Parallel Intersection

Chapter 26

My friends told me that I haven't met him. I wasn't there when they played in Naga.

My dreams told me that we didn't just met...we happened to...

Inis kong ginulo ang aking buhok. Its been a couple of weeks after that dream of mine.

I don't know if it really is a dream or memory. Kahit alin man sa dalawang iyon, isa lang ang tanging alam ko... kaya pala ang bilis ng tibok ng aking puso tuwing nariyan siya.

Mama:

Ha? Lalaki? Bkt? May bf k b nun?

Iyon ang text ni Mama sa akin. I asked her if men went on our house before.

My friends were also telling me that I haven't met him. Ganoon din ang pinapalabas ni Mama.

Baka...masayang panaginip lamang iyon?

My colleagues were talking about a sports game. Unang pumasok sa aking isipan ay si Joe.

What if tanungin ko siya? Wala naman sigurong mawawala sa akin kung tatanungin ko siya if we encountered each other before, right?

What if he finds me weird?

Napasinghap na lamang ako. I really don't know what to do. Next week na ang simula ng review ko ngunit eto ako, parang tanga.

Yohan and John will be here in Manila, a day before our review class will start. Sanay na rin naman akong mag-isa.

"Loosen up, Jam!" I cheered myself up the moment I got to laid on my bed.

Kailangan ko lang sigurong abalahin ang aking sarili. Maybe, going to the mall won't hurt my budget. A window shopping would do.

Kaya iyon nga ang aking ginawa. I woke up around eleven in the morning and fixed myself. Maghahanap na lang ako ng fastfood chain.

I wore a simple mom's jeans paired with black tank top and white sneakers.

"One spicy chicken Mcdo, fries, and sundae."

Napatingin ako sa lalaking katabi ko sa pila. We said it in unison na akala mo ba'y may sabayang pagbigkas na nangyari.

My lips parted upon seeing a tall man whose wearing a usual shorts, shirt, and sneakers outfit.

He smiled at me. I composed myself and nodded.

"I have a table over there. Do you want to sit with me?" Inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa loob ng McDo.

This feels very familiar because sa McDo kami madalas kumain!

"Is it okay with you?" I asked him.

Baka hindi naman talaga iyon sa isang panaginip lang. Baka...it's a memory that I truly had forgotten?

Tahimik akong nakasunod sa kanya mula sa likod. Mukhang nagpareserve ito ng mesa para lang hindi iyon makuha ng iba.

It's a two-seater table. Tahimik kong inilapag ang aking tray. Ganoon din siya kaya lang ay hindi na kasya.

"Uh...I think we should remove our trays." Suhestyon niya na agad ko namang sinunod.

Nagtawag ito ng isang crew para ibigay ang mga trays namin.

My heart is pounding big time. Hindi ko rin maitatanggi ang pagsibol ng pag-asa sa aking kalooban.

"Sorry for the trouble." I said before starting to eat my food.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Nah...it's alright." He smiled.

Those smiles...it brought butterflies on my stomach.

"Ganto ka ba talaga?" Mukhang natigilan ito sa aking tanong. "Friendly? Gentleman? I-I mean...don't get me wrong ha...pero you don't even know me." I nervously said.

He laughed a little. Sasagot na sana ito ng may lumapit sa aming mga teenagers. Naghahagikhikan pa ang mga ito.

"Hello po? Sorry po talaga sa istorbo...pwede po ba kami magpa-picture?"

Tahimik na lamang akong kumain habang abala si Joe sa picture-taking nila. Hindi rin ako pinansin ng mga babaeng iyon. Sana lang ay hindi nila akalaing may kung ano sa amin nito!

"Sorry about that," He said as he apologetically looked at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "No, it's okay."

Mabilis kong natapos kainin ang rice at chicken. Pasimple ko siyang pinapanood kumain. I am silently dipping my fries on the sundae I ordered.

"Do you want to have a picture with me?" Biglaan niyang tanong na dahilan kung bakit halos mabulunan na ako.

I waved my hand at him. Nakakahiya! Bakit ba kasi ganoon ang tanong niya!

Nang makalma ko ang aking sarili ay saka ko siya sinagot. "Why would I? Are you a celebrity or something?" Pambabara ko sa kanya.

Nang maubos ang fries ay binabalak ko ng maalis. Kaya ko namang kainin ang sundae habang naglalakad e.

Okay, Jam. Kanina lamang ay binabalak mong hanapin siya at kausapin...tapos ngayon namang nasa harapan mo na ay halos sungitan mo!

"Is semi-celebrity allowed?" He innocently asked me.

I raised my eyebrows. "Semi?"

"Yeah. Hindi naman kasi ako artista. I'm a basketball player." He explained. I nodded at him. Halata na tinitimbang nito ang aking itsura. "I thought you knew me...kasi I saw you on our game...several times."

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig matapos marinig ang kanyang sinabi.

Isn't it too impossible for him to remember me? Ang daming tao nun sa arena!

"Have we met?" My breathing hitched after throwing him that query.

He confusedly looked at me. "Yeah...on our game...couple of months ago...I think." He sounded unsure.

I shook my head. "N-no!" Hindi ko napigilang itaas ang aking boses. "Did we met when you played in Naga?"

There was a long stretched of silence. He was as if thinking about it.

"Joe!" Ani ko...nagmamakaawa na sagutin niya na ang aking tanong. "You played in Naga, right?" He nodded. "Nagkita ba tayo nun?"

He squinted his eyes as he let out a sigh. "No."

There...my world felt like crashing.

"I saw you on our game months ago. It's here and not in Naga e. Why?" Kalmado niyang sagot sa akin.

Unti-unti kong naramdaman ang kirot sa aking dibdib. Ano ba ang ibig sabihin nun?

"Are you sure?" I weakly asked him.

"Yes...or maybe isa sa mga ka-team ko ang nakilala mo." Dagdag niya.

Umiling na lamang ako at saka mahinang tumayo sa aking kinauupuan.

"Hey, miss!" He called me.

I smiled at him. "Una na ko. Salamat nga pala."

Paalam ko sa kanya bago pa bumagsak ang aking mga luha.

Mabilis ko itong tinalikuran. Hindi naman ako umaasang hahabulin niya ako e. I just don't want other people to see me crying...just because I had a very good dream...that how I wished it was true!

Tangina!

"Jam!" Natigilan ako ng marinig ang pamilyar na boses na iyon.

Ginagago niya ba ako?