"Uh... Um... Th-thanks." Jade stutters as her hands lightly close around the plastic piece, pulling them back against her chest without placing the cap back on the lipstick.
My lips stretch into a warm smile as I mirror her action, "You're welcome."
We both fall silent, standing there in the bathroom looking at one another. I couldn't tell what kind of expression I had on my face at the moment but I was glad that I wasn't the only one unhinged. Jade had the same shell-shocked expression as I was sure I did.
The silence between us seemed pregnant as it stretched on until a shrill ringing settled itself in my ears.
You don't get many moments like this, like the universe had conspired to give you this extended idea of time and space to make a decision.
That extra 20 seconds during exams where you're deciding on that particularly difficult multiple choice question.
Or when you're drunk and get into fight; you stand in the alley deciding whether to stick around to prove your point or run for your life.
When your lane is the slowest moving one in the highway and the lane beside you just opened up because the mother in the minivan got distracted by her wailing infant so you sit there deciding whether you should cut her off or not.
Moments where it feels like the universe taps on your shoulders and whispers for you to make a choice. Like that shrill ringing in your ear was destiny itself whispering to you:
'Move! Talk! Do something, idiot!'
Most often than not, we make a choice. Because we know the worst feeling is when you're faced with that moment and you do nothing but watch that moment pass you by.
Fourteen seconds.
That's how long our moment was.
I managed to swallow down my nerves thirteen seconds into the said moment. Thirteen seconds of just staring at those lips trying to figure out what to say.
"Jade—" "Excuse me." Another voice cuts me off before walking through the space between Jade and I.
I recognize the outfit as one of our higher grade students, possibly a highschool freshman or sophomore.
"Sorry."
"Sorry." We mutter at the same time before taking a step away from each other and as soon as the woman closes the stall door, a shy scoff escapes me.
"Uh, I guess I should leave you to... do your thing." I say, motioning to the lipstick in her hands.
"Yeah, I'll... I have to put this on." Jade stutters before adding, "I didn't get a chance to put makeup on earlier and I'm sure I look like a corpse." with a soft chuckle.
I smile at her words, "I think you look beautiful."
My smile quickly fades as I try to recover and I felt my jaw drop as soon as I registered what I had just said. "Uh... I mean..."
"Thank you?" Jade replied as she looked at me with her brows creased in confusion, her chocolate brown eyes filled with caution.
"I meant compared to me, I barely made it to school on time let alone put on a decent amount of make up."
"Long night?" She asks with a n sympathetic smile.
"Very." I answer before leaning forward, motioning for her to come closer. "I'm so hungover it's not even funny."
She laughs then, light and hearty, as she pulled back. The gleeful sound filling the bathroom, "Didn't I just say that I was hungover? Sensitive to loud sound and all?" I tease playfully.
She holds a hand out to me and tries to talk through her laughter, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just that I thought you were... nevermind."
"Thought I was what? You have to tell me!"
Jade drops her gaze shyly, her laughter finally dying down, "I thought you had morning sickness. I don't know why, that's the first thing I thought when I heard someone dry-heaving."
My jaw drops at that, "No! God, no!" I laugh, "That'll be a miracle!"
"Well yeah, miracle of life and all that. Right?" She scratches the back of her head.
I shake my head with amusement, "Oh no, that's not the miracle I meant."
Jade stops laughing then turns to me with another confused look, "Well, what did you—"
The bell ringing through the speakers cut her off. It again felt like I had been yanked back into the present.
Right. School. We were in school. I was a teacher and she was the parent of one of my students.
One of my kids' parents knows that I'm heading into class with a hangover.
Stupid brain-to-mouth filter!
"Anyway!" I yelp, "Normally we allow people to accompany kids for the first day, anything longer than that could hinder Samantha's—"
"Oh yeah, no, I know, I brought Sam to school but I was meaning to see you again. Which, tada, just happened." Jade stutters before waving her hands toward me like she had done some magic trick.
"Me? What's up? Was there a problem with Sam?" I ask with a tilt of my head, genuinely concerned as to what she would have needed with me.
"Oh no! No! Sam adores you."
"Then I don't understand..."
