Khione
Isang oras na lang at matatapos na ako sa shift ko, literal na pagod na talaga ako, ilang araw na dahil nga sa double training ko for the competition. Hindi na ako makakapasok sa last subject ko everyday dahil excused ako lagi para mag train. Diretso trabaho naman ako after that. Buti nga at mabait 'tong manager namin kasi kahit nala-late ako minsan, hindi niya ako pinapagalitan.
"Beh, mag kwento ka naman sa buhay mo. Jusko parang mag-iisang buwan na tayong hindi nag kakausap dahil sa kabusy-han mo!"
"Bunganga mo, Iris. Nakwento ko naman na sa'yo na sasali nga ako do'n sa international art competition diba?"
"Ayoko ng Uni life mo, mas gusto ko lovelife!" Harot nito sa'kin sabay sundot pa sa tagiliran ko, as if may mak-kwento rin ako about it.
"Wag ka na umasa, mas focused ako sa studies ko tas sa org kesa diyan."
"Ang boring naman kung gano'n, wala ka bang type? imposible naman kasi ang daming maganda sa Wesbech. Ay naku! Dapat magkajowa ka this year para naman may thrill sa buhay mo." Talagang lumipat pa ito sa tabi ko at inakbayan ako. Ang kulit talaga.
Thrill? I don't think na mangyayari 'yan sa'kin, as I've said— gusto kong magsimula muli na walang problema, so far.. gano'n naman ang nangyayari. I guess the only exciting part is Ms. Solana.
Happy crush ko lang naman siya. Well, if that's the right term to label what I feel for her.
"Next week na pala yung kompetisyon mo? Pwede ka ba magsama ng plus 1? ako magiging manager mo—"
"Gaga, anong plus 1? ano 'yon trip package? tsaka the University will shoulder all expenses and kasama ko rin yung coordinator namin sa org. it's impossible na magsama ako ng iba."
"Ay, oh edi pasalubong na lang. Sige naaaaa."
I sighed at tumango nalang sa sinabi niya, may budget naman ako kasi timing na mags-sweldo ako next week. Hindi ko naman mahihindian itong si Iris lalo na at marami na rin itong naibigay sa'kin. After niya ako kulitin, ipinagpatuloy na nga namin yung trabaho.
Buti nalang at wala kaming pasok bukas sa University, swerte nga rin at day off ko bukas sa trabaho. So I have tomorrow all by myself.
Makaraan ang ilang minuto ay tapos na rin ang shift ko, kasabay ko naman si Iris sa taxi at mauuna nga itong makababa dahil ilang kilometro lang naman ang layo ng bahay niya sa store namin.
"Gusto mo ba gumala bukas?"
"Pagod ako the whole week, buti nga wala kaming training bukas e. Kaya pass, matutulog nalang ako."
"Ang Kj mo talaga! Sige na kasi, ilang araw din kita hindi makikita pagpunta mo do'n sa espanya." Nguso pa niya. "Nga pala, 'san sa spain?"
"Barcelona."
"Ay ang susyal naman!!! Nako, balang araw talaga— makakapunta rin ako do'n."
Umiiling lang ako sa mga pinagsasabi nito, kahit malapit na mag umaga, sobrang hyper pa rin nito e. Nang makadating na kami sa bahay nila ay tuluyan na itong nagpaalam sa akin at binigay ang bayad niya sa taxi..
After she left, that gave me a peaceful moment while I was waiting to arrive at my own place. Ilang minuto lang naman at makakauwi na ako. At do'n ko rin naalala na hindi ko pala nakita buong araw si Ms. Solana, ang sabi naman nila ay umabsent daw ito.
Eto yata ang unang beses na hindi kami nagkita mula noong nagsimula ang klase, which reminded me that we are not friends on social media or even have each other's number. Kaya naman pagdating ko sa apartment ay agad ako'ng nagbihis at gumayak na sa kwarto sabay kuha ko ng phone to search her up on Facebook.
Medyo nahirapan pa ako hanapin ang account nito at nagpunta pa nga ako sa account ni Ms. Vivien at hinanap sa friends feature niya. Gosh, why do I feel like a stalker?
Oh, she didn't use her first name.
Avion Clemonte
5.4k ♥️😍😮 1.2k comments
Ay pinagpala ka po ng panginoon, ma'am. Kahit profile picture niya pa lang, sobrang daming reactions na. And I won't bother reading those comments, medyo naiinis ako na naunahan nila ako.
