Head Over Feet

Rumor Has It

Thank God it's Friday again, RJ thought as he lines up for coffee.

"One tall americano please, and a bacon & egg sandwich to go." he orders at the counter.

"Oh and can you also write this note on the cup?" he added.

"Will do, sir." The barista smiles at him warmly.

On his way to class, he sees Val and Trish at the end of the hallway. He turns the other way, avoiding a possibly awkward conversation with Trish whose texts and calls he's been consciously ignoring the past weeks.

But it was too late. "RJ!"

He turns around and pretends he just saw them.

"Val! Uy!"

"Hi RJ." Trish says in monotone.

"Trish. Uh, kamusta kayo, on your way to class?"  RJ turns to Val.

"Yeah, you? Wow ang bango naman ng coffee! Kapeng kape na tuloy ako!"  Val says, oblivious to the awkwardness between her friends.

Trish looks at RJ's coffee shop goodies and comments.  "Ang sweet naman ng message na yan." 

RJ smiles a little, despite her seemingly sarcastic tone.

"Uh. sige una na ako ha, class pa. Sige Val! Kita tayo mamaya!"

RJ hurriedly gets inside his empty classroom, places the coffee and small paperbag on the table, and goes out to the drinking fountain.

He waits until his other classmates come in before he sits in his chair waiting for the professor.

Dei arrives just in time for the class.

He tries not to stare at her but fails miserably. She places her things on the table, and RJ waits for her to read his note, and how she will react.

Black, no sugar, just the way you want it.💚

Is that a smile? A small twitch? Did she like the message? Wait, is she looking at me? She is! She's making eye contact! Sa wakas!

RJ beams with excitement.

It's like mental telepathy and they understood each other.

Her saying " thank you" with her beautiful doe eyes, and him saying "you're welcome, my love" with his.

She discreetly turns the cup around, to hide the note from the students in front, and starts the class.

"Thank you for coffee, Mr. Faulkerson. You didn't have to." Dei says as she sees him outside their classroom waiting for her.

"My pleasure Ms. M." RJ smiles. "May sandwich dyan, baka di ka pa kumakain. Bacon and eggs."

"Salamat." They both walk slowly along the hallway.

"I have to go ha, may class pa a---"

"Yes, sa Miguel building. Sige, uh, sa kabila yung direction ko eh.... It was nice to see you again, D... Uhm, Ms. Mendoza."

"See you in our next class."

"I MISS YOU." RJ blurts out.

Dei was stunned. "I'm sorry RJ, I just can't right now..." She says as she checks if there's anybody else around.

"It's okay. But I will not stop Dei. I mean what I say. I can wait, for as long as it takes. You're worth the wait..." RJ tells her as he smiles slightly, trying to contain his feelings.

"There's also a letter inside the paper bag, FYI." He walks away towards the other direction, leaving Dei to her thoughts.

She cannot lose focus on her goals :

Talk to her ex-husband (who is surprisingly ignoring her calls and texts, thank you very much)

Successful Day 1 on her project this Sunday,

and continue working on her Dissertation.

Exactly in that order. and RJ just isn't in the picture.

Although at the back of her mind, like a small voice, she hears the whispers of her heart that she misses RJ too.

His stupid jokes, his hearty laugh, his lips.

And even though she successfuly stops herself from answering his everyday texts, she admits she looks forward to them sometimes.

She takes his note out of the paper bag quickly, and reads it.

Dei, 

♪♫ What can I do with my obsession?
With the things I cannot see
Is there madness in my being?
Is it wind that blows the trees?
Sometimes you're further than the moon
Sometimes you're closer than my skin
And you surround me like a winter fog
You've come and burned me with a kissAnd my heart burns for you  ♪♫

I miss you.

Still waiting,

RJ

*sigh* Erase erase erase. Infatuation lang yan RJ.... Tsk. Dei. Wag mo na idamay yung bata sa gulo ng buhay mo.   Dei says to herself. 

She shakes her head and calms her heart as she goes inside the classroom.

"Good morning everyone." Dei starts her next class.

__________________

"Miss!" Val corners Dei at the end of their period.

"Yes Ms. Samonte?"

"Tuloy na po tayo this Sunday, what time should we meet?"

"Yes of course. We will start by 9:00am, but I suggest you be there by 8 so we can have a group briefing with the other faculty members from DLSU Laguna Campus."

"Okay Miss. We'll just waze going there, usually there's no traffic naman on Sundays." Trish adds.

Dei notices how Trish is staring at her coffee cup, and immediately turns it around.

"Yes that's true. Wear comfy clothes, and read the rest of the details on your consent forms. I'll see you both. " Dei says as she walks away.

"Beshie. Napansin mo ba yung hawak na kape ni Ms. M?" Trish asks Val as they head towards the school caf for late lunch.

"Ha..? Meron ba? Parang di ko pansin..." Val pretends that she didn't notice at all.

"Ano ka ba. Diba yan yung kape na hawak ni RJ kaninang umaga?"

"Hala sya, pano mo naman nasabi?"

"Nabasa ko yung nakasulat noh. May heart pa. Nanliligaw ba si RJ kay Miss?"

"Aba, ma. Hay naku hayaan mo na nga yan, may Jason ka naman na."

"Josh!"

"Ayun, Josh. Okay naman na kayo diba."

"Well, minsan okay. Iniisip ko lang baka kaya di na nag rereply si RJ sakin, dahil sa babaeng yun. Iba rin ha. I used to like her, pero totoo pala yung mga narinig ko sa Psych Dept."

'Anong narinig mo?"

"Si Ms. Jules. Narinig ko nakikipag chismisan nung isang araw pumasok ako sa department. Sabi si Ms. M may studyanteng jowa nakita daw sila sa bar. Nag biro pa nga na isusumbong sya kung di sya tumigil eh."

"Sure ka ba dyan?"

"Oo noh. Narinig ko mismo, lumabas na lang ako agad kasi wala dun si Doc Valenza, may itatanong lang sana ako."

"OMG talaga..."

"Wala bang nakukwento sayo si Je?"

"Ha? Wala eh... Hay naku. Whatever it is, hayaan mo na sila. Happy naman tayo sa mga love lives natin, kebs na sa love life ng iba, diba? Tara kain na lang tayo." Val answers, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Oh well. Hintayin na lang natin. Pag na-grievance yan si Miss biglang iba na lang prof natin hahaha!"

"Ha--ha--ah" Val nervously laughs with Trish as they order their food.