Chapter Two: Breakfast sa Caf

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Minutes later, I find myself sa cafeteria with Joaquin.

Joaquin: Dude, what do you wanna eat? Libre ko.
Me: Huwag na, it's on me. For the ride.
Joaquin: No, ako kaya may atraso sayo. Sige na.
Me: Alright, if you insist. Just one order of the pasta and orange juice.
Joaquin: Sige. Find us a place to sit na. Dalhin ko na lang yung food natin.

Free breakfast! Whoohoo! Siguro dapat araw-araw na lang ako magpabangga, maybe magiging matipid sa allowance. 9:20am na so mostly kakatapos rin lang ng first period ng majority ng students. Medyo puno ang cafeteria. Yang 7:30am class na yan, hassle talaga, no time for an early breakfast. So yung may mga break after first class, ngayon pa lang kakain. I picked a table na good for four people malapit sa entrance ng caf facing the quad. I sat to wait for Joaquin na matapos yung order niya. Bitbit yung tray, nakita ko siyang hinahanap ako sa mga tables sa caf. I had to raise my hands and wave to call his attention. Paglingon niya to see me, nag-smile siya tapos walked towards our table. Damn! Smile pa lang parang gusto ko na deadmahin yung breakfast. Okay, Lord, can I please ask forgiveness now pa lang?

Joaquin: Here we go

Sabi niya while laying the service tray sa table. And he smiled again. Ayan tayo Lord eh, giving me my daily bread tapos leading me into temptation. Umupo siya sa tapat ko and removed his hat. Okay, Lord. Deliver me from getting himatay right now. Wow, this guys is just gorgeous. Yung hair niya is long enough para may ma-stroke ka pero clean cut pa rin. Now that I actually get to stare at him, his perfectly symmetrical face, his jawline, his shoulders, his arms. Wala kang itatapon sa kanya.

Joaquin: Oh, why aren't you eating?
Me: Ha?
Joaquin: Kanina mo pa nilalaro yung spaghetti mo.

Sheht! Nahuli na naman kaya niya ako admiring him?

Me: Sorry, hinahalo ko lang ng mabuti. To distribute the sauce evenly.

Dali, dali, dali accept my palusot. Please...

Joaquin: Yeah, me too. I like my spaghetti coated with sauce. Buti na lang nice si Ate, may extra sauce at extra cheese yan.

Ah kaya pala ang cheesy, like this situation now. I watch Joaquin habang matiyaga niyang tinatanggak yung yolk ng fried egg sa plate niya. He ordered Tapsilog pala pero parang half rice lang yata yung nasa plate. Diet conscious siguro ito pero di ba healthy naman ang egg? Dapat kinankain ito ng buo?
Ringtone, ringtone, ringtone. He takes out his phone.

Joaquin: Ah, can I take this?
Me: Sure!
Joaquin: Hello, Babe. Here sa may caf, near the door facing quad. You? Ah I'm eating with a blockmate. Huh? Sorry, hindi mo sinabi na ihatid ko sa classroom mo. You want me to make hatid now? Ah no need na. So you'll go na lang here. Sige.

Confirmed. Forgetful si Joaquin. Same item: the laptop. Looks like nakalimutan pa niya ihatid sa class ng girlfriend. Demanding much?

Me: May kailangan ka ba ihatid?
Joaquin: Ah oo sana. Pero she didn't say na hatid ko. No text din naman.
Me: Girlfriend?
Joaquin: Yeah. Speaking of...

This petite mestiza girl approaches our table. I recognize her. Siya yung brainy girl na got featured as a cover girl sa isang teen magazine about the college student lifestyle. Joaquin stands up to give her a kiss on the cheek.

Nerissa: Next time pay attention naman when I give you instructions. I said bring it later to my 9:00 am class. You didn't listen.
Joaquin: Sorry na, Babe.
Nerissa: I'm having lunch with sina Valerie later. You?
Joaquin: Ah I don't know pa. I have a 1:30 pm class din kasi. Call me na lang. Ah Sean, this is Nerissa, my girlfriend. Nerissa, Sean.
Nerissa: Hi! Nice to meet you!
Me: Same here. I saw your cover, by the way.

Miss Tupperware 2015 much?

Nerissa: Ah, you did? Kahiya nga eh.
Me: Di naman. You're prettier in person kaya.