I've known her for almost two months now pero ngayon ko lang talaga naisip na isearch siya? bagal mo naman Khio.
Pero shocks, sobrang ganda talaga ni ma'am. That's my baby— charot, hindi tayo mag-gaganyan. Ah basta, tinawag niya ako'ng her girl. Ehe.
Nagdadalawang isip pa nga ako if I'll add her, pero 'follow' option lang ang nasa profile nito. How do I add her? wait, sige kapalan na natin yung mukha ko. Isa pa, is it bad when a student checks on their Professors? Hindi naman diba? So, may reason ako.
Khione Avila
Good evening po, Ms. Solana.
Si Khione po ito, may favor po
sana ako. Hehe ✌️
Avion Clemonte accepted your message request.
Ay ang bilis, hindi pa pala 'to natutulog, pero kinilig ako do'n. Fast replier kaya 'to si Ms. Sol?
Avion Clemonte
I don't do favors.
Matulog ka na.
Khione Avila
Add niyo po ako, Ms. Sol.
I think your friend request
feature is off.
Avion Clemonte
Brave of you to ask me
that. Ako pa ang ang magre-request?
And why are you even messaging
me at this hour?
Khione Avila
Naka off nga po friend
request feature mo po.
Tsaka.. wala po kasi kayo
kanina sa school. Just wanna
check on you po.
Seen
Avion Clemonte is typing..
Avion Clemonte
Missed me that much?
Khione Avila
Paano niyo po nalaman?
Malakas ata pakiramdam
niyo. Kaya add mo na po ako.
Seen
Nakangisi pa nga ako habang tinatype ko 'yon, akala ko maaasar ito pero limang minuto na ang nakakalipas pero hindi pa rin ako nirereplyan nito. Medyo nagtaka lang ako kasi naseen niya naman, but there was no indication whatsoever if she's typing.
Inaantok na ako Ma'am ha.
Avion Clemonte sent you a friend request.
Para namang nagising ang diwa ko when that notification popped up on my phone, napabalikwas ako sa kinahihigaan ko habang pinipigilan ang sarili na sumigaw. What the eff— hindi ko naman aakalain na totohanin niya, akala ko she'd just dismiss it or whatsoever.
Ang saya ng puso ko wait lang, Khio— kalma. Baka palayasin pa ako ng wala sa oras dahil sa kaingayan ko.
I accepted her friend request and when I saw that 'Friends' on her profile it felt like I've advanced into a competition. Delikado na ata ako, pero hindi tayo magiging marupok. Friends nga diba, atleast may label na. Joke!
Avion Clemonte
Happy? Now matulog ka na.
Khione Avila
Thank you po, Ms. Sol.
hehe, pero okay lang po ba
kayo? wala po kasi kayo kanina..
I was just wondering if may
nangyari po.
and..
walang halong biro, namiss po kita.
Avion Clemonte
Nothing happened.
Don't worry about it.
and..
I don't miss you.
Hooh lord— teka lang bakit ba ako kinikilig sa mga ganitong palitan namin? I feel like a lovesick teenager who's having her first crush. Should I even feel this way? Aaaack. I'm curious what her reactions are behind the screen tuloy. Kasi kung ako lang? kanina pa ako pagulong-gulong dito sa kama ko dahil sa kilig.
Khione Avila
Talaga po? Okay lang,
basta inadd niyo po ako.
Avion Clemonte
Whatever, Avila.
Go to sleep or I'll block you.
Khione Avila
Nubayan, miss ma'am. Block
agad? Stalk niyo po muna ako
chariz, hehe sige po. Baka
nadistorbo ko na kayo masyado.
Good night miss Sow.
823 <3
Avion Clemonte
Goodnight.
Wait.
What does 823 means?
Khione Avila
Thinking of you.
Seen
Avion Clemonte blocked you.
Hoy! Hala, teka bakit ako nablock? Anong meron do'n? banat lang naman 'yon! Grabe talaga 'to si ma'am. Pero natatawa nalang ako dahil sa ginawa niya, well ang gago ko nga naman kasi. Ewan ko ba, siguro dala ng kilig kaya ko nasabi 'yon. Pero totoo rin naman. Kakausapin ko nalang ito tungkol pag magkita kami sa school at ipapa-unblock ko sa kanya.
Cute talaga ng bebe ko. Asar talo— huy anong bebe. Wala kang bebe, Khio!
