Hugo Cairo Theron F. Carvajal sent you a friend request.
Ang haba naman ng pangalan niya. Ngumuso ako sa bastos na naisip.
I laughed and accepted his friend request. Wala siyang profile picture. Kakarampot lang din ang friends niya rito. He doesn't have a lot posts except for the tag photos. Meron ritong pictures niya sa Manila.
He was with his friends. I think this is some place in BGC. Nakaupo siya katabi ang isang babae sa dulo. He was wearing a white shirt ane above it was a black leather jacket. Nakabuka ang hita at kita ko ang kamay niya sa sofa sa likod ng babae.
Kumikislap ang mata niya sa flash ng camera. I saw his smirk. The next photo was him, biting his lips.
Maganda iyong babae. She was wearing a nude dress. Her hair was short, maputi, chubby cheeks, pretty smile. Ngumisi ako. Is this his ex?
Marami siyang La Salle photos. He looked good in their uniform. Mukha siyang modelong naligaw doon. He wasn't smiley on some photos. But he still looked damn good. He never had any bad pictures! Kahit stolen!
Napaupo ako nang magmensahe siya sa akin.
Hugo : What are you doing on Saturday?
Pinigilan kong ngumiti. Is this how it feels to flirt on social media?
Nagtipa ako ng mensahe kaagad.
Me : Wala naman.
Hugo : Okay. I have movie tickets.
Movie?
Ngumuso ako.
Me : Ayaw ko ng horror.
Hugo : Marvel. Do you watch that?
No!
Hugo : And I have this romance movie. You can pick what you want.
Ngumisi ako. Oh, you're smart.
Me : I'll watch the Marvel one.
Hugo : We can watch the romance one.
I know he wants the Marvel one. His liked pages was all about it. Wala akong nakitang bahid ng girl celebrity doon. Which is suspicious. But whatever.
Me : Iyong Marvel ang gusto ko.
Hugo : Really?
Me : Yeah.
Umirap ako.
Hugo : Okay... :)
Hindi na ako nagreply doon.
Though, I started planning the clothes I'd wear that time. Nasa gitna ako ng malalim na pag-iisip nang nagpop ang ilang mga notifications.
HugoCarvajal followed you.
It was on Instagram.
hugocarvajal followed you.
And on twitter.
Suminghap ako at naalarma sa twitter account ko. I don't remember tagging my twitter account on my social media accounts! How the hell did he find me here?
Sunod sunod niyang pinag-lalike ang mga tweets ko doon. It wasn't on private. Sinapo ko ang noo ko. Goodness.
I typed my reply to his account. Walang mukha at bagong gawa lang iyon.
Me : How did you know about my Twitter account?
hugocarvajal : Skills.
You fucking...
Me : You should work with the FBI.
hugocarvajal : Thank you.
hugocarvajal : Cute name, by the way.
I shut my eyes. Umakyat ang init sa pisngi ko.
Well, who wouldn't? Icing sa ibabaw ng cheesecake ko?
Nagmamadali akong pinalitan iyon ng maayos. I changed it into my nickname. Nakakahiya!
Bago ko pa isarado ang cellphone ko ay nakita ko ang bagong palit din niyang pangalan sa Twitter.
Cheesecake sa ilalim ng icing ko.
Oh my god.
I didn't know how I slept peacefully that night. Ang alam ko lang ay magdamag akong inulan ng halo halong emosyon. Kahihiyan ang nangunguna, ngunit taliwas ay magdamag akong nakangiti.
I didn't want to tell my mother about Hugo. Ayaw ko dahil pakiramdam ko, gugulo lang ang nangyayari. There's nothing sure about what's happening. I don't know what's going on. I don't want to assume and also it just brings confusion to me.
Natapos ang buong linggo. Halos madaliin ko ang oras para lang umabot sa Sabado. Mommy was nagging me about the Carvajals. Kalaunan naman ay nilulubayan niya ako.
Nagmamadali akong magbihis. I wore a yellow flowery dress and curled the ends of my hair. I did a very light make up just to justify the dress.
My mother, curiously, watched me as I walked down the stairs.
