Ang bagal ng usad ng oras lalo na kapag may inaabangan kang mangyari.
I've been counting the days for Saturday to come. Even though I've been slightly booked and busy compared to my schedule from before, time still felt like it'd been moving extra slow; like it was mocking me because it knew that I was looking forward to what was ahead.
I always thought that I was a patient person. Looking forward to seeing Zeno again made me realize that I just never really had something that I looked forward to as much as I did now.
Nabawasan ang pagkainip ko nang dumating ang Wednesday dahil ngayong araw ako naka-schedule sa kina Diva at Bella. Diva and Bella means Serra Estate. Zeno lives in Serra Estate, so there's a possibility that I will see him again. Hopefully, he will be playing basketball with his brothers and in-laws again.
When I picked up the dogs from their house, si Bella lang inilabas. Nasa bahay raw ng fur mom si Diva. I offered to decrease the rate for today but the owner was generous kaya tumanggi.
Bella was calm today because she was alone and she had no one to play with. Mas mapayapa ang lakad namin ngayon dahil sa kanilang dalawa, si Diva naman talaga ang maldita.
Halos mabali na ang leeg ko kakalingon at kakasipat nang makalapit na kami sa basketball court ng estate. Kahit malayo pa lang ay wala akong natanaw na naglalaro sa court. Nagbakasakali ako na nasa mga upuan sila at baka nagpapahinga lang pero wala rin akong nakita ni-isang anino mula roon.
My spirit instantly got crushed. Ito na nga lang inaasahan kong pagkakataon para makasilay ulit kay crush, hindi pa pinagbigyan.
Mabigat ang mga yapak ko at wala nang gana sa paglalakad. Kung kaya lang ako kaladkarin ni Bella, baka nagpatangay na lang ako.
We were about to pass by the basketball court when I just noticed a lone figure of a guy crouching not far from the entrance. Nakatalikod ito at may suot na puting oversized sweatshirt. In front of him was a brown dog, that seemed like a mixed breed of labrador and a boxer, that was on a leash.
Hihilahin ko na sana paalis si Bella para maiwasan 'yon dahil hindi advisable ang on-leash greeting sa mga dogs, pero nang lumingon ang lalaki sa gawi ko ay hindi na ako natuloy sa binabalak nang makita kung sino 'yon.
It was Zeno!
Tumayo siya nang makita ako at nagsimulang maglakad pero natigilan nang hindi sumunod ang aso sa kanya. I could see him let out a heavy sigh even from a far. He helplessly looked at the dog with and then he looked at me as if he was asking for help. Poor baby.
Napangiti ako. I picked up the Bella from the ground. Pumalag ito ng una pero nang maayos ko ang pagbuhat ay kumalma na rin. I quickly made my way towards Zeno.
"Inaagawan mo ba ako ng trabaho?" pambungad ko sa kanya. His forehead creased in response. I pointed at the dog using my lips since both of my hands were preoccupied. "Naglalakad ka na rin ng aso."
Zeno chuckled. "No. This is uh... my
dog."
I gasped. "May aso ka pala talaga? Akala ko joke joke lang ng mga Kuya mo."
"No," he countered, and then sighed, before resuming with his explanation, "Hades adopted this dog under my name last Monday and gave him to me."
Tumango-tango ako. "Bait pala ni Kuya Hades 'no, mas pinili mag-adopt kaysa bumili sa mga breeder."
"Don't give him too much credit. It was probably Ate Kaia's idea," Zeno scoffed.
Natawa ako. There he was again. Hindi na naman niyang tinatawag na Kuya si Hades, pero si Kaia, ginagamitan ng Ate. "Bakit hindi mo siya tinatawag na Kuya?"
