I Met a Guy Whose Name is Lucas

Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Genuine

Saturday, September 1, 2018 9:00 PHT

"Can we come in?" Lucas asks me. Our eyes meet, and I can't move. I am surprised to see him behind the door. "Can we?" He asks me again and that's when I have the urge to let them in.

"Bakit kayo late?" Tanong agad ni EIC sa kanila once they stepped inside the office. Napansin ko na may dala silang five boxes ng pizza.

"Adam, inutusan ko silang bumili ng pagkain." Si kuya Aaron ang sumagot para sa dalawa.

"Sorry, natraffic kami kanina." Sabi nitong kasama ni Lucas. Tinulak niya si Lucas para makaupo siya sa upuan next to Esther.

"Tsk," Lucas utters. After they have seated, I also took my seat again, but before I did that I had a quick glance at Lucas. His usual facial expression—I mean emotionless facial expression, if that's even an expression, he wears it again.

"Aaron bayaran mo 'yang mga bata ha. Loko ka." Kuya Adam reminds kuya Aaron.

"Oo. Babayaran naman. Mamaya na," he replies to EIC.

"Sige continue tayo. Please," kuya Adam motioned me to introduce myself.

Kanina hindi ako kinakabahan, pero ngayon parang kinakabahan na ako. I can feel my heart stomping against my ribcage. I swallow my nervousness and smile at them.

"Good morning. My name is Francesca Josefina E. La Costa, but please call me Ceska. I am 18. BSEd English 1-A. I applied for literary field but I was accepted as a devcomm writer."

I felt really relieved after I introduced myself. Kuya Adam smiled at me. Isa siya sa nag-interview sa akin noong nag-take ako ng exam. Kuya Adam is really kind pero ramdam na ramdam ko ang authority niya dahil siya ang highest governing body ng publication. Next to him is kuya Aaron, who is really funny because he always jokes around, and also a senior in my department.

"Okay. Ben, magpakilala ka na." Kuya Aaron wiggles his eyebrows to Ben, 'yung lalaking kasama ni Lucas. He cleared his throat and nodded his head.

"Hi. I am Selmer Ben P. Cruz. Call me Ben or Selmer, kung saan ka sasaya, pero okay lang din naman kung tatawagin mo akong oppa," he started, at nag-finger heart pa siya kaya nagtawanan naman ang mga kasama namin.

"Ben umayos ka, kokotongan kita." Banta ni kuya Aaron. Mukhang magkakilala na sila. Ben laughs at kuya Aaron, at nag-peace sign pa.

"Seriously, call me Ben. 18, BS CivilEn 1-A. Lay-out and graphic artist." Ben smirks and winks at us. Wala naman siyang partikular na kinindatan, kaya naisip ko na baka nagpapacute lang siya. Well, to be honest, he looks cute. His eyebrows are also thick at muntikan na ring magkasalubong pero ang baby face ng mukha niya. Walang facial hair, then he has braces on his teeth which I can say, gives him a good boy next door appeal.

"Sige na, maupo ka na ulit. Baka kung ano pang sabihin mo. Next..." Sabi ni kuya Adam. Nagtawanan kami ulit. Nakakatuwa kasi si Ben, mukha siyang madaldal, and I have this gut feeling that we are going to be friends.

"I am Lucas Antonio D.S. Santiago. 17. BS CivilEn 1-A. Graphics artist and sports writer."

No way.. he is only 17?! And he is a sports writer? Wow.

I stare at Lucas na paupo na ulit sa seat niya. Nahagip ng paningin ko ang reaksyon ni Esther. She's also shocked to hear his age, she has even blinked her eyes at him, facing him.

"Are you seriously 17?" Esther couldn't stop asking Lucas. Pero imbis na si Lucas ang sumagot, si Ben ang sumagot sa tanong ni Esther. Ben blocked his head to cover Lucas from Esther's sight, and he was cheekily smiling.