"Do you feel comfortable?"
Nilingon ko si Olzen at tipid na tumango. He nodded too and looked away. Bumalik ang dalawang kaibigan niya at ang sabi nila'y hihintayin na lang daw ang pagkain. Dala nila ang apat na bucket ng drinks sa harap.
May hard doon at may light lang din kagaya ng Smirnoff. Nagbukas agad ng inumin si Brylle habang si Olzen ay nanonood lang.
Nagsimula silang magkwentuhan. Kagaya ni Brylle no'n, nagtanong din si Francis tungkol sa pag-alis ko. Maikli at simple ang sagot ko sa kaniya. Tahimik lang si Olzen habang nakikinig sa usapan.
When our food came, I started eating slowly the sisig. Umalis saglit si Olzen at pagbalik niya ay may bottled water at tissue na siyang dala. He gave it to me.
"Thank you," I said, a bit surprised.
They started talking about things related to engineering. I heard Francis is working under a construction company in Baguio. He's just here for vacation. Si Brylle lang talaga ang mas piniling magturo sa kanila.
"Yeah, I took the same course. Sa University of Western Ontario." Tugon ko nang tanungin ako ni Francis kung saan ako nagtapos.
"You're just here for vacation, then?" He asked.
Natahimik ako at nilingon saglit si Olzen. Hindi siya nakatingin sa akin, nasa bote ng alak ang mga mata niya. I heaved a sigh and just nodded.
Tumikhim si Brylle at nakangiting tumingin sa akin.
"Do you have a boyfriend, Era?" Brylled inquired.
I stopped sipping on my drink. The beer feels so hot in my throat. The sweet and bitter aftertaste lingered on my tongue.
Umiling ako. "I'm busy with other things."
Tumango tango ito habang si Francis ay hindi ko alam kung natatawa ba dahil sa klase ng ngiti niya. Olzen was extra silent, not joining his friends so I glanced at him.
Nakanguso siya at naka-igting ang panga. He clicked his neck and puffed a breath.
"Itong si Olzen din, e. He doesn't have a girlfriend." Biglang sinabi ni Francis.
Why is he telling me that?
And that's not true! He has a girlfriend. Baka hindi lang nila alam? Hindi na ako nagsalita dahil mukhang confident pa naman si Francis sa sinabi niya.
"There's a lot of woman out there lining up for him. Syempre, big catch 'tong kaibigan namin. An engineer who has his own company, gwapo at seryoso. Louisian pa 'tsaka Lasallian kaya, saan ka pa?" Tumawa si Brylle.
My forehead creased. Para siyang nagsi-salestalk. He's like promoting a life insurance or something.
However, a Lasallian? He graduated in La Salle? Doon siya nag-transfer?
Nilingon ko si Olzen na nakakuyom ang panga habang tinitingnan si Brylle. Francis was smirking and shaking his head while sipping on his bottle of beer.
"Shut up, Brylle." Malamig na sinabi ni Olzen.
Brylled looked at him and his brows pulled together. He shifted on his seat and cleared his throat before talking.
"I thought you want me to- aray! Tangina..." he winced and grimaced.
May hinawakan siya sa ilalim ng lamesa. Nakangiwi pa rin at iniinda ang kung ano mang masakita sa kaniya. What happened?
"Are you okay?" I asked out of concern.
Tumawa si Francis at tinapik ang balikat ng kaibigan. He glanced at Olzen a bit, hindi matanggal ang ngisi. Kaya nagtataka na ako kung anong nangyayari.
Chapter 38
Start from the beginning
