Nine Days With Jude [CLAVERIA #1]

DAY 1

"MAY I repeat your order Ma'am: one Jolly Spaghetti with chicken, Yum burger, coke float, large fries, and peach mango pie," the lady in the cashier repeated my order and I just nod though I am not looking at her.

Nakalingon ako sa table kung saan walang tao hoping na walang umupo du'n.

Napalingon na lang ako sa babae nang may tinanong siyang hindi ko maintindihan.

"What?" I asked.

"Dine in po or take out?"

"I said dine in a while ago. You're not paying attention."

"Sorry po, Ma'am," she said before preparing my order.

I rolled eyes bago lingunin ang target kong pwesto. Darn it! May couple na umupo!

I looked for another seat and luckily may isa akong nakita.

Nang natapos na si Ate ay may binigay siyang number. "Serve na lang po 'yung peach mango pie."

"Okay."

Agad kong kinuha ang tray and naglakad papunta sa bakanteng table.

"Ma'am, tulungan ko na po kayo," one of the crew volunteered.

"I can manage," matigas kong sagot sa kanya at naglakad ulit.

Until finally! Nakaupo na ko. It's already 3PM and ngayon pa lang ako magla-lunch. I only ate sandwich for breakfast.

Sa sobrang gutom ko ay kumain ako na dinaig pa ang kargador. Wala na kong pake kung maraming nakakakita sa'kin, hindi naman sila ang nagbayad ng in-order ko.

Habang kumakain ako saka ko lang na-realize ang mga tao sa paligid ko. They are all couples. Ewan ko kung anong trip ng tadhana pero ako lang ang nag-iisang walang kasama dito. Meaning, ako lang ang single.

Oh well, papel, I don't care. As long as I am successful in life and I can eat whatever I want, being single will always be just a state of mind.

WHILE eating, my phone vibrated. I checked my phone and it was my best friend who's calling.

"O Pamela, anong kailangan mo? Wala kong pera."

"Excuse me lang, Mika! Mas marami akong pera sa'yo."

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want ba kasi? Iniistorbo mo ang pagkain ko."

"Where are you?"

"Dito sa Jollibee Mendiola. Why?"

"Tamang-tama! Naglalakad na ko from St. Jude, puntahan kita there okay?"

"Ugh. Namamanata ka na naman diyan, wala ka namang napapala."

"Anong wala?! I can slap your face with my blessings!"

"Oo na, oo na! Bilisan mo. Io-order ba kita?"

"'Wag na, besh. Ako na lang o-order later. See you!"

"Yeah yeah, see you."

I ended the call and started eating again.

Pamela is my best friend for two decades already. We met when we were 7 years old, nakatira kami sa isang compound.

We're complete opposite. She's one step to being a nun. Religious kasi siya. She's always attending Sunday Mass, Monday Healing Mass, and she's also attending some sort of religious event every Wednesday and Sunday. Nagdadasal pagkatapos at bago kumain, bago matulog at pagkagising. Complete attendance tuwing simbang gabi.