The Second Time Around (The Starving Squad #1)

Chapter 1: Guy Meets Girl

I had a few dialogues translated in Kapampangan. Maiintindihan naman agad dahil sa context but if you need any translation, please ask our Kapampangan friends. :)

Translated by: @porkrasche and @GIEngery (Twitter handles). 

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Bullet Andreus Cardona was eyeing a petite bombshell sitting alone at the bar when he heard his friend curse. Naibaba niya ang bote ng beer na lalaklakin sana niya bago puntahan ang babaeng nag-iisang umiinom sa 'di kalayuan.

"What did I tell you about cursing, Felix?" iritadong tanong ng may ari ng bar na iniinuman nila, si Mickey.

Their friend Felix has a deep, big voice. Kapag nagmumura ito, kahit gaano pa kaingay sa lugar ay siguradong maririnig ito ng mga tao. Felix curses like he's exorcizing someone. He could scare the demon out of a body.

"Sorry, bro. 'Yong makulit ko kasing kliyente, sira na naman ang apartment! Ipinababago na naman sa 'kin!" reklamo ni Felix.

"Makulit na kliyente?" kunot-noo niyang tanong.

He just got back from Canada. Limang taon din siyang nawala. When he got back, the first thing he did was round up his old friends to celebrate his homecoming. Mickey was more than happy to treat them at his bar. Free-flowing ang drinks at maraming babaeng pwedeng iuwi. He was just about to hit on one when Felix erupted.

"May kliyente kasi akong halos buwan-buwan na lang yatang ipinapaayos 'yong apartment nya. She's crazy, man, I'm telling you."

Ngumisi siya. "Baka naman type ka?"

Humalakhak si Mickey. "Well, if that's the case, do you think na magri-reklamo 'tong si Felix? I mean, the woman is pretty, but I don't think he can keep up with her crazy."

"She wrecks her place every time she gets into a fight with her boyfriend," Felix explained. "Noong una, naawa pa ako sa kanya kasi iyak sya nang iyak habang nandoon ako. But after the third time, nagsimula na rin akong mairita sa kanya. She's pathetic, man! Meron pa palang mga babaeng ganoon katanga na kahit ilang beses nang nasaktan, sumisige pa rin. At 'yong apartment nya ang napapagbuntunan nya ng galit."

"Binabayaran ka naman, di ba?" Tumango ito. "O, 'yon naman pala, e. Ano'ng problema?"

"She's stressing me out!" sagot nito. "I'm a designer, not her therapist!"

Lumagok siya ng beer. "Do you have a picture? If she's hot, I'll take her off of your hands."

Agad na nagkutingting ng phone si Felix. He must be desperate to get that woman out of his hair. O baka naman baliw talaga ang babaeng iyon kaya hindi nito matagalan.

"Here!" Felix said triumphantly.

Ipinakita nito sa kanya ang litrato ng babaeng ikinikwento nito. The woman has shoulder-length hair, slightly curled, and with bangs. Direkta itong nakangiti sa camera. She looks decent. Maganda pero hindi iyong tipo ng gandang makikita sa bar kung nasaan sila. Naka-light blue itong blazer na nakapailalim sa kulay puting blouse. Half-body lamang ang kita sa picture dahil nakaupo ito. Simple at disente. Hindi mo mapapagkamalang may topak.

His friends have him an inquiring look. "So?"

He shrugged. "She looks okay."