Ethan
I saw her a few more times at the office... pero nagtago ako. Kasi naman, baka pagkamalan na talaga akong stalker but I swear nagkakataon lang.
Our office kasi doesn't have a pantry on every floor, so kami nakikishare sa pantry sa floor nila. Funny na sa tinagal tagal ko dito, I never saw her until recently. Sabagay, ang laki naman kasi ng company namin.
One time nga, nakita ko siya pasakay sa elevator na kailangan ko din, but I lagged behind and took the next one nalang. Kaya lang, cute na cute na cute talaga ako sa kanya.
"Huy! Friday night ha?" My friend, Mina, reminded me.
"Ay, oo nga pala. Anong arrangement ulit?" I asked over the phone. Tinatamad kasi ako magtext because I was busy writing my note.
"Nagbook na ako ng table sa restaurant. Basta show up there and ask for the table under my name," she instructed.
I agreed to this blind date weeks ago and lately I've been feeling like I wanted to back out. "Ummm, Mina, pwede pa kayang mag-cancel? Parang ayoko nalang kasi -"
"Kasi? May gusto kang iba? Nako, baka kung sino sino na naman yan. Okay itong friend ko na ito, I trust this girl. Ito nalang. Give it a chance."
Hay nako. Kung hindi ko lang kababata itong si Mina, magcacancel talaga ako. "Fine. One date."
Once done, I went back to check the note:
For Laura, sorry again for getting your food the last time. Here's one of my specialties - Carbonara. - Ethan
*
I arrived early at the restaurant and decided to play a puzzle game on my phone while waiting. Maaga pa naman. Twenty minutes pa.
A few minutes later, I noticed that the staff stopped at my table. "Ma'am, here's your table po."
I looked up. Shit.
"Ethan?"
I smiled awkwardly. "Laura?"
"You're the one Mina set me up with?"
"Ummm I guess. Uh. Hi?"
She sat across me, looking fetching in an off shoulder blue dress, brown hair down in those wavy styles and very light makeup that accentuated her high cheekbones, slim nose and full lips. And, I don't know but, her eyes seemed to be bigger.
Ang ganda naman nito.
"I can't believe this," Laura said. "Grabe naman yung coincidence."
"Destiny."
"Shut up."
I laughed. "So, paano mo nakilala si Mina?"
"I met her an a... an event. Tapos kukunin sana namin yung services niya but... anyway... yun. Been friends since. You?"
"Kababata. Our moms are good friends and we live next to each other. They were so disappointed when we never got together, kaya lang Mina and I never thought about each other as anything other than siblings," I explained.
"Small world."
"Destined-"
"Quit it."
