Missy
Seeing the guy from the office still annoyed me. And, although I know this is for the best that we never got together, being discarded still felt horrible.
Thank goodness for Yuan's distractions.
"Ate! Ako yung nawawala mong kapatid. Nandito ako ngayon sa abroad. Pwedeng magpadala ka ng load para makasali ako sa online lotto?"
Minsan naman:
"Hi! Friend ito ni Yuan. Kung kailangan mo ng date, free ako! Ngayon? Mamayang gabi? Kahit anong oras! Tambay kasi ako sa kanto."
"Miss Byutipul! Kailangan mo ng Grab? Kunin mo na! Walang ibang ganito! Isipin mo? Ikaw pa hinahabol ng Grab driver."
All from Yuan. Hindi talaga naubusan ng pakulo yun eh at bentang-benta naman sa akin.
I'd usually say, "Leche ka talaga, Yuan!" Or tell him that he was hilarious. But one time, I stayed late in the office so I took him up on his Grab driver offer.
He was shocked. "Hindi nga? Totoo? Kailangan mo ng ride?"
"Oo nga! Wala akong makuha eh."
In a few minutes, he had picked me up. "Ma'am, Premium po kasi ito. Isang libo ho yung pamasahe ha?"
"Ano?!"
He held his sides as he laughed.
I made a move to get down.
"Huy! Joke lang. Ang pikon naman nito eh. Aalis agad-agad."
I made a face. "Babalik naman ako... na may kasamang pulis. Ipapahuli kita 'no."
He was momentarily shocked and then he burst out laughing. Once he recovered, he took a paper bag from the back. "Bigay ni Inay. Namalengke kanina eh. Binili niya tayo ng mangga."
"Uy!!!! Tara kainin natin ito!"
Yuan agreed and we ended up in a nearby carinderia where he knew the owners and could request them to prepare the fruit. "Anong sawsawan gusto mo?"
"Asin lang," I said.
Yuan asked for some salt for me and shrimp paste for him. "Mangga with no bagoong? Saddest ever!"
"Heh." I stuck my tongue out at him and then dipped my piece into the salt and ate. "Ang saraaaaap! Please say thank you kay Inay."
"Sure. Pinatatanong din niya kailan daw next date niyo."
I rolled my eyes. "Soon. Hindi ka namin sasabihan."
"Meh. Malabo yun. Si Inay pa? Ikekwento sa akin nun. And hindi ako papayag na gigimik yun mag-isa. Bilin ng lolo ko na babantayan ko lagi si Inay, and I intend to keep that promise."
"Love na love mo talaga si Inay 'no?"
He nodded. "She always believed I could be great. Kahit na marami na akong palpak, hindi nawalan ng tiwala yun. This is a small way to pay her back."
Changing the topic, he then said, "Huy! Hindi mo pa ako pinapasahan ng load!"
I rolled my eyes again. "Tumigil ka nga! Hindi mo na ako kailangan itext."
"Bakit? Okay ka na? Hindi mo na namimiss yung panget na yun?"
"Wow! Sure kang panget siya?"
"Hindi."
I smiled, then sighed. "I think I miss the attention pa din. Nag share naman kasi ako ng mga important things and I trusted him. But, I'll be okay."
"Good. Wag ka magalala. Ipakulam natin yan kay Inay."
"Marunong siya?"
"Hinde. Hahahahahahaha!"
"Wala kang kwenta."
He went back to an earlier topic. "O ano na nga? Sinong mas gwapo sa amin?"
I paused. I thought about my officemate has a pleasant face, deepset eyes, high bridged nose and plump lips, then stared at Yuan, with his almond eyes framed with long dark lashes, a straight patrician nose, and lips that looked like a cupid's bow, all on a dusky canvas, I said, "Ikaw."
He beamed. "Crush mo ko!!!!"
"Hindi ah! May putok ka eh."
Horrified, he raised his arms and smelled his armpits. "Wala ha!!!"
I burst out laughing. "Got you!"
"So wala akong putok?"
"Wala."
"At gwapo ako?"
"Oo nga kasi!"
"So crush mo ko?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Kasi crush na kita eh."
Shit. Kinilig ako.
—-
Note: Hi! Guys, as much as I wish to keep updating, there's really a lot going on so pasensya na! Anyway, I posted the items to be given away soon!!! Please check my Twitter account. Mechanics will be posted with the launch of the Ice Cream Shop Series ebook. 😊