Baliw na ata ako, pati sarili ko sinasaway ko na. Hay, Professor Solana, bakit kasi masyado mo ako'ng pinapahulog kahit anong gawin mo, hulog na hulog na ako. Ayan tuloy ang hirap na makawala.
Hindi ko alam kung makakatulog pa ako sa estado ko ngayon, talo ko pa ata ang nagkape ng limang baso dahil sobrang gising na gising ang diwa ko sa palitan naming dalawa.
Itulog mo na 'yan, Khio!
—
Wala na ako'ng makain. Nakalimutan ko bumili ng mga groceries for the rest of the month, kaya kinaumagahan ay nag handa na ako para umalis. Konti lang naman yung bibilhin ko, since nagtitipid nga ako.
Nang paalis na sana ako ng bahay, may nakita naman ako'ng pamilyar na kotse sa harapan at mukhang kanina pa ito nakatambay doon. This car doesn't seem familiar to me since it's the latest model of Ford Mustang, nagniningning din ang pulang kulay nito but since it's tinted hindi ko rin makita kung sino ang nasa loob.
But then a beautiful woman came out from the car, I almost cursed when the sunlight hid her beauty and that's when I recognized who she was.
"Ms. Sol?!"
She slowly removed her sunglasses and gave me a smirk when our eyes finally met. "Hello, Amora."
What the heck is she doing here? Wala naman itong sinabi na pupunta siya, hindi tuloy ako nakapag-handa lalo na at aalis din ako. She looked so gorgeous wearing a basic rib-knitted tank top, high-waisted wide leg pants with black belt, and she paired it off with white high heels. She looks so elegant when she's the one wearing it.
While I'm just wearing a graphic tee from zara, plain black pants and nike dunk high premium which was a gift from my parents when I was 18. Hindi na rin masama, it's cute how our outfits scream ying and yang.
"B-bakit po kayo nandito, Ms. Sol?"
"You said you missed me."
Muntik pa nga ako mabilaukan when she revealed the reason why she's here. Oh ano ka ngayon, Khio? na duwag na? yung tapang ko may limit kasi. Lumapit ito sa'kin and looked at me from head to toe bago ako pinagtaasan ng kilay.
"You told me last night, remember? or it wasn't serious?"
"T-totoo po."
"I was about to be worried that you were just toying with me." She had this teasing smile and it seems that she's enjoying doing this to me. Putragis talaga, she has the upper hand now. Bakit kasi kailangan pa itanong e. "Anyway, are you going somewhere?"
"I'll just buy some groceries po."
"Okay, let's go."
"H-ha?"
Naglakad na ito pabalik sa kotse niya at sumakay na sa driver's seat, I'm not sure what she meant by that. Sasama siya? Nakatuod pa rin ang mga paa ko sa pwesto at nagulat na lang nang bigla siyang bumusina at binuksan pa ang bintana ng sasakyan.
"Do you want me to drag your ass here?"
Shet. Sasama nga.
I immediately ran to her car and sat in the passenger's seat, namangha pa nga ako when I finally entered. Just like her, this car is one of the most expensive models of Ford. My dad loves to collect cars so I know what latest models are being released.
"You seem to like it." She says as she starts driving. "Where to?"
"Mahilig kasi yung dad ko sa mga sasakyan, so it just fascinates me when I was a kid, when I grew up nakahiligan ko na rin." Tugon ko at ngumiti pa. "Sa SM nalang po."
"Another one thing in common added to the list for us then."
We continue talking about our common interests and it's interesting to know that she's fond of playing archery, I used to practice it when I was a kid but I got into taekwando so I stopped. When we finally arrived at the mall, nagpark lang ito and I waited for her before we proceeded to the supermarket, maliit na cart lang ang kinuha ko since konti lng naman ang bibilhin ko.
When I was about to drag the cart, I was confused as to why she stopped me from doing so.
"Bakit po?"
She frowned at me and pointed to the cart. "Why are you picking a small one?"
"May budget po kasi ako—"
"Get the bigger one." Seryoso nitong saad, hala wala nga ako'ng pambili ng marami tas kukunin ko yung malaki?
"1k lang po kasi yung—"
"I'll pay."
"Pero Ms. Sol, you don't have to."
"I want to. Now get the bigger one." She pushed the cart away from me and pointed to the bigger carts.
"Nakakahiya po kasi, Ms. Sol. Tsaka may pera naman po ako."
"Fine. You don't want to? then I'll be the one to shop for you."
