MIR 2: My Sweetest Downfall [PUBLISHED UNDER POP FICTION]

CHAPTER 23: Fishy

CHLOE

VALENTINE'S DAY ngayon and monthsarry namin ni Rod. Imagine, eight months na kaming kasal. We set up a date. At hindi lang basta date, it's a double date since Harry and Dianne will be joining us! Sobrang excited na ko! Pinaghandaan ko talaga ang araw na 'to! Nagpagupit na nga ako kahapon hanggang balikat. Isang taon na kasi akong 'di nakakapagpagupit.

Naligo na ko at nagbihis and I'm sure ganun din si Rod. Doon ulit kasi siya natulog sa kanila and ako naman dito kina Mama. Sabi niya susunduin na lang niya raw ako dito.

I planned to wear dress kaya lang we're gonna eat sa buffet restaurant, baka magmukha kong buntis kapag nabusog ako. So I wear my most comfortable get-up, white t-shirt and jeans, and my white adidas shoes. I just let my hair flow freely para naman mapansin ni Rod 'yung layered kong buhok.

"Chloe anak, nasa baba na si Rod. Mapapanis na 'yun, ang tagal mo naman diyan. Nag-gown ka pa ba?"

Natawa ko kay Mama kaya lumabas na ko.

"Ano ba naman 'yang suot mo, anak? Ang dami mong magagandang damit diyan!"

"Eh Mama, hindi naman po ako komportable dun."

Napakamot na lang ng ulo si Mama. "Ewan ko sa'yong bata ko. Siya, tara na sa baba."

Bumaba na kami ni Mama sa living room at andun na nga si Rod, nakaupo sa sofa at naglalaro ng games sa phone niya.

"Sige, maiwan ko muna kayo. Magpaalam kayo kapag aalis na."

"Sige po, Mama."

Tumayo si Rod at nilapitan ako. He's wearing a collared shirt na pinatungan ng black fitted long sleeves, and maong pants. This "smexy" man is slaying it.

Habang papalapit siya ay sinadya kong mag-sideview just so he can see my new hairstyle. "Hiiii..." bati ko na halos nakatalikod na showing him my layered hair.

"Good morning, love." He kissed me on my hair. "Okay ka lang? May stiff neck ka ba?" inosente niyang tanong.

What the? Hay naku! "Wala!" Napahinga na lang ako nang malalim. "Ang ganda naman ng porma mo ngayon. Gusto mo bang magpalit ako?"

"'Wag na. Maganda ka naman na kahit ano pang suotin mo."

In fairness nakabawi, napakilig niya ko dun. Pero 'yung buhok ko hindi niya talaga napapansin nakakainis!

SA MALL na namin kinita sina Harry at Dianne. Just like their usual set-up, para na naman silang aso't pusa. Malayo pa lang naririnig mo na ang tahulan at kalmutan. Pero para naman silang sira, away nang away pero magka-holding hands.

Kapag naman tinatanong ko si Dianne what's going on between them ang lagi niyang sinasagot "Harry is the father of my baby, ayun lang 'yun." Kaloka. Nakabuo sila ng isa while having a one-sided love, paano pa kaya 'pag mahal talaga nila isa't-isa? Baka nakabente na sila.

Then we went na sa Korean grill buffet. Nakapagpa-reserve na kami beforehand so dire-diretso na kaming pumasok. Sobrang ganda ng ambience, para kang nagvavalentine's sa Korea. Panay ang selfie namin ni Rod, panay naman ang awayan nina Dianne.

"O, tama na. 'Wag na kayong mag-away dalawa. Kumuha na tayo ng food," sabi ni Rod.

Tumayo na kaming apat nang may pumunta sa table adjacent to us, si Lenard. He's alone. Well, there's nothing wrong about eating alone pero this Valentine's talaga?

"H-Hi," he greeted us awkwardly.

This is the first time na formally nagkita-kita sina Lenard, Dianne, and Harry, so Rod introduced them to each other. Hindi ko rin kasi naipakilala si Lenard kay Dianne nung auction night.

Nakwento sa'kin ni Rod na kinausap din siya ni Lenard the same day na kinausap ako ni Vanessa. We found it suspicious na bakit sabay na sabay talaga. Then we concluded na baka coincident lang because hindi rin naman sadya ang pagkikita namin ni Vanessa sa UP that day.

"Are you...alone?" tanong ni Rod.

Then may waiter na lumapit sa kanya and asked him if ilan sila so he can prepare the utensils and grill.

"Two. I'm just waiting for her."

When the waiter left, Rod asked immediately while smiling, "So you have a date?"

Napangiti lang si Lenard.

"Who is she?"

Lumingon si Lenard sa may entrance and we also looked at the same direction and holy mother of potatoes!

"She's here."

Our jaws dropped as we saw Vanessa walking towards us.

"Come on!" Rod exclaimed. "Seriously?"

Nang nakalapit na si Vanessa sa amin ay agad siyang inakbayan ni Lenard sa bewang. "Seriously," he answered.

We became silent for a while then Dianne broke the ice. "Oh my gosh, Harry! We have to be away from here. Masama sa kalusugan ni baby na makakita ng saging na nagsasalita!" Then hinila na niya si Harry kaya naiwan kaming apat.

"So there's something romantic going on between you two?" takang-takang tanong ni Rod. "How come? I mean, you know each other?"

"Hmm...we first met sa restaurant near your company, that was months ago."

Rod seems to be processing the information.

This time si Vanessa na ang nag-explain. "If you can still recall, I asked for 20 minutes of your time back then, then we went sa restaurant malapit sa company niyo. Too bad nakita tayo ni Chloe." Tumingin siya sa'kin at ngumiti. "Naiwan akong mag-isang kumakain and that's when Lenard came. He shared table with me dahil wala ng ibang table na available. Then he told me that he saw what just happened, the rest is history."

"So it means...pinag-usapan niyo talagang...I don't know how to put this into words but...the day you talk to Chloe was also the day," he looked at Lenard, "you talked to me. Was it all planned?"

Lenard smiled. "Actually no. We just came to the idea of moving on."

Nagkatinginan kami ni Chloe, we're both unassured of our feelings.

"I know this is unexpected, but good things happened unexpectedly."

"Yeah yeah, you have a point. Nakakagulat lang talaga. Anyway, we'll go get food. Happy Valentine's you two."

"Happy Valentine's Day din sa inyo."

Then kumuha na kami ng food.

"Unbelievable," saad niya.

Napangiti ako. "Love comes when you're not paying attention. Let them be. Para wala na ring epal sa love story natin."

"High five!"