Mesi d'Amore: Gennaio

010219 - We're Like

I made a little stop after I saw a beautiful flower along the street. It has bright yellow petals and is still searching for its sun to shine. "Bakit mag-isa ka dito?" I suddenly started talking to the beautiful organism standing in the middle of the vast grassland. Somehow, I felt the same way with this pretty creature.

This flower stands firm away from others and hoping to find its sun kahit alam niyang mahirap at nakakalungkot mag-isa. Tapos idagdag pa ang malamig na klima. This flower believes that with her effort, she can go by herself and blooms even more beautiful.

Kinuha ko agad ang phone ko to take a good photo of my courageous friend and saved it to post mamaya as My Day. Then I heard a shutter sound and sudden flash beside me. What's that?

Napalingon agad ako sa kaliwa ko and I saw a man standing next to me. Few steps from where I sat and talked with my flower friend.

Bago ko pa siya makilala, narinig ko na agad siyang nagsalita. "Nice one." Then he smiled to show his satisfaction with his captured photograph.

Fe-Felix? Namilog ang mata ko at napatayo agad ako bigla. "W-what are you doing?" I asked, with a little tremble as I speak.

"Oh! I'm so sorry." He nodded and sincerely voiced out his apology. "Nagustuhan ko lang yung scene that you're talking to a flower beside the road. Hehehe. So I decided to take a shot."

"H-ha?" Naintindihan ko naman ang sinabi niya pero hindi ko lang makuha yung ideya na nagustuhan niya yung eksena. Nakilala na niya ba ako kaya he approached me?

"Look." He turned the screen of his DSLR camera to show me his work. "You look good here, don't worry." And he smiles at me.

Without hesitation, my eyes were also amazed with his photo taken being me as his subject. Did he say I look good? Oh my gosh. Tumango agad ako at ngumiti para ipaalam sa kanya na nagustuhan ko rin ang kuha niya.

"So, do you think it's okay if I can keep this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, would you mind if I post it in my social media? Or print or save it?" He asked me. I guess, he doesn't want to have some issue about privacy kung bigla akong magreact sa paggamit ng mukha ko in his photo without my consent.

Is it really an issue for me? Sa katunayan, nabigyan niya ako ng idea na cute pala ako sa angle na yun. Hahaha. So I answered immediately, "Sure. Sabi mo rin naman I look good there."

"Thanks, buddy." Nginitian niya ulit ako then he spoke again, "I don't know, pero you seem very familiar."

Shit! Magpapakilala ba ako sa kanya? Should I feel embarrassed again in front of him? What should I do? "Ah, eh."

"Oh! Right! Naalala ko na!"

Ta-talaga? OMG, anong gagawin ko? Naramdaman ko ang biglang paglamig pa ng tenga ko kahit wala naman hangin na dumaan. Feeling ko namumula na rin ang mukha ko sa hiya at mas kinakabahan kasabay na pabilis ng pabilis na tibok ng puso ko. My gosh! Tatawanan niya ba ulit ako dahil sa hindi ako marunong humalik? Nakakahiya!

"Ikaw yung .."

Shetness!

"Ikaw yung guy sa strawberry taho store kahapon!"

"Ha?" Really? Yun ang naalala mo tungkol sa akin? I should be thankful kung ganun man. Kaya agad na rin akong sumagot para wala ng iba pang alaala ang pumasok sa isip niya. "Ah! Oo! Ako nga yun. Hehe. Taga-rito ka pala?"

Agad kong iniba ang usapan para safe. Pilit ang ngiti ko dahil sa kaba pa rin muntik na niya akong mabuko.

"Hindi. Dito lang kami nagbakasyon. It's our second week here. " Pagpapaliwanag niya. "We stayed in a rent house for 3 weeks there." Saka niya itinuro yung sky-blue painted two-storey house na halos four blocks away lang from my Aunt's home.

"Talaga?"

"Oo, ikaw?"

"We're neighbors. Hehe. Dun ako sa may pink gate nakatira." Agad siyang lumingon at hinanap ang tinutukoy kong gate. He smiled and raised his two eyebrows simultaneously as he spotted it.

"Wow. We're really neighbors." Nakita ko ulit yung toothy smile niya as he turned his sight to me again. "By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Felix."

No need to tell kasi alam ko na dati pa. Hehe. Who can forget your name if you have this angelic face of yours? I'm wondering if he's already a model or an artist by now.

"And you are?"

Oh my, here we go again. Baka makilala na niya ako this time kapag sinabi ko ang pangalan ko. "Me? Um .."

Then he said my name in an interrogative tone, "Hugo?"

Sa sobrang bigla ko, akala ko nakilala na niya ako. But how can he remember my name if we never got to exchange names when we're forced to enter that room. I just know him, but I know he didn't care who I was at that time.

"It's in the back of your phone, so I guess you're Hugo?"

"Ah! Y-yes." Wooosh! How can I keep myself unknown to him kung laging identity ko ang napag-uusapan namin. Tsk.

Then a girl shouted from afar, behind me. "Felix! Tara na!"

"Um. Nice to meet you, Hugo. I'm sorry but I have to go. My friends are going to visit Camp John Hay today."

"Ah, oo .. Sige. Nice to meet you too."

He ran as soon as we said goodbye to each other. I was left alone realizing what a good conversation we have just now. It feels like I met a different Felix today. Sa pagkakaalam ko, may pagkamayabang siyang magsalita noon. Or siguro, lasing lang siya nun?

"Yeah, he's drunk that time. Sino bang straight ang papayag sa kalokohan na he will go inside a room with a gay and offered himself for my pleasure?"

Stop reminiscing! I hate that moment. Seriously!