The Perfect Timing

Chapter 7

"Oh, nag-taxi ka? Hindi ka ba sinundo ni Lucas?" Kuya asked me pagkapasok ko ng bahay. He's watching some basketball game sa sala.

"Oh. Uhm, may kailangan daw sya gawin dun sa site ng project nya eh. Baka matagalan daw sya kaya I just took a taxi."

"Edi sana sinabi nya ng maaga para ako na sumundo sayo, naghintay ka na naman siguro. Paano kung may mangyari sa'yong masama?" he turned to me.

"Hayaan mo na Kuya, kaya ko naman umuwi mag-isa eh. And he's just busy," I sighed. "Sige Kuya, akyat muna ako sa room ko."

"Okay, magbihis ka na. Malapit na maluto yung sinigang ni Nanay Rose, sabay-sabay na tayo kumain. Baka late na naman umuwi si Dad."

I sighed deeply as I collapsed on my bed. I took my phone out of my front pocket and texted Luke na nakauwi na ako. For the past two weeks, I've been feeling kind of.. lonely? Halos dalawang beses lang kami nagkita ni Luke sa loob ng dalawang linggo, sobrang busy daw sya sa work. Pero baka naninibago lang ako, maybe I'm just used to being with him all the time. Maybe I'm just overreacting.

"Anak, nakapagbihis ka na ba? Luto na yung pagkain," I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Nanay's knocks on my door.

"Yes po, Nanay. Sunod na po ako," I replied. Tumayo na din ako para magbihis.

"Grabe bes, gets mo ba yung lecture ni Ma'am Castro kanina? Kasi ako, nganga bes. Literal. Ang ingay pa nung mga katabi natin kanina. Kung makapaglampungan akala mo naman wala nang tomorrow. Sabunutan ko sila eh, ugh. Huy bes! Are you even listening? I've been talking for hours, tulaley ka pala dyan. Okay ka lang?" she asked me, then she took a bite out of her burger. Nandito na naman kami sa Jollibee.

"Eto naman, OA. We just got here, hours agad? Tsaka okay lang ako, baka na-stress lang kay Ma'am Castro kanina," yumuko ako habang hinahalo yung sauce for my spaghetti.

"Are you sure? Baka naman miss mo lang si Luke kaya ka ganyan?"

"Bes, tell me nga. Am I being too clingy?" I dropped my fork on my plate and looked at her. Magtatatlong linggo na, pero hindi pa din kami madalas nakakapagkita ni Luke. Hindi na din kami masyado nag-uusap sa phone. I tried going to his place on my free time, pero hindi ko naman sya inaabutan dun, lagi syang nasa site. I'm having a bad feeling about our situation, though. I feel uneasy, though I don't know why.

"Honestly, I think you slightly are, but not in a bad way though. You just miss him, that's all. It's the first time na hindi kayo lagi magkasama, and besides, he's building his career. And it's for both of your futures," this is what I love about Juls. She's really honest to me. She's not the type to sugarcoat things.

"Yeah, you know what, I think you're right. Ayoko maging pabebe," natawa na lang ako.

"Ganyan nga bes. Alam mo, you should look at it on the bright side bes. Kahit na hindi kayo nagkikita ni Luke, may me-time ka. OR, bonding time, with me, of course," she flipped her hair. She's right. Hindi naman pwedeng kay Luke lang tumatakbo mundo ko.

"Bes! You know what we should do? Mag unwind kaya tayo before finals?" she's grinning at me now.

"Oo nga no, it's Thursday today. And wala namang pasok tomorrow, maybe you should sleepover sa house? Then we could study for Monday's Finals? Game?" it was my turn to grin at her now.

"Mag-sstudy ba talaga? Or manunuod ng movie and magchichikahan?"

"Kaya naman natin mag multi-task bes," parehas kaming natawa sa sinabi ko.

"Hey, ba't ngayon lang kayo?" pagpasok namin ng kusina ni Juls, naabutan namin si Kuya na nagluluto.

"We dropped by Julia's house pa to get her things eh," pumunta ako sa fridge to get juice for Julia and I. She sat on one of the stools facing my Kuya's back. Hay nako. Hanggang sulyap na lang ba tong best friend ko?