Inked

Chapter 7: Lady Luck

"She can say whatever she wants. Basta ako kapag 'tapos na 'yung isang relasyon ay hindi ko na binabalikan. Going back to your ex is like rewatching a movie hoping that the ending is going to be different this time."

"Kunsabagay..." Lambert said nodding. "But, this Mrs. Moore you are talking about, saan kayo nagkakilala? Is she perhaps someone we know?"

"You both graduated from U.P. Diliman, right?"

"Oo. She's from U.P., too? Anong kurso?"

"Business Administration and Accountancy."

"Uy, magkakapitbahay kami. Lambert is from the College of Engineering and I am from the School of Economics. What's her name?"

"Eira Saavedra."

"Hm...sounds familiar..." Wilson sounded thoughtful. "Do you have a picture?"

"Dapat na ba akong magalit na gusto mong makita ang hitsura ng girlfriend ko?" I jestingly asked and Wilson laughed.

"Ano ka ba, of course we are curious, kasi taga-U.P. Diliman din 'ka mo. Lalo na ako magkatabi lang ang Econ at Virata. Pero, anong batch ba s'ya?"

"She graduated a year ago," I said before I showed them a photo of me and Eira on my phone.

"Mas matanda kami ni Lambert sa kanya," Wilson said. "But, she really looks familiar. Although imposibleng nagpang-abot kami nito sa U.P. because I graduated eight years ago."

"Stop cracking your head over why she's familiar, Wilson, you are making Bren uncomfortable. Pamilyar s'ya sa'yo dahil mahilig ka sa magaganda," Lambert laughingly said.

"Hoy, h'wag ka ngang ano d'yan. Mamaya marinig ka ng asawa ko," Wilson said. "Kapag buntis pa man din 'yun ubod nang selosa."

"Oo nga gigiyerahin ka talaga ni Erica kapag nagkataon."

We all laughed.

"So, pakiramdam mo, Bren, 'eto na nga 'yon?" Lambert asked smiling. "S'ya na si Mrs. Moore?"

I nodded.

"Bakit hindi ka mag-propose?"

"Bago lang kami."

"And that's stopping you?" Wilson queried. "Aba, wala sa tagal 'yan. My wife and I got married before we even celebrated our anniversary as boyfriend-girlfriend. 'Yung ex ko bago s'ya, four years kami. At naniniwala ako na 'yung lalaki nararamdaman n'ya na ito na 'yun, na s'ya na nga. Because I felt that way with my wife."

"Kami naman ni Mitch, we were college sweethearts. Eight years bago kami nagpakasal," Lambert confided. "We were emotionally ready pero 'yung finances namin medyo hindi pa okay kasi pareho kaming panganay at parehong may pinapaaral na kapatid. But, as soon as my younger brother and her younger sister finished college, pinaghandaan talaga namin. Pinag-ipunan 'yung pagpapakasal."

"Eh, itong si Bren, wala naman 'tong problema sa pera. Pwedeng-pwede na 'tong mag-asawa. 'Tsaka magaling sa negosyo 'to, sa babae lang talaga 'to pumapalpak."

I laughed. "Aminado naman."

"But this is the first time I heard the words s'ya na from you," Lambert told me. "Kaya naman I want to congratulate you, Bren, for finding the one."

"Congratulations, Bren!" Wilson said and we high-fived. "Kaya naman pala may bagong tsikot dahil may bagong girlfriend at nagpapa-impress," he kidded.

"Would you believe me if I tell you na hindi s'ya na-impress d'un?" I spoke with a soft chuckle. "Mas na-impress pa s'ya sa mga paintings ko sa bahay."