Now she's the one who grabbed the bigger cart which made my eyes widened in shock dahil diretso rin itong pumasok sa loob, pinipigilan ko pa nga ito dahil kung ano-ano na ang mga kinukuha when I don't even know how to use those things.
"Ms. Sol, please po."
"You should've accepted it earlier, I hate it when people decline my offer, Avila. I can buy this whole supermarket for you if I want to."
Bakas sa tono nito ang inis kaya hindi ko na rin ito mapigilan, a lot of people are also looking at us kasi halos mapuno na niya ang cart. And there's so much stuff loaded in there, jesus christ. Ganito ba talaga pag mayaman?
A few minutes of walking around the store, I rejoiced in silence when she finally stopped because the cart was full already.
"Let's get another one—"
"Ms. Sol.." I said and held her hand. "Okay na po 'yan."
"But—"
"That's more than enough for me po, Ms. Sol." I shyly said while looking at the cart, mas humigpit naman ang hawak niya sa'kin kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. "May gusto rin po ako'ng puntahan ngayon na café."
She hesitated for a moment but let out an exasperated sigh and gave up. "Fine, but next time it's better to have two bigger carts."
She was sulking as we walked towards the cashier, hindi ko naman mapigilan na matawa dahil parang batang hindi pinagbigyan. Pero sa totoo lang, I appreciate her kindness even if I don't know why she did this.
"Card or cash po?"
She didn't respond to what the cashier had said and handed her black credit card.
What the fudge. She owns one of those? As far as I know, Wesbech doesn't pay that much to teachers. I guess Ms. Solana is hella rich, well.. looking at her, one will know who and how powerful she is.
The total shocked me dahil halos 12k ang nabayaran niya sa isang cart ko lang ng grocery, damn what has our country become? But she didn't sweat at all dahil she even whispered that I should've gotten more.
Yung 12k halos 'yan lang ang kinikita ko sa trabaho kada buwan e.
"Someone will get the groceries and will deliver it at your house, Amora." Biglang sabi niya after she got off her phone. Tinignan ko lang ito at napapakurap pa ako kasi hindi ko gets yung sinabi niya.
"T-thank you po. Hindi ko alam kung paano maibabalik yung nagawa niyo sa'kin ngayon, pero I'll make sure to repay you in the future."
I was very thankful indeed, I wouldn't have to think about the groceries kasi those were probably worth 2 months.
She smiled at me as she shook her head. "You don't have to. Take it as a token of appreciation."
"Grabe pala kayo mag appreciate Ms. Sol." Nahihiya kong tugon at tumatawa pa.
"Well, where are we going next?"
"There's a newly opened café malapit lang po rito, they said na may mga paintings and stuff din do'n so I want to go po sana."
I saw how her eyes sparkled when I mentioned that and I just know that she'd love it too. Should I consider this as a date? It's one of my ideal talaga, but for now let's just say that it's a friendly one.
"Sure." She says with a smile at tuluyan na nga kaming umalis papunta sa sasakyan. It's a 15 minute drive kaya madali rin kaming nakarating.
The exterior of the place was top-tier, for a local café, it's funky and cute. That made me think about Spain as well. I wanna visit their museums and cafés with Ms. Solana, I think she has a lot to say about those artworks.
We both entered the café and a woman immediately came to welcome us, if the exterior was already amazing mas lalo naman ang sa loob nito. They really hung the paintings all over the café with some information about who and what those paintings are about.
It's just a newly opened café but it's worth every cent. Good thing that there's only a few people here, maaga pa naman kasi.
The woman led us to a table na pang dalawahan and I was still in awe by the paintings na nandito, they said that they bought it from local artists who are not yet known kaya naman mas lalong interesting ito, I wanna have my work be in a kind of place like this someday.
Since I was the one who asked her here today, nagpresenta naman ako na magbayad which she gladly accepted (for the nth time). We ordered our drinks and pastries before we roamed around the place.
"Enjoying, huh?" Ms. Solana asks when I finally looked at her. I can see that she likes it too kaya naman napangiti lang ako sa sinabi niya.
"It's nice to see people appreciating the works of local artists."
"That's true. Establishments usually like to contact those who have big names in the industry, not knowing that sometimes those works are either repetitive or lack the depth of meaning behind it."
We were both viewing the paintings as we walked around the café, I was a little behind her kaya kitang kita ko naman ang likod niya, I decided to take my phone out and took a picture of her. The last time I captured her was at the park where we ate some fastfood.
"Solana?"
