Spectrum (GL / Completed)

Chapter 5: Date, Part II

I sighed. "Please don’t ruin it."

"Ruin it?" She gasped dramatically, clutching the bottle of truffle oil like I’d insulted her firstborn child. "I’m about to elevate this dish into something Michelin-starred!"

"Michelin-starred na pancit canton? Sure, Ezria," I replied, rolling my eyes. Feeling ko, sa tuwing kinakausap ko siya, lumiliit nang lumiliit ang mga brain cells ko. Nawa’y hindi niya ako mahawaan sa kung anong sakit mayroon siya.

She ignored me and carefully poured a drop—just one drop—of the truffle oil into her bowl. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent like she was in a commercial. "This is art," she declared proudly. She even added her elevated toppings, including a perfectly sliced boiled egg she somehow convinced Chef Marcel to prepare in advance.

"Taste test!" she said excitedly, handing me a fork and forcing a bite into my mouth before I could protest.

I chewed slowly, staring at her with a blank expression.

"Well?!" she demanded, practically bouncing in anticipation.

"It tastes... like pancit canton," I said flatly.

Her jaw dropped. "Athneia, no! You’re supposed to say it tastes refined! Complex! Like a symphony in your mouth!" Pinitik ko ang noo niya. Is she always this dramatic? Isang patak lang ng truffle oil ang nilagay niya, does she really think it would make a difference?

Nakanguso siyang tinikman ang canton niya. Habang tumatagal ay lumiliwanag ang mukha niya. Then, she began humming happily as if she really had created a masterpiece. Watching her reactions was honestly entertaining. She would do a little dance every time she took a bite, as if she was eating something from a five-star restaurant.

"Masarap?" I asked, amused.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! I can’t believe instant noodles is this good!"

I laughed softly. "You’re acting like this is the best meal you've ever had."

"It might be," she said with a grin. "Especially since I helped make it!"

I shook my head, smiling. "Kahit sauce lang ang ginawa mo?"

"Hey, effort parin ’yon!" She chuckled, taking another bite. Napailing na lang ako at nag-focus na lang rin sa pagkain.

After eating, we went back to building the LEGO bouquet.

"Finally! I’m done!" she exclaimed, holding up her finished flower triumphantly. "Look at it!" She twirled it in front of me with pride before carefully placing it in the vase alongside the other flowers.

"Okay, which one’s next?" She picked another bag from the pile, this time looking genuinely excited.

We worked on the remaining pieces and, to my surprise, finished everything just before dinner.

"Dito ka na kumain," she suggested with a hopeful smile. Honestly, if I don’t have prior commitments, I would’ve said yes. That thought surprised me too.

"I can’t," I said apologetically. "I’m having dinner with my family tonight." Nagpunta kasi ang parents ko dito kaya naman kailangan kong umuwi.

She pouted but quickly recovered. "Okay... but, uhm, can I ask for a favor?"

"Ano ’yon?"

"Can I borrow your phone for a bit? I misplaced mine and I couldn't find it."

I blinked at her. "What?"

"Yeah, I might’ve left it in the store or somewhere. Please?"

I sighed. "Okay, fine. But make it quick, I have to go." I handed her my phone.

"Okay, thank you!" She quickly dialed her number, and a few seconds later, we both heard a muffled ring coming from under the couch cushions.

"Oh, there it is!" she exclaimed, pulling her phone out from between the cushions. She handed my phone back. "Thank you."

I shook my head, amused. "You’re something else, you know that?"

She just grinned smugly. "I know."

I didn't bother responding, choosing instead to grab my things and prepare to leave. Sinamahan niya ako palabas ng unit niya. Akala ko hanggang doon lang pero nagtuloy-tuloy ang lakad niya hanggang sa elevator. She even motioned at me go in. Obviously, gusto niya ang samahan hanggang sa baba ng building.

Akala ko kukulitin na naman niya ako habang nasa elevator, but surprisingly, she's quiet. Too quiet for her personality. Parang may iniisip siya kasi patango-tango pa siya. Maya maya ay ngingiti tapos mamumula. Natuluyan na ata siya.

Nang makarating kami sa labas ng building niya, I bid my goodbye to her. As expected, she insisted on driving me to my parents’ house, but I declined. Although I surprisingly enjoyed today, she’s still an annoying and overly persistent stranger. And I don’t want to take any chances—baka parents ko naman ang guluhin at kulitin niya.

"Ayaw mo talagang ihatid kita?" pangungulit pa niya, leaning a bit closer like she thought it would help her case. Fortunately, may huminto agad na taxi.

"Bye, Ezria," sabi ko habang nagmamadaling buksan ang pinto ng taxi. I was about to step in when Ezria suddenly grabbed my hand, stopping me mid-step.

My head turned to her, eyebrows furrowed. "Ano na naman—"

But she cut me off—not with words, but with the next thing she did. She leaned in quickly and planted a kiss on my cheek. Just like that. Parang napakagaan lang ng ginawa niya.

"See you tomorrow, Athneia."

I froze. My brain was still buffering, trying to make sense of what just happened. And before I could even react, tumakbo na siya agad papasok ng building, her face visibly red.

I blinked. Once, twice—no, five times. Did I just get kissed?

The taxi driver cleared his throat, snapping me out of my daze.

"Miss, sasakay ba kayo o hindi?"

I snapped back to reality and quickly got in. But even as the taxi pulled away, I can’t shake off the tingling warmth on my cheek.

What the hell just happened?

-

to be continued…