catching odds ¦ ryujun

009

wednesday; 09:11 [azeal]

"good morning!" i greeted as soon as i walked towards their table at the center.

"good morning, az! long time no see." bati ni psychord.

"yeah, it's been a while psychord." i smiled and took a seat beside asherha who also got here a minute before me.

"ah by the way,  i brought some foods for us to share later." wika ko sabay lapag sa mesa ng dala kong paper bag na may lamang mga luto ko.

"wow! is this some parisian specialty?" tanong ni kris.

"you could say it as one." i shrugged that made them chuckled.

"itabi mo na muna, hon." utos ni vannette kay psychord at agad namang sinunod ni psychord at tumayo ito.

inilibot ko ang paningin ko and it doesn't feel like a bar at all. it's well lit up and the bar is still closed that's why. ang to think that we're also at the second floor of the bar where puro tables lang ang nandito kaya it somewhat feels like a restaurant lang para saakin.

"oh god! sorry i'm late." bungad ni edri.

"no, it's fine edri." wika ni vannette.

hindi rin nagtagal ay dumating na si heressy.

"i'm sorry i'm late. traffic."

napalingon kaming lahat sa nagsalita. my eyes immediately fell at edri who happened to sat across me. she just busied herself with the papers on the table.

"no, it's okay uther." wika ni psychord.

naupo naman sa tabi ko si uther.

"wow. it's been so long, azeal." bati niya kaya natawa ako.

"right. and you haven't changed at all." manghang wika ko.

"baby face pa rin ba?" he joked that made us laughed.

"by the way, how about the organizer uther?" tanong ni vannette and with that question ay napansin kong napaangat ang tingin ni edri kay uther.

"the organizer contacted me. okay lang ba daw na sa susunod na siya sasali?" sagot ni uther.

"well, okay lang naman. we could still start the plan without her." pagtango ni vannette.

napatingin naman ako edri. something is really off here.

"anyway, let's just start?" vannette asked at tumango naman kami.

"so as planned, the wedding will be on june 5th. so technically ay we only have almost 2 months to prepare." pagsisimula ni vannette.

"oh, it's your birthday on that day. mas lalong special day pala 'to ah." komento ni heressy and vannette just giggled.

the first half of our initial plan went smooth. as vannette offered to me, i'll be the master chief so i'm in charge of the foods. ang main course lang ang lulutuin ko while magmominitor lang ako sa iba. edri is the in charge of the wedding gown, dresses and suits. it will be a beach wedding and will be held in kris' beach resort as well as the reception. a day after naman ay magkakaroon ng yacht party for psychord's and van's close friends. while ash will help with the wedding cake and pastries since she owns a cafe and she also learned baking before. while heressy will be the maid of honor and i heard one of psychord's friends ang best man na nasa ibang bansa pa. and, i also heard that the drinks for the party will care of iver since he owns a bar.

"wow. ang sarap nito az ha." komento ni edri kaya napangiti naman ako.

we were sharing the foods i brought for our lunch. i'm. glad they liked it.

"i feel like i'm in paris." komento naman ni asherha kaya natawa kami.

nag-usap pa kami and casually ay nagkakamustahan lang. i'm even glad that edri and uther managed to get along kahit andyan pa rin ang awkward sa atmosphere.

"cr lang ako. saan ba?" paalam ko.

"nasa baba, az. just ask some staffs there." sagot ni kris kaya tumango at tumayo na saka bumaba.

lumapit naman ako sa isang babaeng bartender na nagpapractice atang magmix.

"uhm, excuse me—"

"oh my god! i'm sorry, ma'am!" tarantang sambit ng babae at agad na lumabas sa counter at nilapitan ako. paano ba kasi nagulantang ko ata siya kaya natapon ang minimix niya at natalsikan ako.

"no, it's fine. i startled you so i'm at fault too." i said as i tried to wipe the drinks on my shirt.

"i'm really sorry ma'am." paumanhin niya at nagbow ng paulit-ulit.

"patay ako nito kay sir." i heard her whispered.

"i'm really sorry, ma'am. bayaran ko nalang po, mukhang mamahalin pa naman ang shirt mo ma'am." pagbow niya ulit.

"no, no, don't be. i'm fine. really." tanggi ko at hinawakan ko pa sya sa balikat to say it's really fine.

"i'm really sorry." she bowed again.

"what's the matter here?"

i was frozen to where i was standing when i heard that voice.

it's been 5 years and i could still clearly recognize his voice. i've never forgotten a single thing of him, after all these years. it's hard to forget, i must admit.

"sir." the girl bowed down.

"anong nangyari dito, abby?" he asked again.

i gulped when i sensed that he's coming near at us.

"natapunan ko po kasi si ma'am habang nagpapractice ako. sorry po. i'm ready to accept any sanction. sorry po talaga."

"okay ka lang ba mi—" he was cut off to what's his saying when he turned to me.

"azeal?" he muttered under his breath.

agad naman akong napaiwas ng tingin.

"ah... i'm fine, really. cr lang ako." i said at agad na tumalikod sa kanila.

"azeal." tawag ni iver kaya napapikit ako bago sya nilingon.

"the cr is on this way." he said pointing at his side.

gusto kong batukan ang sarili ko sa kahihiyan. hindi ko pa nga kasi pala alam saang banda ang cr nila.

"oh, thanks." wika ko nalang at nginitian sila ng hilaw.

"excuse me." i said at nagtungo na sa cr.

gosh! bakit ba natetense ako?!

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