One Day He Wrote My Story (Completed)

5. Swing & Ding

Sasha

Sa dinami-dami ng sasakyang maaatrasan namin, 'yung black Lexus SUV pa ni J.B. Tomlinson. Bakit kasi bigla na lang siyang sumusulpot, 'di niya ba nakitang umaatras kami? Saka bakit nandito na naman siya sa school namin? Sa pagkaka-alam ko, one day lang ang book launch event ni Sir Chuck and that's so yesterday.

Bumaba siya ng SUV niya, at lumapit sa amin. Sinilip niya ang gasgas at konting pingkot sa fender ng SUV niya. Same with Tara's car na may konti lang ding gasgas sa tail gate nito. Pero bago pa siya makapagsalita ay inunahan ko na siya.

"Oh please, Mr. Writer. Look, what have you done to my best friend's car?" I told him, medyo pagalit.

"I'm sorry, Sasha. I didn't know that your friend...," he tried to explain while averting his eyes to Tara.

"It's Tara. And ohmigod. Yes, you are the great J.B. Tomlinson," pagbati ni Tara na parang nakalimutan na agad ang nangyari. Of course, she too is a big fan of JB. "G'wapo ka pala talaga sa personal," patuloy niya.

Napangiti si Mr. Yabang. "Look. I am very sorry. 'Di ko talaga napansin ang pag-atras mo," paliwanag ulit niya na mukha namang sincere. Nakatingin siya sa amin. No! Not those beautiful eyes. Don't look at me that way, please.

Napakamot siya sa batok niya. Well, what else can we say? Hassle pa kung ire-report 'to. I looked at Tara.

"It's alright now. Just be careful next time," Tara said to JB.

"What?" I reacted. "Gano'n lang 'yon?"

"No. Just let me know magkano magagastos sa pagpapa-ayos ng car mo, Tara. Ako na bahala. Here's my number," said JB habang inaabot sa'kin ang calling card niya.

"Good." I said after kong tanggapin ang calling card niya. Pero masama na pala ang tingin sa'kin ni Tara.

"No, no, no. You don't have to do that. Besides, konting gasgas lang naman siya. Yours needs more help. Sorry rin," Tara explained.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Tiningnan ulit ako ni Tara nang masama. So, ano pa nga ba, we said yes.

"Okay sige. Hmmm." Nakatingin siya sa amin at parang nag-iisip. "Perhaps you will allow me to invite you for a coffee, kahit 'yun na lang. Para sa abala kong nagawa sa inyo. I mean, kung wala na kayong gagawin today," paanyaya ni JB. Not again. Ayokong tumanggi pero pinapaalala sa akin ng pride ko na 'di ako pinansin ni JB kahapon. At baka mamaya niyan 'di ko na naman mapigilan ang sarili kong kwestyunin ang authorship niya sa bago nitong libro.

"No, thanks. We really need to go home now," I said with full conviction. I looked at Tara expecting her to agree with me.

"Sash! We can't refuse a JB-Tomlinson's invitation," reply agad ni Tara sabay ngiti kay JB. Urgh, I can't believe it's happening again.

"So let's go. D'yan na lang sa café sa labas," JB concluded.

We followed him. He ordered coffee for us. I know most girls would kill for this coffee date with JB Tomlinson, so I'd consider myself lucky. At first we were very silent. But then he started talking about his life. How he wanted to be a writer since he was a kid. At doon ako nakaka-relate. Sabi pa niya, he never stopped pursuing it kahit pa sinasabi ng iba na walang pera sa pagsusulat. Kaya naman aside from writing his novels and contributing to magazines, full-time employee rin daw siya sa isang leading advertising company sa bansa.

He told us how Sir Chuck Lewis helped him on his first book. Nakakatuwa lang malaman na ang isang JB Tomlinson ay nasa harap namin ngayon ni Tara, telling us stories of his life. Totoo nga palang mabait siya. Kaya naman noong sumagi na naman sa isip ko ang mga sinabi ko sa kanya the first time we met, parang gusto ko na lang kainin ako ng lupa.