Ride Home

two

“did you have fun today love?” I asked xavier, pinupunasan ko yung pawis niya, namumula na siya but his smile was wide.

“yes mama, tito javi helped me a lot” he said pointing at javi who was drinking water and unaware na pinaguusapan namin siya.

“okay, that's good love, but do you have homeworks?” I asked, he nodded and sat down beside me, isinara ko na ang lens ng camera.

“bye xavie!” pagpapaalam ni noah, may lakad pa raw sila ng girlfriend niya, ngumiti ako at nag babye pabalik, nag wave rin si xavier.

“I have to print pa pala your name tag and stickers for your books” I reminded myself, Xavier just nodded and continued to play with my phone. Inayos ko na ang nakakakalat na gamit ni xavier at yung camera ay ipinasok ko na sa bag ko. So tatlong bag na yung dala ko, my backpack, Xavier's and a camera bag. Naglakad ako papunta kay Ma'am Sylvia, and nagpaalam na.

“tara na love, I cooked sinigang.” I said struggling to walk kasi nga medyo mabigat yung bag ni xavier dahil may books na siya.

“BYE TITO JAVI, TITO JUAN, TITO RICCI AND TITO KOBE” sigaw ni xavier, sila nalang kasi ang naiwan sa court. I smiled and fixed xavier's hair. He was jumping up and down nung palabas kami, naririnig ko parin ang sigawan sa loob.

Nag-aabang na kami ng jeep pa katipunan when someone shouted my name, liningon ko iyun, it was javi.

“so, uhm, hi” he said, scratching the back of his neck. I smiled at him,

“hi javi” I replied, chuckling.

“madami kang dala ah” he said, eyeing my stuff, I nodded.

“sabay ka na raw ni javi, hahatid ka daw niya” sabi ni ricci na ulo lang ang nakasilip sa pinto, nanlaki ang mata ni javi at namula siya.

“wag na, nakakahiya naman” sagot ko, umiling naman si javi.

“hey! Paano ako?” tanong ni juan, kobe covered his mouth.

“hatid na kita sainyo xavie” sabi naman ni javi, this time not looking at me, sa sahig lang siya nakatingin.

“sige, if you insist, kain ka na rin sa amin” sagot ko, Xavier clapped his hand.

“kunin ko lang bag ko” sabi ni javi, I nodded and waited for him, nakabukas ang pinto so I can hear them teasing javi, and ricci promising juan na siya nalang maghahatid sakanya.

“let's go?” javi said carrying Xavier's bag, and also trying to get mine para maiwan lang sa akin yung camera bag.

“ako na” sabi ko, mentioning my own bag, umiling siya, he was carrying three bags, his own, Xavier's and mine.
He led me into his car and inilagay niya yung bag niya and ni xavier sa trunk. I said na yung akin sa harap nalang dahil nandon yung susi ng condo.

“so you live here alone?” he asked looking around the condo, I nodded.

“ligo na anak” I said, pushing xavier sa cr, he nodded and told tito javi to wait. Javi was sitting awkwardly in the small sofa na hindi naman talaga small but it looks small kasi matangkad si javi, I chuckled.

“okay ka lang javi?” I asked, he swallowed but nodded, nag-aayos na ako ng mga plato sa la mesa, rice and ulam.

“do you eat sinigang javi?” I asked him, tying my hair up. Tumayo na siya and umupo na sa upuan,

“yes, do you need some help?” he asked, umiling ako, kumuha ako ng mga baso and isang pitsel. I placed in on the table. Javi smiled at me.

“mama, I'm done” xavier said, I nodded and mouthed wait lang to javi.

“you can start eating if you want na, bibihisan ko lang si xavier” sabi ko, javi just nodded. I carried xavier kasi basa yung paa niya.

“tito javi, hi again” xavi said, sitting down, I looked at javi, he was smiling at me, pero hindi pa siya kumakain.

“more?” I askwd xavier, umiling siya kaya tinigil ko na ang paglagay ng kanin,

“javi more?” I absentmindedly asked javi as I put rice into his plate, nanlaki ang mata ko when I realized what I did.

“sorry, habit” sabi ko, javi just nodded and smiled widely at me.

“okay lang 'yon, cute nga eh” I may have blushed at what he said,