Jade chuckles and scratches her head like she didn't understand either, "You see..." She pauses before slipping her lipstick back into her purse and heading for the exit, my feet following her immediately, "I wasn't able to thank you properly yesterday for taking care of Sam. So I figured, if I couldn't get you over for a meal, I'd bring the meal to you as a sort of... thank you."
A sound halfway between a squeal and a half-hearted scoff passes my lips as we make our way outside, "You didn't have to do that but thank you."
"You're welcome, it's the least I could do." She says with a soft smile then quickly looks towards the exit, "I left it the car, I'll be back."
Without waiting for an answer, she was off and out the gate. Leaving me standing there in the middle of the hallway trying to understand why I was feeling so giddy.
Was this...? Was I crushing on her?
Hell, even I knew the answer to that.
No.... No. No. No. That can't happen. I can't fall in love with a straight girl. Especially not one with a family. God, what was wrong with me?
No it wasn't a crush.
It was more like, admiration. That she cared so much for Sam, that she wanted to thank me.
Yeah, that was all there is to it.
In an attempt to prove the point to myself, I forced my feet to move towards my classroom. Thinking that if I hid in there, I can simply play it off as just being busy. As soon as I entered the room, the kids all perked up in their seats; excitement glistening in their eyes.
"Hi, class!"
"Good morning, Miss Guevarra!" They greet in practiced unison. I quickly dive into our lesson and today we were simply making magnet paintings.
I called them forward to see how it was done, one kid shouted 'Magic!' as he watched the paint move across the blank paper. I laugh and try to explain how the paint moved but they were just too eager to listen.
"Can I try?" Samantha chirped, followed by another student saying, "Me too, I wanna try!"
Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement through the small window on the door and notice Jade standing there with the most charming smile I had ever seen. Her lips were pulled back into a bright, warm smile and she had one arm across her chest while her other hand was propped just under her chin.
It was adorable and breathtaking at the same time and I found myself smiling back at her.
She raises the small paper bag, 'for you!' she mouthed while pointing to the bag.
A giggle bubbles up my throat before making my way back to the door, opening it slightly so I could slip my head through the crack.
"Here you go. It's the same as Sam has. Luncheon meat with scrambled eggs. I hope that's okay?" She says before handing me the bag then worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
My gaze locks unto the soft looking flesh of her lips and I could feel my throat begin to dry, thankfully I was aware enough to pull myself out of the hole I was digging, shaking my head clear before answering, "No, that's perfect! Thank you!" I smile, taking the bag from her.
"You're welcome!"
We pause again, like she was waiting for me to say something more or maybe I was the one waiting for her to add something. I had no idea but what I was sure of, was that I never wanted this moment to end.
And like the butt of a joke, of course the universe had other plans.
"Teacher! Teacher! Daryl eated the paint!" A girl squeals followed by the sound of laughter from the other kids.
A look of panic crosses Jade's face but I quickly assuage her fears, "Edible paint, don't worry."
"Oh." She sighs in relief. "Good!"
I smile then turn slightly towards the room, pointing over my shoulder to the general direction of the children, "Anyway, I have to... uh... take care of him."
"Oh, yeah, no. That's okay. Have a good day." Jade says with a soft nod.
"You too, I'll see you around."
She darts her hand up then down, "bye." before turning on her heel.
The door closes as I turn back around to the class, ignoring the confusion in their wide innocent eyes to close my own and lean my head back against the door; a groan ripping from my chest.
Worst.
Crush.
Ever.
"Alright. I'll have my assistant send you the quotation as soon as possible. Yes, all I need is the date and the venue you want." I hear Batchi say as I enter her office. "Fully booked? Don't worry, I'll see what I can do about that."
'Hi!' I mouth before taking a seat in front of her desk.
She smiles then offers me a fist and I bump it with my own.
"Oh, we have services available that you can add to your package. Yes, photographers, florists, designers... Yes, the best of the best." Batchi says into the phone with a playful wink at me. Her florist.
"Okay! You should receive the quotation within the next hour or so. Alright. Thank you so much, Pearl. Bye."
"New client?" I ask as soon as she puts down the phone.
"A prospect. Some rich doctor marrying some other rich dude."
"You don't seem all that excited, she sounds like another big name client for you."
Batchi shrugs, "I was hoping Abby and I could go on vacation, you know? Take her and the kid out to the beach or something before Abby leaves for Singapore again."
