It was a perfect morning. The breeze was cool and the sun was up, the kind of day's beginning that everyone would wish for.
Hey there. Pagbati ni Julie kay Elmo, her smile as bright as the rising sun.
Tumingin ito ng saglit sa kanya.
Hey. Tipid na sagot nito at pagkatapos ay umalis.
Napakunot-noo sya habang sinusundan ito ng tingin.
Anong problema nun?
.....
The day breezed by and it was already noontime. Again, the weather was perfect. It had became a little bit windy, just enough fan the heat of the sun away.
They had a fun lunch. May kwentuhan, tawanan, asaran. Everyone seemed to be in the mood. Except Elmo. He was tucked at the farthest corner of the table and seemed to not to care about anything that was being talked about. Napapansin din nyang tila umiiwas ito ng tingin sa kanya. As usual, nakanguso na naman ito at magkasalubong ang kilay.
To her, it felt like déjà vu. The first time she ever saw him was at Kuya Ben's coffeeshop and he wore that same sad, brooding expression. It was actually what she found attractive about him in the first place, his mysteriously dark aura which she thinks added so much to his good looks. Marami syang kakilalang lalakeng may itsura din but to her, they seemed to have the same character: self-assured, happy and predictable which she finds really uninteresting.
Elmo was something else. For her, he was like a human weather. Paiba-iba, pabago-bago, mahirap basahin at hulaan. He was a challenge. And she loves challenges.
.....
Nag-aayos sya ng mga gamit sa may backseat ng sasakyan nang marinig nya ang papalapit na mga yabag. She knew it was him. Even the sound of his footsteps had become familiar to her. She didn't bother to look up at pinagpatuloy ang ginagawa.
She heard him open the car door and then the sound of a lighted match. Alam nyang magyoyosi na naman ito.
She turned to face him. Hindi sya ngumiti dahil hindi sya segurado kung ano ang mood nito sa pagkakataong yun.
She leaned on her car and watched him puffing smoke.
Nakaka-relax ba talaga ang pagyoyosi? She asked rather casually dahilan para ibaling nito ang tingin sa kanya.
He only shrugged and blew another puff.
Have you ever thought about quitting? Dagdag-tanong nya. He looked bored but not angry kaya kampante syang tanungin ito.
He stared at her for a bit at biglang nag-alis ng tingin.
Oo. Maraming beses. Tipid na sagot nito as continued smoking.
Did you ever try to quit?
Yup.
Is it really that difficult to quit? I mean, may mga kakilala kasi akong smokers noon but they managed to successfully quit. Pagpaliwanang nya.
She saw him smile a little bit as though what she said was something funny.
I'm not planning to be a successful quitter, Julie. I love to smoke. I enjoy it. I don't have any good reason to quit either. Kibit-balikat nitong sagot sa kanya.
Bahagya nya itong nginitian.
What if...what if someone who's important to you begs you to quit? Would you?
Kumawala ito ng mahinang tawa.
I don't think that will happen, Julie. The most important people to me are dead and those who are still alive really don't mind me smoking at all.
She heaved a worried sigh.
I see.
Nagkunot-noo ito habang nakatingin sa kanya.
Wait, why are you asking me about these things? Does it bother you that I smoke?Diretsong tanong nito sa kanya.
She let out a sigh again and stared at him.
Oo, Elmo. Honestly, it bothers me.
Her answer somehow caught him off-guard because he stopped puffing and gave her a strange look. Pagkatapos ay tumawa ito.
Seriously, Julie. He paused a little bit na tila nag-iisip and then looked at her again.
You like me. Dagdag nito in a sure and very serious tone as he looked deep into her eyes.
She looked down for a moment to think at pagkatapos ay nag-angat ulit ng tingin to meet his gaze and let out a soft laugh.
Uhm...let's assume for a moment na mahalaga ako sa buhay mo, Elmo. And I'll tell you to quit. Will you at least try?
Ginantihan sya nito ng isang makahulugang tingin at natahimik. Nag-isip ulit, kumawala ng isang hingang-malalim at bahagyang ngumiti.
Words to live by, Julie. Never assume. Masasaktan ka lang.