Binaba niya ang newspaper na hawak niya.
"Are you on a date, Nichoella?"
"Huh? No, Mom. Pupunta lang ako kila Alonna."
Tumaas ang kilay niya. "You never dressed like that before. Are you sure you're with Alonna?"
"Madam," extra ng isang maid.
I adjusted my shoes while listening.
"May naghahanap kay Nichoella sa labas," our oldest maid said.
My eyes widened. No, no, no! Don't tell me...
"Sino?"
"Hindi ko po alam, Madam. Gwapo."
"Anong gwapo?"
"Mukhang mabango na maganda ang sasakyan tapos matangkad na—"
"That's Alonna's boyfriend!" I grabbed my bag. "Aalis na ako!"
Umirap si Mommy. She murmured words. "Kung kailan third-wheel lang, tsaka maayos manamit."
Tumakbo ako palabas.
Dadalhin ko sana ang sasakyan ko ngunit hindi ko naman alam na susunduin niya ako. He didn't say anything.
I saw his red car parked in front of our gate. Naroon siya't nakatingin sa cellphone. He was wearing this short-sleeved black polo and a faded blue ripped jeans. Inalis niya ang itim na wayfarer nang makita ako. May itim na relo at yellow string bracelet. The maid was right, he looks mabango.
"Hi, Mr. Carvajal..." bati ko at lumapit sa kaniya.
He checked me out with his amused eyes.
"Hi, Madam..."
I smirked. "We should go. Baka makita tayo ni Mommy."
Humalukipkip siya at itinaas ang isang kilay.
Ngumuso ako.
"So?"
"I just don't want her to know."
"Why is that? She wants us together, anyway."
Nanliit ang paningin ko sa kaniya. Ayaw kong aminin pero gusto kong hindi pilit ang pagkikita namin. My mother will surely arrange dates for us, I don't want it to look forced. At least, this way... it seems like he likes it.
Umiling ako. "Ayaw ko lang..."
He stared at me longer. Peke akong ngumiti at lumakad sa kaniyang passenger seat.
His car is clean. It looks new but it's not, malinis lang talaga siya. Binalot ng buong sasakyan niya ang amoy. Kinabit ko ang seatbelt habang tinitignan ang cellphone at wallet niya sa dashboard. He entered and placed his sunglasses on the dashboard.
Nilingon ko siya. "What's your perfume?"
"Tom Ford. You don't like it?"
"No, I like it."
"You?"
"Well, my signature scent is Viktor and Rolf's Flowerbomb, but I'm wearing a Lancome today."
He bit his lips and nodded casually. Gumuhit ang ngisi sa labi niya habang pinapaandar ang sasakyan.
Narealize kong hindi ako sanay na hindi nagmamaneho. Sanay akong ako lagi ang driver at naghahatid lamang ng mga kaibigan. It is really an awkward silence.
He took a sigh and looked at me. "Are you sure you want to watch this movie? I don't think you like it..."
"I like Marvel."
Liar.
"Really..." nagtaas siya ng kilay at palingon-lingon sa akin. "Have you watched any Marvel movie?"
"Yeah!"
"What is it?"
"Marvel!"
He chuckled sexily.
Nilingon ko siya. "What?"
"Hindi ako sigurado..."
Umirap ako at humalukipkip. "I want to watch it. Who cares..."
"Yes but I bought tickets to some other movie. We can watch it instead. It's romance."
Matalim ko siyang tinignan. "Just because I'm a woman, you think that I don't watch what guys watch? Does the movie have gender or what?"
Umawang ang labi niya. "Of course, not. I'm just saying..."
"Pinipilit mo ba ako?"
He looked at me, amused. "No, ma'am."
Matagal na hindi napawi ang ngiti niya sa labi. Hindi ko talaga maintindihan ang ibang lalaki. Men think women are emotional and sensitive. Ewan ko lang, ha. I can go to war and beat some asses, too.
Nauna akong bumaba sa parking. Maarte akong nakahalukipkip habang inaabangan ko siyang bumaba sa kotse niya.
