"Hindi ka man lang nag-invite sa birthday mo..." someone said Lee Ann turned her head in surprise.
"Nicko!" she said laughing. "Akala ko kung sino. Nakakagulat ka naman."
She was sitting on one of the benches just outside the Science Education Complex to read a book while waiting for her driver. Nickolai had called her earlier to tell her that there was an emergency meeting that he needed to attend and he couldn't fetch her himself.
"I waited for your invitation for the whole week. I didn't want to sound overeager by asking one from you. Pero, grabe lumampas na lang 'yung birthday mo at napanuod na lang namin sa T.V. 'yung balita tungkol doon ay hindi ka man lang nag-imbita. Tinanong nga ako nina Nanay at Tatay kung bakit hindi mo ako inimbita, eh. Akala nila nag-away tayo."
"Grabe naman 'yung nag-away talaga tayo. Besides, mag-i-enjoy ka ba kung ikaw lang ang kaedad kong nand'un?" Lee Ann asked her friend. "Nakita mo naman siguro sa news na puro mga empleyado namin ang bisita ko. And the only reason why my party was even newsworthy was because they found it unique that I was celebrating it with our employees and staff instead of throwing a party at a club for people my age."
"Oo na, magaling ka nang rumason."
"I am not even making an alibi, 'yun naman talaga ang totoo."
But your boyfriend was there...Nicko had wanted to say but opted to keep quiet. He knew that Lee Ann considered the Sandovals as family.
"Why such a celebration anyway," he asked for lack of better things to say.
"Just to honor the people who raised me and who remained loyal to us even after Daddy died..." Lee Ann briefly explained her tone taking on a somber on.
"Sorry..." the young man mumbled.
Lee Ann laughed. "Ano ba, masyado kang seryoso."
"Sinong masyadong seryoso?" Nicko commented before he grinned. "Pero, totoong nagtampo ako sa'yo. I would have attended the party had you invited me."
"Ilibre na lang kita kahit saan mo gusto."
"Kahit sa ibang bansa?"
"Sino ka? Hindi kita kilala. Bakit mo ako kinakausap?" Lee Ann kidded and Nicko laughed. "Grabe ka naman. Talagang sa ibang bansa pa ang gusto mo. Dito lang sa Republic of Katipunan."
"Ang yaman mo, eh, tapos ang kuripot mo."
"Kuripot pa ako sa lagay na ito, ililibre na nga kita eh."
"Sige, kape na lang mamaya o kaya ay pizza. Mababaw lang naman kaligayahan ko. May sundo ka ba?"
"Oo."
"'Yung boyfriend mo na naman?" He couldn't keep the bitterness of his voice and he prayed that Lee Ann was not able to detect it.
But, he was wrong for the young woman immediately frowned. "Malamang. Sino pa bang ibang susundo s akin kundi 'yung boyfriend ko lang o kaya ay 'yung driver ko?"
"Tanong lang naman, sumimangot kaagad..."" he nonchalantly said. "Over na ako sa'yo, ano. H'wag ka kayang assuming," he added.
"Ang guwapo mo naman kung talagang mag-a-assume ako. 'Tsaka kahit ano pang sabihin ay 'di hamak mas guwapo naman 'yung boyfriend ko sa'yo, ano."
"Aray naman."
"Natural boyfriend ko 'yun kaya wala nang ibang guwapo sa akin kundi s'ya."
"Gan'un pala kapag nasa relasyon, ano? Nagiging bulag."
"Nicholas de Jesus, excuse me lang talaga. Mas guwapo naman talaga si Nick sa'yo, ano. Mas matangkad, man manly ang features, mas charismatic..."
"Ginayuma ka n'un."
"Ako gumayuma d'un," Lee Ann laughingly said. "But, my friend, do not ask someone's girl kung sino ang mas guwapo sa inyong dalawa ng boyfriend n'ya kasi masasaktan ka lang. When a woman chooses a man, she'll choose him in everything."
"Sana all..." Nicko murmured. "Hanggang sana all na lang talaga ako nito, eh."
Lee Ann burst out laughing. "May nililigawan ka ba? Tutulungan kita para mapasagot mo s'ya. I have countless ideas kung paano s'ya pakikiligin, I'll let you in on some para naman magkaroon ka na ng girlfriend at hindi na sana all 'yang bukambibig mo."
"Wala pa. Mag-aaral na muna akong mabuti at kapag naging doktor na ako ay 'tsaka ako manliligaw."
