My Boyfriend is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

47: Mira

"Bwisit ka talaga, Vren Andrei!" Hinampas ko siya sa braso. "Happy ka talaga kapag napagmumukha mo akong tanga, 'no?"

Lalo lang tumawa ang mokong. "I'm sorry. Well, not really."

"Che! Pasalamat ka, birthday mo ngayon."

"Hey, that reminds me..." To my suprise again, he inched his face closer to mine. "For smacking my arm on my birthday, you get this."

Akala ko ay kung ano na ang gagawin ni Vren. Turned out he's just looking for an excuse to kiss me.

Mmm... I thought giddily. Parang ako ang may birthday, ah?

We were both smiling after we broke away from each other.

"I didn't know you're a talented painter, Ms. Custodio," he said, eyes twinkling. "But don't you think it would have made a better surprise if I got a portrait for my birthday? I bet I'd look really good in a painting."

"Pfft. GGSS ka talaga, 'no?" Tumawa ako. "Pagtiyagaan mo na 'yong gawa ko. Hindi naman ako ganoon kagaling para magpinta ng mukha ng ibang tao. And besides, your face would be a very difficult subject to capture. Masyadong perpekto. It would be impossible to do so overnight."

"I knew it. My face is too perfect to be captured in a portrait," conceited niyang linya habang nakangisi.

"Napalakas lang ba ang aircon ng Audi mo o talagang nakadagdag sa lamig ang kahanginan mo?" I asked with a roll of my eyes, making him chuckle.

"Grey Light says hi, by the way."

"Nagkita-kita kayong magkakaibigan?"

Tumango si Vren. "Yup. We had a few drinks last night. Or at least, I had. Those idiots drank way more than I did."

It's my turn to chuckle. "Well, I'm glad dahil okay na talaga kayong magkakaibigan."

Vren was about to start his car when he appeared to remember something. He grinned as he retrieved his phone from his pocket.

"I almost forgot to tell you about this," he said as he showed me his phone screen. "Look."

Ramdam ko ang pag-iinit ng mukha ko dahil sa hiya nang mapagtanto ko kung ano ang ipinapakita ni Vren sa akin. It was my graduation photo from college.

"Hoy! Saan galing 'yan?" nagpa-panic na tanong ko, sabay sa pagsisimula ng paghagalpak ng tawa ni Vren.

"Unfortunately, I swore to keep the identity of its source a secret," my boyfriend said in between laughs. "My lips are sealed."

"Burahin mo 'yan!" I exclaimed, trying to snatch the phone from him. Pero kaagad din itong nailayo ng kumag sa akin.

"No can do. This is what you get for accepting those flowers from that stupid Chase."

"Akala ko ba, apology accepted na? Burahin mo na 'yan, please?"

"Nah. Just don't make a fuss about it. You don't look so bad in this picture, at any rate."

Tiningnan ulit ni Vren ang phone niya, impit na tumawa, at saka muli itong ibinulsa. Sinimulan niya nang mag-drive palayo sa aking apartment.

Wala na akong ibang nagawa kundi manahimik na lang at mag-isip kung anong milagro ang gagawin ko para mabura ang kopya ng chaka kong graduation photo mula sa phone ni Vren.

****

Pagdating namin sa Medialink, agad akong binilinan ni Vren habang hawak-kamay kaming naglalakad papasok ng building. "Hey, can you do me a favor by keeping quiet about my birthday? I don't want our colleagues to make a big deal —"

Ngunit hindi na niya natapos ang sasabihin niya dahil sa puntong iyon ay nakarating na kami sa lobby, kung saan nagkatipon ang marami sa aming mga katrabaho.

"Happy birthday, Sir Vren!" they yelled in unison.

My boyfriend stopped dead in his tracks, causing me to do the same. Tumawa ako nang mapansin ko ang gulat na ekspresyon ni Vren.

"How the hell did you —" he started, utterly confused, only to be cut off when another person spoke.

"Happy birthday, little cupcake!" Ate Vira emerged from the crowd, carrying Vren's birthday cake. "You may be chasing thirty now, but in my mind, you're still the same chubby boy I used to tease back then."

"Feliz cumpleaños, Uncle Vren!" Juli and Miggie, who were trailing their mom, chorused.

"Happy birthday, bro!" Vince, who was also present, greeted his younger brother. "You might be the bunso, but if you want to get married ahead of your kuya, you are free to do so."

He winked at our direction, causing both me and Vren to hide our faces in our hands due to embarrassment. Nagtawanan naman ang mga kasamahan namin sa trabaho.

"This is insane," Vren declared when he recovered from his shame.

"Make a wish, baby brother," Ate Vira, who had already approached him, encouraged as she slightly lifted the cake she was carrying. The tiny blue candle on it was already lit.

Akmang aangal pa sana si Vren pero inunahan ko na siya. "Sige na, Vren. Mag-wish ka na," I told him with a smile.

"Fine." He sighed as if exasperated, but I could swear he was curbing a smile of his own.

We all clapped when the celebrant had finally blown his birthday candle.

"Hey, idiots!" pagkaraan ay linya ni Ate Vira na noon ay nakatingin sa grupo ng mga empleyado na nagkatipon sa lobby. "Let's all —"

Agad naman siyang sinaway ni Vince. "Ate, please don't call the Medialink employees 'idiots'."

Inirapan siya ni Ate Vira. "It was a joke, Vince Allen. But whatever." Muli niyang binalingan ang mga taga-Medialink. "Hey, people! Off to Ayala Hall we go. Let's celebrate your big boss' birthday!"

Vren groaned. "When I said I don't want our colleagues to make a big deal out of my birthday, this is exactly what I'm referring to."

I giggled as I took his hand, steering him towards the elevator, kung saan sabay-sabay ring nagsipuntahan ang mga kasamahan namin para tunguhin ang Ayala Hall. "Hush. Just enjoy your special day, Mr. Montevilla."