ARA
"Ano 'to, Ye?! Bakit kayo magkayakap?!"
Gulat na gulat na bumitaw yung dalawa.
"Ha? Eh... Ito kasi eh!", turo ni Mika kay Jeron.
I raised my eyebrow at her.
"Totoo nga!", pagdiin niya.
"Eh kayo? Bakit magkasama na naman kayong dalawa?", balik tanong niya sa amin ni Thomas.
Maka-change topic lang eh.
"Wala, nagkataon lang.", I shrugged my shoulders.
It was her turn to raise her eyebrow at me.
Bruha 'to, kung alam niya lang kung gaano ako kinabahan seeing their gate and her door unlocked.
"Ara's telling the truth. Nagkasabay lang kami sa gate ninyo. I was supposed to check on Jeron but as it turns out, he's here.", Thomas said as he gave his friend a teasing smile.
The latter just shook his head.
"O ok na? Sige na, labas na kayo. May pag-uusapan pa kami nitong si Ye.", pukaw ko sa atensyon nila.
Nakita ko kung paano tiningnan ni Jeron si Mika bago sila lumabas ng bahay.
I faced my best friend as soon as they left.
"At ikaw namang babae ka, yung Operating Room nilolock mo, samantalang sarili mong pinto, hindi?!"
"Victonara, nagpunta ka ba dito para pagalitan ako?", nakasimangot niyang sagot.
"Hindi sana eh, kung nadatnan lang kitang tulog. EH NADATNAN KITANG MAY KAYAKAP SA UMAGA. SO YES, I'M HERE TO BRING BACK SOME SENSE IN YOUR HEAD."
"Wala lang nga kasi yun. Lasing yung mokong kagabi. Napadpad siya dito. Period."
She went back to lying down on the sofabed and closed her eyes.
"And the hugging part?", I sat beside her.
She heaved a sigh.
"I don't know... Bigla na lang niya akong niyakap. And he kept on thanking me. Wala naman akong naalalang favor na ginawa for him. Last time I checked, we're enemies."
Hmmm, that seems odd. Imposibleng wala lang yun eh.
Mukhang magiging exciting buhay ng kaibigan ko sa susunod na mga araw ah.
"Well... how does it feel?", I asked her.
"Ang alin?", nagtatakang tanong niya.
"Maang-maangan pa. Edi makayakap si Jeron Teng!", agad akong bumangon dahil ready to attack na naman siya.
"Will you keep it down?! Isa pa, Ara ah. Tatamaan ka talaga sakin."
"Bakit ba pag sinasabi pangalan niya, nagiging bayolente ka? Eh kanina nung kayakap, enjoy na enjoy ka eh! Ano yun, pampakalma?"
"ARAAAAA!"
She stood up and we started running around the house.
"Love you, a-Teng!"
Susko, si Jeron lang pala katapat ng kaibigan ko.
I smiled at the thought.
Maybe I should thank the guy, because the truth is, I missed this side of her.
THOMAS
"Will you stop smiling?!", sita sakin ni Jeron.
We're now inside his house and we decided to just sit around for a while before paying Angkong a visit this afternoon.
"Bakit? Sa masaya ako eh. Ikaw ba, hindi?", I wiggled my eyebrows.
"Loko. I know what you're thinking. And you're not gonna get it."
"Nah. If I were you, mag-ipon ka na lang, bro. Raket ka na ulit. Di biro babayaran mo samin ni AVO at the end of the month.", I said confidently, referring to our bet.
His face suddenly lit up.
"Actually, may idea na ako for my next exhibit.", he responded with a smile.
"Yun naman! Iba na talaga pag inspired!", I howled.
"Wag kang umasa. Malaki lang utang na loob ko sa kanya. That's it.", he said firmly.
"Ok. Sabi mo eh.", sagot ko na lang.
Kwento mo sa mata mong nawawala dahil sa laki ng ngiti.
"Seriously, I owe her... She saved Angkong's life.", he narrated.
"WHAT?! Nako bro. Paano ba yan, ano nang plano mo? Hindi mo na siya aawayin?"
"I don't know. Para kasing... ang hirap nang gawin nun after what happened."
Change of heart?
Dyan nagsisimula yan... Hehehe
Ayus!
I tried my hardest not to smile and only nodded my head in response.
You're getting there, my friend.
Almost there.
