It was already past 8pm when one of our regular customers came in. We both greeted each other with a bright smile.
"Hot choco?" I guessed.
She nodded. "Yeah, glad that you already know what I want."
"Of course," I said while punching her order. "So kumusta naman 'yung crush life mo?" I asked. Well, Hannah casually shared the story about her and her crush. So her crush is a friend of his brother, matagal na niya raw crush, ever since high school pa.
Hannah is a regular customer and I'm the reason why she keeps on coming back. I've introduced her to Cosmo one time and boom, luckily this girl is a broken soul approved by my boss. She became a regular, as in literal na gabi-gabi siya andito after work, when I brought her here. She's one of our previous interns sa day job ko.
Noong una nga, hindi niya sure kung paano magiging approach niya sa akin kasi siyempre I was once her superior. But of course, I told her na I'm different naman since I'm not the manager, and we became friends outside work.
"Pwede ka ba chumika for a few minutes?"
I checked the time and pwede pa naman, plus wala rin naman si Cosmo today. "Sure!" Siyempre, sino ba kasing nakakatanggi sa chismis 'di ba? Sino!
I sat in front of her and was all ears. "So...I told him."
Nanlaki ang mata ko. "What a brave heart! Go, tell me more about it!"
"Kuya invited his friends sa bahay last night for another game session nila. And of course, I was asked to prepare food and drinks for them. Siyempre ginawa ko kasi kasama siya eh." Hinalo niya ang order niyang hot choco with a frown. "Napuyat din ako kasi I was binge-watching a K-Drama, girl I'm telling you babaguhin ng K-Drama ang buhay mo. Char! So ayun nga, nauhaw ako so I went out of my room and naabutan ko siya sa kusina na lasing.
He was looking for the comfort room so inalalayan ko siya. Sinesermunan ko siya kasi hindi niya kaya kontrolin sarili niya sa pag-inom, and then he told me ba naman na, 'Luh, girlfriend kita?' I got mad so hinampas ko ng malakas likod niya. Tapos inakbayan niya ako in a friendly or joking way kaya tinulak ko siya.
He asked me why am I acting like that and knowing me, nasabi ko without thinking na I like him. And girl, what's more shocking is that he told me that he knows matagal na."
I gasped. Imbes na siya ang uminom ng order niyang tsokolate ay ako ang naunang humigop sa baso niya. "Oh my God! Alam mo sabi ko sa'yo eh, there's a high chance that he knows. You know, some guys really pretend to be dense."
Napa-cover siya ng mukha niya sa sobrang hiya. "Girl! Hiyang-hiya ako. 'Di ko alam kung bakit. Nakakainis! Alam mo feeling ko para akong bumalik sa high school na merong nakakahiyang crush confession," she groaned.
I tapped her shoulder. "Okay lang 'yan. Minsan sa buhay talaga kailangan natin magkaroon ng embarrassing moment." What the hell, MJ, is that even comforting?
Pero I want to know more. I have enough time pa naman. "So what happened next? Tumakbo ka na sa room mo?" Lay saw me chit-chatting with a customer and gave me that lagot-ka gesture, but I just winked at him.
"That's the saddest part, MJ." Umisang higop pa ako ulit sa order niya. Hindi naman siya umiinom eh, baka lumamig na 'to. "Tatakbo na sana ako pabalik sa room para mag-drama pero napigilan niya ako. Hinila niya ang kamay ko, then he said na pigilan ko na raw ang feelings ko for him kasi he's in love with someone else."
"MJ, 8 years. 8 years ko siyang crush. 8 years na wala akong ibang nagustuhan bukod sa kanya." She sniffed. "Bakit 'di niya ako crush!"
Oh no, maluha-luha na si Hannah habang sinasabi niya iyon. I comforted her at nung medyo kumalma na siya, nagpaalam na ako saglit kasi kailangan ko na bumalik sa trabaho. Siya rin daw ay may tatapusin pang paper works kaya magse-stay siya ng late sa coffee shop.