Even the way he fixed his pants, looked handsome. I can never be tired of complementing this man in the back of my head. At least, hindi niya malalaman!
"Popcorns?" he whispered behind me as we arrived at the movie house.
"Lots of cheese."
"Sure..."
"And a diet coke." tipid akong ngumiti at lumayas sa harapan niya.
I watched him in front of the popcorn station. Medyo may kahabaan ang pila sa movie kaya marami din ang nakapila sa popcorn. Some teenagers were lurking at him. Nangangalabit ang isang maikling buhok na babae sa katabi niya at nginunguso si Hugo.
Ngumisi ako. Yeah, he's my date!
I was so bored watching him so I took photos. I got him a quick boomerang shot. Sakto'y lumingon siya sa akin at nakuha ko iyon. I put my phone down and looked away.
Tinignan ko nalang ang nakuha kong shot. It was pretty nice. I giggled as I watched it re-play the way he looked. I put a small cactus sticker on his forehead and posted it.
"I got a big size. If it's okay to share it with me..."
Umiling ako. "I don't mind."
Sinundan siya ng tingin ng mga teenager. Sumimangot ang isa nang makita ako. I heard her mumble my band. She must've recognized me. Hindi ko alam kung tama ba iyon pero ipinagbikit balikat ko na lamang.
He let me pick a seat on the upper stalls. Kinuyog ko ang paa ko nang makaupo kami. Marami rami ang tao, hula ko'y premiere ito ngayon. We're lucky we're a bit early.
"I don't go a lot in cinemas," I said. Share ko lang.
He places our food on his lap and on our seat. The screen is the only thing that is lighting our faces.
"Why is that?"
I shrugged and grabbed a piece of popcorn. "I could watch movies on my laptop."
"Convenient," he said. "So, what's your favorite movie?"
Ngumuso ako. "I love Disney movies... Oh, oh, Little women!" bulalas ko.
He smiled. "Have you read the book?"
"No, have you?"
Tumango siya. "Didn't watch the movie, though."
I was amazed for a second. "You read books?"
He pursed his lips. "I do, sometimes. Why? You don't?"
"Well... busy akong tao. I have bands and all." tumikhim ako. "So, what's your favorite book?"
"The Great Gatsby."
Tumango ako at kunyari, alam ko iyon.
"You?"
"The… mystery sunshine." imbento iyon.
Kumunot ang noo niya. "Author is…"
I cleared my throat. "Well, the funny thing is I am very forgetful."
He nodded.
Napamura ako sa utak ko.
He must be a smart kid. Though, we went to school together and I know very damn well, he's smart. Kaya kulang nalang ay luhuran siya noon.
Naisip ko tuloy, he must be a heartthrob in Manila. Nakita ko iyong pictures niya at siguro, confirmation na iyon. He probably enjoyed his 'habulin phase' in La salle.
The movie started when the seats were filled. Rinig ko ang excitement ng iba. Ang katabi ko'y hindi ko mawari kung naiihi o naeexcite.
Nilingon ko si Hugo nang magcheer ang mga tao sa opening scene dahil humilig siya sa akin. I felt his breath on the side of my head.
"Just tell me if you want to go..." he whispered.
"Bakit naman ako aalis?"
"Kung ayaw mo na."
"Gusto ko!"
He watched me and smirked. Kumuha ako sa popcorn at nakipalakpak sa mga tao.
The movie started. I have to admit, I didn't quite understand the movie. May robot, may squirrel, may puno... I didn't know where to put it.
Panay ang lingon ni Hugo sa akin. I clap when everyone clap and I also cheer when they cheer. I smiled at him when I caught him staring. He offered me the popcorn, kumain naman ako.
Tulala ako sa screen nang kapain ko ang popcorn.
I felt his hands holding the basket of popcorn. I was stunned to even move. I felt his thumb move and caressed my hand.
Lumunok ako at hindi gumalaw.
He held it, slowly.
Malakas ang tibok ng puso ko. Mas malakas pa sa sinasabi sa movie. I couldn't focus anymore.
All I know was half of the entire movie, his hands were all over mine.
And I let him.