Worse Fates | ✓

Chapter 5

Sleepless night, bloodshot morning.
Runway light, London calling.

— Young and Relentless// ATC

Chapter 5

Caricia Faye's

"Nakapagpa-enroll ka na ba, Faye?" Ate asked while we were having our quiet dinner at a known restaurant.

Magkatabi kami ni ate habang nasa harap ko naman si Vintage. I still don't know the reason kung bakit magkakilala sila. I've been quiet since he came. I don't know why I found this awkward. 

Ang tanging napag-usapan lang din naman nila ay kung ano ang o-orderin ni Vintage.

"Tapos na ate. Kanina," I answered. Pagdating ko kasi kanina sa bahay galing skwelahan no'ng nagpaenroll ako ay nakita ko kaagad si ate sa bahay.

Tumango lang siya.

"My bad! I haven't introduced you to each other nga pala," ate said.

"Vintage, Caricia Faye kapatid ko," she said habang nilalahad ako "Vintage Tristan, pinsan namin. Second cousin, anak ng pinsan ni Mommy. He's from US, probably new here," she continued.

There was an awkward silence for God knows how many second until Vintage spoke.

"Ate, we've already met," he said.

He's fluent in English ngunit bakit hindi naman slang ang Tagalog niya?

"Oh? Kailan?"

Sinagot naman siya ni Vintage. This conversation is really awkward.... or it's just me.

"Oh my! Caricia Faye, mag-isa ka lang tapos madaling araw na natapos yung gig mo?!" halos maghysterical na sabi ni ate. Halos mapaface palm na nga siya sa katangahang nagawa ko.

"You're what? 16? August pa birthday mo eh. Naku! Kapag ito umabot kay daddy," sabi niya.

"Di naman 'yan aabot kay tito kung di mo sasabihin," nabigla ako sa biglang pagsalita ni Vintage. Sinamahan niya pa 'yon ng ismid.

"Ay, attitude ka siszt?" inirapan siya ni ate.

"Ate, I won't do it again," I said para matapos na ang usapan.

"Dapat lang!" she said at sakto namang nagring phone niya. She excused herself at lumabas. Naiwan kami ngayon ni Vintage.

He faked a cough and proceeded to his question.

"What's your strand?" he asked.

I stared at him for a moment bago ko siya sinagot.

"ABM," I answered. "Ikaw?" pagbabalik ko ng tanong.

"STEM, same school," he answered.

"P-pa'no mo nalaman school ko?" I asked. Hindi ko pa naman kasi siya nasabihan kung saan ako mag-aaral.

"Ate Natasha mentioned and... it's quite predictable since we both know you're uh, well of," he said and continued to eat.