MIKA
Ara and I spent the whole morning yesterday to bond with each other. At hindi siya nagpaawat sa pangangantiyaw tungkol kay Jeron.
As if naman. I can't even stand his presence.
Pero anong ibig sabihin ng hug na yun? At aminin mo, ramdam mo yung sincerity ng mga salita niya, diba?
Pero kahit na. Erase, erase. Change doesn't happen overnight.
Mga 1 degree turn lang yun, ok? Wag kang umasa.
When my bestfriend left the house, I used my whole afternoon to study then went to church before having dinner.
Hindi ko na ulit nakita si Jeron. At mukhang wala naman siya sa unit niya.
And now it's the start of another week. MONDAY NA NAMAN.
Nagising ako ng maaga kahit 10 AM - 2 PM lang classes ko ngayong araw. I decided to check the mailbox and saw 2 envelopes both addressed to me.
Yung isa, mukhang formal. The other looked like a friendly letter. I chose to open the former.
Ms. Mika Aereen M. Reyes
Unit 1, #3 Mapayapa St., New Capitol Estates, Kalusugan, Quezon City
1112 Metro Manila
Dear Ms. Reyes:
Following a referral, I am pleased to inform you that you have been invited to a job interview for the position of usher.
Kindly send us your preferred schedule and bring your resume on that day.
Should you have any question, please do not hesitate to let us know. Contact details are attached to this letter.
We are hoping for your favorable response.
Sincerely,
Kelly Dizon
General Manager
Flavors of the East Restaurant (FEast)
WOW. Seryoso ba 'to?
Referral? Sino namang gagawa nun?
Ara should've told me yesterday kung siya man. And Thomas as well. Silang dalawa lang naman ang napagsabihan kong wala akong trabaho.
I'm not even familiar with this restaurant. At saka parang di naman normal na magpadala pa ng sulat para sa job interview. Kasi relatively, the position of an usher is not one na formal at mahirap hanapin. For sure maraming applicants sa ganito.
Bakit kakailanganin pa nila ng letter of invitation?
I need to confirm this. Mamaya kung anong prank lang 'to eh.
I then decided to open the other.
It was a card. And it came from...
Jeron?
May kakaiba ba sa ikot ng mundo ngayon?
Anyway, here we go.
Dear Mika,
I know it wasn't your intention to allow me to sleep in your unit yesterday, but thank you, still. And again, I'm sorry na hindi ako nakapagpaalam.
To make up for it, I already checked my mail and kinuha ko na yung akin. Para yung sayo na lang makikita mo :)
Looks like you have some good news here! Congrats in advance, if ever :)
Jeron
Hindi ko tuloy alam kung aling mail ang mas nakakagulat.
Hay, makaligo na nga.
JERON
"Thank you! Thank you, Ama and Angkong!", I sincerely told my grandparents when they allowed to give Mika a job offer.
Front na lang yung interview eh, kasi mas lalo nang unbelievable kung letter na tanggap na siya agad ang marereceive niya.
"Aba, siyempre. Apo na rin namin si Mika. Saka what is that compared to what she did for us? Ewan ko nga sayo bakit usher pa napili mong ibigay. Pwede namang sa admin na lang siya.", Angkong said.
"Eh magtataka po yun talaga. Saka Angkong, mas matrabaho pa dun sa office eh. She'll be juggling work with med school and I don't want her getting stressed out. And at least pag nag-absent siya, na madalas niyang gawin 'cause of her studies, hindi rin masyadong kawalan.", I explained.
"Sa bagay. She'll only need to look pleasant at punung-puno naman ng charm ang batang yun.", Ama smiled.
"Mukhang napag-isipan nating mabuti, apo ah.", she added.
"Bawi lang po, Ama. No other reason.", sagot ko.
"Oh wala naman kaming sinabi ah? Defensive?", Angkong retorted and they both let out a hearty laugh.
Napailing na lang ako thinking kung ilang taon na ba talaga mga kausap ko.
But remember, Ron. You're just doing this to make up to her, alright? Pang-equalize lang sa nagawa mo noon. Bawal sumobra.
Bawal dire-direcho. Bawal mahulog. Kabig ka ng konti.
The goal remains. You still don't want to get married. Keep that in mind.
Author's Note:
WOOOHOOO!!! THE LADY SPIKERS ARE IN FOR THE FINAL FOUR!!!
HAPPY WEEKEND INDEED! :)