Good To Me

I sipped from my favorite mocha latte. My glass clinked when I placed down my cup on the glass table. I leaned closer on the table ang placed my hands on the keyboard of my laptop saka nag tipa roon. "How about this font for the subtitle?" Dahan dahan kong iniharap sa mga kasama ko ang laptop. Tumango si Vivian bilang approval. "Hmm. Mas okay. Catchy sya sa paningin but it didn't overpower the title. Let's use that." Ihinarap ko ang laptop ko muli sa akin saka isinave iyon. I also made a few adjustments sa layout ng travel magazine na project namin for one subject. We've been working for this project for about month now and next week will be the deadline for the project. Buti na lang at cooperative ang mga ka grupo ko so I didn't have a hard time with them. "Na e-mail nyo na ba sa akin yung pictures na kinuha natin na kinuha sa ZONE17?" tanong ni Niki. "Yvette?" "Wait, I'll check first," I said and then opened my email to check if I really sent her the picture. I think I did but I'm not too sure. I'll check my sent mails para sure. I raised my head on her nang ma kumpirma ko. "I already sent you the pictures nung Tuesday, Nik." "Really? I'll check my spam baka roon pumasok." She went silent for a couple of seconds before raising he head to me. "Right. Nandito na Yve. Okay na, thanks." "Sure." Tumango sya saka bumalik sa ginagawa. That reminded me how I was amazed with that place. The ambiance already got me pag pasok ko pa lang. They serve good mixes of alcohol. The owner's handsome though. Too bad he's already taken. I shook my head to go back to adjusting the details of the magazine. Whenever there's detail that I'm not quite satisfied with, I ask them but generally they just let me do my own thing. We have such a nice division of work. I glanced my groupmates and saw how focused they are on their work na parang pag may kumausap sa kanila'y magwawala sila. I don't think if it's a blessing or a curse to be grouped with these studious people. I'm not a bad student though I'm not excellent. Mediocre lang. and It's really fascinating that I blend in with them so well. Pakiramdam ko'y ang talion ka na ngayong nasama ako sa kanila. The heavy silence was broken because of a phone that was loudly ringing. Sabay sabay kaming napa angat ng tingin sa isa't isa, mentally asking kung kaninong phone iyon. Sabay sabay rin kaming napa kapa sa mga phone namin because it is a default ringtone. I feel a buzz on my pocket kaya dinukot ko agad ang phone ko't nakita na akin nga yung phone na tumuunog. I stood up to answer the call. "Sorry guys," I gave them a peace sign sand then walked to the comfort room para sagutin ang tawag. I opened the comfort room's door saka sumandal sa sink to support my weight. I pressed the answer button and then placed the phone on my ear. "Yes?" bungad ko kay Kuya Gio na tumatawag. "Have you talked to Mom? I can't contact her," aniya. "Today? Not yet. I really don't call them, 'no. Why?" "I was trying to call Mom and she's not answering. My leave got approved and I can join them on the trip," he said. I can hear noises in his background. Maybe he's at the office. "Really? That's good Kuya! Dad will be thrilled to know! He totally wants you join them because I really can't because I'm swamped with school works." I'm so jam packed with school works that even on weekend like this that I should be resting, I'm making all the work because deadline's coming and I’ve never done anything for the past weeks so ngayon, I'm cramming my activities and projects. I think I will be needing a hot bath in a hotel's room while sipping my favorite Dom Pérignon para mawala ang stress na nakuha ko. Kuya breathed heavily. Naramdaman ko ang pagod at ang stress nya sa pag hingang iyon. "Same here. A client suddenly showed up and wants the work to be done immediately." Tumaas ang kilay ko. "And yet you're going to a cruise ship for a week?" "I'm just lucky that my leave got approved before the client came in. I just have to sit in the initial meeting for the remaining days and get back to them when I'm back to work," aniya. Buti na lang. Kung pati ang vacation leave ni Kuya'y hindi na approve, our parents will hold a grudge againts us. Hindi puwedeng mag pass sa next trip kahit na akyatin pa ng Mt. Everest ang ma trip- an nila. Of course, that's impossible. Their joints couldn't handle that. "Okay. I'll mention that to them later but still give Mom a call," ani ko saka ibinaba ang tawag. Bumalik na akosa lamesa namin after that call. They're all still focused on the work at hindi man lang sila nag angat ng tingin sa pag balik ko, so ginawa ko na rin ang gagawin ko. I'm not even halfway done. It's really irritating when I'm very OC about the little details but at the same time, I'm too lazy to correct them. But at the end, I'll still correct them because it will be a nightmare for me when I ignore those. "I'm done!" deklara ni Cassey na kanina pa rin naka ngudngod sa laptop nya. She stretched her whole body and then closed her laptop. I wish I'm near being done too but I'm not. I still have a lot to do. I have to focus on work. I really shouldn't be thinking of eating sinigang right now but I am. Habang patagal ng patagal, isa isa na silang na nag si- alisan. We