"Nag-try ulit akong tumawag pero hindi talaga nagpi-pick up."
Omar only smiled at me reassuringly. "They might be busy. Iba ang oras dito sa Venice at sa Pilipinas."
"I know, but it's already afternoon doon." I dialed my mom's number again and showed it to him. "See, she's not picking up pero dialing naman. Paano kung—"
"Stop that. Ayan ka na naman." He stood up from the sofa and walked towards me. "Stop overthinking. Aalis tayo ngayon, 'di ba? Magprepare ka na."
I let out a sigh and looked at him worriedly. I stepped inside the bathroom with my towel around my body. Natagalan ako sa loob ng banyo dahil sa mga naisip na mga posibilidad na mangyari. The water came falling down my body, the same time my mind flowed with thousands of thoughts. Isinawalang bahala ko na lng lahat ng iyon at lumabas na ng banyo.
Omar is right. I shouldn't overthink.
I wore a pastel pink blouse and a high-waisted denim shorts. Black brooks naman ang suot kong sapatos dahil malayo ang lalakbayin namin ni Omar. I let my wavy hair down to let it bounce freely along the way. Omar and I are wearing a trench coat to avoid getting cold lalo na sasakay kami ng barko. Para tuloy kaming nakasuot ng couple trench coat!
"I want to visit your work," sabi ko kay Omar.
"Why would you want to visit my work? Stress lang ang ibibigay no'n sayo pag nakita mo," aniya at hinaplos ang kanyang sentido. "We'll go to San Marco."
"Let's be quick lang. I'm just curious kung anong itsura, you know."
"Hindi ako pumasok para sayo tapos pupunta tayo sa workplace ko?" taas-kilay niyang sambit sa akin.
Humalukipkip ako. "Your work schedule is flexible. You can always work at home."
He scoffed. "I need the materials."
"Come on, visit lang. Kahit sa labas lang tayo para hindi ka makita ng boss mo." I giggled.
"Fine. If my boss sees me, itatapon kita sa dagat," he threatened.
Humalakhak ako. "Sure, basta ikaw!"
Sumakay na kami sa Vaporetto. Buti na lang at hindi malikot ngayon si Omar dahil kung hindi, masisita na naman kami rito. Bumaba kami nang marating na namin ang aming destinasyon. I burst out laughing when Omar almost tripped over himself.
Tumigil kami sa harap ng isang building na pula. I turned to Omar with a furrowed brow. He pointed at the other building on the other side and there I saw the relatively grandiose building that has several windows. Its flamboyant facade only made me want to go inside.
"It's upmarket," I said to Omar.
"It should be. It's a fashion industry," he indicated.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Ecdysiast
RomanceBittersweet Series #1. [REVISED VERSION] "She was once an ecdysiast and he was once a great storyteller." How do you see yourself after five years or so? What happens after you graduate? Wrong choices, life difficulties, the pressure and failures yo...
