In Another Universe

Push I - (GraMar ft. BongLeni)

"Okay, sabi mo eh." Risa grinned. "Pangalawa, bakit ako ang tinitignan mo? Kung ako ang gusto mong makipag-fake double date sa'yo, sorry, meron akong plano bukas with Migz."

"Huy, anong plano niyo ni Zubiri?" Grace teased. "Kayo ha."

Risa grinned at her. "Simple family dinner lang, nothing big. Just to meet his family."

"Oh my God! Meet the family na pala kayo." Risa and Grace giggled. Mar cleared his throat. "Pwede na tayong bumalik sa plano?"

"If I can't go with you, bakit hindi si Grace ang isama mo? Sure ako matutuwa siyang sasama sa'yo" Again Risa noticed the blush on their cheeks.

"Yeah, sure, okay lang." Mar nodded and he looked at Grace. "Kung gusto mong tumulong, if wala kang plano or meetings bukas..."

"Sure, tutulong ako." Grace said with a small smile. "Ako na ang kakausap kay Leni, ikaw na kay Bonget."

"Great! It's settled na. We can go back to our work na," Risa said.

"Thank you, Grace," Mar said. They all went out of the restaurant and walked to the parking lot. Mar did a beso with Risa as a farewell, and it didn't go unnoticed to Risa that Grace and Mar gave each other an awkward beso with matching blush on their faces. Risa knew that something big would happen tomorrow.

Mar and Bong

Mar immediately called Bong after arriving in his office,

"Bong, may schedule ka ba bukas ng gabi?" He asked straight to the point after greeting him. "Wala, I'm free tomorrow, bakit?"

"Great!" Mar exclaimed. "How about dinner with me tomorrow?" Bong chuckled on the other end of the line. "Mar, magkaibigan tayo pero hindi tayo talo,"

"Para kang si Risa kausap." Mar sighed. " Ulitin ko, may plano kasi ako with someone bukas. Magdidinner sa isang restaurant. Anyway, dapat double date kami - magkasama kami at magdadala siya ng kaibigan at yung nobyo nito. Kaso nagkaroon ng misunderstanding pupunta yung kaibigan niya pero walang kasamang nobyo."

"So, isasama mo ako sa blind date," Bong finally understood but there was a long pause. "Hindi ko alam, Mar, hindi ako maalam sa blind date. Bakit hindi mo na lang sabihin sa nililigawan mo na nagkaroon ng misunderstanding at kayong dalawa na lang?"

"Bonget, isang dinner lang naman." Mar bargained. "Malay mo, magustuhan mo yung babae at pasasalamatan mo pa ako,"

"Sigurado ka"

Mar rolled his eyes on the other end. "Okay, baka hindi pero give it a chance. Wala namang mawawala sa'yo. Just join me, please."

"Sige, kung ganyan mo kagusto yang ka-date mo, pag-iisipan ko. Malalaman mo mamaya. I have to go, work is calling me."

Mar was frustrated. Why does Bonget have so many reservations? Was he in love with Leni and didn't want to date another? Mar groaned. He'll just have to wait.

Grace and Leni

On the other side, Grace had also called Leni.

"Grasya, napatawag ka? May nakalimutan ka ba?" Leni greeted her.

"Kailangan kitang makausap, Lens," she started, " I was supposed to go on this date with this really guwapong guy, pero hindi siya makakapunta unless makahanap siya ng date para sa kaibigan niya. Maybe you could come?"

"A date? Wait, you're dating na?" Leni repeated.

"Masaya 'yon and may basbas ka naman na from your daughters. It's about time, Lens." Grace said, trying her best to convince her.

"Leni, please! Nakita ko yung itsura nung guy, sa tingin ko type mo siya. Just give him a chance, please?"

Leni hesitated. "Hindi ko alam, Grace..."

"Sige na please? Kung hindi mo siya magustuhan kunyaring tatawag sila Jill para makatakas ka" Grace reasoned out.

"Magiging masaya 'yon with you there. It's finally time to get back in the dating game, Lens."

"Okay," Grace cheered. "pero pag-iisipan ko muna. Sasabihan kita mamaya."  Leni hung up and Grace crossed her fingers hoping Leni would say yes. It was time for the both of them to finally admit they feelings and be happy.

August 18

Leni looked around the restaurant.

"It looks nice," she admitted. "Pero ganito talaga ang taste ng manliligaw mo? Old school siya."

"Medyo romantic kasi siya." Grace said. "Will you just relax? It's a night out, nandito tayo para magsaya!"

"Okay," Leni decided. "Even though I didn't know na nagdedate ka na pala ulit."

She rolled her eyes for a moment, which made Grace grin, before she continued: "So, anong alam mo sa date ko?"

"Well, he's super thoughtful, funny and nice, and from the picture I've seen, I think iisipin mo rin na guwapo siya," Grace answered. Not a word of it had been a lie: Bong was funny, thoughtful and nice and she knew Leni thought he was guwapo.

Leni nodded for a moment. "Mukhang okay naman siya. I trust you on this one. So, paano nagkakilala yung manliligaw mo at date ko?"

"Oh, sa work," Grace said, still not lying.

"Anong work nila?"

"Oh, ano, eh…" Luckily, the waiter came up to their table at that moment to ask if they wanted something to drink.

"No, thanks, we're still waiting for some people" Grace told him.

She turned to Grace again. "Eh, yung manliligaw mo? Kamusta siya? Talaga bang boyfriend mo na or gusto mong maging boyfriend na…"

"Right now, good friends lang kami," Grace said, which was the truth: she and Mar were good friends with shared awkward moments.

"Pero gusto mong lumevel up?" Leni understood.

"Well… eh…" suddenly Grace felt that it was getting really hot in there because of Leni's sudden questions.

"Grace, magkaibigan tayo. Puwede kang magkwento sa akin kasi kapag kay Risa, madaldal yun!" leni laughed. "Gusto mo ba siya o hindi?"

"eh, we're… ano, magkaibigan," Grace managed to say. Leni smiled at her. "Magkaibigan o magkai-bigan? Gusto mo bang mag take ng next step? I mean, iniisip mo ba siya palagi? Napapanaginipan mo ba na sinusundo ka niya sa senate or making these grand gestures of love?"

She grinned for a moment with an amused look in her eyes. Grace managed to ignore her by checking her phone. Mar had just sent her a text saying they had arrived at the restaurant. Why did Leni have to start pushing like this? This night had to be about her and Bong, not about Mar and her feelings.

She saw Mar at the entrance of the restaurant.

"Oh, nandito na sila!" she said, giving a small wave to Mar. leni looked up, frowning her eyebrows together in confusion. "Si Mar yan ah! At si Bong… Anong ginagawa nila dito?"

Grace smiled at her. "Surprise!"

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Ano sa tingin niyo ang reaction ng BongLeni? Ano kaya ang mangyayari...