Napatigil naman kami when a woman suddenly approached Ms. Solana. Mukhang magkakilala sila dahil bakas din sa mukha niya ang gulat when she saw the woman.
"Oh wow it's actually you!" Said the woman and smiled widely, bigla naman itong napatingin sa'kin and confusion was written on her face. "May kasama ka pala."
"A-ah yes, she's my student." Tila kinabahang sagot naman ni Ms. Solana. "Reese, may I talk to you for a moment? sa labas sana."
"You're teaching? But I thought—"
"Let's go out for a moment." She cuts her off at hinawakan pa ito sa braso, tumingin naman sa'kin si Ms. Solana. "Khio, I'll just catch up with an old friend."
Kasabay no'n ang pag-alis nilang dalawa. I was confused as to why she seemed nervous, mukha namang mabait yung babae e. But I didn't have a choice as I went back to our table.
It's the first time I saw her na gano'n ang reaksyon, well who wouldn't get nervous when you meet an old friend right? we all have our untold stories. Even me, if ever I'd ran to someone from my past, I don't think I could even function well.
Makaraan ang ilang minuto, dumating na rin ang order namin and perfect timing that Ms. Solana came in, but the woman wasn't with her.
"Our orders are here na po." I said when she sat on the opposite chair. "Sino po 'yun?"
"Just a friend." She smiled. "This looks delish, do you mind if I take some pictures?"
Mukhang iniiwasan niya yung topic dahil bigla nalang ito kinuha ang phone niya. Cute. So I decided not to push any further, if she wants to tell me, then she would.
"Nga pala, Ms. Sol." Tawag ko sa atensyon niya, umiinom na kasi ito ng kape.
"What?"
"Unblock niyo na po ako." I pouted. "Bakit kayo namb-block?"
She chuckled lightly before putting down her coffee and crossed her arms at me. "It's your own fault, Amora."
"Dahil lang sa 823?"
"Yes." She rolled her eyes. "Where do you even learn those things?"
Ngumisi lang ako sa kanya. "Kinilig ka po?"
"No!" Defensive mode na naman 'tong si Ms. Sol e. "It's just inappropriate."
"Edi sorry po, unblock niyo na kasi ako."
"I will, balak ko naman talaga but I fell asleep last night." Iniwas niya ang tingin sa'kin before getting her fork and ate some of her cheesecake. "You tell those things to others too?"
Muntik na ako nabilaukan sa iniinom kong frappe dahil sa tanong niya. She handed me a tissue and shook her head, aba sino namang hindi mabibilaukan— anong akala niya, I say those to a lot of people? Jusko.
"Of course not po." Iling ko pa. "Sa inyo lang."
I could see her smiling a little bit as she nodded her head, kung hindi ko lang alam na walang malisya 'to, aakalain kong girlfriend na nagi-investigate 'to e. But I guess as a Professor, she wants her students to be modest all the time.
Ilang oras din kami tumambay sa café as she told me more about the competition next week, kinabahan nga ako dahil for almost 5 years straight, Wesbech has been consistent to win it. The pressure on me came back but she assured me that she will be there to guide me kaya wag daw ako mag-alala.
I thanked her then bumalik na kami sa apartment ko, akala ko nga ay uuwi na rin ito after ako ihatid pero we waited for the groceries to arrive first.
"Sa loob na lang po, thank you." Saad ko sa lalaking naghatid na napag-alaman kong driver pala ni Ms. Solana.
"Is that all of it?" Ms. Sol asked when I went out of the apartment.
"Yes po, thank you po ulit Ms. Sol, for.. the groceries and sa pagsama sa'kin the whole day."
"No problem. I'm glad to help." She smiled and nodded at me. Akala ko ay magpapaalam na ito pero mukhang wala atang balak umalis, I was hesitating to ask her if she wants to come in kasi maliit lang naman yung apartment ko, pero malinis naman.
"Do you want to come in po muna?"
"Sure." At diretso na nga itong pumasok sa loob, luh. Hinintay niya ba na sabihin ko 'yon? napailing na lang ako at sinundan rin siya sa loob, I could see her roaming around the place.
"Pasensya na po sa bahay, maliit lang po talaga siya."
"It's cozy, don't worry." She said and faced me. "Tour me around."
"Ha?"
"You gotta stop acting like a deaf, Avila."
"Eto na po kasi 'yon." Nahihiya ko namang sambit, may maliit na living room tas ilang hakbang lang ay nandoon na ang cr at maliit na kitchen ko, nasa gitna na rin yung kainan ko kaya kitang kita na talaga.
