Sinipag akong gumising ng maaga. I opened my fridge yesterday and it was 50/50. Ilang weeks narin kasi akong di nakapag-grocery. And if ever na may bisita akong pupunta dito wala akong maipapakain. Especially, that Stinella Aragon.
My phone rings. I quickly press the answers.
"Yes, my piggy cousin?" pambungad ko sa kabilang linya.
"You're so harsh, couz. Well anyways, we're going to have dinner later. Dane and I, he wants to meet you"
Hindi ko alam kung papayag ba ako o hindi. I badly want to meet him also. Does he really looks like Caleb in closer? Is he really serious for my cousin? Pero kung pupunta ako baka mapuno lang ako ng insecurities. They're so very sweet to each other ---
"Couz?"
"Ha? Sure"
"Okay, I'll fetch you later. 6pm. Be ready okay? Bye!" Then she hung up her phone.
Nasapo ko ang noo ko. Bat umu-o ako?
Ilang oras rin ang nilagi ko sa mall kanina. Ang haba ng pila sa grocery store.
Pagdating na pagdating ko sa bahay nagbihis agad ako para pumuntang school.
It's already 12:45 and I hope my prof aren't there yet. The professors are nice to me because of my achievement last week. But I don't want to abused it.
"You look so problematic," medyo nagulat pa ako sa pagsulpot ni Andreu sa gilid ko at sinabayan akong maglakad.
"No, I'm not. Pagod lang ako dahil sa pila kanina sa grocery." paliwanag ko.
"Oh too bad for you, Miss President" sabi niya sabay ngiti.
I just shrugged "It would be worst if we're not going to walk faster. We're about to be late"
Tumawa nalang siya sa sinabi ko.
"Krea!" tawag agad sakin ni Jean, one of the student council.
"Bakit?"
"Are you free tomorrow? Let's go out with the whole SC. Para magkaroon rin tayo ng quality time together," she pouted after saying those words.
"I'm going" short statement before winking at her.
"Yay! Ikaw na talaga, Pres!"
Bigla akong natawa dahil sa yakap niya.
Pagkatapos kong magsuot ng hikaw at maglagay ng konting lip balm bumaba na agad ako.
A woman's wearing a black knitted dress appeared on my sight. She's now crossing her arms.
"At last. Grabe ang bilis mo, cous, huh," she sarcastically said. "20 minutes palang naman tayong late"
I responded her with an oblivious faked smile. "Mabuti nalang 20 minutes lang at hindi half an hour"
"Err.. let's just go" she said and dragged me through her car.
I glanced at the car.
"You still driving her?" unang tanong ko nang nakapasok na ako sa frontsit.
She nodded "Of course. I'm not going to trash Ella,"
Of course, pinangalanan niya pa talaga. "This was my first car since I entered Mori High," dugtong niya.
"Yeah right," tanging nasabi ko lang.
A moment of silence embraces us until we stopped in front of unfamiliar restau.
Naunang bumaba si Nella sumunod naman ako.
While looking at her back, bigla akong nag-alinlangan sa suot ko. The restau seems so casual and I am just wearing a halter top match with a white fitted jeans.
"Vikings" basa ko sa pangalan ng restaurant.
"Dane's parents reallg love their food here,"
I just shrugged.
"Stinella," pareho kaming napatingin ni Nella nang may tumawag sa kanya.
Nakita ko ang may ka-edaran nang babae pero maganda parin together with her husband, I think. Parang kamukha niya si Caleb.
Gusto kong tampalin ang noo ko. Ngayon ko lang naalala na magkapatid pala sila ni Dane, malamang papa niya rin yan.
I was just looking how Dane hugged and kissed Stinella's cheeks. Napangiti nalang ako.
"Ah tita, tito, so, this is my cousin, Krea Bliston,"
"Goodevening po," I greeted them.
"Goodevening too, hija," she smiled. I can't say that it was fake coz I can feel that it was genuine.
"Dane, this is Krea" Stinella introduced me.
He lead his hand and I accepted it. "Krea Bliston," naglalaro ang mga ngiti niya habang binabanggit ang pangalan ko.
"Dane," tanging sabi ko lang.
"Sorry po kung na-late kami," despensa ko ng tuluyang makaupo kami.
I was facing them, Dane, Tito and Tita. Stinella's beside me and there was a vacant seat next to me.
"No, no. It's okay. Hindi lang naman kayo ang late eh"
Nangunot bigla ang noo ko. May nararamdaman ako. Please, wag naman sana.
"Sorry late," his baritone voice embraced the surrounding. My heart was beating ko loud.
"We're used to it, Caleb. Now sit, beside Krea,"
Shit.
"Huh?" Naikuyom ko ang mga kamay ko sa kaba. Malamang nagtataka rin siya.
I felt him sat beside me. Dumoble bigla ang tibok ng puso ko.
No, Krea. Bat naman kinakabahan ka?
I let out a deep sigh without letting anyone noticing it before finally glance at him. Ngumiti ako ng pilit sa kanya.
Nagulat siya. Nakita ko iyon pero binawi niya agad.
Sina tita na yung um-order. They tried to asked me kung may gusto raw ba akong kainin, sabi ko kung ano yung sa kanila ganon narin yung sakin.
Biglang hindi ako mapalagay nang magdikit ang magkabilang hita namin ni Caleb. I felt the sudden electricity flowed on my skin. I never thought that his skin was a good conductor.
While eating, tita asked me some random questions.
"So hija, san ka nakatira?" she asked.
"Sa Calamba po, along with my parents,"
"So respectful," Caleb mumbled enough for me to heard it.
"But I'm just being with them only on weekends, sa condominium po kasi ako nags-stay near the townhouse,"
"I've been there," He mumbled again.
Tumango naman si Tita. "So, san ka nag-aaral? What's your surname by the way?"
"Easton University. And Bliston's my surname,"
"Oh, you're schooling there too? Caleb? Do you know her?" baling niya sa mabait niyang anak.
"Yeah, she's the student council president," bored niyang sagot.
"You knew him too, Krea?"
"Po?"
"You knew him too?"
Should I say yes?
I am about to say no when tito got our attention.
"Bliston?" he asked. Tila may iniisip siya. "Oh I remember you! We had met during the gatherings regarding for the event that just happened a week ago," Napalunok ako.
"You didn't remember don't you?," I smiled and nodded.
"And, you were with Caleb that time," nakakalokong ngumiti si Tito.
"Really hon? So, You knew Caleb, Krea?" tanong ulit ni tita.
"Tito baka namamalik mata lang kayo nun. Yes, I knew Caleb since he was the son of the owner of our university, but we're not that close, we even aren't friends,"
Stin pinched me under the table.
I knew what I'm doing. Nag-aalangan lang ako na baka isipin nila na girlfriend ako ni Caleb, and the thought that his parents won't like me was tightening my heart.
Biglang tumayo ang katabi ko.
"Mom, dad, I'll go first,"
"Where are you going, son?" Tito asked.
"Just meeting someone, dad," sabi niya at nagsimula nang maglakad.