"Arvic."
"Zamora."
"Arvic Zamora."
"Huy!"
Halos isigaw ko na ang pangalan niya dahil ayaw niya akong pansinin.
Siniksik ko ang paa ko sa legs niya. Tumingin lang siya sa akin pero hindi pa rin niya ako pinansin. Inalis lang niya 'yun at pinatong sa legs niya.
I sighed, defeated. "Love."
"Yes?"
I glared at him. "So hindi mo ako papansinin pag hindi love ang tawag ko sayo? Huy Arvic, baka nakakalimutan mo nandito ka sa bahay ko. My house, my rules."
He pretended not to hear me. At this point of our relationship he only hear what he wants to hear and ignore me if he doesn't like what he's hearing.
"Huy." Mahina ko siyang sinipa at agad niyang hinuli ang paa ko.
"Sa relasyon na 'to ikaw ang mapanakit. Tama bang saktan ang boyfriend mo?"
"Tama bang hindi mo ako pansinin?" I retort.
"You always call me Arvic, Arvic Z, Arvic." He started. "Everyone calls me Arvic. Can't I want my girlfriend to call me differently?"
"Nope." I answered back.
He sighed, "Okay. Come here, wag ka na manipa."
I shifted so my body is leaning against him and my feet on the other side of the sofa. He kissed my forehead. "Anong gusto mong dinner?"
"Magluluto ka?"
"Yup or if you want we can eat out or order kung gutom ka na."
"Wala kayang makakatalo sa luto mo." I faced him and raised my thumbs. "Super sarap. I will eat whatever you cook."
Tumawa siya. "Hindi mo na ako kailangan bolahin. Just help me."
He made creamy mushroom chicken. Nung hindi ko pa boyfriend si Arvic ay walang laman ang ref at kitchen cabinets ko kung hindi mga instant at madaling lutuin na food. Now, he even helped me stock up food. I even have containers of food in my ref in case magutom ako.
Punong puno ang maliit kong ref. I'm really lucky to have a man who can cook.
Our routine is always he cook and I wash after.
Hindi rin siya nagtagal dahil kailangan niyanh bumalik ng cafe to check stuff and close.
"Hindi mo ba ako pipigilan?" Hila hila niya ang kamay ko.
Umiling ako, "Inaantay ka ng mga staff mo. Baka mag OT nanaman sila dahil sayo."
He frowned and extended his arms. I closed our distance and hugged him. "Ingat. Text mo ko pag nasa bahay ka na."
"Don't wait up kung antok ka na. May pasok ka pa bukas."
"Yes, Kuya."
"Kuya?!" Nanliit ang mata niya sa akin. "You refuse to call me anything but my name yet you want to call me kuya?"
"Mas matanda ka naman talaga sa akin. Technically, pwede kita tawaging Kuya."
Lumapit siya sa akin at marahan na pinitik ang noo ko. "Anything but Kuya. Ang weird nun."
Inasar ko pa siya lalo. "Kuya. Kuya. Kuya. Kuya."
He hissed and drew a breath. "Tigas talaga ng ulo mo. Sige na aalis na ako."
Ngumisi ako pag talikod niya at tinawag siya. "Bye, love."
Tumakbo na ako papasok ng bahay kaya hindi ko alam kung ano ang naging reaksyon niya.
Biglang nagring ang cellphone ko. "Labas ka sandali." It was Arvic.
"Bakit? Hindi ka pa umaalis?"
"May nakalimutan ako."
"Huh?"
Lumabas naman ako. Paglabas ko ay niyakap niya ako at hinalikan sa pisngi. "There."
"Weird mo."
"You are the one being weird. Saying ayaw mo ng endearments ko pero binibigla mo ako."
"So hindi ka makaalis dahil tinawag kitang.." I trailed.
Tumaas ang kilay niya. "I knew it. I shouldn't really expect anything from you."
"Love?" Malambing na sabi ko.
I saw how his face shift from poker face to stopping himself from smiling.
"I won't be able to leave if you're like that. Baka dito na ako matulog niyan."
"Baliw ka." I have to exert effort to push him to leave because he just refused to until I say the word again.
"30 minutes na ang nasayang mo. I will tell Vince napunta yung profit sa kakabayad ng overtime pay sa employees." Sabi ko.
"Ito na nga aalis na. Just let me look at you for five more seconds."
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Time's up!" I called out.
He chuckled. "Oo na, oo na."
Gising pa ako pag-uwi ni Arvic. Nag shower siya bago niya ako tinawagan.
Kinwento niya kung paano siya tignan ng mga staff niya. They were smiling while shaking their heads at him.
Siya nalang ang inaantay nila. Arvic was so embarrassed and apologetic that's why he brought snacks with him.
Ang nakakagulat is nandun si Pepper!
"He was glaring at me and didn't eat the food I bought." Pagsusumbong ni Arvic.
"Malamang! Nabawasan ang alone time nila ni Denver dahil sayo. You know how Pepper is."
"Pinapagalitan niya ako na bawas bawasan ang pakikipagkita sayo dahil baka magsawa ka daw." Tumawa siya.
"Ako daw? Naku lagot sa akin 'yan si Pepper."
"Pero naisip ko naman, ikaw magsasawa sa akin? Imposible 'yun. That's why I just laughed at him and told Denver na bawasan ang pakikipagkita kay Paul dahil baka magsawa siya." Kwento niya.
"So it's ok for you that they're dating each other?"
"Yup, why not? It's none of my business. Wala rin problema kay Vince."
I pursed my lips. "Isn't it weird like boss kayo ni Denver and Pepper's gonna bring him if we hang out? Or like worst case scenario, hindi sila mag work.."
Napaisip rin si Arvic. Pepper and I, we're not the type to interfere or care who's dating who. Just this time baka maapektuhan kasi ang business nila and Pepper's my best friend.
"Did you know, first hire namin si Denver. He has no experience like others pero he exceed our expectation. He's the type to do his best so if you're thinking that it might affect his performance if something went wrong sa kanila ni Paul, I don't think so."
"It's up to Denver to decide if he want to keep his job along with his relationship if that happen." He added.
I smiled. This is definitely one of the reasons why I fell in love with him.
"I love you." I just have to say it. This is three words that I don't really say enough.
I heard his laugh. "Is that your sleepy self talking?"
"Wrong answer. Ang tamang sagot ay I love you too."
I could almost see him smiling over the phone before he said, "I love you, Mandy."
