The Break Up Plan (FINISHED)

Plan #21: Jean

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The construction was on going. The sound of heavy construction equipments roared all over the place. Angel and I wore a hard hat since it’s a must in every construction site and to prevent any falling debris from falling on us.

            Hawak hawak ko ang plano habang nililibot namin ni Angel ang boung site at tinitignan ang progresso ng construction. Kung may problema man ay para maremedyuhan ito ng mas maaga. Pero napansin ko lang sa kaibigan ko that she was silent all this time. Parang mas nakakabingi nga ang katahimikan ni Angel kaysa sa ingay na nanggaling sa iba’t ibang sulok ng lugar na ito. Hinayaan ko lang muna ang katahimikan ng aking kaibigan at ipinagpatuloy ko aking trabaho hanggang sa hindi ko na makayanan ang katahimikan na bumabalot sa kanya kasi hindi naman ganito ang pagkakakilala ko kay Angel except when there’s really something that’s bothering her.

“Okay ka lang ba?” Napatingin ito sa akin when I asked her the question in a sudden. She throw me a smile – not a sincere one.

“Kanina ka pa tahimik dyan eh,” dagdag ko pa.

Umismid ito. “Wala ‘to,” matipid niyang sabi sabay na pumeke na naman ito ng ngiti then looked away.

            “Alam ‘kong may something dyan sa loob ng utak mo, ‘wag mo ng ipagkaila.”

            May parang kung ano sa kanyang mga mata. Alam ko na sa mga tingin niyang ‘yon ay ang hindi mabilang na salita na gusto niyang sabihin.

            “Kasi naman, may bigla na lang babaeng pumasok sa loob ng opisina ni Alphonse tapos… tapos…” She trailed off as if she’s recollecting her thought from what had happened from that moment. I just shrugged waiting for the next.

“Tapos?” tanong ko at bahagyang kumurba ang aking mga kilay habang naghihintay sa susunod niyang sasabihin.

She heaved a deep sigh, “Basta. Nakakainis si Alphonse,” she  said with a hint of frustration in her voice.

I smiled at her. Kahit kailan ay hindi ko pa nakitang nagkagan’to si Angel dahil sa lang sa isang lalaki unless she’s interested with that person.

I frowned then asked her with curiousity and a teasing tone, “Bakit ano ba ang mayr’on kay Alphonse at nakakaganyan ka? May ginawa ba siyang masama sayo?”

            Nakita ko siyang bumusangot. “Wala naman,” sagot niya.

            We kept our pace. Then we paused when she suddenly asked something which was out of the blue. “Sa tingin mo may girlfriend na si Alphonse?”

            “Hindi ko alam. Bakit hindi siya ang tanungin mo?”

            Biglang nagbago ang ekspresyon ng mukha nito. “Ayoko nga.”

            “Teka, may gusto ka ba kay sir Alphonse?” I asked.

            “Wala ah!” she said defensively. “Wala,” she sighed with frustration in her voice then looked away.

“You said it. Masyado kasing obvious eh.” Wala akong nagawa kundi ang mapangiti na lamang dahil sa kinikilos ng kaibigan ko. The way she act might be different or weird but maybe it is because she’s into Alphonse and this is a really serious thing.

We continue. Sa hindi kalayuan ay nakita ko si Benjo. Nakatalikod siya mula sa aking direksyon at nakaharap sa halos limang tao na nakapormang ‘U’ sa isang kahoy na la mesa. Like us he was wearing a hard hat as so the men around him. We paused meters away from them but I don’t think na nakita na niya ako dahil busy ito sa kanyang ginagawa.

            “Manong Ret, okay na ‘diba ‘yong wall setting sa baba?” tanong nito sa isang lalaki na agad naman tumango bago magsalita.

“Opo sir,” sabi ng lalaki habang si Benjo ay nakatingin dito.

“Check natin mamaya ah,” sabi niya at nakita kong inilipat niya ang kanyang mga tingin sa lalaki na nasa kabila naman niya.

“Manong Ted, paki-markahan na lang ‘yong reference elevation para sa floor finish.” Tumango ang lalaki na sa aking pagkakarinig ay Manong Ted ang pangalan.

            Nilipat ulit ni Benjo ang kanyang tingin sa lalaki naman na nasa harap niya.

“Manong Ed, wala naman pong problema sa ibang floors? Sadyang ito na lang na last floor ang hindi pa naaayos?” He asked in a serious tone.

“Sa ngayon po sir ay wala naman po. Naayos na po namin ‘yong mga major problems.”

            Tumango tango si Benjo. “Good,” he said with a sudden change of expression.

            “So that’s it, we can now take a break,” he said as he gather the blueprints that was neatly flattened on the top of the improvised wood table that as made of coco lumber and a plywood.

            Napatingin ito sa direksyon namin ni Angel at ng makita kami ay binigyan ako nito ng matamis na ngiti. I felt a sudden melting sensation inside my chest as if there’s a thining of air around. Nagsimula itong maglakad papunta sa amin habang habang hawak nito ang plano sa kabila niyang kamay. Naglakad din ako palapit sa kanya.

            “It’s like the architect is really working hard,” I said when he paused in front of me.

            He smirked. “Maybe because he’s trying to impress someone,” he said with a playful tone then smiled at me. I raised my eyebrow.

            “I kept on thinking if she’ll accept my invitation if I invite her to have a dinner with me tomorrow night.”

            I tilted my head as I pressed my lips. “If it would’t be a date, I think she would gladly accept that invitation,” I said ng biglang nabaling ang atensyon namin ni Benjo kay Angel.

“Excuse me lang po sa inyong dalawa ah, maiwan ko muna kayo ah, at baka masyado akong nakaka-abala sa inyo at baka mamaya langgamin ako dahil sa sweetness niyong dalawa,” she said with a hint of being sarcastic in her voice. Then she start to turn her back but before that, she gave me an approving look. The one that she gaved me the first time when Benjo asked me to have dinner with him.

I just smile at her before she turned her back and keep her pace forward toward the stair.

Nagkatinginan na naman kami ni Benjo at hindi ko alam, basta, I just caught myself smiling the moment I turned toward him.

            Ipinatong niya ang kanyang kanang kamay sa batok niya at saka ito kinamot. “Gusto ko lang sana itanong sa kanya kung puwede ko siyang sunduin sa bahay niya,”

            “I think it’s a good way to start a date and I think she’ll probably liked it.” Napangiti na lang ako. This is why I felt that I’m slowly falling for this person. Everytime he speaka ng bring up a conversation it makes me feel something that I don’t understand. It might be the stomach inside my tummy or the cholesterol that start to block the passage of blood inside my heart. Kinikilig ako but I don’t know why.  Basta ang alam ko, huli ko itong naramdaman noong high school.