyan. Akala ko ba may hangover ka?" Dei took the newspaper on top of the table and opened it to hide from her bestfriend's hawk-like eyes.

"Bes, concern lang naman ako saýo. Magtutwenty-three ka na wala ka pa ring lovelife. Di ko alam kung masyado ka lang choosy or may hinihintay ka na special someone. Andyan naman si Papa Uno na super tyaga sa paghihintay na maging ready ka emotionally. Ano pa ba ang hahanapin mo?" Valerie was waving her fork in the air as she was saying these. Dei just kept on hiding behind the newspaper she is pretending to read.

Valerie's comments reminded her of her so called "relationship" with Richard. She is now filled with an overwhelming urge to share with her bestfriend at least a portion of their situation to sort of lighten her burden. She slowly put down the newspaper she was holding and intently regarded her friend who was busy now with her phone . She called Valerie's attention before she chickened out again.

"Val, may tanong ako..."She waited for her friend to look up from tinkering with her mobile phone before continuing.

"Will you find it very strange kung ikukwento ko sa iyo na may napapanaginipan ako na isang lalaki pero hindi ko pa naman siya talaga kakilala in the actual sense of the word?" Dei blurted out. Valerie scrunched her face in confusion.

"What do you mean hindi kakilala in the actual sense of the word? Ano parang artista or celebrity na di mo personal na kilala pero pinagpapantasyahan mo, ganoin?"Val asked to try to clarify things.

"Well, sort of pero...basta something like that but much more complicated. Ang hirap lang ipaliwanag. I have never really met him as a person pero parang ang tagal na naming magkakilala. Alam mo yun? Nakakasama ko lamang sya sa panaginip ko these past few nights pero parang close na kami sa isa't isa. Like I'm always looking forward to sleeping at night kasi alam ko na magkikita kami uli. Masaya din ako paggising kasi nakasama ko sya kahit sa panaginip lang. Kaya nyang buuin ang araw ko kahit sa panaginip lang kami nagkakausap. Ganun. Ang gulo ba?" She paused for breath then looked at her friend's pensive face who stabbed at the bacon on her plate with her fork, put the whole strip into her mouth and then chewed thoughtfully.

"Bes, ano ang tinira mo kagabi bago ka matulog? Ung totoo?" Valerie asked with a serious face. Dei whacked her behind the head lightly in frustration.

"Puro ka kalokohan, Val!" She got her cup of coffee again to take a sip. Valerie pouted at her.

"Aray, ha! Ikaw kaya itong kung anu anong weird things ang pinagsasasabi tapos ako ang babatukan mo?! " Val rubbed the back of her head as she got her fork back to continue her meal.

"Val, seryoso kasi ako..."

"Teka, gurl...gwapo ba itong dream guy mo? Artistahin? Hunky?" Valerie asked her while wiggling her eyebrows mischievously. Dei blushed crimson. She opted not to indulge her friend with an answer which made Valerie laugh out loud.

"So wala ka talagang maiooffer na matinong words of wisdom or advise para sa akin?" She persisted. She is really desperate for any advise that may help her in her present predicament with Richard. Valerie tried hard to pull a straight face before speaking again.

"O etong seryosong komento, Bes. Baka naman way lang iyan ng subconscious mo para sabihin sa iyo na ready ka nang mainlove for real. Na handa na ang heart at mind mo for a real romantic relationship...pak! ganoin!" Valerie clapped her hand together to applaud herself.

"Talaga ba?" Dei was not quite convinced but she filed that thought nevertheless in her head.

"Bes, alam mo ba kung ano ang tingin ko na dapat mong gawin?"Valerie asked.

"A-ano? " She waited with bated breath for her friend's suggestion.

"Sa tingin ko kulang ka pa sa tulog...matulog ka ulit." Then Valerie went back to attacking her breakfast with gusto.