Pink Skies

Achtzehn.

"I really didn't know that you know me. I just thought you know my name." Saad niya kay Ramses nang makaupo silang dalawa at inilapag ang order nilang dalawa.

"Well, I know more than your name?"

"More than my name?"

"Uh huh."

"Like what?"

"Your favorite color is blue, in which any shade of blue. You like buying the mashed potato and fried noodles sa cafeteria ng uni. You won for how many times sa Food and Beverages Expo. If you're not with Bri or Abi, sa Sentrum ka nagpapalipas ng oras or sa library. You, Abi and Bri posted on our school magazine after our cover."

Halos mapanganga siya. Nagtataka pa siya nung una bakit hindi manlang tinanong ni Ramses kung anong mga favorite niya. Yun pala, ay alam na niya ito.

"Wait, how'd you know all of that? Tinanong mo kay Abi at kay Bri?"

"Except for the first one, I did ask them. The others were based on my observations."

"Huh?"

Ramses chuckles. "Fine, I'll confess, babe." Saad nito saka bahagyang tinaas ang dalawang kamay. "You're my first ever girl crush when we were in college. I saw you on our orientation. Then I saw Bri and Abi approached you. I was with my siblings back then, then I heard them saying that there's another Gracia, and that was you."

Mataman lang siyang nakikinig dito.

"Since me, Abi and Bri are on the same org. I asked them about you. They told me that you're their cousin, which they both said that you're like a sister to them. They immediately asked if you were my type. I didn't answer wayback then, because I don't know. I'm gay, right?"

Tumango tango siya.

"Then I heard the news that you were going out with one of the basketball varsity players—"

"Ah, yung I was only a bet lang pala?" She said, then laughs.

"I'm sorry babe, I didn't mean to bring that up."

Umiling siya. "Nah, it's fine. To be honest, I didn't totally invested on that guy. I even didn't say that I liked him. Sinabi ko lang na pasok lang siya sa ideal type ko, kasi matangkad siya."

"What? Really?"

Tumango siya. "I was just mad at him. Then they all thought na I haven't moved on. Kasi wala nang sumunod don. They're wrong though. I easily moved on to that guy. Hindi nga kasi ako invested." Then she shrugged her shoulders.

"That's good to hear. Caer and Cam was so mad at that guy back then. You're like their precious little sister."

Gusto niyang mapangiwi. Totoo naman kasi. Cam and Bri started out as best friends which lead them to dating. Caer and Abi we're frenemies, though they both belong to the same circle of friends.

"Kuya Rama was the first one to notice that I had a crush on you. He notices that I glanced at you whenever you're at Sentrum and that we're practicing. Then Ate Raja was the next. I thought Kuya Rama told her. She said, he hasn't told her anything. She was asking me ba't ang hilig ko raw dumaan or tumambay sa org office. E I don't do that usually."

"So you really had a crush on me?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya habang nanguya.

Napatawa na lang si Ramses. "Yeah, you really got me bad, babe."

"E bakit nung nagkita uli tayo, parang ang suplado mo?"

"Defense mechanism, I guess? Ate Raja told me the night before the meeting na may ipapakilala raw siya sakin. And that I'll definitely like it. I didn't know it will be you. I thought it'll be a common friend between the Adriatico and the Gracia. Seems like Kuya Rama knows that it'll be you. That's why when you saw us walking in, we're talking. Kuya Rama keeps on telling to, "Act cool, man. Get your shit together, bro." Because that was the only time Ate Raja told me that you'll be with us on the meeting."

"Woah, I can't believe this." Saad niya.

"Are you shocked, babe?"

Todo tango siya. "I mean, at first, I really thought that you don't like me. Kaya I was shocked when you ask for a lunch date afterwards. Then we set our conditions.."

"I don't want you to be awkward and all at me, that's why I suggested that we'll set with our own conditions. Abi and Bri told me that you've been single for how many years. You never had a real boyfriend though. That's why most of you aunts and uncles thought that you'll be an old maid."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. That is all true!

Bentang benta na talaga siya ng dalawa niyang magaling pinsan kay Earl Ramses.

Papaalalahanan niya ang sarili niya na bibigyan niya ng sapok ang dalawa niyang pinsan.

"That's true though." Napangiwi siya.

Ramses chuckled. "Then there was a time mom was bothering me to have a special someone. Saying I'm already at this particular age. Then Ate Raja visited saying that there'll be a special someone for me."

"And.. that's me?" She asked, pointing at herself.

Tumango ito. "Yeah, my parents are so proud that time. Mom was really happy. Since you own the Danke too. Dad was happy too, saying that I'm not single anymore. All of his kids are happily married and in a relationship."

"Would that mean, you want to be married and have kids too?" She asked slowly.

Ramses smiled at her. "Of course, I want both of it. Besides the fact that there'll be more Adriatico."

Napatawa siya. "Ang daya."

"You can hyphenated it though."

"Hmm? Gracia-Adriatico?" She asked.

Ramses eyes widen. "Yeah, Gracia-Adriatico. I like that."

"Nah, I'll still do the G dot (.) Adriatico." Sagot niya.

Saka lang niya narealize ang sinabi niya kaya ilang beses siyang kumurap saka namula.

"I–Uhm, I–" Saad niya. Pero hindi nakatingin si Ramses sa kanya. Nakatakip ang kamay nito sa bibig at nakalingon sa ibang direksyon. Halatang namumula ang tenga nito dahil bumalik na ang kulay nito dati.

She heard him clear his throat. "I don't mind giving you my surname." Saad nito sa kanya. Sumulyap ito sa kanya.

Napakagat labi siya.

Gusto niyang magpalamon sa lupa, at the same time.. she's happy to know that Ramses would give her his surname.

———

Dahil birthday ko ngayon, eto ang kalandian ni Earl Ramses para sa inyo. Lol.