A/N: Happy Valentine's, everyone.
And happy birthday, Nick Joseph Castrences. Mahal kita. Mahal ka namin. ❤️
***
"Nakakatuwa naman 'to. Excited na akong makita kung ano ang binili mo para sa'kin!" he buoyantly expressed while clapping his hands childishly. The corners of his lips are stretching from one far end to the other and his head is cocking over my shoulder because he's peeking.
That caused me to stop unzipping my bag. I pulled my body away from his annoying face and threw him a deadly glare so he can back off.
In just a few seconds, he'll be able to see what I got for him. Hovering around and lurking at me with those curious eyes are uncalled for and unnecessary. If anything, those actions are just baffling me because I don't understand where all this exhilaration is spring forth from.
"Oh, sorry," natatawang aniya habang binabawi ang ulo palayo.
Finally, he was able to read the room. He took a step back and returned to his seat. Upon sitting down, he rested both of his elbows on top of the table and clasped his palms together.
However, although he's already more than a foot away from me, it didn't attenuate the level of discomfort I'm feeling. Because until now, he still has that expectant look in his eyes, and that goofy smile is still planted on his lips.
Napailing na lamang ako at nagpatuloy sa pagbubukas ng bag.
After unzipping my bag, I took a peek inside so I know where to put my hand when I fish for the things I bought for him. But my forehead immediately crimped when I couldn't seem to find them. It must have been the long ride that caused the stuff inside my bag to be swapped around.
"Hold a sec," I said, getting a little embarrassed that it's taking too long.
"Baka napunta lang sa pinakailalim dahil sa biyahe at paglalakad mo. Ilabas mo muna kaya 'yung ibang laman? Unahin mo na 'yung mga hollow blocks at graba. Pwede nating magamit 'yan para patayuan ng fourth floor 'tong apartment," he teased, laughing. That remark swiftly received a baneful glare from my end. "Joke lang," he supplied, smiling widely.
I briefly closed my eyes and heaved out a sharp sigh to appease myself from all the stress this guy is causing me.
My attention returned to my bag. I unzipped it entirely and took out the sketchbook which I brought from my room in Tarlac. I carefully put it on my right side and fished for my film camera and camera lens case next.
After taking all of those out, I finally saw the zip locks which Manang Letty prepared for me.
"I don't know what you want so I just brought everything I could," I said while putting down the dried kamias, mango vinegar in a bottle, picked mango in a bottle, and a medium zip lock pouch filled with tupig. "Hope you find something that you like among all these."
"Wow." His mouth gaped in shock. "Kaya naman pala sobrang bigat ng bag mo. Teka, para sa'kin ba lahat ng 'to?" tanong niya habang pinagmamasdan ang mga dala ko.
"Yes."
"Ang dami," hindi pa rin makapaniwalang sabi niya. Bahagyang nanlaki ang kaniyang mga mata habang tila lito pa rin. Clearing his throat, he supplied, "Pero thank you. Hindi naman ako nag-expect na ganito karami ang dadalhin mo para sa'kin."
He seemed genuinely surprised and touched. Honestly, all of these could not hold a candle to what he did for me and Sav. I even feared that these would not be enough to compensate for all the trouble my feline pet has caused him.
