The Dating Game

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"That's great! Do we have to be around on your date?" ang tanong ni Lacey.

"Nah. I think it's okay if I do this alone. Besides alam kong busy kayo. Kung ako lang naman ang reason ng pagpunta n'yo, sayang naman 'yung time n'yo."

The others agreed for Ellie to go out alone. They had other things to do anyway.

********

It's already 6 pm but Athena is still in the office. She just finished a report that was due the following week. Ganito ang gawain niya - she works ahead. Mas gusto niyang tapusin ang mga bagay-bagay kahit malayo pa ang deadline. Para sa kanya mas mabuti nang maaga kaysa magcram. Dagdag stress lang ito para sa kanya. 

Pero ito rin ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit wala siyang social life. She spends a great part of her everyday life in the office. Nakakalabas lamang siya kapag pinipilit ng mga kaibigan. Kaya naman she readily jumped on the opportunity to join a dating site.

Nagsimulang magligpit ng gamit niya si Athena nang narinig niyang tumunog ang kanyang mobile phone.

"Ell! May problema ba?" she asked sounding worried. 

Tonight is Ellie's date with the new guy. And for her to call at this time, Athena felt there was some kind of trouble.

"A, where are you now?"

"Still in the office but I'm almost on my way out."

"Can I ask for a very big favor from you?"

"Sure. Ano ba 'yon? Ano bang problema?"

"May taping ako right now and from the looks of it, we won't be done anytime soon. I won't be able to make it on time for my date with Gavin. Can you go to the resto where we're supposed to meet and tell him that I can't come?"

"Ha? Why not just call or text him?"

"I've been trying to call him but he can't be reached."

"Eh bakit ako? Bakit hindi si Tia?"

"Tia has something at work. Si Lacey out of town, di ba? Isa pa, malapit lang d'yan 'yung restaurant. Please, A. I don't wanna keep him waiting. Baka he won't want to go out with me anymore if he thinks I stood him up. Please..."

Nag-isip munang mabuti si Athena bago tuluyang pumayag. "Sige na nga."

"Yes! I love you, A!"

"Oo na, sige na. You owe me for this."

"Kahit ano, I'll give it to you. Okay, so just tell him that I'm still stuck at work and that I've been trying to get in touch with him. Tell him that I'd still want to go out with him. We'll just resched."

"Wala na po ba ma'am?" ang nang-aasar na sabi ni Athena.

"That's it. Just make sure that he's not mad at me. Okay? I really still want to go out with him."

"Oo na. Leave it up to me."

Binigay ni Ellie ang pangalan ng restaurant kung saan naghihintay si Gavin. She also gave Athena insturctions on how to easily locate him. Pagkababa ng phone ay agad na kinuha ni Athena ang kanyang gamit at lumabas ng opisina.

Nang makarating sa sinabing restaurant ay dahan-dahang binuksan ni Athena ang pinto. She briefly scanned the restaurant before fully going in. Sa unang pasada pa lang ay may nakita na siyang lalaking nakasuot ng blue polo. Nakayuko ito kaya hindi niya agad nakita ang mukha. She hesitantly walked towards his table.

"Gavin?" 

He looked up. "Yes?"

She was left speechless when she saw his face. 

"He's the man of my dreams," Athena said to herself.