Napasobra yata sa pang-aasar si Mickey. Aika looked so sad yesterday. Plano sana niyang bumawi nang makarating sila sa bahay nito. Ipagluluto sana niya. Ang kaso... mukhang sobrang naapektuhan ito sa ginawa niya. Nagpipigil lamang ito ng iyak.
Kaya kinabukasan, bumalik siyang handa, umaasang patatawarin siya nito kapag nakita nito ang bucket fries niyang dala. Pagdating niya sa bahay nito, naka-lock ang pintuan. Nakasarado ang lahat ng bintana. Mukhang patay ang lahat ng ilaw sa loob. The curtains were drawn. Parang walang tao.
"Janey?"
Nobody answered.
Kinuha niya ang phone at sinubukan itong tawagan. He heard a loud ringing inside. Sinubukan niyang sumilip sa bintana pero napakaliit na bahagi lang ang kaya niyang makita. And it was too dark inside. The ring must be coming from Aika's room upstairs.
But he had a feeling that she won't answer. He could break in... but that would be too much. Baka lalong lumayo ang loob nito sa kanya. So he sent her a text message saying that he left a bucket of fries on her front door. Inilagay niya ang bucket fries sa sahig, naglakad palayo at nagtago.
Almost ten minutes after, the door finally opened. Unang lumabas si Elmo. The cat eyed the bucket curiously. Sunod na lumabas si Aika, ilang beses munang tiningnan ang paligid para masiguradong wala siya. Nang makuntento ay agad nitong kinuha ang fries, pumasok sa loob, at ini-lock ang pinto.
--
The next day, he switched it up a little, just to see if he still got her. Nag-text siyang muli rito na may iniwan siyang pagkain sa harap ng bahay nito. It was a kitkat cake. Nagpabili siya sa isang katrabaho. This time, he held the cake while standing in front of the house, a few feet away from the door.
Mga ilang minuto pagka-send ng text niya, biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng bahay. Aika came out. Nakayuko pa ito, sa sahig agad nakatingin. Kumunot ang noo nito nang walang makitang cake doon. Then she looked up and met his gaze.
"Hey—"
Aika slammed the door shut. Napabuntong-hininga siya. Inilapag ang dalang cake sa tapat ng pinto. Sa siya umalis. He left her another message before turning a corner.
I left the cake outside. Umalis na ako. Get it before someone else does.
--
Third day. He didn't bring anything this time. He sincerely wants to apologize, he just doesn't know how because she doesn't even want to open the door for him. He tried calling her, but she doesn't answer. Wala namang reply sa mga text message niya rito.
He's been gone for three days. And for three days, he missed annoying her. Tuloy, nang magkita ulit sila, hindi niya napigilan ang sarili. Napasobra siya sa pang-aasar. Kaya pinagsabihan na niya ang sarili nang ilang ulit. Hinay-hinay lang sa pang-aalaska. Timplahin din ang mood nya para hindi mapasobra. Tumigil kung kailangan at paminsan-minsan, makonsensya.
Hindi niya sigurado kung magagawa niya iyon lahat. He's a rule-breaker. He breaks his own rules and do things on impulse. And he noticed that he's more impulsive when he's around her. Hindi niya kinakalkula ang mga galaw, kung ano na lang ang maisipan. And he felt freer. That's why he likes being around her. Unfortunately, she doesn't like having him around.
He readied his apology and walked towards her house, but when he got there, he saw a man already standing outside Aika's door. Nilapitan niya ito bago ito kumatok.
--
Aika stopped typing when she heard the doorbell. Nakipagtitigan siya kay Elmo, who blinked and licked his paw. She ordered food earlier. Pizza, mojos, and fries. Sawa na kasi siya sa mga instant food na nakalagay sa cupboards sa kusina. Hindi naman niya magalaw ang mga binili ni Mickey. She doesn't know what to do with them.
Tumunog muli ang doorbell. It could be Mickey again. Pero... nag-order siya ng pagkain. At ang sabi sa kanya ay 30-40 minutes darating ang pagkain. It's been 30 minutes already.
Kumulo ang tiyan niya. Napabuntong-hininga siya. If it's Mickey, then she'll just slam the door on his face.
Lumabas siya ng kwarto, patakbong binaba ang hagdan, at huminga nang malalim bago buksan ang pinto. It was Mickey, all right. He's holding her food. Hinanap niya ang delivery guy. Mukhang nakaalis na ito.
"Bayad na 'to," sabi nito sa kanya.
May pag-aalangan niyang tiningnan ang pagkain. He could be lying. He already lied so many times, it's hard to know when he's telling the truth.
"Janey... bati na tayo, please?"
Iniangat niya ang tingin sa mukha nito. The smug smile wasn't there this time. Wala ring panlilinlang sa mga mata nito. But she doesn't know if he's sincere or if he could ever be sincere. Sira na kasi ang tiwala niya rito.
