Today is Sunday at nakasanayan na namin na magsimba every afternoon sa St. Joseph's Cathedral. So here I am getting ready for church when my phone pinged, signifying a notification. Tinapos ko muna ang pagbabatones ng polo ko bago ko in-unlock ang cellphone ko. It was a notification from Facebook. I opened the app and went to the notification section and found out that Happy has finally accepted my friend request.
It has been a week after that talk with Happy on the bay pero I just sent her my friend request recently because I was shy and ayoko namang iparating sa kanya na naghahabol ako sa kanya. I let a few days pass by before sending her a friend request. Turns out, she did the same thing to me also. She also waited a few days before accepting my friend request. Mga babae talaga.
I opened the Messenger app and clicked on her profile.
Delphine: Thank you for accepting my friend request, Ms. Happy.
I clicked on the send button and turned off my phone before heading out the door of my room. Paglabas ko, hindi ko na nakita sina Mama at Papa. Even Madi was not there already. I guess nauna na sila sa Cathedral.
I got out of the house and locked the doors before climbing in my car and making my way to the city where the Cathedral is located. Noong nakarating na ako run, pahirapan ang paghahanap ng parking space since ang raming nagsisimba but luckily, I was able to find a parking space. I went out of the car and attended mass. I checked my phone if there are any messages from my parents or from Madi, or if nagreply na ba si Happy, pero wala kaya I sinilent ko na lang yung phone ko at in-off ito before diverting my attention back to the mass.
When the mass ended, I decided to look for my parents and my sister inside the church. Di na kasi ko nakapasok sa rami ng tao kaya the whole duration of the mass, andito lang ako sa labas, nakatayo. Unti-unti ng kumokonti ang mga tao sa loob ng simbahan but hindi ko pa rin makita sina Mama or si Madi. I sat on one of the chairs first while letting my eyes look for my family.
In-on ko yung phone ko ulit para matawagan si Madi but what caught my attention was the Messenger notification on the top of my screen. I opened the app and saw Happy's message. I opened it and was taken back by her message.
Delphine Boromeo: Thank you for accepting my friend request, Ms. Happy.
Happy Montreal: HAHAHAH nahiya naman daw ako sa Ms. By the way, ang gwapo mo po sa pink ;)
Napatingin agad ako sa paligid ko at tsaka ko nakita si Happy na nakatayo at nagwewave sa akin habang hawak hawak ang phone niya. I got up and went near her.
"Nagsisimba ka pala dito Ms. Happy?" I teased her with the Ms. Tumawa naman siya ng mahina sa sinabi ko at pinalo ako ng mahina sa braso. Weg ke nemen genyen cresh.
"Ano ba akala mo sa akin? Demonyo?" natatawang tanong niya.
"Hindi naman. Para kasing ang rami mong ganap sa buhay," sabi ko sa kanya habang naglalakad kami palabas ng simabahan.
"True. Marami ngang ganap sa buhay pero dapat we're not too busy to the point na hindi na natin Siya nabibigyan ng panahon," she said and I just nodded. Words of wisdom naman daw po galling kay crush.
"Saan ka ba after?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"Dederetso na ako sa work," sabi niya habang tina-tie ang buhok niya into a ponytail. Teka, ang conyo ko naman ata.
"Ah, hatid na kita? Saan ba work mo?" pag-ooffer ko sa kanya.
"Ay nako, wag na! Malapit lang naman yun. Walking distance," sabi niya tsaka pinahigpit ang pagkakatali ng buhok niya.
"No, I insist. Wa-"
"Phin!"
Napahinto kaming dalawa sa pag-uusap ng tinawag ako ni Madi. She ran near me but slowed down her pace when she saw that I was with a familiar girl.
"Happy, right?" Madi asked with an innocent smile but I know better. Makiki-tsismis tong isang to eh.
"Yes."
"Madi. Madelaine," my sister reached out her hand, on which Happy shook with so much enthusiasm. Oh, ang cute tignan ng girl ko. Anudaw?!
"Lagi kang laman ng bibig nit-" bago pa man matapos ni Madi yung sasabihin niya, tinakpan ko yung bibig ng madaldal kong kapatid.
"Alam mo Happy, may lakad pala kaming magbabarkada. Sorry kung hindi kita mahahatid ha?" pagpapalusot ko sa kanya. Tumawa naman si Happy sa sinabi ko. Halata ba?
"Sige. Okay lang, wag kang mag-alala. Nice meeting you pala Madi. Mauna na ako sa inyo. Bye!" at tsaka siya lumakad palayo. Tinanggal naman ni Madi yung kamay kong nakatakip sa bibig niya.
"Ayun. Hindi daw crush pero daig pa ang isang elementary student kung kiligin. Ewan ko sayo," pangbabara ni Madi sa akin.
"Ang rami mong dada, alam mo yun?" inis kong sabi sa kanya habang naglalakad kami papunta sa sasakyan ko. Chance na sana yun eh. Um-epal pa talaga tong kapatid ko.
"By the way, Dominique asked if gusto ba daw nating makipag hang out sa kanila?" Madi said as she climbed in my car.
"Sabihin mo sa kanila na sa Banat-i Hill na lang tayo magkita. Sabihin mong magdala ng pagkain at drinks," I said as I started the engine of my car. Tumango na lamang siya and I maneuvered the car out of parking space. I decided to go to the mall para makabili ng pagkain mamaya.
"They said yes at nagpaalam na rin ako kina Mama," tumango lang ako at pinagpatuloy ang pagtutulak ng push cart. After we got everything, we headed to the cashier to pay for everything. Pagkatapos naming magbayad, bumalik na agad kami sa sasakyan ko. Wala na rin naman kaming dapat gawin dito. Wala naman kaming planong mag camping dito sa mall.
After a few more minutes of driving, nakarating na kami sa destinasyon namin dahil hindi naman masyado malayo sa city yung Banat-i Hill. We parked the car under a tree and got the food we bought from the compartment and locked the car bago magsimulang umakyat ng burol.
When we arrived to the usual spot, andun na ang mga damuhog, naka set-up na yung tent at may mga pagkain na nakalagay na sa mesa na dala ng mga damuho.
The night went by pretty fast. Soon, we were already driving back home. Pagdating naming sa garahe, lumabas agad si Madi ng sasakyan. Nakalimutan pang isarado ang pintuan ng sasakyan ko. Next time, palalakarin ko na lang yun. Bahala siya.
Habang nililigpit ko ang mga bagay sa back compartment ng sasakyan ko, biglang tumunog ang notification ko. I got my phone from my back pocket and checked what it was. It was a notification from Messenger. Nilapag ko muna yung mga dinala ko at in-unlock ang phone ko. I went directly to Messenger and saw that there's a new message from Happy.
Happy Montreal: Ang cute niyo ng kapatid mo HAHAHA. Next time mo na lang ako ihatid sa trabaho ko.
And with that, nawala lahat ng inis ko kay Madi.
