"Hey. You ready?"
The guy asked.
The girl stiffened. Halatang nagulat.
Nasa isang dressing room. Sila lang dalawa.
"Ahm. Yes, yes. Oo naman."
She stutter a bit, but it's fine, emotions not bulgar.
The little man smirked. I'm not sure if it's a good sign.
"Are you like sure it's okay that you'll do it with me?"
He asked. I'm not getting the point why he's asking.
Nagtaas ng kilay si babae. It was just for a favor why she's doing this anyways.
She look at him.
"Of course." All confident.
He get it. Hindi naging maganda yung pagtanggap ni babae sa tanong niya.
"No .. Ahm, what I meant is okay lang ba talaga sayo to do this, ano, yeah. Ano, with me. Because, it's me. For God's sake, I don't know what I'm saying."
Napabuntong-hininga si lalake; medyo natawa si babae.
"Okay. Elmo, calm down. It's all fine with me."
Sincere niyang sagot.
"Julie, sorry."
Kung hindi ikaw si Julie, you won't get it. Pero, kung ikaw si Julie, madali mong maiintindihan kung para saan yung sorry.
Tawang mapait mula kay babae. Sobrang pakla that you don't want to see that smile ever again.
"May dapat pa bang ika-sorry?"
She asked.
"You know that there is."
He said.
"Wala."
Sagot ni babae.
Natahimik si lalake.
"Hindi na dapat. Tapos na di ba?"
Pagkakataon na ni lalake para tumawa ng mapait.
"May natapos ba?"
Sagot ni lalake.
Natahimik si babae.
"Walang natapos. Dahil in the first, walang sinimulan. It was your word, di ba? Sayo galing lahat yan, di ba?"
I looked at him. It was probably the unseen Elmo that he said was the deadliest.
A death-glare to Julie.
"Ano bang pinupunto mo ha?"
Naiinis na si babae.
"I'm just trying to reach out, pero nagtataray ka. Hindi talaga kita maintindihan."
"Reach out? Para saan?"
"Para sa atin. Sa ating dalawa."
"Sa atin? Wala namang tayo di ba?"
"Ano ba Julie? Maglolokohan na lang na ba tayo dito palagi? Ano 'to laro lang sayo? Taguan ng feelings, ganon?" He became frustrated.
Ginugulo na niya ang sarili niyang buhok.
She was cut off.
"Yung mga songs na sinulat mo, di ba para sa akin lahat yon? Ako lahat ang nasa isip mo nung sinusulat mo yon di ba?"
His eyes are begging. His eyes are asking her to say yes. That yes, it was him all along.
Tumawa si babae.
