Love Gamble

Chapter 48: First Meeting

Leonard's POV

•••Three years ago•••

"Hey Nickson! Saan mo ba kasi hinagis 'yung ballpen ko?" Napakamot ng noo si Andrei habang naghahanap sa daanan. "Favorite ball pen ko 'yon!"

Napairap ako at tumayo nang maayos mula sa pagkakasandal sa kotse. I walked towards him. "It's just one f*cking pen, Andrei. You can buy millions of it!"

Sinamaan naman ako ng tingin ni Andrei and continued looking for it. Argh. Minsan talaga napakakuripot ng isang 'to.

"It's just one f*cking pen for you, Nickson but for me, it's more than that." Seryosong sabi niya.

Napabuntong hininga ako at tinulungan na rin siyang maghanap. "What's very important about that pen?"

"Bigay 'yun ni Daddy pagkauwi niya galing France. Sabi niya I can use that pen to write down all my plans in life."

I sighed again. Well, I can't blame hin though if he feels that way. He badly misses his father. Tsk.

We continued searching for it for how many minutes. "I'm thirsty." I said. "Bibili lang ako ng tubig."

Hindi ko na siya hinintay na magsalita at naglakad na papunta sa tindahang nadaanan namin kanina lang.

"Excuse me?" I said to catch the attention of the owner.

"Ano 'yun?" Asked a woman, I think, in her mid-50s.

"Ahm, I want to buy two bottles of water please." I said.

Napatango-tango ang babae. "Ay Englishero ka gayam." Rinig kong sabi niya sabay talikod para kumuha ng tubig.

Ahh, what did she just say?

Bumalik siya at inilabas ang dalawang bote ng tubig. "Here ser. Enjoy your water!"

Tumango lang ako at binigay ang isang libong piso.

Taka siyang tumingin sa'kin. "Aniya atoy? Maysa nga ribo? Eh wala ka bang barya diyan iho? Thirty pesos lang."

Umiling ako. I didn't understand the half of what the hell she said, though.

Napakamot siya ng ulo. "Oh sige. Saglit lang at kukuha lang ako ng panukli." Pumihit siya patalikod para kumuha ng panukli.

My attention shifted to the left side where tricycle drivers are talking.

"Oh ano nang nangyari kela Bernie?"

"Okay na sila. Nakahanap na ng permanenteng tirahan si Bernie."

"Ayos naman kung gano'n. 'Di na sila mahihirapan na magpalipat-lipat."

Hindi ko na rin naintindihan ang mga sunod nilang pinag-usapan. I'm not familiar with that kind of language.

Napako naman ang tingin ko sa may kabilang kalsada. Napakunot ako ng noo nang may makitang naglalakad na babaeng mag-isang naglalakad. Nakauniform ito. I don't know what school has that kind of uniform.

I don't know but my attention suddenly focused on her. I also noticed na parang tulala siya habang naglalakad. Papatawid din siya papunta rito.

"Beeeeepp!"

Everything happened really fast. I found myself running towards her just to grab her arm and hug her tightly... to save her from being hit by that f*cking car.