Ethan
"Minsan ang labo mo eh."
I looked at my friend, Paolo. "Huh?"
"Yan pa yung liligawan mo? Naghahanap ka din ng sakit ng katawan eh."
I rolled my eyes at him. I knew he was just being protective, like a brother, because he was one of the few people who knew that I had suffered my own heartbreak as well
- Just that I was the one dumped. Laura, being someone who dumped a guy, didn't exactly sit well with Paolo.
"Paano kapag nasaktan ka na naman?"
"Eh ganun. Part yun. Malay mo naman, ma-in love ng todo sa akin?"
He said nothing so I got back to my project for the week: love notes.
I told Laura that for this week, ako na ang bahala sa lunch niya. Everyday, she just had to check the office refrigerator and her food would be there.
Monday - Fail.
"Uhm, Ethan? Sorry, tama ba understanding ko na there should be food for me at the ref?" She called to ask, shyly.
"Oo. Naka-label yun. Why?"
"Uhm... w- wala kasing... I'm hungry na kasi and have a meeting pa so bibili nalang ako sa labas?"
May ibang kumuha. Nakakairita.
The following day, I put her food in and labeled it:
This is for Laura Claveria.
Kapag ako na-basted kasi kinain niyo ito at hindi kayo si Laura, lagot kayo sa akin.
Kung si Laura naman ang kakain nito - I hope you enjoyed it my SweetiepieSugarplumCupcake
From: Ethan the Pogi Rivera
"Ethan! May nagpost na sa FB nung note mo sa brown bag!" She told me later.
"O, so?"
"Hindi ka ba nahihiya?"
"Hinde."
"Pero officemates tayo!"
I made a face. "So? Hindi tayo pareho ng reporting line, department, division, floor, work... wala ngang interface yung mga trabaho natin. Hindi yun bawal."
"Pero pa din... wag naman masyadong public."
Fine.
The next day, I passed by her area and handed her a key. "Wala nang note yung food sa ref."
"Okay. Good. But what is this key for?"
Nilagyan ko ng steel chain with a padlock yung food niya.
Ayos ba?
*
Laura would be spending the weekend with her family at the province.
"Ihahatid na kita dun," I offered.
"Huwag na kasi. Malayo nga."
"It's a two hour drive, tops. Mas matagal pa magpa-ikot-ikot sa Makati minsan. Sige na! Please?"
Buti nalang pumayag na. Nagpaalam na kasi ako sa parents niya pero it was still up to Laura kung papayag siya na ihatid siya because that would mean makikilala ko ang iba pa niyang family.
When we arrived, she immediately introduced me to her aunts and uncles and cousins.
"Bagay kayo, Laura!" An aunt of hers commented.
"Bagay daw tayo," I whispered, and she glared at me. Siyempre natawa lang ako. In denial talaga ito eh.
"Are you, Tita Laura's boyfriend?" Said her little niece named Alena.
"Not yet, Alena," Laura cooed. "Do you like him?"
The little girl shrugged. "If you like him then it's okay. Will you kiss him? Boys are smelly eh."
Laura blushed. "No kissing."
I protested when Alena was out of ear shot. "Anong no kissing?!"
"Hoy! Hindi tayo okay."
"Hindi PA tayo. Hindi PA."
"Fine. Bakit kapag naging tayo, pipilitin mo akong i-kiss ka?"
Siyempre natameme ako. "Walang pilitan siyempre. Magmamakaawa nalang ako ng matindi."
I excused myself for a bit after introductions were made and one of her cousins escorted me so I could set up my plan.
Her family asked me to stay the night and was set up in the guesthouse. "Mag-isa ako? Laura baka may multo..."
Laura chuckled. "Malamang. Lumang bahay yun ng lola ko eh. O ano? Suko ka na?!"
I puffed out my chest. "Kung lola mo ang mumu, okay na okay. Magpapakilala na ako para sagutin mo na ako."
"Hay nako, kalokohan mo talaga."
That night, as we settled in, I dialled her number.
"Hi!"
"O ano? Naduduwag ka na ba diyan?" She asked.
Well, oo. Medyo pero siyempre hindi ko sasabihin sa kanya. "Hindi no!"
"Eh bakit ka napatawag?"
"Punta ka sa may window mo," when I saw her silhouette, I continued. "Nakikita mo yung tin can diyan sa may bintana?"
"Uhm yes?"
"Diyan na tayo mag-usap. Bye!"
I dropped the call and then yelled into the tin can on my end, "Laura! Can you hear me?!"
"I think all my relatives can hear you!" She called back. "But, oh my, this thing works."
"Yes! Hahaha! Ang cute no?"
"Yes. Sobra. Buti pumayag yung Tito ko na gawin mo 'to?"
"Mataas naman yung string eh so hindi maaabot nung mga pamangkin mo."
"So," she sighed. "Ano na namang naisip mo bakit may ganito ka pa?"
"Wala naman. Harana-hin kita so you can sleep?"
"Talaga? Sige nga."
🎶 Ipagpatawad mo... minahal kita agad... 🎶
Si Laura? Ayun, nahimatay na yata sa katatawa.
I forgot to mention, sobrang sintonado kasi ako.
Kapag nagcocomment yung mga foreigner na bakit lahat yata ng Pilipino magaling kumanta, obviously hindi nila ako kilala.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Ethan! Hahahahahahahahahaha!"
Pero dahil happy siya, happy naman din ako. Yun naman talaga goal ko.
"Oh my. Shucks! Ang sarap tumawa," she commented.
"Good. O paano? Good night na ba or gusto mo magusap pa tayo sa tin can phone?"
"Usap... uhm no sige tulog na tayo," I heard her hesitation. "Pahinga ka na."
"Sure ka? I can stay up pa naman. Kwentuhan pa tayo? Or kantahan pa kita?"
She laughed again. "Geesh. Wag ka na kakanta ulit."
"Yabang mo naman!"
She chuckled. "Sige na matulog ka na. Hihiga na din ako. Malayo itong imbento mo sa bed ko dito."
"Ay oo nga. O sige, good night!"
"Good night. Thank you, Ethan."
