"Maq kailangan ko yung purchase receipts ng mga PPE for this quarter." Julie approached her but was shocked nang makita niya ito na nakangiti na parang ewan.
"Hey are you okay? Sinapian ka ba? Parang unusual na good mood ka today ha?" Pero hindi pa rin siya pinapansin ni Maqui kaya binatukan na niya ito.
"Aray naman! Nyeta ka ha"
"Finally natapos din pagdeday dream mo diyan. Hand me the PRs of PPEs this quarter Maq, kailangan ko siya for interim reporting."
"Nakakabwisit naman nagiimagine pa yung tao ee. Oh ayan." Maktol niya sabay abot nung file na hinahanap ni Julie.
"Teka teka nga Frencheska, ang blooming mo ngayon ha? Ano'ng meron?"
Maqui looked at her with surprise and somehow blushed at what she said.
"Ha? Wa...wala wala naman." She shyly said and ducked her head. This so unusual of Maqui since hindi naman ito mahiyain, at bihira lang magblush. Either kapag naka blush-on lang siya o kapag naiinis o natatae mga ganon.
"OMG Maq don't tell me..."
"Don't tell you what?"
"Don't tell me naisuko mo na ang Bataan?" Maqui glanced at her with eyes wide open and was about to speak when Julie interrupted her.
"Shhh! Okay I know and I understand. Just please don't go into details."
"GIRL!!! MALAKI!" Maqui shouted, making almost everyone look at their direction.
"Maqui naman yung bunganga mo oh nakakahiya!" Julie said pero wala siyang pakialam.
"GIRL GRABE!"
"Shhh! Maqui naman ang sagwa mo! Do you think interested ako sa anes ng kuya ng jowa ko?"
"Kasi naman girl! With a havesment ang lolo mo! Girl naramdaman ko na babae na ako ulit!"
"Okay that's it! Dapat pala hindi na kita tinanong. Bye Maqui talk to you kapag hindi na horny yang katawan mo."
And with that, Julie left her area and went straight to hers.
...
"Oh bakit ang tahimik mo ngayon? Ano hindi ka pwedeng maging masaya dahil finally nadiligan na ang aking natitigang na flowery chenes?" Maqui irritatingly said. Nasa isang malapit na cafeteria sila at katatapos lang ng office hours.
"No Maq, seriously I'm happy for you." Julie said, pero hindi pa rin upbeat ang feeling niya.
"Girl alam ko may iniisip ka kaya ka nag-aya dito. Ayan o halos maubos mo na 'yang kape. Gusto mo ba mag-inom na lang tayo? Kahit sa place ko na lang."
"Sira may pasok bukas. Tsaka kailangan sober ako kapag ilalatag ko na yung problema ko."
"Ayun. Problemado ang lola. Let me guess...Nag-away kayo?"
"Hindi sira."
"Oh ee ano? Hindi na kayo nagchuchukchakan? Inggit ka sa akin? Bet mo na ulit madiligan?"
"Maqui tone down your voice baka isipin nila pokpok tayo."
"Oh ee ano nga?"
"It's about UoT."
"What about Canada-ish stuffs?"
"I will not pursue it."
"WHAT?! Bakit naman? Sayang yun huy! Rare lang makapasok sa UoT tapos ikaw itatapon mo na lang basta basta yung admission mo? Girl wake up!"
"I've made up my mind Maq. Tsaka I could still get my masters dito sa Pinas if I would want to. May UP naman, La Salle, Ateneo, UST, and other univs."
"Yeah I get your point at hindi ko rin naman minamaliit ang mga school dito pero kasi Juls that's UoT! God-tier level yan! Sayang naman yung opportunity na yun."
"Pero..."
"Pero may Elmo kasi. Mayroon nang naghohold back sa iyo ngayon. I get it, pero sana naman huwag mo lang paikutin yung mundo mo sa isang tao Juls. I know this is your first relationship, and both of you are really having a good time. Pero sana huwag kang masanay na puro saya lang. At sana huwag mong hayaan na maging hadlang si Elmo sa dreams mo. Wait...you haven't told him ano?" Julie just nodded.
"Maq alam mo naman na uunahin ko pa rin naman 'to ee, pero kasi last night..."
"What happened last night?"
"Maq, I saw a different Elmo."
"What do you mean? Alam mo nabwibwisit na ako sa mga pa one-line chika mo."
"Maq sobrang lost siya kagabi, sobrang takot."
"What? Ano ba'ng nangyari?"
"I don't if aware ka pero Ella posted something last night. Ella De Vera. She posted a photo of the two of them sa isang beach which, sabi ni Elmo was taken 3 years ago, tapos may caption na 'Real af'."
"WHAT?! Jusko kagabi lang ako hindi nagTwitter tapos kagabi pa magkakaganap? Nakakaloka."
"And last night, he was all of a sudden different. Gone was the strong personality I saw, tapos napalitan ng parang bata na Elmo na takot iwan ng mommy niya sa isang mall. Sobrang fragile, sobrang madaling masaktan."
"And...?"
"And I made a promise na hindi ko na siya iiwan ulit. Maq kung nakita mo siya kagabi, you'll understand where I am coming from."
Maqui fell silent. She's digesting everything Julie said, and somehow formulating a response.
"Maq, I do not want to see that kind of Elmo again. Parang nawala yung saya sa mundo niya kagabi. Napalitan ng takot, ng pangamba, ng lungkot."
"I get it Julie, believe me I do. Pero kasi... Paano mo ipapaliwanag kay Marivic?"
"Mom always understands Maq."
"Yeah she's an understanding person, pero haven't you considered what she would feel?"
"Maq please let's not go there."
"Wala lang, hindi naman ako hadlang sa inyo ni Elmo. In fact all-out support nga ako ee, pero as I have said Juls, huwag mo'ng gawing mundo ang isang tao. If he truly loves you, he'll understand. Tsaka he could always visit you sa Canada kapag nag-aaral ka na doon."
"But..."
"Ayun ay sa akin lang naman because after all, ikaw at ikaw pa rin ang magdedesisyon. Pero sana this time take tita Marivic into the picture, and consider her. This is her dream for you Juls. And also your dream. Huwag mo sanang hayaan na maging hadlang pa si Elmo. Make him as your inspiration in pursuing this Juls, not a constraint."
Julie fell silent. Her mind keeps on saying na i-pursue niya ang Canada, but her heart has decided to stay.
"Sa Feb pa naman yung lapse ng admission mo, try to think everything thoroughly Juls. Ayaw ko na mag-regret ka just because nagpadalos-dalos ka sa mga desisyon mo. This is so not you."
...
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