"Abuela, sigurado ka ba na yun lang ang paraan?"
Maine recalled back to the conversation she had with her grandmother. She wanted to reverse the effects of the potion. She needed to be sure that what she and Alden had was out of their free will and not because of some magic she screwed up.
Thing is, she didn't know that the reversal potion would be just as gross.
As instructed, she cooked with the same ingredients, except the hairs, but added the items into the water in reverse order. Once that was done, she had to add... her sweat or saliva. "Pero, mas maganda kung laway," said her grandmother.
Yuck.
But, if she wanted to make sure that this was real, then she had to reverse the potion's effect.
Deciding on the lesser of two evils, she gathered enough sweat and added it to the brew.
*
He brought her favorite flowers when he picked her up from her area. Everyone whispered and giggled upon seeing their dashing Finance head act like a schoolboy on his first date.
Alden made sure that they went to a place they both liked, and kept the conversation going. He knew that something was up, but couldn't get her to open up. "Are you okay? Masama ba yung pakiramdam mo? Tahimik ka?"
"Okay lang ako, don't worry. Sorry ha? Boring talaga akong kausap eh."
He frowned but said nothing.
Once their food arrived, he excused himself to take an important phone call. She took the opportunity to add her new brew to his drink.
"Ano yan?"
Maine looked up to see that Alden was back. "Uhm... ano... magic sarap?"
"Sa inumin?"
She said nothing.
"Maine, what's going on?"
"Alden, ano kasi..."
It was time to come clean.
But first, she called the waiter, "Sir, can we get another glass of his drink. Please change this."
*
"Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. Yung pinainom mo sa akin weeks ago, that was gayuma?" Alden asked.
"Yes," she admitted. "It was supposed to be for Kaye's friend but apparently I mixed up the hair strands and added mine instead of hers. Kaya ka patay na patay sa akin. Dahil sa gayuma."
He suppressed a chuckle. "Tapos itong nilagay mo tonight is to reverse it. Kasi?"
Maine sighed, "I wanted to know kung totoo ba tong nangyayari sa atin or dahil lang sa gayuma. So, I made a potion to reverse the old one and then see where it takes us."
Alden sat back.
"Hey, say something. Galit ka ba?" Maine said.
"Let me recap, para lang malinaw sa akin. Pinainom mo ako ng gayuma na napakasama ng lasa, tapos may buhok pa?"
"Yes," Maine said, cringing.
"Para ma-inlove ako sa taong wala naman akong interes at all?"
"Yes."
"Pero dine-date mo pa din ako?"
"Yes."
"Kasi?"
Maine started wringing the table napkin she was holding. "Hindi ko naman alam na magugustuhan kita."
He bit his lip. "Pero gusto mo naman mawala yung effect ng gayuma?"
"Para nga kasi alam natin kung totoo na 'to."
"But, pawis yung nilagay mo diyan. Sabi ng lola mo mas effective kapag laway di ba?"
"Uh. O - oo."
He called the waiter to get the bill. "Tara na, gawin mo ulit yung reverse potion but I know a better way to exchange spit."
She watched him lick his lips and she gulped. "Huy! Ang harot mo! Hindi kita ikikiss ha!"
Alden chuckled. "Okay. Akala ko makakalusot eh."
"Please, Alden? Inumin mo na. Gusto ko lang kasing makasigurado na hindi dahil sa gayuma lahat."
He was pensive, before he said, "Counted ba yun kung sinuka ko naman lahat?"
"Ha?!"
"Ang sama talaga ng lasa nung gawa mo at sinuka ko before my meeting," he informed her. "So, does that answer your question? I don't think your potion was a factor at all. Matagal na kitang gusto."
"Ha?!" Maine said with feigned innocence. "Talaga ba?"
"So, now that THAT's out of the way, where do we go from here?"
"Well," she licked her lips. "I have to admit I'm interested in your earlier proposition."
THE END
