coffees + jeno

xiv

（   JENO   ）

Natatakot ako habang tumatagal. Honestly, hindi pa din ako sobrang ayos dahil kay Adri, pero I'm getting there. Lilac made me really forget about certain things but who knows if it's just admiration? I'm just taking my time enjoying my life now, disregarding all the excess baggage who left me miserable with an unreasonable excuse.

Pagpasok ko sa Starbucks, napansin ko agad si Lilac na kumakaway sa'kin habang nakangiti. She's just so. . . breathtaking. I mean, look at her. Watching her from behind a few months ago, I've always admired her realness as a person.

She loves John Green and Margaret Mitchell. She always order Caffè Latte. She sits at the corner table. She smiles while reading, and she takes a deep breath before closing her book. She's that wild tigress who plays like it's her last all the time.

"Jeno! Thanks for helping me out like, really. Kumain ka na ba?" bungad sa'kin ni Lilac habang nakangiti. Umiling naman ako. "Let's eat at La Salle's cafeteria so we can start surveying there too. Just gonna order an espresso here. Did you eat anything?" umiling din siya sa sagot ko at pinakita ang baso niya na may lamang Caffè Latte, as expected.

"Just this! What are you going to buy pala?" tanong niya at tinuro ko naman ang menu at ngumisi. Lumapit ako sa tainga niya at bumulong, "Hulaan mo."

"Tss!"

Tumawa ako nang bahagya at pumila para bumili ng isang Espresso Con Panna. Noong nakuha ko na, agad kong kinuha 'yon at hinila palabas si Lilac. "Siraulo ka! Ang dami na ngang nakatingin sa'tin kanina may pahila-hila effect ka pa. Dami na tuloy mang-aasar sa Twitter. 'Di ko na makikita prince charming ko. Haha, joke!" sambit niya habang pinapalo-palo ako sa braso at napailing na lang ako hanggang makarating kami sa kotse ko.

"What music do you listen to while driving?" tanong niya habang tinitingnan ang mga CD sa harap niya. Nagkibit balikat naman ako. "Random. I love listening to Panic and MCR when I'm alone though but when I'm with somebody, I let them decide," sagot ko.

"Mhm? People like. . .?"

"Yung archers, or sila Jiyeon," sabi ko at naramdaman ko namang tumahimik siya. I wonder why?

Tahimik lang kami habang papunta sa DLSU pero bigla niya akong kinalabit at ngumuso sa phone ko. "Tingin," sabi niya at tumawa naman ako nang bahagya bago ko ibigay sa kanya.

"116127 yung password," sabi ko pero nakatingin lang siya sa lock screen ko. It's a photo of me and Jiyeon, actually. Nagagandahan siguro siya sa kapatid ko. Can't blame Lilac, Jiyeon's a model. Of course she's pretty. She got my looks. "Who is she?" tanong niya habang nakaturo sa lockscreen ko. "Lee Jiyeon," sagot ko.

"She's. . . pretty. Bagay. . . kayo," sabi niya at umakto naman akong nasusuka. "Sheesh, Lilac, that was disgusting. That kid is my sister and nope, even if she's not my sister, no thanks," sagot ko at tumawa nang bahagya. Napansin ko namang lumiwanag ang mukha niya at masayang nilagay ang isang CD sa player.

"This is my favorite album of Melanie. Buti meron ka!" she says joyfully as she sang to 'Pacify Her,' and 'Soap' which are, according to her, her favorite tracks.

Our ride became noisy after that but damn, I'm so not complaining if I get to hear her voice.

She loves John Green and Margaret Mitchell. She always order Caffè Latte. She sits at the corner table. She smiles while reading, and she takes a deep breath before closing her book. She's that wild tigress who plays like it's her last all the timeㅡand maybe, I. . . like her.

·

Pagdating namin sa La Salle, nakita ko agad sila Jaemin na kumakaway sa'kin. "Jen, nandito ka diㅡuy, shit. Dito kayo nag-date? Tangina naman, Jen. Minamaliit mo kami? May alam din naman kaming magandang dating place. Ba't sa uni? Siraulo ka ba?" sunod-sunod na banat ni Johnny na kinantyawan naman nila Jaehyun.

"Shut the fuck up," sabi ko at kinuha ang ilang papel mula sa bulsa ko at isang ballpen. "Sagutan niyo 'yan. Tinutulungan ko si Lilac sa survey nila," paliwanag ko at tumango tango naman sila.

"Tulungan sana namin kayo kaso nag-aya si Celestia sa isang bazaar na 'di naman namin alam kung ano. GL!" sabi ni Lucas at umalis na sila.

"Pwede ka naman sumama kila 'Cas, Jeno," sambit ni Lilac at umiling ako. "No, this was your request and I agreed. I can hang out with them in some other time but right now, you're my priority. So, let's get lunch?" aya ko at tumango naman siya habang nakangiti. Like I told her, I also showed her around DLSU. Just a glimpse on other buildings but I showed her around Yuchengco Building the most before LS, dahil du'n kami kakain. All I heard was 'beautiful' from her when I showed her around but damn, I'm looking at the most beautiful view when I look at her.

Inaya ko naman siyang kumain nang tapos na siyang kumuha ng mga litrato. Pagdating namin sa Pericos Canteen sa LS Building, napansin kong maraming nakatingin sa'min at nahiya nang bahagya si Lilac dahil doon. I see why she asked me to survey with her. Pft, haha.

Kumain kami at nagsimula nang mag-ikot sa mga table hanggang sa unti unting naubos ang mga nasa bulsa niya at napuno naman ang akin dahil sa akin yung mga tapos. Pagkatapos namin lumabas sa Pericos ay agad niya akong niyakap.

"Thank you, Jen! Pati na din du'n kay Harris! Crush ko na 'yon, Jen. Mabait ta's pogi, hehe. Sama mo ulit ako dito soon para makita ko ulit siya!"

No, Lilac, if that's what you're going to tell me, I'm not going to take you with me ever.

She loves John Green and Margaret Mitchell. She always order Caffè Latte. She sits at the corner table. She smiles while reading, and she takes a deep breath before closing her book. She's that wild tigress who plays like it's her last all the timeㅡand maybe, I. . . like her. But it seems like she likes somebody else, but that's not me.

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳

hwang hyunjin as harris bisset

choi choerry as celestia evans