Abby was Batchi's long time girlfriend and occasional live-in-partner. A single mom she had met at one of her events when she was only starting her career. Abby worked as a call center agent in Singapore as well as a part-time online tutor; so whenever she got the chance to come home, Batchi would stop everything to spend time with her.
No project was bigger than a visit to the province.
No client was more important than lunch at Abby and Marielle's favorite restaurant.
She wouldn't even come in today if it wasn't for the client insisting to meet her.
Really though, with Wila and myself, Batchi was one of the sanest people you could ever meet.
My lips press together in a tight line and I reach out to pat her shoulder encouragingly. "I understand. What are you going to do?"
"Hope that this Pearl doesn't take me as her coordinator. At the same time, I hope she does. There's big money in Chinese weddings and if I get enough, Abby might not even need to leave again." The corner of her lips droop into a bittersweet smile.
"You know I'm here if you need help, right? I mean, I can't be around as much because of my job but anything after 11AM I'm open for so you can spend as much time with Abby as possible."
She clicks her tongue before leaning forward over her desk and wrapping her, surprisingly strong, arms around my shoulders, "this is why you're my best friend." Batchi whispers into my hair.
"Because you get free labor and a discounted florist?"
"I'm appalled! This is real friendship, Althea. I also get free food from you."
"Right. Right. Of course, how could I forget?" I deadpan, pulling back so she could see me rolling my eyes.
Out of habit, we make our way to the small dining area in one corner of her office where some takeout was already spread out. Batchi slips a napkin against the collar of her shirt to protect it from stains then the two of us dig into the food.
I had only realize how hungry I was and that I hadn't eaten since the last night, when the pleasantly warm salty noodles make contact with my tastebuds.
"Mmmhhh." I hum around the mouthful of noodles, "I love these."
"Too salty for my taste, I like my wonton and noodle soup."
I swallow the noodles before answering, "That's because you're a picky eater."
"I wear that title with pride." Batchi grins before taking a spring roll from my plate, "So, what's up?"
A smile creeps up the corner of my lips, amused and slightly annoyed that she could easily tell that something was bothering me.
"Have you ever met someone that just... affects you?"
She snorts at that, "Affects me?"
"Like... like you meet someone and right of the bat you're immediately so comfortable with that person even though you've just met? and you forget time and where you are? Has that— has that ever happened to you?"
"You mean that, heart thumping against your chest every time you're in the same room kind of person?"
"Yeah."
"Dryness in your throat?"
I nod.
"Can't help but smile when they're around?"
I nod again.
"Makes you sweat?"
"Huh?"
"Like your hands sweat more or your armpits, or your underboobs?"
"Oh... yes."
Her answer doesn't come until several seconds later, "Yeah, dude. When I met Abby."
"Abby?"
"Yeah. Althea, what is going on? Did you meet someone?"
I clear my throat of the sudden lump that forms there, "Yeah. I did."
"Well then why do you look like you've just killed an infant?"
Batchi's words makes me pause just long enough to school my features back into a relatively calmer expression, I mean I did meet someone..."
"But...?" she adds expectantly.
But?
But she's rich and famous?
But she's straight?
But she has a kid and most probably a husband somewhere?
"But it can't—" "Excuse me, Batchi? Abby and Marielle are here." One of her interns say, cutting me off before I could finish.
"What did I you call them?" Batchi asks playfully at the wide eyed intern.
"Abby and Mar—" "What did I tell you to call them?"
"The wife and child are here."
She claps then motions for her family to come in, "Good. Send them in."
I mirror the secretary's movement as I stand in my seat, "I should go and give you three some family time."
"Sorry, I didn't know they were coming. We can talk about your lady friend another time, okay?"
"Sure." I smile warmly just as Marielle enters the office.
"Aunty Thea!" She squeals in excitement before latching onto my leg.
"Hi pretty lady. How are you? Give Auntie a kiss!"
Marielle releases my leg then places a firm kiss on my cheek as soon as I bent down. "I'm okay! School is fun! Daddy!" she answers before shifting her attention to Batchi.
"Althea! I didn't know you'd be here, I hope I didn't interrupt anything?"
I shake my head before pressing our cheeks together in a warm greeting, "Don't be silly, Abby. I was just leaving."
