Taped-Up Heart

VIII. All It Took

Chapter Eight

All It Took

"H-ha?" I asked after a few minutes of being silent because of what he just said.

He was about to say something when a loud beep was heard. Napa-tingin ako at nakita kong green light na pala. Duane immediately started driving the car. Bigla tuloy naging awkward dito sa loob ng kotse dahil sa sinabi niya.

I looked away and just watched the buildings that we were passing by. Why did he even say that? What was his reason? And what does he mean when he said that his type was a girl like me? Does he mean na type niya ako? I didn't want to assume. Mahirap kasing mag-assume sa panahon ngayon.

Duane and I have been friends for so long... we've known each other really well and I never wanted to ruin our friendship if ever he was really serious that his type was a girl like me.

Baka naman mali lang ako ng intindi. Maybe, I wasn't his type, but girls like me. Mga babae na katulad ko—pero hindi ako. Oh, god, ang gulo! Paikut-ikutin ko man ang mundo doon pa rin ang bagsak na isang babae na katulad ko ang type ni Duane! That's what he said... baka naman namali lang siya ng sabi.

We stopped at his favorite restaurant. Flourelle. He didn't speak, he opened his door and got out. I did the same. I followed him inside the restaurant. I thought he's going to ignore me the whole night but then he even offered a seat for me.

When I was finally seated, that's when he sat in front of me. "What do you want to eat?" he asked as we both scanned the menu.

"Rice and steak, mash potato and pineapple juice."

"Same orders ah?" he said.

"Yeah, namiss ko kumain dito."

"Maybe, I should take you here weekly," he said.

I looked at him. He was looking at me too. I pouted. "China said na kuripot ka, how come na ililibre mo ako dito weekly? Ang mahal kaya ng food dito no."

"So?" he asked.

"So? What?" I asked back.

"Money... it can be easily earned, Asia, but memories together with the most special person in your life... they are hard to collect."

"Bakit naman hard?"

He put the menu down. "Timing."

"Ha?"

He didn't answer, instead he called the waiter to tell him both of our orders. When he left, I asked him again. "What's with timing? It makes collecting memories hard? How? In what way?"

"If the timing is wrong, then everything is wrong. You always need to find the perfect timing," he said.

My lips twitched. I still don't get his point. "Could you please further elaborate how timing made collecting memories hard, Mr. Pardo de Tavera?"

He showed me a lop-sided smile. "The timing should always be perfect, Ms. dela Cuesta."

"Because?"

"Because..." he sighed. "For example, I asked you to have a date with me, but then the timing wasn't perfect because it's your hell week, then that makes it hard for the both of us to collect memories together."

"Ah..." I said. I finally got his point. "But, it isn't about the timing... I guess it's about the circumstances in life, Ducci. And of course, it's about you... because what if? What if your timing will always be wrong?"

He didn't answer.

"You should be the one making the timing right. You're the only one who can decide when is the right time for everything."