"Bes, do you think Gene loves me for real?"
I was inside my office with Vannah. Nasa flowershop kami at lunch break kaya nasa loob ng opisina kami. Nagpa deliver nalang ako ng lunch namin since hindi ako nakapagluto.
Paano, early ko pa hinatid si Elvis sa airport. Six months itong mawawala at sa Cali magse-stay for business. Gusto kong malungkot pero pakiramdam ko sanay na din ako. Ganito naman kami palagi e. Common na sa amin ang long distance.
"Bes!"
I was back to reality with Vannah snapping at me.
"Sorry?"
"Ang sabi ko, tingin mo mahal talaga ako ni Gene? Yeah, she brings me flowers and she dates me. But I think something's odd with her."
It has been two weeks since nang gabing nastranded sila ni Vannah sa bahay ko. Based on Vannah's story, she's alone in that bar, drinking herself out to death nang may mambastos daw dito. She's so wasted, kaya hindi rin daw niya alam anong nangyari. Ang huling naalala lang daw niya, karga na daw siya ni Gene.
Kahit papaano, dapat pa rin kaming magpasalamat kay Gene. If she's really that asshole, she won't waste time to soak herself in the wetness of the rain na dala ang kaibigan ko.
Color-coded kasi pala ang kotse ng dalawa kaya nag-taxi nalang ang mga ito. Vannah was the one to answer the taxi driver's question regarding the address na pagdadalhan sa kanila kaya sa bahay ko sila napunta.
Though I'm not really sure if it's a good thing, really.
After that night, hindi na kami nagkita pang muli ni Gene. O mas tamang sabihing iniiwasan kong makita siya, kahit pa sabihing kasama niya si Vannah.
It doesn't feel right at all.
"Hey! You're spacing out!"
Bigla naman akong nanumbalik sa reyalidad.
"Sorry. What was that again?" I uttered. Trying so hard to give my full attention to my bestfriend.
"C'mon, hindi maghahanap ng iba si Elvis! Parang kakaalis lang kanina nung tao e."
"I'm not thinking about him."
"Then who are you thinking about?"
Bahagya akong nagkibit ng balikat para huwag na itong magtanong pa. After all, I shouldn't be making this a big deal.
Magsasalita pa sana ito nang tumunog ang phone nito. A smile eagerly plastered on her face upon knowing the caller. Mabilis nitong sinagot ang tawag.
"Yes babe?"
Napayuko ako nang marecognize ko kung sino ang tumawag.
"Yeah. I'm with Sab. Dito kami sa flowershop. Yes, of course. I'll wait for you."
She's all smiles when she put down her phone. Halatang ang saya ng kaibigan ko kay Gene.
Gene.
"Bes, pupunta daw dito si Gene. Tinanong kung naglunch na daw ako. Baka namiss niya ako. Gosh, I'm so happy bes!"
Sparks and hearts were all over her eyes. Sino ba ako para pigilan ang kaligayahan ng kaibigan ko? This is not the first time na naging ganito siya kasaya, pero this time I know it's different.
Gene is different.
"Really? That's good bes."
That's all I could say. Wala na rin naman akong masabi pang iba. Minutes later, hindi na magkaundagaga si Vannah sa pag-aayos ng opisina. Mamaya nalang daw kami kumain pagdating ni Gene.