"Okay 'yang plano mo, bata. Unahin mo 'yang pag-aaral mo para may pambuhay ka sa taong mamahalin mo."
"Ang lakas makapagsabi na unahin ko 'yung pag-aaral ko pero s'ya ang aga-agang nag-boyfriend."
"Kaya na akong buhayin ni Nick," Lee said smiling before she pushed her hair off her fair, an action that brought Nicko's attention to the ring that she was wearing.
"Is that...an engagement ring on your finger?" he hesitantly asked.
His friend nodded smiling brightly. "Yes, it is. He proposed and I said yes," Lee Ann replied showing him the ring Nick gave her.
"Wow...he's really loaded. Ang laki ng bato."
"Well, even if he isn't, and even if the diamond is not even a carat, I would still proudly wear it."
"Congratulations..." He forced himself to smile. "It must be a along engagement kasi hindi ka pa pwedeng mag-asawa."
At marami pa ang pwedeng mangyari...he thought to himself.
"We are already planning the wedding which will be next year," Lee Ann said. "At h'wag kang mag-alala dahil this time imbitadong-imbitado ka," she added grinning.
Nicko sighed.
"O, bakit may pagbuntong-hininga? Akala ko ba okay ka na?"
"Hindi naman ikaw ang dahilan ng buntong-hiningang 'yun, ano. H'wag ka kayang feeling d'yan."
"de Jesus, I am already engaged to the man of my dreams and I don't care for anything else right now but being married to him. Kaya patatawarin ko 'yang pang-aalaska mo sa akin."
He laughed weakly. "Bilib din naman ako kasi you stayed firm in your belief that he's the one for you...paano kung hindi pala...?
"Grabe ka naman, don't jinx it, ano. Nick and I are meant to be."
"But, how are you so sure? Parang hindi lang kayo match sa tingin ko – you're a college student while he's a lawyer, you're a teenager while he's an adult male—"
"Hold it right there. I know where this conversation is going at sasabihin ko na sa'yo ngayon na ayaw kitang awayin dahil kaibigan kita. I also understand how you don't really approve of Nick because of our age gap at sasabihin ko rin sa'yo ngayon that your approval isn't needed."
He lowered his head in defeat and shame.
"Nicko..."
"I think you're too good for him, Lee."
"Because I'm you friend..." Lee Ann's voice was gentle. "Kaya iniisip mo na hindi kami bagay and he doesn't deserve me. But, you're wrong, Nicko..."
H lifted his face to look at her.
"I prayed for him..." She smiled. "Every birthday, I wished for him..."
He shoved his jealousy down.
"I waited for him for years, my heart breaking every time I'd hear that there he was in a relationship with another. I knew that he was meant for me even when he didn't. I knew that I'd end up as his wife even when our age gap made him think that the idea was preposterous and nothing but I joke. But, I knew in my heart, Nicko, that he would be mine because I don't want anyone else but him."
Nicholas laughed softly. "Napakasuwerte n'ya..."
"Ay, aba, oo. At alam n'ya 'yun. Kung sakaling makalimutan n'ya ay ipapaalala ko sa kanya," she said laughing. "Kaya ikaw, piliin mo ang babaeng siguradong-sigurado na ikaw lang ang para sa kanya. That kind of woman would never let go of your hand no matter how rough things get..."
"Naks...may pabigay-bigay ka na ng love advice ngayon, ah..."
"Siyempre. Mas matanda ka nga sa akin pero pagdating sa relationships ay mas may experience ako sa'yo," Lee Ann candidly told him.
"O, baka makalimutan mo na ililibre mo pa ako..." Nicko kidded. "Dinadaan mo lang yata ako sa kuwentuhan, eh."
"Ang sama mo," Lee Ann pretended to feel affronted before she smiled. "Wait lang, let me call my driver first para maihatid n'ya tayo kung saan tayo kakain—"
"Dala ko ang kotse ni Tatay. Kahit hindi na tayo magpapahatid sa driver mo."
"Natutuwa talaga ako that you call your parents Nanay and Tatay. Parang ang sweet. Anyway, tawagan ko pa rin si Manong dahil ayokong mag-alala s'ya. Wait lang," Lee Ann said before she dialed a number on her phone. "Hello po, Manong..."
Nicko watched as Lee Ann stood finally letting his sadness show when she wasn't looking. He had prayed that he'd get over her soon and he had pretended that he already did, But his reality was different – the question of why he couldn't be the man for her haunted him to the point of sleeplessness.
"Nicko...?"
Nicholas blinked. "Yes?"
Lee Ann laughed. "Anong bakit? Kanina pa kita kinakausap pero nakatulala ka d'yan. Are you okay?"
He smiled. "Oo, okay lang. May iniisip lang."
"Hm...what's her name..." Lee teasingly asked sitting beside him.
"Ha?"
"Alam ko kaya na 'yung mga natutulalang gan'yan ay may taong iniisip. Tell me, is she from our bloc? O, taga-ibang course s'ya? Dali na."
He looked confused and she laughed. "Oh, well, hindi mo kailangang sabihin, pero, kapag hindi mo na kaya ang kilig, pwede kang magkuwento sa akin, okay?"
"Okay, sabi mo, eh," he quietly said. "O, saan mo ako pakakainin?"
"Saan mo nga gusto?" she asked as they both pushed to their feet.
"Ikaw na ang bahala," he said before he took her hand in his.
Lee Ann pulled her hand off his grasp. "Hoy, h'wag ka ngang hawak nang hawak sa kamay ko."
"Walang malisya 'yun."
"Kahit na. I am a woman who's about to get married. You can't just hold my hand."
"Sorry..." Nicko mumbled.
Lee Ann smiled. "Okay lang. Halika na nga. Where are you parked?"
"D'yan lang sa Gonzaga," he said before he sighed. "Lee..."
"Yes?" She looked inquiringly at him.
"Does he make you happy?"
"Yes, he does..." she said her face softening. "He makes my heart flutter and he makes it overflow with joy...and that just sounded cheesy." She self-consciously laughed.
He laughed along.
"he is a great man, Nicko. Alam kong bilang kaibigan ko ay nag-aalala ka, pero mabuting tao si Nick. Pinagkakatiwalaan ko s'ya at ipagkakatiwala ko ang buhay ko sa kanya."
"Eh, 'di, mabuti. Pero, kung sakaling malungkot ka at s'ya ang dahilan, h'wag kalilimutan na nandito ako, ha?"
"Oo naman. I know you're a true friend."
They drove to a pizza parlor and Lee Ann animatedly told him stories about her birthday celebration, quoting hilarious quips from her sisters. Nicko loves hearing her talk, except when the subject is Nickolai. He hated how she couldn't seem to stop gushing about him.
"And of course, Nick planned the whole surprise. The giant LED screen was his idea, too—"
"Lee, let's go," Nicko told his friend as he pushed to his feet. "Nakalimutan ko na may inutos nga pala sa akin si Nanay."
Lee Ann stood, too. "Oh, gosh, bakit hindi mo sinabi kaagad? Napasarap tuloy tayo ng kuwentuhan. It's almost six in the evening, maaabutan ka na ng traffic n'yan."
"Okay lang," he told her smiling. "Call your driver so he can fetch you. Hintayin ko muna s'yang dumating bago ako aalis."
"Okay, wait lang..." Lee Ann said before dialing her driver's number. "Hello, Manong, sunduin n'yo po ako sa Yellow Cab...yes po, 'yung sa dati. Maghihintay po ako ibaba. Thank you po..."
"Is he on his way?"
"Yes, he'll be here in five minutes. H'wag mo na kaya s'yang hintayin at umalis ka na. Okay lang ako rito."
"Hindi pwede. Ayokong mag-isa ka. Papunta na naman na s'ya, 'di ba?"
"Oo..."
Minutes later, Lee Ann's driver arrived and she waved goodbye to the young man. "I'll see you tomorrow, Nicko. Ingat sa pag-da-drive."
"Kayo rin, ingat," Nicko replied watching Lee get inside the car. He watched until her car disappeared from sight and only then did he walk to his vehicle.
"Hi," a woman greeted him and he looked questioningly at her.
"Yes po?" he asked trying to remember where he had seen her.
"Ikaw naman kung maka-po ka? Halos magkaedad lang tayo, ano," the woman said and Nicko nearly told her that she couldn't possibly be his age but opted to be polite.
"Is there anything that I can help you with, Miss?" he asked.
She smiled. "I know that girl you were with earlier. May gusto ka ba sa kanya?"
"Ha?" he asked puzzled.
"Well, halata namang meron...anyway, I believe I can help you..."