Paolo
James.
Ang tagal namin ni Cheska together then as soon as we broke up, Arra introduces me to James.
At that time, I accepted him cautiously. For me kasi, wala namang ginagawang masama yung tao so let's give him a chance. Arra was still in college, while I was already working during that period.
I would see them - James dropping Arra off after a date; Arra escorting James to his car after having lunch or dinner with her parents; bumping into them at a coffee shop or the mall.
One time, I was set up with a date. When I got to the restaurant, Arra and James arrived five minutes after I was seated.
"Pong! Hi!" Arra said, hugging me and bussing my cheek.
"Hello," I said to them.
"Mag-isa ka?" She asked.
"No, uhm, I'm waiting for a date."
"Oh! Who? I didn't know you were seeing someone," she said.
"I'm not... ano kasi... blind date," I said, a little bashful about it.
"Oh good! It's about time you went out and finally got over Cheska, as much as I love her," she told me sincerely.
"Thanks, Arra. Sige na, enjoy your date."
She didn't leave at once and I vividly remember how she stared at me that night. "I miss you, you know? Let's catch up naman sometime."
I nodded. "Sure. You think I can steal you this Sunday after church? Let's walk around the village and search for sorbetes."
"Yes! Okay!" She got up and made her way to their table. "Sunday then."
"Sunday."
It was a great catch up / sorbetes day. From church, we bid our families goodbye and headed to the nearby park. Somehow, we ended up at the swings and kept on chatting about what was going on with our lives.
"School is the same. Mostly major subjects na kaya nakaka-stress. You?"
"I'm looking at job openings for our company abroad. My boss said he's willing to endorse me naman," I shared. "But nothing is concrete yet so please pray for me ha?"
"Wow! I hope you get the job! Your dreams are coming true," she cheered.
"Not yet, but... sana."
"Sure yan! But..."
I frowned. "But what?"
"Hindi aabot abroad yung walkie talkie natin."
I chuckled. "We have to level up then."
My first assignment abroad was certain a year later. That meant, I would not be in Manila for her graduation.
"What?! Pong! You can't postpone?"
"By a month?!" I laughed. "Hindi pwede."
"Naman eh. I'm graduating with honors!" She said, stomping like a baby in their frontyard where we were talking.
I took her in my arms. "Ooooohhh parang baby naman. I AM proud of you, you know. If it were up to me, I would move it but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity for me."
"I know. I wouldn't want to hold you up from something you've dreamed of forever," she sighed.
I moved away and handed her a box. "Advance gift."
She plopped down the grass and I followed. Like a kid at Christmas, she tore the wrapper into pieces in no time and saw the box for the latest mobile phone at the time. "Oh my god! Oh my god! Thank you, Pong!"
"I'll send you my number there as soon as I have it. You can bug me as often as you want."
She smiled at me then started tinkering with the phone. "Kulang pa."
"Huh? Anong kulang?! Cellphone na nga yan, kulang pa?"
She grinned. "Eight gold coins and you're forgiven."
Of course, I got her gold coins.
I smiled at the memory and decided to call her. "R!"
"Hey, Popong! What's up?"
"Wala naman. I was looking at this new phone model and it kind of looks like that grad gift I got you years ago. Ano nga pala nangyari dun?" I asked.
"I kept it. Nasa bahay."
"You didn't sell it?"
"No! Never."
"Naks! I'm touched."
"Heh."
"What are you doing?"
"Preparing for a date I'm not in the mood for?"
I chuckled. She was always like this. She never wanted to go out and was always anxious before anything, then she would end up having a great time. "Too late to cancel na. Is it dinner or coffee?"
"Coffee lang."
"Ok. Ganito na lang. Meet me na lang for grocery shopping after?"
"Okay! Deal. See you later!"
"See you. Don't bring a car. Hatid na kita pauwi mamaya."
