T-Shirt Girl (COMPLETED)

TSG 41 - Wanted

"You know I'd fall apart without you. I don't know how you do what you do. 'Cause everything that don't make sense about me, make sense when I'm with you. Like everything that's green, girl, I need you. But it's more than one and one makes two. Put aside the math and the logic of it, you gotta know you're wanted too. 'Cause I wanna wrap you up. Wanna kiss your lips. I wanna make you feel wanted. And I wanna call you mine. Wanna hold your hand forever. And never let you forget it. Yeah, I, I wanna make you feel wanted." 

--

"Where do you want to eat?" tanong ni Toby kay Jae. He was ready to go home. Papunta na siya sa opisina ni Jae para sunduin ito. They will have dinner together, as usual.

"I want to eat at home," she replied.

"Okay. Ano'ng gusto mong kainin mamaya?"

"Ikaw, ano'ng gusto mo?" pabalik nitong tanong.

"Whatever you want is fine with me," he answered.

"Seryoso nga. Anong gusto mo? Ipagluluto kita."

He almost laughed at what she said. Buti na lang ay napigilan niya ang sarili. Sensitive nga pala ito, lalo na ngayong buntis ito.

"Parang feel kong mag-adobo. Okay lang sa 'yo?"

"Adobo? Ayaw mo ng fried? Fried chicken? Pritong isda? Itlog kaya?"

Napangiti siya dahil mukhang nagpa-panic na ito.

"Sige, okay lang ang fried chicken sa 'kin."

"Baka napipilitan ka lang ha?"

"Hindi," tanggi niya. "Parang gusto ko nga ng fried chicken ngayon."

"Okay!" she said cheerfully.

--

Pagkauwi nila sa bahay ay agad itong dumiretso ng kusina para magluto. Pinagsaing siya nito habang ito naman ay abala sa pagba-batter ng manok. Mukha namang alam nito ang ginagawa nito. Yun nga lang, hindi siya sigurado kung magiging tama ba ang pagpiprito nito ng manok.

Knowing Jae, she could screw even the simplest of things. But he's not going to complain about that. Masaya na siyang nag-effort itong magluto para sa kanya.

As expected, kinailangan pa niya itong tulungan pagpiprito. Natatakot kasi ito sa tumatalsik na langis kaya nagtatago ito sa likod niya. Maayos naman ang pagkakaluto ng manok—thanks to him. Ipinag-set siya nito ng table para makabawi sa kanya.

She sat down and waited for him to eat.

"Kumain ka na rin," sabi niya rito.

Tumango lang ito at hinintay syang kumain. So he took a piece of fried chicken and bit on it. He tasted lemon and pepper. The meat was quite tender and juicy. Hindi niya alam kung dahil ba iyon sa batter o dahil sa pagluluto niya.

But nevertheless, he knew she would be pleased.

"How was it?" nag-aalangan nitong tanong.

"Masarap," sagot niya sabay ngiti.

"Seryoso ba yan? Baka napipilitan ka lang sabihing masarap yung chicken para matuwa ako."

Iniumang niya ang isang chicken wing dito. "Taste it, para maniwala ka."

She obliged. Saka ito ngumiti.

"See?"

Tumango ito. "Masarap nga! Marunong na 'kong magluto ng fried chicken!"

Natawa sya sa naging reaksyon nito. "Kumain ka na rin. Sayang naman yung niluto mo kung ako lang ang kakain."

It was actually refreshing to see Jae smile like she was smiling right now. She was almost child-like. He wondered why she was so happy. Dahil lang kaya sa nagustuhan niya ang luto nito?