The Fire Ignites

7| Kape ni Juan

August 5

My book indicated that I should file a leave for today to be able to go to Cienna's house. Ganoon nga ang ginawa ko nung kagabihan palang.

At 6am, I am scheduled to jog around the subdivision and at 6:45am, I should be buying coffee from a local coffee shop named Kape ni Juan.

Napakunot ang noo ko dahil may bigla akong naalala. Pero umiling nalang ako at nagsimulang magjogging.

At the middle of my jog, nagring ang phone ko. I checked my smart watch and saw that it's Julio. I slowed down a bit and tapped my wireless earphones to answer the call.

"Hey." sagot ko ng medyo hinihingal.

"Goodmorning? What are you doing?"

Natawa naman ako ng kaunti, "I'm jogging."

"What are you wearing?"

This time, tumigil na ako sa pagjajog. "And why are you asking me that?"

"Liana, what are you wearing?"

Napairap ako at nagpatuloy sa pagjog dahil sa pagkabossy ng boses niya, "Just my usual workout clothes, Julio."

"And that is?"

"Uhm, sports bra and leggings?"

Mahihinang mura ang narinig ko sa kabilang linya, "No jacket?"

Ha? Natawa ako bahagya medyo naiinis, siraulo ka ba? "Bakit ako magjajacket? Ang init!"

"Liana, hurry up and go home after that jogging."

"What's your point, Julio?" hindi ko na rin maiwasan mainis sa mga pinag-uutos niya saakin.

"You should not parade your body like that, Liana. Not when I'm not with you. Not when you're mine."

HA! This is what I hate the most- ordering me around and telling me what to do. When this happens, I tend to do the opposite.

"Correction? I'm not yours." yet. Pagkatapos ay binabaan ko na ng telepono. He tried calling again, but I keep rejecting the calls. Bahala ka dyan.

I am my own body, mind and soul. Nobody should be dictating me what to do. Besides, I know I'm smart and responsible. I was born to be a prodigy, a leader, an achiever. I can do things on my own. He's one too, kaya sana alam niya rin na hindi maganda yung pinaguutos niya sakin as a fellow golden book holder.

And why can't I parade my body? There's nothing wrong with what I'm wearing! I'm decent. All you can see is the skin of my arms, collarbones, and my stomach. The problem is in your mind, Julio. My body is made like this.. All the girls are given this kind of body, kaya ano ang dapat ikahiya? Ano ang dapat itago? Bakit kailangan itago?

You and your sick thinking is why girls are suffering. Our body is naturally made like this, pero yang pag-iisip niyo, hindi yan natural na ganyan. Binubuo yan, hinuhulma. So, when you got a dirty mind whenever you see a beautiful sexy lady, never magiging kasalanan ng babae na may tabingi kayong pag-iisip, because that mind that holds dirty images is not ours. Its yours.

Masyado yata akong nadala sa inis ko kay Julio na hindi ko napansin yung coffee shop na madadaanan ko dapat. Buti na lang at nalanghap ko ang simoy ng hangin na amoy kape. That smells so good! When I checked my smart watch, it's exactly 6:45am.

Kape ni Juan.

The wind chimes rang when I opened the door of the coffee shop. Lagi kong nadadaanan itong coffee shop na to but ngayon lang ako nakapunta dito, kasi ngayon lang din napasama sa book of Merrimere ko.