Of Love, Signs and Logic (Completed)

17.1 May Something,....

Photo credit: http://www.jacobimages.com/2012/12/the-mangyan-of-mindoro

RJ was confused. May sinabi ba siyang mali or masama? It's been more than 30mins and she has not stopped to rest. She's not talking or asking questions either. Okay, sumasagot pero naging mono syllables na sagot niya to his questions. She still takes pictures but...basta iba eh....there's really something off.

"Let's stop, mukhang hingal ka na. HIndi masakit sugat mo? I can carry your backpack, medyo mas matarik na aakyatin natin." He decided that it's time to put things back in order.

She stopped walking. RJ watched her catch her breath. Pagod na nga. Her shades are now on top of her head so he has a clear view of her face and surprisingly.... sad eyes? You see, it's not just her eyes, but her face, which is so expressive that you'll easily detect if something is wrong.

She drank from her water bottle, then wiped the sweat off her forehead, all the while not looking at him. "No i'm okay. Carry pa. Malayo pa ba? Halos 3hrs na tayo, right?"

"Based on my map and the description of our guide last night of the landmarks na nalampasan natin, mga 45mins to 1 hr pa siguro given our pace so kung kaya mo, this might be our last stop."

"Okay, let's go!" She put her water bottle back on her backpack then prepared to leave.

"Teka, is there something wrong? You've been pretty quiet since our last stop." They are at the base of another peak in the range, now approaching another uphill climb in a vast field of talahib grass, acres and acres of them.

"No i'm fine." Meng shook her head as she surveyed the expanse.

"Are you sure?" Then why can't you look at me?

She finally turned to him, mild irritation evident in her eyes. "Hindi ka rin makulit no? Hindi ba puwedeng naubusan lang ako ng small talk? Ikaw ba naman mag-small talk for more than 2 hrs. Pag pinagsama-sama mo nga yun, di na small talk yun, BIG talk na."

He smiled at that, it's better than no emotion at all. "But as small talk goes, you're doing pretty good." He just want to keep her talking to make up for the silence in the last 30 mins.

"Well, you're looking at somebody who has mastered the art of small talks." she patiently explained when she realized she cannot get out of this small talk.

Okay, it looks like this topic piqued her interest. "What do you mean 'mastered the art of small talks'? I didn't know there is an art in doing 'small talk'."

"Yes, there is. You'd be surprised there's even a science to it. Alam mo ba na you can be with roomful of people and quote-unquote 'still not be with them'?"

Now she's talking. This is more like it, RJ thought. Kahit installment ang sagot. "Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Kasi here's my theory. Ang bida sa buhay ng bawat tao ay sarili niya. So if you're with people and you just keep asking them questions about themselves, small talk, in the end, they will tell you how good conversationalist you are. When in fact, they did not really learn anything about you, because they just talked about themselves. Not true for all, but at least it's true for most people. There!"

Should he rebut her theory? Naah! "So which is which? Given your theory, are you quote-unquote 'with me now'?"

"Ha?" She was clearly taken aback by the question.

Noticing her discomfort, RJ changed his question. For some strange reason, he suddenly remembered the "celebrity" he bumped into outside the elevator at Greenbelt last week.