Scripted Relationship

Chapter 8

"Bakit ba palaging iyan ang sagot mo?"

"Because that's the way it has to be."

"So, kapag tinanong kita kung bakit hindi ka man lang tumawag o nag-text sa akin ng ilang araw, sasabihin mo rin sa akin, 'maybe next time'?"

"Yes."

"I have the right to know."

"Miss, we are not in a courtroom. And I am not the government of you. So, you're rights do not apply with me."

"Ang daya mo." She ranted. "Pero dapat sa susunod, ikuwento mo na sa akin."

I smiled at her while shaking my head. She continued eating on her meal.

"Anyway... Thank you," I sincerely said to Rose. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"You're welcome," she said to me smilingly before moving on to a new topic. "Ang sarap nitong adobong niluto mo. Kalasa nito ang adobo special ng restaurant niyo."

"That's actually our secret recipe."

"Sinong gumawa ng secret recipe niyo?"

"My Grandmom."

"Ang galing naman ng lola mo," she said while swallowing her last spoonful of rice and smiled at me. "For sure, naluto mo na rin ito for so many girls. Pati na rin kay Andrea."

The mere mention of Andrea's name pinched me a bit, but I did not let Rose see it.

Suddenly, Rose stopped and looked at me rather thinking that she said the wrong name. "Ay sorry. Hindi ko dapat binanggit ang pangalan niya." She closed her eyes in shame and let out a peace sign using her right hand.

I laughed and grabbed her hand. "No worries."

Her hands, I must say, were soft and smooth just like those girls in the beautiful skin commercials. I gazed at her and saw her staring her hand held by my hand. She looked at me dumbstrucked. I just smiled at her. Rose removed her hand from my clutch and drank iced tea. I went back to the topic we were talking about to set aside any awkwardness.

"There are only three women who were privileged to taste the special adobo I myself cooked."

"Sino-sino?"

"My Grandmom, my Mom..." I slowly looked at her before saying, "...and you."

Rose looked at me and blushed. She's almost tomato red.

"Hindi mo pa nailuto ito kay Andrea?"

"She hates pork."

Rose let out a sigh.

"I may be special then." She boldly responded to me.

"You ARE special." I emphasized on the word since she mentioned 'may'. She just stared at me like she was synthesizing what I said.

I looked at the time on my watch and then to Rose.

"It's already 10:15, Rose. You need to go home."

As if from nowhere, Rose came back to her senses and looked at her watch.

"Oo nga! Sorry, sorry. Sige, I'll be going." She left the table and went to the living room to get her bag.

"You want me to bring you home?" I asked her.

"'Wag na. Diyahe pa sa 'yo. Kaya ko na ang sarili ko." She said to me as if hurrying onto something. "Sige, uwi na ako. Bye!"

Rose opened the door and exited. That was so fast of her. But not a minute passed when the door opened again.

"Inumin mo ang gamot mo ha. Huwag mong kalimutan. Okay?" Rose said to me.

"Ah... Ok-" But the door was shut before I could even finish my sentence. What's up with her anyway?

I got my goblet of iced tea and thought about what happened: Rose taking care me, me cooking my special adobo for her, brushing her hair to see her angelic face, having dinner with her, seeing her blush because I told her she was special. All of these never happened to me for a long time. Not until tonight. I simply smiled at the thought.

--- O ---

ROSE

ANO BA 'YON? ANONG NANGYARI SA'YO, ROSALINDA?!

Tanong ko sa aking sarili pagkaalis ko sa condo unit ni Erik hanggang sa makauwi ako. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat kong maramdaman. Mahihiya ba ako kasi nakita niyang namula ang mukha ko na parang kamatis? Maaasar ba ako kasi muntik na naman niya akong halikan kanina? Maiinis ba ako sa sarili ko dahil parang ewan ako na hindi mapakali sa sweetness niya? Sweetness? SAAN GALING 'YON?

NAKAKAIINIS NAMAN ITO! MIXED FEELINGS!

Naligo kaagad ako at nagbihis ng pantulog pagkatapos. Nang mahiga ako, hindi ako makatulog sa pag-iisip. Naaala ko ang mukha ni Erik. Pati na noong magkalapit kami ng mukha. Pati no'ng nag-dinner kami. Ang ngiti niyang iyon! Iyon ang ngiting bumihag ng puso ko. Sandali. May bumihag na sa puso ko? SAAN DIN GALING 'YON?

Hindi ko napigilan ang aking sarili at kumuha ako ng isang stick ng Marlboro Lights mula sa aking bag. Sinindihan ito at humithit ako. Unti-unti, napangiti ako habang nagyoyosi. Naalala ko bigla ang sinabi ni Rachel sa akin: you can have a serious relationship with Erik. Posible kaya? May pag-asa kaya kahit na ganito ang relasyon namin ni Erik? Kung gustuhin ko, uubra kaya ang isang serious relationship?

Sa mga tanong na iyon, bumalik sa aking isip ang mukha ni Erik. Natuwa akong isipin na nagluto siya ng special adobo para sa akin. Of course, nilutuan niya rin ng adobong iyon ang kanyang lola at ina. Pero ang lutuan ako ng mismong may-ari ng special adobo recipe? Gosh! First time kasing may nagluto para sa akin. Hindi ko mapigilan na kiligin! Ang sweet naman kasi talaga ni Erik!