REIVEN'S POV**
I was so excited for today.
Ngayon ko lang naprove na totoo pala yung kasabihan na pag masyado ka excited, di ka nakakatulog.
It's only 4 in the morning pero nakabihis na ako.
Im sitting across the room watching West sleep.
I was like this for the next hour until West finally woke up.
Nag unat unat pa to, but when she opened her eyes, agad naman itong napasigaw.
"What the heck! Reiven!? Ano ginagawa mo dyan?" she said.
Napaatras naman ito sa pinakagilid ng kama habang may yakap na unan.
"Watching you sleep," I said straightforwardly.
"What?!"
I just shrugged my shoulders bago bumangon at saglit pang nag unat.
Nakakangalay pala na nakaupo ka lang tapos tinititigan mo lang kaibigan mo matulog.
"I already cooked. Bumaba ka na para makaalis na tayo agad," tugon ko at nauna nang lumabas.
I can still see the horrified look on her face.
Maganda naman ako ah? Seeing my face first thing in the morning is actually a blessing.
Why is she acting scared?.
It took almost an hour bago bumaba si West. Aakyatin ko na nga sana kasi ang tagal, but nung papunta na ako andun na sya.
She's wearing matching clothes with me.
White polo and pants.
"Ang aga aga, Rei. You're too excited," she said as she sat down the table.
"Traffic, pila, and everything. I hate waiting," tugon ko naman before sitting just infront of her.
"Pero you waited for me patiently," West said before laughing.
"You're a different case."
After eating and all the other things, finally, paalis na kami.
I can't contempt the happiness I have.
Im the one driving, and sa peripheral vision ko, I can see West taking pictures of me with her camera.
Di nalang ako umalma.
West is a photographer. Sabi nya nga, she loves taking pictures of things she loves and things that attract her.
Pero ako naman kadalasan pini-picturean. Baliw din.
"West?"
"Hmm?"
"You're weird," I said.
"How am I weird, Rei rei?" she said, followed by a soft chuckle.
Her voice is so soft for some reason.
"You bought a camera pero sakin mo lang madalas gamitin. I thought you bought it for your hobby?"
"Well, it is my hobby to take pictures of things I love," she simply answered.
Im still confused.
"Does that mean you love me?"
"Of course."
I felt a lump in my throat and felt my heart skip beats.
Ayan ka nanaman sa mixed signals mo eh.
"Baliw." were the only things na nalabas ng bibig ko.
After quite a drive, we're finally here sa kidzoona.
Sabi ko kay West, babayaran ko nalang yung place para ipasara. Ayoko kasi talaga ng mga epal ngayon.
But West said, maraming bata na bumyahe pa para lang makapunta rito.
Di na ako umangal.
I hate kids, opposite ko si West. Somehow, she loves little kids, lalo mga baby. She always loves playing with them.
Matagal ko na talaga gusto pumunta sa kidzoona, kaso nga, mainitin ulo ko.
West always says I might end up na nakikipag away sa bata.
I'm 23, I think I can control my temper better now.
After getting our tickets, kung saan muntik pa kami mag away dahil sa amount ng time na gusto ni West kunin.
West wanted 3 hours, I said gusto ko 6 hours kasi surely, kulang 3 oras.
In the end, we decided na mag 5 hours para sulit talaga and para wala raw ako reklamo.
Not how I wanted it, but it's fine.
Nang okay na, agad ako tumakbo sa ballpit not minding the stares I get from the little kids.
I paid, wala na sila rights mangelam sa gagawin ko.
I saw West just standing by the corner, as usual, holding her camera and taking pictures of me.
Pinabayaan ko nalang ulit. Even if I complain, it's her camera.
I saw a slide and wanted to try it, so I made my way from the sea of balls to the playhouse.
Luckily, kahit matangkad ako, nagawa kong gumapang sa loob.
I was getting sideyes from the little kids.
Pero pag titignan ko na rin pabalik, natatakot.
There's this little girl na nakaupo sa may slide holding a doll.
"Excuse me, little girl." I said politely.
She then carefully turned her head to see who the fuck was talking to her.
She looked surprised nang makita ako.
"Hala, isip bata," tugon nung batang babae.
I just laughed, i gotta keep it cool lalo di ko alam kaninong anak/kapatid/pinsan/pamangkin to.
"Are you gonna use the slide?" I asked her.
Inirapan lang ako nito.
"Excuse m-"
"Bawal matanda rito alis!" sigaw nitong bata bago ako hinampas sa mukha nung manika nya.
I felt my ear twitch.
Ayoko pa naman sa lahat mga bastos.
I gave her an awkward smile.
"Ngiti ngiti ka dyan? Bawal matanda rito! Sumbong kita sa ate ko!"
Saglit pa akong lumingon kung may makakakita.
Luckily, halos karamihan ng mga bata nasa labas.
Bahagya akong lumapit sa bata bago kinapitan braso nito.
"Hindi ko alam sino nag palaki sayo and wala akong cares, but your attitude is awful."