I have to apologize, the first runner up is... Sean. Nerissa, you are Miss Tupperware 2015!

Nerissa: Thanks ha. I have to get back to class. Hey babe, text you later.
Joaquin: Okay, do your best ha?
Nerissa: I will.

Yumuko si Joaquin to kiss her pero he misses her cheeks cause nagmamadali na siyang umalis palabas. It was really awkward to watch at napa-hawak na lang si Joaquin sa hair niya at umupo.

Me: Wow, siya pala girlfriend mo? Beauty and brains, huh?

Utang na loob, did I just make puri that girl? Wait... Why do I hate her all of a sudden? Bakit inis ako sa kanya eh I just met her?

Joaquin: Thanks! Kain na.

Ayoko kumain. May mas masarap na ulam but it's bawal.

Joaquin: Wait, may pang P.E. ka na?
Me: Yup, yung P.E. shirt from last sem.
Joaquin: I meant yung pang-swimming. Swimming trunks.

Yup, may point siya. Hindi lang talaga ako maka-concentrate.

Me: Ah no. Wala pa. I need to buy.
Joaquin: When?
Me: Maybe later. Ikaw?
Joaquin: Wala pa rin. You wanna go? Let's shop later.

Wait, rewind. What? Hindi pa nga natin super kilala ang isa't-isa, tapos we're going shopping together na? Magiging montage ba ito na parang sa mga movies na may fitting ng swim trunks with music?

Me: Uhm, what time?
Joaquin: Ikaw? What time tapos ng class mo?
Me: 4:30 pa.
Joaquin: Sakto! My class ends 3:00pm tapos I just need to get something submitted sa Xavier Hall. Saan building mo by 4:30?
Me: B306 ako.
Joaquin: Good na yon ah. I'll pass by for you at Berch's sa back after your class.
Me: O-okay...

Well, it seems wala na rin naman ako choice at say in the matter. Shopping it is. 4:30 pm it is. Halos matapos na rin kami with our food when a few blockmates of mine called my attention. Galing sila sa kabilang entrance ng caf. Sumenyas ako that I'll see them later in class. Napalingon si Joaquin sa direction nila and my blockmates faces: whoah! Grabe rin naman itong si Joaquin, he smiled habang palingon so mukhang nahumaling din sila sa kanya. Sino ba naman ang hindi?

Joaquin: Borrow your phone.
Me: Wait ah.

Phone. Phone. Phone. Nasaan na kasi yung phone na yon? There you go. Right side pocket ng cargo pants kasi, Sean. Ano ba? That's so not you. Inabit ko kay Joaquin yung phone. Please make daplis yung fingers with mine please. Wala. Zero points on that one.

Joaquin: Paano to?
Me: Oops, sorry. Passcode. Wait.

Pero yung Touch ID na lang yung ginamit ko and: Success! I brushed my fingers onto his habang dinidiin ko yung thumb ko sa button.

Joaquin: Here's my number. Ring ko na ha?
Me: Okay.

Moments later he shows me his phone with my number sa screen.

Joaquin: Save mo na, Dude.

Dude??? Okay lang. Dude na eh. Think of it as the word "Babe" na letter E pa lang ang hawak mo at kailangan mapalitan yung DUD ng BAB.

Me: Sure.

Inayos ni Joaquin yung utensils niya sa side ng plate niya then yung tissue pinahid niya sa moisture droplets sa side ng baso niya. He wipes the wet tissue sa lips niya para linisin. May stars yata nag nagtwinkle pagdaan ng tissue sa lips niya. I must be imagining things. Huwag ganon, Lord. Wala na ako puwede i-pray pa to save me from blushing.

Joaquin: Paano, see you later?
Me: Yeah, uhm, text you na lang. Thanks for meal ha.

He stands up and brushes his hair with his fingers and puts on his hat. Nag-thumbs up pa siya to ask me if it looks good. Gusto ko sumigaw, "50 points to Gryffindor!" But no. Napa-thumbs up na lang din ako the immediately sinubo ko yung straw to sip on my juice.

Joaquin: Gotta go!

He taps me on the shoulder. Electric. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin while he exited the caf. When I turned my head back, I noticed my blockmates who just finished sa binibili nila na nakatingin towards my direction. Inisip ko tuloy na sobra ba akong obvious?

Oh well. I can't wait for 4:30!

To be continued...

The Coño Boy 1 & 2: Love What You Will Tahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon