"You know, the moment you did not reply to me, I went to your house kagad" Juan says habang naka-focus siya sa pagmamaneho. We're still inside the car, still on our way sa Batchoyan.
".... I was just outside of your house lang talaga the passed hours until I slept"
Sabi ko na nga ba e. "Why did you came pa kasi. Tapos, you should've texted me rin. Ayan, nakatulog ka pa, when dapat you should be resting na at this time"
"I'm so worried e. I couldn't think normally because sa isip ko, I was also overthinking na baka you'd go away from me after I confessed. I don't want to text you also since, you might be sleeping already so I just stayed lang talaga in my car not knowing what to do"
I looked at Juan and I'd just saw a different side of him. Ganito pala siya if pag may nagbo-bother sa kanya or there's something that he's really worried about. He couldn't think straight. He can't sleep. So what he would do ay pinupuntahan niya yung bagay or the person that keeps him bothered or worried but wala naman syang ginagawa whenever he reached to that person na.
He would just stay and let his overthinking get through him. And that's kind of scary.
"Ganito ka ba?" I asked him. "like, you can't sleep if there's something that keeps you worried or bothered?"
"Yeah. Especially if it's something or a person that I truly care and love" Sagot niya naman as he gives me a small smile.
So Juan loves me? Charot. Assuming ko naman. Maybe, he cares for me. And pansin ko naman yun. Whenever we're together nga, he never fails to make me feel so special. And na a-appreciate ko yon nang sobra sa kanya. Juan is just so an ideal. Lahat ng gusto ko sa isang lalake nasa kanya na. And alam kong, lagi ko na tong sinasabi pero I'm so lucky that I have someone like him. And I will never get tired saying it.
"Kaya, as soon as possible, fini-fix ko talaga ang problem before something will happen pa that would make me regret for not fixing it agad" Narinig ko namang salita niya.
I just listened to him quietly and let his words sink in to my mind. I never knew na Juan has something else in him pa pala. His words are so on point that makes me fall for him even more. Like tangina, parang hindi na ata healthy 'to. My feelings for him is overflowing and I can't even stop myself for it. Hahayaan ko na lang ang sarili ko na mahulog sa kanya and hoping Juan would catch me, hindi lang ngayon but the following days, weeks, months and years pa. Sana.
Juan and I finally arrives at the 24/7 Batchoyan. He parked the car in front of the Batchoyan where there is a parking area. We both got out tapos we walked na towards the resto.
Pinagbuksan naman ako ng pinto ni Juan as he let me walked in first and sumunod naman siya sa likod ko before he walked beside me and at inakbayan ako.
There were a couple of people inside and hindi ko alam may nagba-batchoy din pala sa ganitong oras.
"Are you also going to eat?" Tanong ko sa kanya as we head to the counter para umorder na.
"Yeah. I'm not going to buy ice cream na lang. The smell of Batchoy is tempting. It's making me hungry" Tugon niya na napatawa ako.
"Hello po Ma'am and Sir, ano po sa inyo?" The lady asked us who was dressed in their working uniform.
"So, what do you want to eat?" Juan asks while we were looking up sa nakapaskin na menu sa itaas. There are a lot of types Batchoy to choose from and hindi ko alam kung ano yung pipiliin ko. They all look so delicious.
"Ikaw, ano ba sa'yo?" I asked him back trying to get an idea from him kung ano rin yung o-orderin ko.
"If I tell you ba, will you give it to me?" Tanong niya sakin as he looks down a little at me at ngumisi ito. Matangkad pa rin siya noh? Even I'm at 5'7 na, I still looked small when I'm with him.
"Ano ba sa'yo?" Tanong ko rin sa kanya looking so confused. "And how am I going to give it to you if wala nga akong dala diba?"
"It doesn't require money naman. I only want you" He grinned and I gave him a straight face. Ano-ano na lang pinagsasabi nito. Lately, napansin ko ang kaharot-harot niya sakin! Pakilig din!
Napangiti yung babae sa'min while watching at us kaya medyo nahiya naman ako. Ang harot talaga!
"Ang c-cute niyo po. Bagay na bagay po kayo Ma'am, Sir. Gaganda at gu-gwapo niyo po" The lady complimented while smiling at us.
"Thank you" Juan replies naman as he smiled back at nahihiyang ngumiti lamang ako. Napaka-feelingero talaga ng taong 'to! Ginaganahan naman!
"So, what do you want to eat nga?" I asked him again. "... ay- I'll get the Super Special Batchoy na lang" sabi ko sa kanya para makakain na ako kagad.
"Okay. Dalawa na Super Special Batchoy and what do you like to drink?" Tanong niya.
"I'll just have water" Sagot ko.
"And 2 mineral waters"
Juan paid the lady kasi Pay As You Order yung policy dito and after he paid, nagtungo na kami sa isang bakanteng table.
"Anong oras na ba?" I asked him nang makaupo na kami, facing adjacently to each other.
"It's 1:13 am" Sagot niya naman.
"Okay sige. Uwi na rin tayo kagad ah after we eat" Sabi ko sa kanya and he nodded. "Okay"
"Alam ba nila Tito at Tita na you went out?"
