12
"Wow. I miss her." Alyssa confessed to the parfait she has been staring at for quite a long while now. "I really miss her."
"Alam mo, I don't think the parfait is not gonna tell Dennise you badly miss her." Bang threw a wink at Alyssa. "Call her kaya."
"She's busy. Super busy that I haven't seen her since this Monday."
It was the third week of January. Alyssa and Bang decided to spend the afternoon in one of their branches in Caloocan to check the business.
"It's med school, Ly. Imagine the pressure?"
"Ayun na nga eh and yet, she's still working part-time sa Makati. If she's not working, nagpapaka-lunod naman siya sa mga libro. I told her already that there is no need for her to stress herself more. Her dad is a doctor and I am sure they are ready for Den's med school. I even offered her to just work with me. She can have everything I have."
"Well, that's really sweet pero it is her life. Suportahan mo nalang kasi. Kaya naman niya 'yun. Ayun pa ba? She knows what she wants and how to get them which really reminds me of... Laura." Bang drummed her fingers on the table while waiting for Alyssa's response. "I mean, come on... don't deny it."
"Not her again..."
"Naalala ko lang kasi how you complained a lot about Laura having less time to spend with you."
"Magkaiba kasi 'yun, Bang. Laura was a model. I did not like her work environment. She was surrounded by people. She was being objectified. Syempre, naiinis ako kaya binabantayan ko siya. Ayoko siyang binabastos. Like who does?"
"And with Den?"
"With Den... I am just really worried about her. And I really miss her." Alyssa told her without hesitation. Her heart swelled by just the thought of Dennise.
Bang, from the other side of the table, dropped her shoulders and sighed. "Ly, you are in love."
The pregnant pause followed. There was stillness-- save it for the constant buzzing of the customers inside the cafe and the traffic noise outside. Alyssa considered what Bang has just said. If she was told of it few months before now, she would have laughed at the thought right away. However, today, she did not.
"Sorry, traffic eh." Kim and Mela suddenly walked in the scene, smiling apologetically at the two. They joined them at the table to start their afternoon meeting.
"Nag-date pa ba kayo?" Bang jokingly asked which got Kim and Mela blushing hard. "Ang tamis talaga."
"Parang kailan lang may nangu-ngulit sa aking sumama sa casting ng mga models..." Alyssa singsang as Kim threw her daggers. "O, Kim... anjan ka pala."
"Totoo ba 'yun, Fajardo?" Mela crossed her arms over her chest, eyebrows knitted.
"Totoo pero joke lang 'yun!" Kim fervently denied it, still giving Alyssa the look. "I mean, totoo na I joked her about it!"
"Joke pala 'yun... Kasi naman, you looked so serious."
"ALYSSA!"
"Eto na. Joke lang talaga 'yun, Mela..." Aly flashed her favorite peace sign to the irate Kim and ready-to-pounce Mela. "Ikaw naman, Mels. Syempre sinabi ko na hindi pwede kasi magagalit ka..."
"Valdez!!! Ikaw ta-" But Kim failed to finish her sentence when her ear was pulled brutally by Mela, keeping her on her seat. "Aray! Sorry na! Biro lang talaga 'yun! Melabs naman eh!"
