365 Days | talesbyari

Day 1 / 365 Part II

revised ver

June 4, Monday

Irene
8:20 PM 

"A coffee? Why not?" I said, turning my face to look at him, "By the way, kanina, Sorry ah? I was too careless to take good care of that cutter."  he said, averting my gaze.

"Ah, No, it's alright, it's just a cut."

He asked me if we could have coffee to get to know each other, well, I agreed. Free naman schedule ko, e. The elevator door opened, bombarding us with people, I guess, that'll ride the elevator. Sumikip pa-onti-onti yung elevator, hanggang sa magkatabi na kami ni Jacob. 

awkward.

As in, like, I didn't even know how will I move a muscle sa sobrang lapit namin sa isa't-isa. The door of the elevator closed. I can smell his cologne, maybe, that actually smells like powder.

3...

2...

G.

At last, nakarating din sa ground floor. After that 'oh so awkward'scenario inside the elevator? Pft. Pumasok na kami sa cafe na sa ground floor lang naka-locate. The soothing ambiance of the cafe welcomes us with the freshly roasted coffee beans. That smells good. We sat at the window side of the cafe, a little view of the busy streets out there and the traffic lights that danced into different colors.  

Once that we got our coffee, he started talking, telling him his story on how he got here. 

"My father was a Pilot," he said, "Really? I remember so many things." I smiled smugly.

Naalala ko yung plane crash, that crashing sound that I hear was still fresh upon those months I cried on their grave. "Are you okay? You look pale." 

"No, I'm okay, I just remembered my parents. They died kasi on a plane crash." then his expression turned different, so worried, "Sorry, Dad also died on a plane crash, and Mom, still maintaining our business. " 

"Oh, no, it's alright, naka-move on na 'rin naman na ako. What about you? Why did you study here?" I asked, "I don't know, ang layo na pero hinahanap ko pa rin yung definition ko." 

"Maybe you can find it along the way," I say, cheering him up.

 "Transferee ka ba? Ngayon lang kita nakita eh." he asked.

"Oo, actually, lumipat ako dito dahil dito nakatira sina lola at lolo, sila kasi nagpapaaral sakin, pero as much as possible, ayaw kong maging pabigat sa kanila, they have their own expenses too, kahit na mayaman sila dahil sa ngaing trabaho nila dati. They were doctors. I really love to be on lab coats since I was a kid. I often sneak into my parent's clinic and wear their coats back then. "  

"Madami ka sigurong napagdaanan." he said, "Not much. How old are you?" I changed the topic bago pa ako lumuha dito, I really missed my parents.

Last year ko sa Med school ngayon, few years ago, I just finished my 4-year undergraduate degree in pre-med and a few years in med school. Nilipat ako ng school due to issues nga and now, I met this man. "I'm 27." He said.

"Kuya." I smiled, "What? Kuya?"

"Yes, mas matanda ka po sa akin, Kuya Jacob." I teased, "26 years old lang po ako, Kuya Jacob, so I have a right to call you 'Kuya Jacob' because I'm younger than you." 

He just smiled, and I found it cute.

We talked for almost and hour and was suddenly interupted by an urgent call.

"Bro, you left your laptop sa library." the man on the other line said.

"Sige I'll go get it."

"I'm sorry, Irene. I'll try to make it up to you."

"No it's alright. Nice meeting you."

 "Sige, una na ako?" he asked, "Sure, nice meeting you." Tumayo ito pero bago sya umalis ay may hiningi pa ito sa akin, "Can I have your number?" 

I blushed, first time ko 'to, this is the first time na may nang hingi ng number ko. "Here you go," Tinype n'ya sa phone n'ya ang number ko at tsaka umalis na,

 "Bye."

I stayed for a bit longer sa cafe, tinatamad pa kasi akong umakyat sa dorm ko. While scrolling on my twitter, A man just spoke in front of me, "Can I sit," since di naman sya mukhang magnanakaw, manyak o holdaper, ay pinaupo ko naman, madami rin kasing tao sa coffee shop ngayom. Familliar pa nga ang boses nito. Ewan, I think I heard it somwhere.

Binaba ko ang phone ko sa table at uminom ng coffee, nakatingin kasi siya sa akin, then I just recognized his face!

"Chester?!" 

"Yes?" He was smirking, okay? 

Chester, crush ko 'yan, dati ata, ewan! Basta naging crush ko 'yan.  Last year, umamin ako sa kanya, tapos ang awkward ans then we get to know more. We came to the point that we were no longer friends. It lasted up to almost a year hanggang sa last month, I caught him cheating.

"Uh-I gotta go," sambit ko pero someone grabbed my arm bago pa ako makatayo, "Chester, bitawan mo ako! I'm done with you!" 

"Let's talk, please?" 

Niluwagan niya ang kamay nya sa braso ko at umupo na ako nang maayos sa chair.

"Ano?"

"Sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"For hurting you."

For a moment, the world stopped, emotions filling up my broken and fragile heart. I bursted up with tears, trying to cover my face but I found his hands, wiping my tears.

Chester

She sobbed, in front of me, and it hurts, it hurts seeing her cry because of me.

"Hey, stop crying." I wiped the tears on her angelic face.

"Ang sakit, Ches. Ang sakit-sakit, sobra," she said, clutching on the sleeves of my jacket.

"Kaya nga ako nandito, e,"