"Aray! Let me go! isusumbong talaga kita!" she said.
And then again, hinampas nanaman ako sa mukha ng manika.
That time, I knew I have reached my limit.
Malakas ko naman itong itinulak sa slide dahilan para mapagulong ito pababa.
When she started crying, pasimple ako lumabas at nagtago sa gilid ng playhouse.
Deserve.
I take back what I said.
Pikunin parin pala ako.
Hindi nga uminit ulo ko sa traffic or pila. Uminit naman ulo ko sa isang bata na nakita ko lang, ni di ko kilala.
Nang mawalawala na yung commotion around the slide, I guessed probably kinuha na yung batang babae ng nagbabantay kaya lumabas na rin ako sa pinagtaguan ko and went to look for West.
When I found her, I quickly grabbed her arm dahilan pa para bahagya itong magulat.
"Watch it, I almost dropped my camera."
"Uwi na tayo."
"What? wala pa isang oras ah?...Ay, nga pala, ano nangyari dun? I saw a little girl getting carried, parang nabalian?" she curiously asked.
Napakamot nalang ako ng batok.
"Uwi na tayo, I changed my mind"
"Akala ko ba gusto mo rito-"
"Let's just go, nuod nalang movie sa bahay."
After insisting for a while, West gave in and pumayag nang umuwi.
Pero bago kami umalis, nag paalam sya na mag cr muna.
I was waiting quietly sa bench sa labas, malapit sa parking lot, when a girl, which I guessed is just around my age, angrily approached me.
"Ikaw!" she shouted, making me turn my head.
Agad naman nangunot noo ko.
I was sure ako kausap nya kasi wala naman ibang tao. Plus, dinuduro nya ako.
"What do you want?"
"Ikaw ba tumulak sa pinsan ko?" she said, her brows are furrowed and her cheeks are slightly flushed red, dala siguro ng galit.
Saglit pa ako nag taka, nang bigla sumulpot yung batang kaaway ko kanina.
"Kia, tell me nga, sya ba?" her voice then softened as she talks to her little cousin? I suppose?
Ang plastic nung bata, I can't help but scoff.
The girl, na ngayon ay may benda sa braso, nodded lightly.
The angry lady then stepped forward, at isang malakas na sampal natanggap ko, making my cap fly off.
"Pumapatol ka pa sa bata? Ang tanda tanda mo na.... gago ang ganda-" she said bago napatakip ng bibig.
Nangunot naman noo ko, I didn't hear what she said sa last.
"What was that for?" I asked bago yumuko para kunin ang cap ko, hawak hawak pisngi ko.
Dang, she slaps hard.
I was slightly taller than her.
Maya maya, she lowered her head.
"Im so sorry! di ko sinasadya dala lang ng galit huhu!"
Napatingin naman ako dun sa bata, na currently, nakakunot din noo habang nakatingin kay ateng mapanakit.
"Ate Via! you're supposed to make away with her!"
"Shh! Pasaway ka kasi siguro kaya ganyan. Miss, im sorry!" she said before looking up to me.
Not gonna lie. She looks pretty.
Napakamot nalang ako ng batok. Bigla naman ako inirapan nung bata na if im not mistaken, is called Kia?
Then this girl infront of me si Via.
"It's fine-"
"Huhu, miss masakit ba sampal ko? Need mo magpa-ospital?"
"I think you should be worrying about your cousin-"
"Di ah! sanay na yan. Miss huhu wag mo po ako ipapakulong, nagalit lang po talaga, pero alam ko naman kasalanan din ng pinsan ko"
Somehow, I was lost for words and just ended up laughing and patting her head.
"Chill, Im not calling the cops on you for a simple slap."
Finally, umayos sya ng tayo before smiling awkwardly at me.
I got a chance to get a full glance of her face, she indeed is pretty.
We decided to talk it over. Ayaw nya parin talaga tumigil kakasorry dahil sa sampal.
Kung kanina, the little girl, Kia, was throwing me angry glances, ngayon katabi ko na.
Ice cream lang pala katapat nito eh.
I apologised dahil sa injury ng bata, and I offered to pay for the expenses until the kid recovers.
"Can I have your number?"
"H-ha?" Via said. She looked kind of distracted for a while.
"Number mo, so we can contact each other," I said as I reached out and gave her my phone for her to put her contact in.
"Hala si ate -"
"Keep me updated sa mga check-up and all the things Kia needs. Im sorry again."
After everything, they had to leave na since iniintay na sila ng kasama.
I promised to text her back this evening. She then left with her little cousin.
Kanina iniirapan ako, ngayon, the girl smiled at me before leaving.
I got scared nang bigla sumulpot si West sa gilid ko.
"I knew you had something to do with the accident earlier," she said while shaking her head.
Napangiti nalang ako bago nag peace sign.
Pero sa totoo, di ako dun sa bata na intrigue, dun talaga sa pinsan nya.
Aside from the fact that she has a pretty face, she somehow looked familiar.
San ko ba nakita yun.