The Dating Game

The Game Changer

Lalong natulala si Athena as she looked into his eyes. It was like she was being sucked into his world just by looking in his expressive, brown eyes.

"Bakit ang gwapo niya? Unang tingin pa lang parang gusto ko nang magpakasal sa kanya. Oh those eyes! Gugustuhin ko lang na makipagtitigan ako sa kanya araw-araw, kahit ito pa ang dahilan ng pagkatunaw ko. And look at that perfect nose. May lahi kayang Amerikano ito? Pati cheek bones and jaw line ang ganda. Very manly ang dating, ang macho! At shet lang ang lips! Ano kaya ang feeling na mahilakan ng mga labing 'yan? Eh 'pag makeout kaya?" ang tuluy-tuloy na sabi niya sa isip niya. Pero agad din naman siyang natauhan nang maalala niya si Ellie. "Gosh, Athena! Umayos ka!"

"Ah miss, okay ka lang?"

Athena slightly shook her head. "Aaah... you're Gavin, right?"

"Yeah. Do I know you?"

"No but Ellie sent me..."

"Oh. I get it. She's not coming. Oh well..."

"Wait. No, it's not like that. She got caught up at work. She's been trying to call you but you can't be reached. Kaya she asked me to find you to explain everything to you. She's very much interested to go out with you kaya lang she really can't leave work yet. So kung okay lang daw sa 'yo, you can resched your date," ang mahabang paliwanag ni Athena.

Nakatingin lang si Gavin sa dalaga habang nag-iisip ng sasabihin. He had an inkling that this was gonna happen. Before the date, he did a little bit of research about Ellie. He found out that she's into acting and is trying to land a break in showbiz. He found her beautiful and he thinks, based on their exchanges of messages, she's a nice person. But given the world she's in, he felt that him and Ellie was kinda a long shot. Ang naiisip pa nga niya at first ay hindi naman talaga ito papayag na makipagdate sa kanya. He thinks she'd probably go for an actor, just like the last guy she was linked to.

"So, what do you say?" ang tanong ni Athena na nakapagpabasag sa iniisip ni Gavin. "Will you still go out with Ellie?"

He flashed her a megawatt smile and said, "Of course."

"That's great! I'll tell Ellie..."

"Meantime," he went on. "Can you join me for dinner?"

"Ha? Ako?"

"Oo. Why not? Nandito na rin naman tayong dalawa. Sayang naman 'yung time at itong table na nakareserve kung hindi naman magagamit."

"Pero..."

"C'mon... 'wag ka na mahiya," he said as he got up to pull a chair for me.

"Hindi ako nahihiya. Hindi ako shy type. Pero natatakot ako.... natatakot na ma-fall sa 'yo," she said to herself.

"Wait, I didn't get your name. Ano na nga ang pangalan mo?"

"Ah...ah... Athena," ang nauutal na sagot niya.

He held out her hand for a handshake. "It's nice to meet you Athena. I'm Gavin."

She accepted his hand and said, "Nice to meet you Gavin."

"So would it okay if you joined me for dinner?"

Ang buong sistema ni Athena ay nagsusumigaw ng oo pero sumasagi sa isip niya si Ellie at kung ano na lang ang sasabihin nito.

"Sige na," ang malambing na pilit nito habang marahan siyang iginigayang makaupo.

"Ah Gavin, I don't think..."

"C'mon Athena, 'wag mo naman akong pahiyain. Gusto mo bang kaawaan ako ng mga tao dito 'pag nakita nilang iniwan mo ako?"

Bahagyang nakonsenysa si Athena kaya she started putting her guards down. May punto nga naman si Gavin. Sayang nga naman ang lahat ng ito kung wala namang makikinabang. Tutal umeffort naman na siya, might as well just take advantage of it. Kung sasabihin ng mga kaibigan niya na she went on a date with Ellie's prospect, she can argue that she didn't consider it as a date. She was just merely keeping him company.