"Aww!" Marielle pouts and the resemblance to Batchi's own signature pout was almost scary.
"You can't stay?" Abby asks.
"No, sorry. I have to pass by the shop to check on the old man."
She nods in response, "Alright, well tell him we love him."
"I will. Bye guys!" I call out with a wave before heading for the door.
"Bye Auntie Thea!"
"Bye Althea!"
"Bye dude."
They all greet just as I close the door. I take a second to steal a glance through one of the small windows that bordered the door and watches as the small family interacted.
Marielle was trying to use the chopsticks that I had left behind while Abby and Batchi talk animatedly about something I didn't understand.
It was the image of a beautiful family and I loved that I had the privilege to see that. It was probably how Jade and her family looked like. The thought made my mood drop and I immediately regretted it because as I made my way to the car all I could think about was Jade and Sam doing cute mother-daughter things together.
Watching TV together on the couch, going on mother-daughter dates, cooking dinner before her husband came home.... damn it.
Worst.
Crush.
Ever.
I curse and grumble under my breath, berating myself as I made my way to the car that was parked out front.
You're probably just crushing because you're broken hearted. Yes. That must be it.
I mean, if that were true then how come I haven't thought about Wila since I saw Jade this morning?
No.
No. No. No.
Why does it have to be with a straight girl? That's one rebound I could never get. Why couldn't it be Lauren? She's beautiful, nice and hella sexy. I wonder silently as I slip into the driver seat and lay my bag on the seat across from mine. I notice the bag tilted at an awkward angle so I raise it slightly, expose a small brown paper bag. The lunch that Jade had made. I must have forgotten all about it.
Well now I felt bad.
I eyed the paper bag with full intent of stuffing the contents into my mouth but it felt wrong to force it down a full stomach. A knock on my window pulls me from my thoughts and I see the guard waving from outside, "Yes?" I ask as I roll down the window down.
"Sorry, Miss Guevarra but are you about to leave? There's another car waiting to take the spot."
I see the said car a few meters behind me and quickly hold my hand up in apology, "Yep! Just leaving. Sorry!" I tell the guard who simply smiles before making his way to the back of my car, stopping traffic so I could pull off.
When I got to the shop, I found my father sitting in his usual spot; behind the counter reading today's paper.
"I'm here!" I grin as I push past the door, brown paper bag and my bag in hand.
He looks up from his paper with a bright smile of his own, "Althea! Come here, give your old man a hug."
I happily does as he asks, placing the bags on the counter before wrapping my arms around his waist. After the initial warmth and comfort of his embrace, I quickly note how thin he had gotten; his back and ribs had become so thin that I could feel his bones against my flesh.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, pushing against his shoulders so I can get a better look.
I hadn't noticed the last time I was here but now that I could see; I note the subtle dark circles under his eyes, the way the skin on his chin and arms seemed to sag and the redness on his lips; probably from the blood he keeps coughing up.
"I'm fit as a fiddle, darling. Don't worry." He lies before grabbing the paper bag from the table. "You brought me food? How sweet of you."
I turn my gaze to the bag in his hands, "that's not—" "I missed you cooking for me. I missed eating burned food." He teases as he fishes out the small lunch box along with the disposable spoon and fork.
Scoffing, I snatch the food from him, "Not everything I cook, burns."
"You're right. Sometimes they're raw."
"Dad!"
"What?!"
My eyes squeezing into narrow slits, "Shut up."
He laughs loudly, the kind that made his body convulse and his eyes to squint into two tiny lines on his face. I did my best to stop laughing but the way he guffawed was infectious and I ended up giggling along with him.
When he calmed down enough, he takes a large bite of the food then hummed, "This is really good."
"It is?"
"Mmhhmm..." My dad hummed before taking another large bite, "You didn't cook this, did you?"
My jaw drops in mock offence but I was met with a knowing smirk from my own father. "Someone gave it to me." I admit, pursing my lips.
"Gave you lunch? You must be pretty special." He muses in mock innocence.
"She was just thanking me."
"By bringing you lunch?"
"Dad. Don't.""What? I'm just asking! A simple thank you would be enough, she didn't have to make you lunch." He smirks and unwilling to answer, I snatched the last piece from him before popping it into my mouth.
God. I didn't know it was possible for luncheon meat to taste so good.