"Bayad na talaga 'yan?" paninigurado niya.
"Bayad na talaga. Here's the receipt." Iniabot nito sa kanya ang isang gusot na papel. Kinuha niya iyon at tiningnan kung bayad na nga. Because with Mickey, you need to proof to be assured that he's telling the truth. Bayad na nga. May kasama pang note sa likod. I'm sorry.
Tumaas ang kilay niya. Ito naman ay tikom na ngumiti, naghihintay ng permiso niya para makapasok ito.
"What if I just want the food, but not you inside the house?" she asked.
Maybe she can keep their relationship this way, may distansya at libreng pagkain, kahit ilang araw pa. But she didn't actually expect him to say yes. Akala niya ay magrireklamo ito, pero iniabot nito sa kanya ang pagkain.
"Take it," sabi nito nang hindi siya kumibo.
"Are you sure?" lito niyang tanong. She knows how to react when he's being mean or when he's toying with her. Nabablangko ang utak niya kapag mabait ito.
Mickey nodded. Tinamaan nga yata ito ng konsensya kahapon.
"Balik na lang ako bukas," sagot nito sa kanya.
Inilagay nito ang pagkain sa nakaabang niyang mga braso. Tapos ay naglakad na ito paalis. She didn't want to call him back. Okay na e. May pagkain na siya. Ang kaso, mabait siyang tao, mabilis makonsensya at maawa hindi kagaya nito.
"Mickey!" she called before she could even stop herself.
He turned around, hopeful. Gumilid siya at sinenyasan itong pumasok ng bahay. Nakangiti itong naglakad papasok ng bahay. He took the food from her hands on his way in. Medyo nabawasan naman ang pagkamahadero nito. Naupo ito sa couch at nanahimik, naghihintay ng susunod niyang gagawin.
She placed the food on the coffee table and opened the boxes. Pinakuha niya ito ng pizza habang 'yong mojos naman ang nilantakan niya. She loves potatoes, in any shape, size, or form, but those mojos were too salty for her taste. Baka nauumay na ang dila niya dahil ilang araw ding puro instant ang kinakain niya.
She pushed the box of mojos away.
"Ayaw mo?" kunot-noong tanong ni Mickey.
"Maalat."
Kinuha nito ang box at walang sabi-sabing dinala sa kusina. Akala niya ay itatapon nito iyon kaya sumunod siya para pigilan ito. Mickey pulled a sachet of tomato sauce, a baking tray, and a block of cheese.
"May beef ka?"
"Wala," sagot niya na may kasamang iling. "What are you doing?"
"Niririmedyuhan ko. Sabi mo maalat e," sagot nito.
Gusto niyang damahin ang noo at leeg nito. Baka naman kasi nagdi-deliryo ito. Ang bait kasi nito ngayon.
"Since wala kang beef, okay lang ba na ito lang saka cheese?"
Tumango na lang siya. Ang weird ni Mickey kapag sinusubukan nitong maging mabait. Hindi bagay.
She watched him grate the cheese and layer it with the mojos and tomato sauce. Saka nito nilagay ang ginawa sa oven. Bumalik siya sa sala para bantayan ang pizza at fries dahil nakamanman si Elmo sa mga iyon. Binigyan na niya ng isang slice ng pizza ang pusa niya, but knowing Elmo, he'll probably steal some more when they're not looking.
Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto ay bumalik na rin si Mickey doon dala ang isang tray ng baked mojos. The cheese on top was still bubbling. He went back to the kitchen to get some plates and gave her a slice. Ang kunot niya sa noo, parang naging permanente. Hindi na mawala-wala.
"Bakit ganyan kang makatingin?" tanong nito sa kanya.
"Na-abduct ka ba ng aliens?"
Bahagya itong natawa sa tanong niya. "What?"
"May sakit ka ba? Mamamatay ka na ba bukas?"
"Janey..." The playful smile was coming back. Shit! I should stop questioning his niceness!
"Why are you being nice?" tanong ng makulit na parte ng pagkatao niya.
"I'm being nice because I did you wrong," he answered seriously. "But don't get used to it."
Her heart sank. So may expiration date pala ang pagiging mabait nito.
"Can you stay like this for the rest of your life?"
"Do you want me to die early?" he asked back, may kasama pang tawa. "Don't answer that."
Pinigilan niya ang tawang muntik nang lumabas. "But can you stay like this even just for today?"
He shrugged. "Depends. Will you forgive me then?"
"I'll think about it."
Hindi na ito nagpatumpik-tumpik pa. "All right. Truce."
Inilahad nito ang kamay.
"Truce," she said before accepting it, only to jump in surprise when she felt an electric shock. Inis niyang tiningnan ang palad nito. He must be hiding a shock device in his hand. That's what she thought. But she didn't find anything in his hand.
So... ano 'yong naramdaman niya?