"Hurry up, Jho!"
Napaangat ang tingin nya from her phone to me and then kunot noo nya akong tinitigan, at dahil dun mas lumawak ang mga ngiti ko. Kakalabas lang namin ng Conscience Cafe and I discovered something really cool!
"Look at this!" sobrang excited kong sabi. "Look at this tricycle! Sobrang cool diba!"
Nagpaikot ikot ako sa kabuuan ng tricycle and I really couldn't contain my excitement. I have never seen a tricycle made out of kahoy with a nipa hut cottage roofs ever!
Nakita ko namang napailing at natawa ng kaunti si Jho dahilan para mapatigil ako.
"What? Nakakaamaze kaya!" I said, trying to also hype her.
"Para kang bata." natatawa nyang sabi habang palapit sakin.
"Oh come on bata na kung bata. But I have never seen a tricycle... no, a tricycool like this! This is one of a kind!"
Tinaasan nya ako ng kilay. "Tricycool?"
"Yeah! Tricycool! Because it's a tricycle and it's cool!"
Witty naman diba?
Mas natawa sya. "You're so full of energy. Yan ba epekto ng kape sayo?"
This time, ako naman ang natawa. "Coffee? Nah." umiiling kong sagot. "Let's just say na I'm a Leo and you have to get used to this kind of energy."
Napakamot sya sa ulo. "Ay nako po, Leo."
"What?" natatawa kong tanong tapos I crossed my arms. "May issue po ba tayo sa mga Leo, Ms. Jho?"
She rolled her eyes pero nakangiti sya. "Nothing."
Pagkasabi nya non, tumalikod na sya at akmang aalis na pero agad akong nagsalita.
"Uy! Where are you going?"
"Bea, the clock is ticking." Inayos nya yung backpack nya. "I'm not gonna waste my time here doing nothing. I have many plans ahead of me."
"I know. Then, where are you going?" medyo madiin kong tanong. She didn't answer my question naman eh.
"Malamang sa---"
"But I think that's not the right direction." Sumampa ako sa tricycle. "As far as I know, this," I even pointed at the tricycle. "is the right direction."
Nagtataka nya akong tinitigan.
"Ikaw na nga nagsabi, the clock is ticking, right?" Tinapik tapik ko yung pwesto sa tabi ko tapos I smiled widely at her. "Oh anyways Jho, I hope you don't mind touring this place with a Leo."
Napatitig lang sya sakin for a second. Nakakunot noo. I don't know if nagdadalawang isip sya or what, but then a little smile suddenly appeared on her lips accompanied with a buntong hininga.
"I think I don't mind naman." she said.
I swear, mas nag widen yung smile ko bigla upon hearing that from her.
I guess, our adventure starts here.
Our byahe to Savidug Village was a little quiet and awkward. Hindi ko alam bigla kung ano sasabihin ko and I suddenly got shy to talk. Parang it suddenly occurred to me na I'm travelling with a complete stranger na pangalan lang ang alam ko... nothing else.
Of course knowing myself, this is new. I knew I have always been an extrovert human being but I was really never the type to be with people I barely know.
I stole a quick glance at Jho. Parang ang lalim ng iniisip nya ngayon. I wonder what she's thinking kaya? Hindi naman yata sya napilitan na samahan ako diba? And I told her naman na she's the boss in this tour and I'm all fine kahit saan kami magpunta.
