Once There Was A Twist

MCG 15

CHAPTER 15: AFTER DATE

"MUKHANG nag-enjoy ka talaga ah," sabi ni Vaughnn.

Hindi ko maintindihan ang tonong ginagamit niya. Parang inaaway na inaasar niya ako. "Akala ko ba wala kang hilig sa date?"

Nasa loob na kami ng kotse niya at kasalukuyang tinatahak ang daan pauwi sa apartment.

Sa suot niya ngayon, mukhang nanggaling pa siya sa trabaho. He was wearing a red long sleeve with a black neck tie. Lahat yata ng kulay ay bumabagay sa kanya.

"Wala nga. Hindi nga ako nabusog e," sagot ko. Okey na sana ang lahat nang biglang kumulo ang tiyan ko at lumabas ang masamang hangin.

It sounds like a balloon running out of air.

Oops! Ano ba naman 'yan, Han. Napakamalas mo talaga ngayong araw. Magkatabi pa naman kami sa front seat!

Mabilis akong napayuko para itago ang namumulang mukha. For sure, mang-aasar na naman siya.

A little while, I slowly shifted my gaze to him and saw his face smirking. Uminit bigla ang pisnge ko at agad kong iniwas ang tingin sa kanya.

Nakakahiya ka, Han. Kanina pa 'yan ah.

Just how many times should I scold myself today? Pero ito kasi, hindi ko naman sinasadya o mapipigilan. It was a natural reaction and it happened unexpectedly.

"Your body says other wise," nakatawang saad niya. "Bubuksan ko na ba ang bintana?"

Napasimangot ako. "Uy grabe ka! Hindi naman mabaho! Masakit lang talaga ang tiyan ko."

Napahalukipkip ako habang pinagmamasdan siyang nakangiting-aso pa rin hanggang ngayon.

"Okey fine, 'wag na masyadong defensive," he replied. His eyes were set on the traffic lights. Mabagal talaga kasi ang usad sa lugar na ito. I can even hear the impatient honking of the cars. Can't they see the stop signal at the back? Lahat naman yata kami nagmamadali but they should obey the laws.

"'Wag mo 'kong titigan nang ganyan. I can just melt away," sabi niya.

"Arte, Vaughnn. Just keep those flowery words, it won't work," saad ko at inirapan siya. Hindi naman niya iyon makikita kaya, okey lang.

"You know what,Han?"

"I don't know," pambabara ko kaagad. I know he had something smart going on his mind.

"The more you should know then," he replied.

"I don't wanna know," sabi ko ulit.

"See? Only beautiful people have the right to be snobbish?"

"So you mean I am not beautiful? Is that it?" I asked with my left brow raising up.

"I am about to say that you can be snobbish," he said. He gave me a quick glance and smiled. The one he was probably using to make a girl's heart flutter.

Natameme ako bigla. Nawala tuloy ang lahat-lahat ng sasabihin ko.

Huy? Napano dila mo, Han? Umurong na lang ah. Kinilig ba?

"Bakit ka ba kasi nandito? At paano mo nalaman kung saan ako?" I asked instead. Let's just divert the topic while I still can. Isa pa, It was just impossible that it was just a lucky hunch.

But wait, I think it's---

"Jimma!" sabay pa naming sabi. Siya lang naman kasi ang nag-iisang tao na nakakaalam kung saan ako tutungo ngayon.

"Just as what I've thought," I told him. "So pumunta kang office?"

Sana naman hindi niya napagtanungan si Drea. I'll be the center of attention tomorrow if that's the case. Mahilig pa namang gumawa ng kuwento at haka-haka 'yon.