I cleared out my throat before typing a reply. Tutal maaga pa naman, lulubus-lubusin ko na ang pag-uusap naming dalawa. Marami kaming pinag-usapan tungkol sa iba't-ibang bagay. Nalaman kong walang kaibigan si Rara. Sa tagal niya sa showbiz, wala raw siyang naging matalik na kaibigan. She doesn't have a person she can trust and count on every time. They were friends in front of the camera, but behind of it, they were mere acquaintances.
Medyo nahabag nga ako nang sabihin niya 'yon.
I asked her if she didn't have friends at school— Her answer was none. Rara's classmates think she is out of their league. May iilan din siyang kaklase na ang karibal niyang artista ang iniidolo.
Pagkatapos ng klase ko ay bumaba na ako sa building at dumiretso agad sa parking lot. Ngayon araw ko susunduin si Rara at kakain kami sa labas. She already told me where she was studying. Hindi naman kalayuan 'yon sa kung saan ako pumapasok.
Inilabas ko saglit ang cellphone at nag type ng message doon bago tuluyan paandarin ang sasakyan.
To: Aphrodite
Hey, Aphrodite. I'm on the way to your school.
Hindi ko na siya hinintay na magreply dahil alam kong nasa klase pa siya. I started the engine and transited the highway smoothly. Himala at wala masyadong sasakyan. May boxing match ba si Manny Pacquiao?
Hindi rin nagtagal at nakarating na ako sa labas ng University niya. Hindi na ako lumabas ng sasakyan dahil ayoko naman magawan ng issue si Rara na may sumusundo sa kanyang lalaki. Minabuti ko na lang na maghintay sa loob ng sasakyan at hintayin siyang lumabas sa gate.
Nag text naman na ulit ako sa kanya, kaya ayos lang na maghintay ako ng mga ilang minuto. Nagpasounds na lang ako habang naghihintay sa kanya.
Pagkaraan ng ilang minuto, natanaw ko na sa gate si Rara. She was wearing black slacks and a white notched collar short-sleeved polo with a thin maroon bar on the sleeves and edge of the collar. On her feet is a black closed shoe with heels. Nakatirintas sa likuran ang mahaba niyang buhok at may suot siyang clear glasses, hindi ako sigurado kung may grado ba 'yon o baka style lang.
Tanginang mukha 'yan, kahit sa malayo, nangingibaw pa rin ang ganda niya sa lahat.
I pushed the honk button of my car and then opened the door for her when she glanced in my direction. Nakangiti agad siya nang makapasok sa loob ng sasakyan.
"Hi, sorry for making you wait. May surprise reporting kasi kami, and I was the one who reported the topic," she apologized while buckling her seatbelt.
Ngumisi ako. "Ayos lang. Hindi naman ako matagal naghintay,"
"Thank you, Tin. Libre na lang kita ng food, ha."
"Kahit huwag na. Let me pay for our food, 'yon na bayad mo sa akin,"
She sighed. "Sige na nga,"
"May tanong pala ako,"
She nodded. "Okay,"
"Bakit hindi filmmaking major ang tinetake mo? Why interior design?" I answered in confusion and curiosity.
I blinked when she smile. "Well, para maiba naman."
My lips parted with her answer. Mahina siyang natawa nang makita ang reaksyon ko. "I'm not kidding. I took Interior design because no one in my family took art major."
"Bakit?" I asked as I started driving away from her university. "Your siblings, what were their majors in college?"
"Piloto na ngayon ang panganay namin. The middle is a graduate of criminal justice, and he's an attorney right now. He also has an interest in adding another three years to be a prosecutor. The youngest took medical technology, but he's a model right now. I think he wants to study again, but this time, forensic science."
【CHAPTER 4: DUSTIN】
Start from the beginning
