Matt is my long time crush.
Does he know? Syempre hindi.
Why am I even thinking about him? Well. Dahil sa message ng highschool friend kong si Abby inviting me to attend her parents renewal of vows.
Abby happened to be Matts sister and Matt will definitely be there.
Halos anim na taon na mula ng huli kong makita ko si Matt but I know for a fact that he never cease to be wonderful. Sa mga taon na hindi ko ito nakikita, nandyan si Abby para busugin ako sa kwento.
And now this.
Another opportunity to see him.
"Hey babe," Nahinto ako sa pagmumuni muni ng pumasok sa kwarto ang boyfriend kong si Luke. "Dinner out?"
"Rain check. May mga need akong tapusin for my presentation next week." Dont get me wrong, Luke is the perfect boyfriend, caring, loving and well to do, but well.. so is Matt.
Aside from the fact that we've been together for five years and he does respect me (literally!). 'Ok, mag gym muna ako then Ill buy take out."
"Sure babe," Hinalikan siya nito sa pisngi bilang paalam. Always on the cheek.
Nang marinig ang pagsara ng pinto ay nagpasya siyang replyan si Abby. She confirmed her RSVP, minus one.
Fe Juana is my hometown where Manila is my home.
Kahit pa ba taon na mula ng magkaron ng lupa sa bayan na iyon ang mga magulang niya. Nang magmigrate kasi ang parents ko sa Norway ay ibinenta na ang mga iyon.
Isasama sana ako ng mga ito kung hindi lang ako nakatanggap ng scholarship sa university. Sampung taon na mula ng makagraduate siya at ilang taon nadin siyang kinukumbinsi ng mga ito na sumunod pero dahil mahal niya ang trabaho ay hindi pa siya nagpapapilit.
'Besss!" Matinis na tawag ng hindi ko maipagkakamali na si Abby.
"Bessshh!" Tugon niya.
"Buti nandito ka na! Akala ko nagiiniarte ka pa."
"Alam mo yan!"
Magkasama kaming pumasok sa pagaari nitong cafe. Iyon ang pinagkakaabalahan nito mula ng magdecide na magstay sa Fe Juana. Abby was a flight attendant but she married too early, twenty two, and divorced too soon, twenty six.
"Kuha lang akong meryenda." Sabi nito ng makaupo ako. Pagbalik ay may bitbit na itong ibat ibang cookies at cake, at tatlong mug ng kape.
"Tikman mo to, and ito." Turo pa nito. At syempre hindi naman ako tatanggi, she love Abbys cooking. "Mom would be glad to see you, alam mo!"
"Oo naman, ako kaya ang teachers pet."
"Im excited to see Moms reaction.,"
"Ang sweet talaga ng parents mo girl,"
"It runs on the blood,"
"So, panong mangyayari?"
"Ilalabas ko si Mommy ng umaga, pamper-pamper, bili ng magandang dress para kunyari surpise kay Daddy. Tapos, si Dad and Kuya naman will get ready na din. She will surely be happy seeing every student she had attend. I was telling Kuya the other day that we book a vacay in Panama too, they had their honeymoon there."
We were eating and laughing when something spark on the side of my eyes.
How can she not fall in love when everytime Matt is around, that twinge, electricity, spark happens. "Hi girls," malapad ang ngiting bati sa kanila ni Matthew. He and his perfect set of pearly whites. "Hi Mina, long time no see."
"Ay oo nga, hindi kayo nagkita nung divorce party ko. That guy, who was it?"
"Si Luke."
"Ya, how is he?"
"Mabuti naman."
"Kayo padin?"
"Well..."
"He is so... what do you call it Matt? 'Hindi makabasag pinggan'?"
"Nako, kung alam mo lang kung ilang pinggan na ang nabasag non."
"Oo nga pala, you are living together na?"
"We are, but he still keeps his own place. Alam mo na."
"Gosh Mina, you are so modern."
"Alam ba ng parents mo na nakikipaglive in ka?" Singit ni Matt sa kapatid nito. Nakaupo na ito kasama nila at nakikikape.
"Sort of.."
"Its either they do or they dont. So they dont?"
"Hey! Mina is a modern woman, she can live in with someone if she wants to!"
"Tulad ng ginawa mo?"
"I got married."
"And divorced."
"Well Mister, hindi lahat ng tao katulad mo na everything falls magically into place."
"So, your living with this guy?"
"None of your business." Si Abby na ang sumagot para sa kanya, and shes glad she did, shes so inlove with Matt, her mind is slowly filling with the thought of him being jealous.
But she know her place, nakisakay nalang siya kay Abby.
Matt seemed to lay off and the two started talking about their plans which will happen in two days time.
"Magbakasyon ka muna dito bess." Sabi ni Abby maya maya.
"Oo, I plan to stay for a week."
"Ay, a week lang?"
"Haba na non bes."
"Im sure her boyfriend would miss her."
"San ka nga ba magsstay?"
"Sa kotse ko, hindi pa ko nakacheck in."
"Ay, kay Kuya ka nalang. Di ba?" Alok ni Abby. Gustong gusto kong kurutin ang singit nito dahil doon.
Bago pa siya makatanggi ay sumagot na si Matt."Sure."
"Nakakahiya naman."
"I have a spare room, you can stay there as long as you like."
"Can I stay forever?" Biro ko nalang.
"Abby is smiling like a maniac when Matt answered. "Sure."
