Pluma

01 ❀ the one where she was signing books

“Love a girl who writes,
And live her many lives.”

- Her Words, Lang Leav

“Thank you so much for coming, ma'am,” I told the elderly woman as I gave her her signed book.

“Oh, no problem at all, dearie,” she said while smiling. “I got a call from my granddaughter that your book is really, really good! I can't wait to read it when I get home.”

The target audience for my book were women in their mid-20s to 30s, and hearing that from a woman who was maybe past 50 was actually heart-warming. Who would've thought that someone like her would come to my book signing?

I took her hand and shook it gently. “I hope you'll like it, ma'am.”

She smiled at me one last time and made her way through the crowd.

I continued signing books when I heard someone call me. I scanned the room and saw my friend Zinnia coming towards me.

“Fleur Eliza!”

I rolled my eyes at her after hearing what she'd called me. Really, I thought, Fleur Eliza?

As soon as she got near, Zinnia flew her hands around me and I stood up from my seat to hug her back. She swayed side-to-side and squealed. I laughingly let go of her and took my seat and her book from her hands.

“Congrats on the debut of your first book, babe!” she took my hand in hers and squeezed it. It was like her energy and bliss was transferring from her fingers to mine. I squeezed her hand back using my right hand and signed the book with my left.

I looked up and grinned at her. “Well, I couldn't have done it without you and the girls' support, Z. Thank you so, so much.”

“No problem at all, Lulu!” she hugged me once again and I gave back her book. “Looks like you have more books to sign. I'll catch up with you later, 'kay?”

I smiled at her and waved goodbye.

Welp. A hundred more books to sign and a hundred more hands to shake.

❀

I'm done. Ugh, I'm finally done, thank the Heavens!

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I didn't enjoy interacting with the people who bought my books. It's just that all of those handshaking and signing wore me out. My fingers would've been probably detached from my hand if I wasn't ambidextrous.

Plastering this huge grin across my face was so tiring.

I put back the pens I used earlier inside my pouch. Looks like my white pen's ink had run out from all those hearts and smiley faces that I drew.

Ugh, my butt hurts so much. After a much needed stretching, I checked my clock to see that it was now 5 o'clock. I stood up for I already wanted to leave but immediately fell back down because of my leg cramps.

I groaned. 4 hours of sitting really gets to you, huh?

I massaged my legs for a bit and thank God that the cramps were gone. I texted Zinnia and the others that I'll just catch up to them later at the bar instead of coming with them. I badly need to eat. Man, if my stomach could talk, they're probably grumbling about me barely eating on time.

As I was walking to the parking lot, I received a text from my mother saying that my grandma is at the house wanting to see me.

From: Mama
Hain man ikaw? Naandito ang imong lola para makita ka raw.

I should probably go there instead of my unit. My grandmother's sinigang is better at making the grumbling disappear than pizza.

❀

“Fleur!” I heard my lola call me as soon as I entered the house. I closed the door first before walking to the living room to greet her.

When I walked to the living room, I saw her with her arms wide open. I walked quickly to her and she enveloped me with her hands. She was past 70 but was still as strong as ever.

“Lola, people call me Lu here,” I laughingly told her.

“Ambot sa imo,” she said while shaking her head. “You millenials, I don't know what's going on in your head these days!”

I just laughed at her exaggerated reaction. I held her hand to help her walk to the kitchen. “Why did you go here to NYC, lola? How's Batanes?”

“Ako kauban sa imong iyaan,” she said. “Your aunt said she wants a vacation and I decided to tag along. And Batanes is still Batanes, apo.”

I opened our fridge and there I saw my beloved sinigang. I can already feel my mouth watering as soon as I opened the lid and smelled its aroma. Smells like home.

The first bite of the ulam was very sour, just the way I like it. I groaned, “Namiss ko itong luto mo, lola,”

She smiled. We talked for about two hours when she told me to go home as I had a long day. Well, grandma's always right.

My condo was only a half an hour drive from my parents' house but I felt my body slowly succumbing to death. Ugh, I'm so tired.

As I was walking to the entrance of the building, I saw a guy who was reading a book. He was also walking inside and was going to the elevator. He was too preoccupied in what he was reading when I glanced at him. He was blonde with a few stubbles here and there and was wearing a hoodie.

I looked at what he was reading and noticed that the front cover was a watercolor of pink and yellow. It looked oddly familiar. I couldn't figure out the title because his hand was blocking it but I saw the word “You” on it.

Oh, my shit. Was he reading my book?

I was secretly gushing that I didn't notice that he was looking at me back with a frown.

I smiled at him a little and that made him raise his brow. Wow, ang sungit, I thought.

The elevator in front of him dinged and he walked inside still with a frown.

Bakit ba ko nagkakagusto sa mga masusungit, I sighed.

I think I have a new crush.