"Ay baluga."
Gulat na gulat si Rita after she saw me.
Kakapasok niya lang here sa shared dressing room namin for our Sunday show.
"Ano? Gulat na gulat?" I asked.
"Ah eh." Ngayon naman walang masagot.
Minsan lang ganito 'to eh. May tinatago siguro. Nako Rita, don't me. Super observant ata 'tong friend mo na 'to. So, whatever that is, malalaman ko din yan.
"Ano nga?" Ulit kong tanong.
"Ah wala. Nagulat lang ako sayo. Akala ko wala ka today."
"Surprise! I'm here. I have konting pasalubong from Iloilo." I exclaimed na medyo excited.
Ito kasing si Rita sobrang appreciative nito eh. Mamaya lang nasa IG stories niya na 'yon.
"Dito ka talaga dumiretso from airport?" Medyo nagtatakang tanong niya?
"Is that new to you? Lagi naman ah." Sagot ko na lang.
She's being a bit weird. Alam naman niya 'yon ah.
"Hindi kase, you were away for 6 days. Di ka ba napapagod?" Oh well, she got a point.
"No naman, Tata. Sometimes, I felt like I don't want to even go to work nga eh. Pero this trip to Iloilo was relaxing. Parang it was more of a vacation than work."
"Uy kakainggit." I just smiled at her.
"Di ba it was for your movie with Rayver?" She asked.
"Hindi. May iba daw akong gagawin. Di ko pa nga kilala who I will be working with."
Bakit napalunok bigla 'tong si Rita?
"Di mo pa ba talaga alam ha Julie Anne?"
Wow, the tone.
"What about?" Lalaban din ako syempre.
"That he is back."
Bigla naman kumabog ang dibdib ko. What was that?
I looked at myself in the mirror. And then, shift my gaze to Rita. She's fixing herself.
She looked at me right after.
"You knew. You're just acting as if you don't."
Yes, I knew. I just didn't expect it was this soon.
I looked at Rita. In the mirror. We're eye to eye.
"Well, yeah." I said. Trying to sound plain. Para kunwari walang pain.
"So?" She asked. Yung parang chismosa.
Haay, Rita. Di ka pa rin nagbabago.
"Di ko pa rin talaga maitago when it comes to him no?"
Tumango lang siya with a smile na sobrang nang-aasar.
"Where were you when you found out?" She asked.
Sa sobrang interesado niya, naibaba niya yung vegan oatmeal na kinakain niya.
Oh, you'll know she's serious if she handed down her food and then focus on you.
"Hapon 'yon eh. I think it was 3 in the afternoon. I was resting lang. We need the sun to set so we're all waiting, until my phone recieved tons of notifications. Ayaw talagang tumigil as in." I started the kwento.
Rita's starring at me. Still. Ever so focus pagdating sa chika.
"Aren't you gonna ask questions na lang? I'm not sure how to continue eh." Sabi ko.
