Manic Pixie Dream Girl

Chapter 12

Thank you very much to the manager of this grocery store for ensuring that the items I was about to purchase were now being punched by the cashier.

Maxie has already cracked a smile. The sad and terrifying expression has already vanished. The sight of her smile brings me great joy and contentment. Napatawad ko na ang babae kanina because Maxie is already okay right now.

I questioned her, "Are you certain that you don't require any canvass?" I said. She selected the paints she wanted to use, but she didn't have anything to paint on.

"I have a better plan and I don't need anything canvas. Saka' wag ka nang mag-alala dahil hindi naman masasayang ang pintura na binili mo. I'll do something good with it promise." She said and gave me a cute wink with two thumbs up.

"All right," I said with a smile on my face. Besides that, the cashier has already finished punching prices into the items. I made a payment for my groceries. When the items are bagged, they are placed in a pushcart so that I can easily transport them to my dorm. My regular patronage at this grocery store has earned me permission to borrow their pushcart, which will allow me to transport my groceries to my dorm more conveniently. I return their pushcart in a timely manner, which may be one of the reasons why they trust me enough to let me borrow it.

I pushed the cart outside the grocery.

"You said a while ago that you are not going to stay in my dorm for tonight. I guess you should go home already. The Sun already went down and it is safer for you to go home at this time. If you want to stay in my dorm for a while, I'm sorry but I'm not going to let you. You might end up staying there for too long and you might go home late."

"Okay." She said with a frown drawn in her face.

"Where do you live? I'll bring you home."

"Hala, wag na siguro kaya ko na. Madilim na pero sigurado naman na maaga pa. Anong oras na ba?"

I looked at my watch. "It's already 7:00pm and a minor like you must be home at this hour."

"Tignan mo, maaga pa nga. Alas-siyete pa lang eh. Saka hindi kaya ako minor de edad." Depensa niya habang nasa bewang niya ang mga kamay niya.

"Oh really? You look like a kid." I said while giving her a half smile.

"18 na kaya ako, legal age. Pwede na nga akong makulong eh. Ikaw? Ilang taon ka ba?" Oh shit. She's opening the topic about age and I hate it.

"Pass. I don't like talking about age." I said to her and looked away.

"Wow ah. Samantalang ikaw tong nagtanong sa akin kung ilang taon na ako tapos kapag ikaw na ang tinatanong biglang pass ka. Ang gulo mo din eh noh." Nakakunot ang noo niya atapakamot pa siya sa ulo niya.

"Fine! Fine! I'm 19. Turning 20 next year."

"Happy birthday to you!" Kanta niya na may kasama pang palakpak at sayaw.

"Tagal pa. Next year pa nga eh"

"Edi... Advance happy birthday to you." Binago niya pa ang lyrics ng kanta.

"Pero seryoso kailangan mo ng umuwi. Saan ka ba nakatira? Para rin mahatid na kita." Pag-iiba ko ng topic.

"Hindi na kailangan. Kaya ko ng umuwi mag-isa ano ka ba naman."

"Let me... please."

"Ayoko lang na-"

"I won't judge you. Kung ano man ang itsura ng bahay niyo, wag kang mag-aalala because I won't mind it. If you're scared that your parents might see me if I sent you home, then I'll hide if you want me to. Ang mahalaga lang naman sakin ngayon ay maka-uwi ka ng ligtas." I said and I don't know why she immediately smiled.