State of Grace

36

When Chiara recieved Javi's message of him waiting outside her condominium building, she didn't waste any time and checked her unit plugs and locks before coming down to meet him.

Siguro tatawanan s'ya ng mga kapatid at kaibigan n'ya kapag nalaman ng mga ito kung gaano s'ya ka excited na sumakay sa passenger seat ng sasakyan ni Javi, at makita ito. Hindi naman ito ang unang beses na sumakay s'ya sa sasakyan ng binata pero it still feels the same for her. She's so excited that she can feel nervousness at the same time making her stomach turn upside down.

Nakita n'ya agad si Javi na nakasandal sa kotse nito habang nagtitipa sa cellphone. "Hello!" wika ni Chiara para maagaw ang atensyon nito.

"Oh, hi. Ready?" she immediately nodded on him. Halos tumalon ang puso n'ya noong pagbuksan pa s'ya nito ng pinto at isinara din ng marahan. Pinanood n'ya itong umikot para makaupo sa driver seat.

Agad sumalubong sa kanya ang pamilyar na mabangong amoy ni Javi noong makasakay ito sa tabi n'ya. Grabe, he really looks extra handsome sa malapitan.

She just hope Javi don't find him weird kapag mahuli nitong nakangiti s'ya na parang tanga. "Seatbelt" agad s'yang napabalik sa reyalidad dahil sa pagsasalita ng binata sa tabi n'ya. Inayos n'ya ang seatbelt n'ya at nang masigurado ni Javi na ayos na ito ay pinaandar na n'ya ang sasakyan.

"One's not coming ba? Baka pwede natin s'ya isabay" pagbubukas ni Chiara ng topic. She thought of making conversation with him para hindi nito marinig ang puso n'ya na nagwawala sa dibdib n'ya.

"Yes he is, pero hahabol lang s'ya" napatango-tango naman si Chiara sa sinabi nito. "Sayang your siblings are not free pala tonight" she hummed in response. Diretso lang ang tingin ni Chiara sa daan, kinakabahan talaga s'ya dahil baka mautal s'ya kapag nagsalubong ang tingin nilang dalwa.

"Yeah. May saturday classes kasi sila" wika ni Chiara. "Hmm, but you invited your friends ba?" Chiara nodded because she felt that Javi took a quick glance on her.

"Yup. Kasama ko sila sa internship"

"Oh right. How's internship by the way? I heard that you are having a hard time since irregular student ka" napanguso si Chiara at tumango. This time, she's getting comfortable sa usapan kaya naman napapalingon na s'ya kay Javi. Javi on the other hand just chuckled when he saw Chiara pouting.

"Yup. Ang layo pa ng hospital sa school ko, minsan I have to go back and forth pa. Kaya natuto na ako mag commute eh" she even sighed.

"Jeepney? You can commute through jeepney na?" Javi sounds amused but Chiara felt sorry for bursting his bubbles. "Grab" then she chuckled, making Javi chuckled as well.

"Well, I am not judging! Mas comfortable naman sa grab kaya it's fine" he has a point. Bukod sa hindi talaga sya marunong mag commute sa jeep, mas nakakatulog pa sya sa grab. "Right. Doon na nga lang ako nakakatulog"

"Huh? Hey, that's so dangerous naman Chiara. Don't sleep when you're alone sa grab. And always make sure to always share your location" that words made Chiara's heart skipped a beat. Wow, Lord.. mahina ako sa mga soft talker.

"Yes, yes I know" Chiara shyly defended. "But are you coping up here?" he asked again.

"Yup. Everything's good. Nakakapagod lang talaga 'yung pag-aaral pati ang night shifts ko sa hospital pero kinakaya ko naman"

"You must been tired so much. Buti na lang you have some time na sumama ngayon to enjoy" Jav looked at her when the light turned red. She smiled at him. "I don't have any reason not to go" saka.. andyan ka eh, Chiara thought.

"Ikaw? Kamusta naman ang internship?" Javi sighed. "Nakakapagod, plus I am also fixing my thesis pa. But, I'm coping up well too" they both smiled at each other.

"I am glad you also have time to enjoy every once in a while" Chiara added. "Hindi lang every once in a while, I always want to make time talaga to enjoy once or twice a week" wow.. he must been good in time management.

"Minsan tumutugtog, minsan sinasamahan si Lai at Iah sa mga football games nila, party, minsan alone time lang" Chiara can't help but to get fascinated on his lifestyle. Well, she once heard from One that Javi's really a life of a party.

"Wow.. I hope I can also have that time in my life" Javi started driving again when they saw the light turned green. "Yes, you should start. Ano bang gusto mong gawin during your free time?" she wants to answer matulog because 'yun naman talaga ang kulang at best rest day para sa kanya.

But Chiara thought of something, and she felt like winning this time. "Picnic? Basta mag relax lang with nature" she suddenly thought of her mama. Her mama did all of her happy memories with her papa when they are young, Chiara suddenly thought that it will be probably nice to do those things as well with her crush.. with Javi.

"That's something that you really need. When's your free time again?" Chiara can't believe that he's really clicking the bait! Ibigay mo na sa'kin 'to lord.

"Uhh..  I'm free this weekend again" she shyly bit her lip. "Great! Let's do a picnic" Chiara really want to squealed but she tried so hard to keep her composure. "H-huh? Hindi ka ba busy?"

"I don't think so. And, it's okay, I also need that idea of yours" buti na lang nagda-drive ito at hindi nakatingin sa kanya kaya naman napangiti ng malawak si Chiara.

"Ah.. okay, it's settled then? Sa saturday?" Javi hummed in response. "Tayo lang dalwa?" tayo na lang.. dalwa eme!

"Well, you can invite other friends naman, I don't mind" Chiara nodded even though she doesn't have any idea of inviting someone. Sosolohin at kikilalanin talaga n'ya ang crush n'ya!

"Hindi ba magtatampo sila Iah?" she's making sure again.

"Uuwi s'ya sa province n'ya. I'm sure he'll be just supportive. Nicolai on the other hand, doesn't prefer having picnics. I can invite Saint if he wants to"

Ay? Huwag na 'yun.

"Ahh okay, just tell me na lang for the other plans" Javi hummed again. Chiara just looked outside the window while thinking how to bribe Saint so he wouldn't come at their picnic date.

When they arrived at the parking lot of the bar, Chiara excused herself to check her look for the last time. "I'll just put my lipstick" Javi nodded at her. Kinuha n'ya ang lipstick at ibinaba ang interior mirror ng passenger seat side. She took her precious time to fix her make-up. Noong ibabalik na sa dating posisyon ang salamin ay napansin n'ya ang sticker na nakadikit doon.

It has a sticker of a puppy playing a football.

"Cute ba?" he heard Javi chuckled. "Mahilig ka sa aso?" tanong ni Chiara sa kanya.

"Pwede na, pero si Iah talaga naglagay n'yan" Javi chuckled again, inaalis na ang seatbelt n'ya. "He owns my passenger seat eh" Chiara thought that the two are really good friends.

She's sure that Iah sat on the seat for so long because he's Javi's childhood friend. She can't help but to admire them.

"It's just like how you own Saint's backseat of her motorbike" napakunot ang noo ni Chiara sa sinabi ni Javi pagkababa n'ya ng sasakyan.

"Huh?" Javi just shook his head while smiling at her.

"Nevermind. Let's go. They are waiting inside"