In The Cold Embrace of Baguio

Chapter 9

Bakit ngayon pa nag-offline sina Vera at Claudia kung kailan kailangan ko silang makausap?

I reclined the back rest of my study chair. Tinitigan ko ang ceiling ng kwarto ko habang hinihintay na maging active ang group chat naming tatlo.

Inangat ko ang cellphone ko at pinindot ang app ng Spotify. I selected and played a Lana Del Ray song to ease my unrest mind.

"Ay!" Muntik akong mahulog sa upuan ko nang biglaan akong bumangon.

Hindi na um-effect sa akin ang tsaa at kanta ni Lana Del Ray para maalis sa isip ko ang nakasulat sa note na binigay ni CJ sa akin kanina.

In his note, he described how he liked my poem's construction and complimented me for being vocal about my thoughts on the societal differences between rich and poor citizens of the country.

However, hindi lamang mga appreciation words para sa tula ko ang sinulat ni CJ. At the end of his note, there is a post script—a a one-liner question.

He asked me if I like coffee, and my answer is a loud yes. Ngunit, hindi ko maintindihan ang ibig sabihin ng P.S. note niya na 'yun.

Should I leave his question like that? Or is there an actual meaning behind it? Dahil kung iisipin, hindi connected ang main point ng note niya sa P.S. note sa dulo. Trip niya lang ba malaman kung umiinom ako ng kape o hindi. Or, he is asking me if I want to drink coffee with him?

Is CJ asking me for a coffee date?

Hinagis ko ang cellphone ko sa kama at saka tinakip ang mga kamay sa mukha ko.

Everything he does, subtle or not, it pulls me to him.

I remember our every big and tiny interactions; I can see his crinkled eyes when he smile; I can clearly picture his face whenever he laughs; and his presence makes me nervous, at the same time, excited.

His effort to write me a note brings butterflies to my stomach.

Suddenly, I remembered the letters my parents gave to one another when they were courting. Sabado ng hapon noon nang makita ko ang malaki at maalikabok na pulang box sa attic. Nakalimutan ko ang full boy mirror na dapat kung kukunin nang ma-discover ko ang mga love letters nila.

Isa-isa ko silang tinignan ngunit 'di ko binasa ang iba. I just looked at the dates they were sent, and almost half of them go way back into 70's. I also found that there is a letter that dated on the year Celina was born.

Tumayo ako at inabot ang cellphone ko.

Hindi pa rin online ang dalawa kong kaibigan. I didn't wait for them to go active before I typed a message for them.

'cj gave me a note!!!'

Alongside my one chat, I also attached a photo of proof. Pinicturan ko lamang ang salutation ng note at 'di ang buong laman ng note niya.

Nagmamadali kong kinuha at binuksan ang cellphone ko nang tumunog ito. May notification sa Instagram ko.

There is a follow request and a message. Parehong galing kay CJ.

This time, hindi na ako nagtaka kung bakit nag-rireach out siya sa akin sa mga socmed accounts ko.

I accepted his follow request and followed him back.

May dalawa itong post. One is a photo of the interior of an airplane. Two, a photo of a woman holding a little girl. Nang pinindot ko 'yun, it's a post for Mother's Day.

Sunod kong binuksan ang message na galing kay CJ.

'Hi, Alyara. I hope you got home safe.'

Nag-reply ako sa kanya. I told him I did get home safe, and before he got the chance to reply, naghabol pa ako ng isang message.