"Yeah, I asked permission naman na I'll be back home before 2. I told them na I'll be hanging at my friend's house"
Buti pa sya. "Okay and please don't do something like this again ah. Baka ano pa ang mangyari sa'yo. Tsaka text me or call me naman if you're coming. I don't care if I'm asleep or not, just text me. You're also worrying me kasi e"
"Yeah, I'm sorry" He pouted, at tinignan niya naman ako. Hay nako. Ayan na naman yung mga titig niya. Ano na naman kaya sasabihin nito.
Dumating na rin yung order namin kagad and it amazed me, kasi sobrang bilis. Mga five minutes or less than pa ata, our order has arrived na. We started to put some seasoning na, scrambling the egg and mixing it. Then after that, we dig in, savoring the soup and wow, ang sarap talaga ng Batchoy. It tastes so heavenly talaga. Ang sarap super.
"Eva" Juan called me and when I looked at him, nagv-video na naman siya. He's going to post it na naman either sa Instagram Story or sa Snapchat.
I gave him a quick smile tapos kumain na naman uli ako.
"By the way, oo nga pala, I got invited sa Maybelline's Red Carpet this 12th" Kwento ko kay Juan nang maalala ko na malapit na pala yung Red Carpet. That would be next week, our last day sa finals namin.
"That's great. What're you gonna do there?" Tanong niya as he starts eating na rin his Batchoy.
"I don't know yet. Siguro we're just gonna see kung ano yung ila-launch nila" Sabi ko sa kanya. "tsaka, free ka ba on that day? we're told to bring a date there kasi and I thought of you"
"Sure! I'll be your date! Kahit may meeting man ako or wala, I'll free my day for you" Aniya without having second thoughts.
"Wag ka ngang ganyan. Alam ko naman busy ka kasi sabi mo andami ng se-set ng schedule sa inyo ni Javi even before finals. So it's fine"
Juan told me before finals has started pa, na a lot of endorsements has been scheduled to him, meetings and guestings as well. Sabi niya, magiging busy siya the following days para hindi muna kami magkita. Okay lang naman sakin. I'm so happy and proud naman of him, of what he has become and I always tell him na I'm always going to be there for him. Support him too, kung ano man yung dadating na opportunities sa kanya.
"No, I'm free nga kasi. I can just rescheduled it naman. And what time ba is the event going to start?" he asks.
"6:30 p.m"
"Oh see. I'm free since I don't have meetings naman at night. Usually all my meetings are held at day"
I got relief and so happy inside when I finally have a date na on the Red Carpet in less than 2 weeks. Kinakabahan din ako kasi this is the first time someone, a guy accompanied me sa isang event. I'm also excited too.
"Okay....sige. Sa 12th ah, yung dress code is formal" I said and he nodded smiling. "Okay"
After we both eat, umalis na rin kami ni Juan sa resto and umuwi na pagkatapos. Lakas, makalabas sa ganitong oras. Akala mo naman walang pasok mamaya. Tapos next next week na yung Finals namin. Hahaha. #Ba'tAkoMatatakot
"Juan, what's your dream? Like yung ultimate dream mo talaga" I asked Juan out of nowhere habang pauwi na kami.
Juan glanced at me na parang nagulat naman siya but then answered anyways. "Well, my dream talaga is to become a pro baller. Like, it's not only my dream but me and my brothers as well talaga. And kami, we really want to play overseas" he answers as he makes turn of the car.
"...wether it's in Spain..... or you know... Europe. Like, sana, if ever, hopefully.. We really want to play"
"We're currently asking and getting information na nga e how we're going to play overseas" Sabi niya naman.
"After college pa naman siguro noh? Like, you won't gonna stop naman playing in UAAP" I trailed off, kasi parang ayoko naman nun. Ang aga pa.
"Of course. I'll graduate muna before that" sabi niya and I nodded my head.
Hay salamat naman. Di pa rin kasi ako ready na umalis siya. It's too early. Pero if he really needs to leave naman din, hindi ko naman siya pipigilan. I'll just be sad pero at the same time happy din because he's going after for his dream talaga.
"Ba't natanong mo?" He asks and I shook my head while also shrugging my shoulders. "Wala lang. Just curious"
"Ikaw ba, what's your dream?" He then asks.
"Um.. simple lang naman... I just want to graduate, find a job so I could payback my parents tapos I also want to help street children especially yung wala ng mga magulang. Like gusto ko magkaro'n ng isang parang adaption center, where they could stay and be treated well. Yung nakakakain sila nang maayos, nakakatulog, nakakapag-aaral. Yung mga ganun" Sabi ko sa kanya since ever since talaga, yun na yung pangarap ko.
Like look at those street children, it just tears me up looking at them. Like mapapaisip ka nalang na, hindi nila deserve ang ganoong buhay. Dapat sa kanila inaalagan at pinapaaral. They shouldn't just let them stay being street children. There's more to life people. I want them to show them na there's really more to life.
"Wow, that's amazing" Juan brightly smiled at napangiti ako. I also smiled at the thought of it. Indeed it's amazing nga.