Come On, Collide

[6] The One With The Emails

But that didn't happen. She'd talked for the three of them, telling him and Dan random stories: from the craziest cafe customers to her JS Prom...to anything, really. Her mouth had moved at inhuman speeds, but all it ever did was draw his eyes to her mouth. He'd taken every word, opened a new folder inside his mind and filed them away, held onto them, desperately hoping they don't get lost inside his chaotic mind. He'd remembered every move she made, every word she said. And her laugh, her smile.

He'd filed them all for further use. (If ever mang kailanganin niya. Pero kung para saan, ayaw niya munang alamin pa.)

But then Roldan, his best friend, the one who had first set his eyes on her, stepped up and opened a new topic, and his voice just...stuck.

Wala siyang nagawa kundi makinig sa usapan ng dalawa. Malakas na sampal sa kanya na makitang comfortable si Zade sa company ni Dan. His best friend's more charismatic and friendlier than him - Dan's advantage-- at pakiramdam niya chaperone lang siya ng dalawa.

Hindi niya sinasadyang sungitan si Zade. Sure, she'd tried including him in the conversations, but his goddamned brain wouldn't cooperate. Maayos nga ang na-formulate na sagot sa utak niya kaso iba ang nasabi niya. Panic engulfed him all throughout the dinner and the only distraction that calmed him was observing her the whole night.

He watched her as she tucked her hair behind her ear. She's pretty, he realized. No, she's really pretty.

Then Zade turned to him with a small smile lighting up her face. The smile was warm and welcoming, and his heart suddenly felt way too big for his chest.

Fuck, she's beautiful.

The realization had made him uncomfortable suddenly.

Bago pa mapunta sa kung saan ang imagination niya, sa ibang bagay na lang tinuon ni Andreau ang atensyon niya. Honestly, he had fun watching her eat. Bukod kay Mars, ngayon lang ulit siya nakakita ng babae na maganang kumain. Ilang taon na siyang napapagiliran ng mga babaeng wala nang ginawa kung hindi magdiet kaya refreshing para sa kanya ang mga kagaya nina Mars at Zade.

He'd noticed some of Zade's quirks, too. For example, binudburan muna niya ng maraming parmesan cheese ang meatball spaghetti, pinapak lahat bago haluin ang pasta at sauce, tsaka binudburan ulit. (Hah, she loves cheese. Plus point for her.) Tapos, sa tatlong meatballs sa spaghetti, kinain lang ni Zade ang last two nung malapit nang maubos ang pasta, at nilagyan ulit ng parmesan. Also, she's right-handed, but uses her left hand to hold the glass of water. He'd waited for her to use the left hand but she didn't. (Aware kaya siya sa ginagawa niya? He'd thought.) She chews her food quickly, na parang hindi na nga siya ngumunguya at dahil dahil nagkukwentuhan pa sila ni Dan. At ang bilis niyang kumain, as in. Nag-alala pa siya na hindi mauubos ni Zade ang pagkain, pero nagawa pa nitong kumain pa ng garlic bread.

May lalaban na kay Mars sa pagiging masiba. Ibang klase.

But the observation that bothered most that night?

Kapag kausap mo si Zade Pascual, eye contact is a must. She craves for it. Hahabulin niya ang mga mata mo kapag hindi ka nakatingin nang diretso sa kanya. Once she establishes that, she never lets go.

He'd realized this after she told him she believes he can win this competition. For a brief moment, the two of them had stared at one another. It was as if she were trying to work him out. He knew it was her wat to know--to feel--if she could trust him. The intensity in her really unnerved him. What the fuck was that feeling?

Ugh, enough of that awkward dinner. Mas napa-praning lang siya.

As for Zade's researching skills, well, let's just say he's pretty much ashamed he'd doubted her before actually meeting her. She'd given him everything he needed for the proposal, and more. Binigyan siya ni Zade ng ilang kwentong bayan ng San Ignacio, na, and he quotes, "baka makatulong just in case kailangan mo ng ibang angle for the intro or whatever. If not, just read it. You can learn a lot from these kind of stories. Entertaining pa sila. Just saying.) He'd spent two hours reading the stories, thoroughly enjoying every bit, and he'd ended up using a part of it for his intro. That's when he'd felt so ashamed of his pettiness, his prejudice against her. Siya na nga 'tong humingi ng tulong tapos siya pa ang may ganang umasa na parang gago.