This Time

Four

I froze. Patrick. Why is he here? And why is my heart doing back flips again? I can't. Ria, get it together girl. I focused on the cake selection again.

"They're all good anyway. It doesn't matter what you choose." Patrick said.

I managed a nod. "Yeah, but I think I can never like an Ube cake ever."

"Huh. Too bad. Ube cakes are my favorite."

I snorted. I know for a fact that Ube isn't his favorite either. I think I remember clearly what his favorite flavor is. The memory is so clear, it's scaring me. "Oh, really?"

He smiled and said, "Really. I could eat any variety of Ube cakes. Ube Chocolate, Ube Caramel, Ube sansrival, Ube black forest."

That one made me laugh. "There.. is no such thing as Ube Black forest. What even is that?" I said in between chuckles.

"There is. You just don't know about it because of your dismissive feelings of Ube cakes in general."

"So I guess you're here to get your daily dose of Ube cakes?"

"Nah, I'm about to pick up my phone from the shop." He gestured to the repair shop beside the bakery. "It broke down last month after I played this song for a girl. She must've cursed me and my phone."

I smiled at the memory but said nothing.

"So.. I'm going to get my phone. Enjoy your cake."

"I sure will."

He went inside the repair shop as I still ponder on what cake I'm going to buy. He just mentioned the student council room incident and he thinks I cursed him and his phone. Ha ha. It's weird how the memory feels like it just happened yesterday and not years ago. Well, technically, just one month. But my 21 year old self knows that happened long ago and she knows I'm not supposed to remember it like this. To feel like his touch still lingers. Why does the memory feel so fresh? The song started playing in my head and without even thinking about it, I ordered the Chocolate Infinity cake.

The girl asked me if I wanted to write a message on the cake but I said no. I handed her a couple of bills and she put the cake inside a box and tied a ribbon around in a very nice way it made me smile. When it was all done, I told her thank you and picked the box up.

At that same moment, the door to the repair shop opened and Patrick went out. He smiled when he saw me.

"Got your phone?"

"Yup." He waved his phone with his right hand. "And you have finally decided on your cake flavor?"

I nodded. "Great. So.. I guess I'll just see you around. Bye."

"Good bye, Ria. Happy Birthday."

"Thank you."

He was already turning towards the opposite way, the way back to his street when I thought, screw it.

"Hey, Patrick! This isn't ube, but would you like to share?"

"Eating a birthday cake alone, especially if it's not ube, would be very tragic."

He took the box from my hands and held it while we walked to the nearby park. We found a table with two benches on its side and sat there. I took in the surroundings. It's almost 4 and the kids are filling the place in like a movie theater. The line on the slide is longer than a Brangelina screening.

Patrick is already on the move with box, removing the ribbons and taking the cake out. I noticed the two forks he magically produced.

"Where the hell did you get those?" I asked.