The Girl With The Green Dress

6th #TGWTGD

"Hi Ate, what's up?" Tanong ko nang sagutin ko ang video call niya via messenger. Narito ako ngayon sa aking condo unit dahil linggo ngayon. I am doing my plates right now so I have to multi-task because of her call.

"Hello, baby boy, kamusta? You doing your plates?" aniya sabay matamis na ngiti.

Nanliit ang mata ko sa kanya. Minsan niya lang ako kamustahin at ang mga "minsan" na 'yon, mayroon siyang kailangan.

"You have a favor?" Sabi ko at kinuha ang scale ruler.

Inirapan niya ako at ngumisi.

"Kilala mo na talaga ako."

Tumawa ako sa sinabi niya at hinintay ko na lang ang kanyang sasabihin.

"Well, it's not really my favor. It's Mom's."

"What about Mom?"

She sighed.

"Mom wants you to meet Tita Romana's daughter. Nahihiya siyang magsabi sayo because she knows you're too busy for a meet-up pero pinakiusapan daw kasi siya ni Tita na i-meet mo sana yung anak niya because she thinks her daughter is hopeless na when it comes to boys." She pouted.

Kalagitnaan pa lang ng kanyang sinasabi ay natigilan na ako sa ginagawa ko.

"What? No, Ate. I can't meet someone now."

"YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND?" She shouted, predicting it through my set of words.

Napangiti ako kaya tumili na siya.

"Shh, Ate. You're too loud." Natatawa kong sabi.

"Sorry, I just can't help it. Kailan? Hindi mo sinabi sa akin, I hate you!"

"I don't have someone right now but... I... like someone."

Nanlaki ang mata ni Ate. I chuckled when she even put her hand on her mouth.

"Seriously!? Ngayon ko lang 'to narinig galing sa'yo, ah?"

Tumawa lang ako at nagkibit-balikat.

"You have to tell me this in detail, okay? But anyway, paano yung kay Mom? Sabihin ko bawal ka nang makipagmeet dahil may iba ka ng gusto?" At ayan na naman ang tili niya.

"I'll meet her. 'Wag na muna natin sabihin kay Mom ang tungkol dito. She'll get excited too. I'll meet her friend's daughter and make it clear that we can only be friends."

"Okay, then. Tita's daughter's name is Louiella. Ang alam ko, nag-aaral din siya sa university na pinapasukan mo."

"Really?" Sabi ko at bumalik na sa ginagawa.

"Yup, I'll update you when and where you will meet her. Or gusto mo na lang siya i-meet sa campus?"

"No, Ate. Set it up in a different place."

"Okay, gotta go. Take care!" Nang kumaway ako ay siya na ang nagpatay ng call.

Mom knows I'm not into blind dates kaya siya nahihiya. I still didn't meet Tita Romana, maybe her recent friend. But the way Ate calls her "Tita", I think her and Mom are already close.

Dumating ang lunes at eto na naman ako sa paghihintay kay Kaia. Simula noong araw na hinintay ko siya sa parking, nauuna na ang tatlo kapag naaabutan nila akong nakasandal sa kotse ko dahil alam na nila ang pakay ko.

At katulad din ng araw na iyon, kasama niya rin lagi si Gael.

Pero ngayong araw na ito, walang Gael na nagpakita at tanging si Kaia, nag-iisa.

"Hi, Kaia. You're alone now, finally." Masayang sabi ko.

Bumuntong-hininga siya.

"Hindi ka ba nagsasawa sa pagtataboy ko lagi sa'yo?"

"I am not." Ngumiti ako.

Tinignan niya na naman ako ng pahisterya. Tumigil din siya sa paglalakad kaya tumigil din ako.

"You're really serious about that? Itutuloy mo talaga yan kahit alam ko na ang plano mo? Hindi ka ba nahihiya?"

This is really a tough one, I guess.

"Kaia, listen. Hindi ka ba nagtaka? Noong sinimulan kitang sundan at kausapin, doon ka lang din nilapitan ni Gael."

I don't want to tell her what I am thinking because if I tell her now, maaari siyang masaktan.

Nanliit ang kanyang mga mata. "So what's your point?"

Umiling ako.

"Maybe you should ask him about this. Be clear with him."

"No. What's your point?" She probed.

I sighed.
"That... maybe... it's the other way around. He's only courting you because he knows that I like you." I said calmly. Damn! This is the first time I confess to a girl.

And what am I talking about? Fuck it, masasaktan pa rin siya kahit kay Gael niya malaman. At kung tatagal man etong kung anong palabas ni Gael, mas lalong masasaktan si Kaia dahil mas lalo siyang aasa. So I should tell her now.

"That maybe he's just doing this to get to me. And hell I don't see this as a competition. Gusto kita, Kaia. He's just courting you because I like you." I said, dedicated, even if I still don't know if Gael's genuine or not.

"Why would he court me because of you? Don't feel so entitled. And I like Gael. Sa tingin mo, sino ang sasagutin ko kung ligawan mo rin ako?"

Nagulat ako. After what I said, she didn't think about it?

Her words pierced through me. Hindi ko akalain ganito kasakit.

And then I remember what Vincent told me, Kaia is close-minded when it comes to me. He's right.

He is damn right!