Twisted and Turned. { NashLene }

TAT. [ 20 ]

Change of heart

I planned on sleeping early to prepare myself for tomorrow's media conference. I even bought face masks and tea to somehow conceal the stress and anxiety on my face. But of course, things don't go as planned.

Inayos ko ang aking salamin habang pinapanood ang pagbagsak ng ulan at ang paghanap ng mga tao ng masisilungan. I heaved a sigh and reached for the tea I ordered. Dahil nabagod na ako kakapilit sa aking sariling matulog, nagdesisyon na lamang akong tumambay sa café sa ibaba ng aking unit.

I looked around the café and saw everybody busy with their own thing. Most of their customers were students, drowning in their books and projects. Kung hindi kaya ako nag-artista, isa rin ba ako sa kanila?

Akmang ibabalik ko na sa mesa ang aking tasa nang biglang may bumeso sa akin. I froze on my seat when I got a whiff of her familiar sweet scent.

No way.

"Nice bumping into you, Shar." aniya matapos akong ibeso.

"Alexa..." I mumbled when I saw Nash's ex standing right in front of me.

Bakit andito siya? Is she here to confront me? Isusumbat ba niya lahat sa akin?

But contrary to what I was expecting, she was wearing her usual sweet smile. She doesn't look like she's here to fight.

"Upo ako ha?" she pointed at the seat across mine.

Bagaman hindi pa ako nakakasagot ay tinungo na nito ang silya. Nang makaupo ay ibinaba nito sa ilalim ng mesa ang mga dala nitong shopping bags.

"Painom," inabot nito ang aking tasa at tulad ng kanina ay hindi na nito hinintay ang aking pahintulot.

I watched her down the remaining contents of my cup. She even giggled when some of the tea spilled on the sides of her lips. Mahinhin nitong ibinalik sa platito ang tasa at inabot ang tissue upang pahiran ang kanyang bibig.

Matapos iyon ay inayos nito ang kanyang buhok at tinuwid ang pagkakaupo.

"Sorry, medyo aligaga ako these past few days." hinging paumanhin nito.

I nodded slowly, still aghast with her sudden appearance. My mind was busy enumerating the possibilities of as to why she was here. But whatever happens, handa akong makinig at damayan siya. Kung kakailanganin ay handa rin akong akuin ang lahat, upang mapagaan ang kanyang loob.

Kasi hindi ba't ako naman talaga ang puno't dulo ng lahat?

But looking at her now, she's far from what I expected her to be. Maaliwalas ang mukha nito, ni wala akong makitang senyales ng stress at pagmumukmok.

Not that I don't like seeing her happy after their break up, I just find it weird that she looks unaffected by it. Hindi kaya biro ang pinagsamahan nila ni Nash. They've been together for god knows how long. If I was on her shoes, baka ilang taon akong nagdadrama pa.

But then again, we have different ways of coping - and this is hers.

"Stop looking at me like that, Shar. Ano ba." nangingiti nitong saway sa akin, nang mapansin ang tinging ipinupukol ko rito.

I gulped the invisible lump on my throat. Gosh, I am so tensed.

"K-kamusta ka na?" I managed to ask.

I don't know how it was possible for her grin to grow wider. It's as if I poked her sweet spot with my question.

"Never been better!" she exclaimed which caused my eyes to grow.