Beautiful Disaster

Serendipity

Ala una palang ng hapon ay nasa Fully Booked na si Diana. Pinili niyang pumunta ng mas maaga para makapag-basa basa pa ng libro bago siya tuluyang pumasok sa Starbucks. May area sa Fully Booked kung saan pwedeng umupo at mag-stay ang mga customers para magbasa. Madalas siyang tumambay don kapag wala siyang ibang mapuntahan. Fifteen minutes bago mag alas dos when she finally decided to go to starbucks. Humanap siya ng magandang puwesto.

Hindi alam ni Diana if she's more excited or nervous. Alam mo yung feeling when you're meeting someone for the first time and you don't know what to expect. Madaldal at matapang siya sa text pero hindi sa personal. She's normally timid and shy until she gets totally comfortable with the person. Pero bakit nga ba siya kinakabahan? She already met Franki the other night. Pagkakalma niya sa sarili.

"Dayanuh!!!", maya maya ay narinig niyang may tumawag sa pangalan niya. She looked up and saw Franki smiling as she was walking towards her. She's wearing a medium-length floral black dress which goes really well with her shiny and wavy black hair na nakabagsak lang. It was bouncing a little while she's walking. Hula ni Diana, she didn't have any make up on as the light freckles in her face were visible. It made her even more beautiful. Now she can see her face clearly. Medyo madilim kasi sa park when they first met, not to mention na medyo malabo ang paningin niya. Diana was completely stunned.

"Hey!", tanging nasabi niya saka siya tumayo at nagbeso dito. She was speechless. Medyo nahiya pa siya at nagmukha yata siyang underdress sa suot niya. She was just wearing a black leggings and a black shirt na pinatungan niya ng denim jacket. Naka white sneakers siya at naka-cap ng black. Ugh!

"Good to see you! Ikinagagalak kowng makita kuh." sabi nito na nauutal utal pa. "Tama ba?", paninigurado nito. Her Filipino accent is like music to Diana's ears. Medyo nakakatawa din dahil masiyadong malalim ang pananagalog nito.

"Nice! Magaling ka na pala mag-tagalog!", puri niya dito.

"Konti lang!"

"You're good actually." puri niya dito habang bahagya niyang hinila ang upuan palabas para maka-upo ito.

"Saluhmat!", Franki said when she's finally seated.

"What would you like to have?", tanong ni Diana para makaorder na siya.

"Oh, are you seriously gonna treat me? But, I can pay for my drinks!", gulat na sabi nito.

"I already told you it's on me.", she insisted.

"Aw. That's so sweet of you. I thought you were just joking. I'll just have green tea lemonade please."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. Busog pa akow from lunch."

"Okie dokie. I'll order first.", pagpapa-alam niya dito.

Agad na pumunta si Diana sa counter para umorder. Mocha Frappe with extra shot of expresso ang sa kanya. Gusto niya sa kape yung medyo matapang. Umorder din siya ng blueberry cheesecake para may makain sila.

"Here you go.", iniabot niya kay Franki ang order nito.

"Oh, thank you!", para itong bata na binigyan mo ng candy sa reaction niya. Mukhang siya yung tipo ng tao na madaling i-please.

"So, how are you? Did you sleep well?", tumatawang tanong niya pagkaupo. Bigla niyang naalala ang pinagagagawa niya at ang naging usapan nila kagabi.

Franki seemed to have read her mind and started to laugh as well. "Very funny! I was supposed to ask you that question. So how are you? Did you sleep well?", pang-aasar nito.

"Well, I did! Thanks to you! But, how did you know about that trick? Did you just make that one up?", she said referring to the trick Franki shared for her to get sleepy.

Franki couldn't stop laughing. "Of course I did not! By the way, how did you do it again?", pang-uuto nito.

"You really are mean!", sabi niya na nag-arte pang iiyak.

Franki laughed even harder. Nakakahawa ang tawa nito. Bahagya pang napatingin sa kanila ang ibang customers. "Aw. I'm sorry Dayanuh! But no, I did not just make that up. Grabe kuh!"

"Sige nga, where did it come from then?"

"You know what, I could not remember. I believe I just heard it somewhere? Narinig kow lang!"

"Sinungaling!", ganting pang-aasar niya.

"I swear!"

Nagpatuloy ang kulitan nila ni Franki na akala mo matagal na silang magkakilala. Sobrang nag-eenjoy si Diana na kausap siya. Franki is bubbly, she's easy to get along with. Mabilis na naging komportable si Diana sa kanya. May mga pagkakatao pa natutulala siya kapag nagsasalita ito. She don't know, pero amuse na amuse siya the way she speaks and kung gaano siya kainosente sa mga bagay bagay. Very raw and genuine.

She learned a lot from Franki as they talk about personal stuff. Nalaman niya na halos three year older pala ito sa kanya which she finds funny because she taught all the while that she's much older. Para kasi itong baby sa paningin niya. So innocent and pure. Maybe factor din na lumaki ito sa ibang bansa. Dito kasi sa Pilipinas, maaga kang magmamature dahil sa hirap ng buhay. You'll learn to adapt lalo na sa mga taong nakakasalamuha mo araw-araw. She's not saying na life is easier abroad, but maybe Franki live a much comfortable life that she didn't have to worry about anything at a young age.

"When is your birthday?", Franki asked.

"Why? Are you going to give me a gift?"

"Puwede!", sagot nito.

"It's December 24th.", she answered smiling.

"Really?! As in a day before Christmas?"

"I know right. I am so unlucky?"

"But why?", curious na tanong nito.

"Because I just normally get one gift for Christmas and my birthday.", she said laughing.

"Uhhhh! That's sad!", panggagatong pa nito. "Don't worry, I'll give you two on the 24th!"

Di niya alam kung matatawa siya or kikiligin sa sinabi nito. Nagpatuloy ang kuwentuhan nilang dalawa. She found out na aside sa pareho silang half kiwi, Franki was also born on the 24th although different month. Nalaman niya rin na pareho silang maagang naulila sa ama. Naisip niya parang sobrang concidence naman ata lahat. However, Diana believes that we meet people for a reason. And maybe ganun sila ni Franki, it's not coincidence. They're really bound to meet each other. For whatever reasons, it is yet for them to find out.