"Then show me your room." She nonchalantly said and pointed the door towards my room. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. "Come on."
Before I could say anything, nilapitan niya ako and pushed me papunta sa room ko kaya naman binuksan ko na lang ito, my style is very minimalist so there are no designs or whatsoever. Plain white lang talaga, this is my favorite part of the apartment. Kahit maliit lang, it's just enough for me.
"You're living way better than I imagined." She mumbled when we entered the room. "I was thinking if I should let you live in my condo around the University."
"Po?"
Papatirahin niya ako sa condo niya? I looked at her shocked but she just gave me a shrug, "What? That's more convenient. At Least hindi ka na mahihirapan umuwi, Amora."
"P-pero.. bakit po?"
"I can't do that?" She asked back. "But if you want to, that offer still stands. No one lives in my condo anyway."
Kaswal lang ang pagkakasabi niya pero hindi niya alam how that gave me butterflies and shock in my system. Are we really that close for her to let me live there? even the groceries were too much for me. Tas libre niya ako'ng patitirahin do'n?
"Seems like you're reading the books I gave you."
"O-opo." I say, still not recovering from earlier. "I'm almost done with the 3rd one."
"That's good to know. Mag-aral ka, amora."
"Nag-aaral naman talaga ako, Ms. Sol!"
I grew more shocked when she laid down on my bed and with her eyes shut, she let out a sigh. "This is comfy."
I just stood there staring at her and thinking how the intimidating Professor that I met is now on my bed. Bigla naman ako'ng namula at iniwas ang tingin ko sa kanya, ayokong umiba na naman ang iniisip ko. We're just friends, okay?
"Ms. Solana?" Nang natauhan na ako ay ibinalik ko naman ang tingin ko sa kanya and I can't believe that she fell asleep? Akala ko maaga 'to natulog kagabi? bakit bagsak naman ngayon? I chuckled as I see her snuggling herself to sleep on my bed, looks like someone is gonna spend her night here.
6 pm pa lang naman and we haven't had our dinner yet, gisingin ko nalang mamaya as I decided to cook for the both of us.
I turned on the fan para hindi ito mainitan, bago ko siya nilagyan ng kumot. Ayoko naman uminit ulo nito mamaya dahil nagising itong pawisan. Dahan dahan na rin ako'ng umalis sa kwarto para magluto.
—
Timecheck: 7:15 pm.
I was done cooking our food when the door swung open at ang kakagising lang na Ms. Solana ang sumalubong sa'kin, she was asleep for an hour and it looks like she was shocked to realize that.
"Why didn't you woke me up? I'm sorry nakatulog pa ako sa kwarto mo."
"It's okay po, mukhang pagod kayo ngayong araw."
"You cooked adobo?" Her smile showed when she saw what I served on the table, kumuha na rin ako ng plato at kanin para pagsaluhan namin. "It's been a long time since I ate one."
"Well, Chef Khione is here to the rescue! You will taste one of the most amazing adobo you'll ever taste!"
"I'll be the judge of that." She chuckled as we both sat down, pinagsilbihan ko naman ang mahal na reyna dahil ayokong mahirapan pa ito.
She took one bite and her eyes instantly widened. "Oh gosh, I missed this."
That reaction gave me satisfaction, eto pala yung sinasabi nila na makita mo lang yung taong gusto mo na kumain, nabubusog ka na. Heck, ang cliché masyado pero that's what I felt after seeing her eat the food excitedly.
"I remembered asking you what your favorite food is." I say, finally taking a bite. "So I cooked adobo for you."
Tumigil naman ito sa pag nguya and stared at me. "Thank you.. you don't know what this means to me."
"Was there a specific reason why your favorite food is adobo?"
She smiled sadly after I asked her, ilang segundo rin itong hindi kumibo before taking another bite. "It was the last food my mom made me before she passed away."
Malungkot ang tinig nito while I was quite shocked to know the reason, humigpit ang pag kapit niya sa kubyertos and I noticed that kaya agad ko naman hinawakan ang kamay niya and squeezed it gently.
"I'm sure she's delighted seeing you happily eating po."
She gave me a quick smile and held my hand too.
"I hope she is."
At that moment, I just want to protect her at all costs. Even if there are still underlying stories that I don't know of, I'm willing to wait for her to tell me those and I want to be there at all times.
For her.
I will do anything to make her feel loved and understood.
If only..
I stood a chance.