were six kasama sina Elon at Clyde pero ako, si Niki at si Viv na lang ang natira. I sipped on my coffee pero lumamig na iyon. Masarap pa rin naman. Inubos ko na iyon so I could order again. "Mauna na ako guys. Nik, Yve," paalam ni Vivi. We bid our goodbye to her. The cafe's doorbell chimed nang maka labas sya. "Are you almost done?" tanong ni Niki ng hindi naka tingin sa akin. "I wish I am but I'm far from that. Ikaw?" She nodded. "Yeah. Almost." Oh gosh I want to cry. At this rate, I will have to extend my stay here. My bottom is becoming numb because I've been sitting here for hours now. Mga ilang minuto pa kaming hindi nag usap hanggang sa nakita kong isinarado na nya ang laptop nya. Oh no... "Do you want me to stay with you or..." Niki tilted her head para kunin ang sagot ko. "Hindi na. You said you have dinner with your fam?" Niki pursued her lips saka tumango. "You should go na para you can rest pa." "5 minutes. I'll stay with you muna. Nasa labas na yung sundo ko pero pahupain ko lang yung pangangalay ng likod ko before I go," aniya. I nodded and lets her do what she wants. "Ikaw bahala." Muli akong tumayo para um- order ng strawberry frappe para inumin ko habang tinatapos ko yung gawain ko. "Baka gabihin ka pala ng uwi. Will Travis fetch you?" tanong nya. Naiwan sa ere ang daliri ko sa keyboard sa biglang pagtatanong nya' t parang na blangko ang isip ko. "Huh?" ang tanging nasabi ko. "Oh, there's your boyfriend na. I should go," aniya. My whole body tensed nang banggitin iyon ni Niki. Ramdam ko ang malamig na pamamawis ng buong katawan ko. I slowly moved my head to the direction Niki is facing. On the glass door of the café that we are in, I can clearly see a familiar built of a man standing outside. He's on the pedestrian walk on the other side, standing beside the lamp post. He's wearing a black hoodie na naka talukbong sa ulo nya ka patong ng itim rin na sumbrero. Ibinawi ko ang tingin ko nang mag tama ang mata naming dalawa ni Travis. Tatayo na sana si Niki but I held her arms to stop her from moving. "Niki..." I barely said. I desperately gasped for air. "Why? Hala! Your hands are cold. Nanginginig ka rin," nag aalalang sabi nya. Hindi natuloy ang pag alis nya. Naka kunot noo ni Niki and she looks so confused with whatever's happenning to me. "Travis and I are done," I informed her. Her face crumpled and squinted her eyes on me. She just stared at me hanggang sa unti- unting manlaki ang mga mata nya. "Break na kayo ni Travis? Kailan pa?" she said almost shouting. "Two weeks ago." Lalong nanlaki ang mata nya. I don't know why she didn't know about me and Travis breaking up after 7 months of dating because it was a really bad break up because he went around telling people we're close to that I cheated that's why he broke up with me when in fact, the reason why I broke up with him is that he's being too obsessed with doing 'it' with me when I'm not down for that yet. "Two weeks ago? Yve, he's stalking you!" Niki suddenly has a defensive stance. Tulad ko ay na alerto na rin sya. I'm too anxious to do anything now. I really can't think straight. I don't know what I should do now that my ex-boyfriend is outside the cafe, staring right at me. Tumayo si Niki para manghingi ng glass of water. "Salamat," ani ko nang inilapag nya ang baso sa lamesa namin. I sipped to hydrate my lips and throat na kanina pa nanunuyo. I've never been anxious like this before. I clasped both of my hands to stop myself from shaking. Pasimple akong sumulyap sa bintana't naroon pa rin si Travis. He looks like he's really waiting for me to come out from here. "Stop working muna. Let's wait keep on waiting here ngayong hindi pa umaalis yung ex mo," aniya. I am really thankful that she's here but I'm too embarassed that I'm dragging her in this mess. "Niki, you can go. I can handle this," halos bulong na sabi ko sa kanya. "I'm not that dumb to leave you here now that your ex is being completely lunatic as we speak." The door chimed. I nervously turned my head to see who entered and I almost ran outside nang makita kong si Travis nga iyon. He went on a table that's only like 3 meters away from us and sat ng naka talikod. My whole being shookt and trembled. My eyes went blurry as soon as I reached for my phone in my pocket. I dialled my brother's phone number and waited for him to pick it up. It just kept on ringing. This number cannot be reached please try again later. Namamawis ang noo kong ini-re dial ang number ni Kuya Gio while silently praying na sana'y sagutin nya kaagad. Please Kuya, answer the phone. i anxiously bit my lips as I wait for my brother's response. Impit rin ang pag hikbi ko so I wouldn't cause disturbance to other people in the cafe. si Niki's mukha na ring disturbed at kabado. She kept on darting her eyes on my ex's direction ng pasimple. Para lang syang naghihintay maka This number cannot be reached please try again later. I really cannot see anything when I started to scroll on my contacts. I saw letter D so I pressed call. I'm gonna call our driver Kuya Domingo para magpasundo. I don't think I can last here any longer and Niki has to go too. Ilang ring lang ay sinagot na agad ni Kuya ang phone. "Kuya, paki sundo po ako please," I said while trying na hindi kumawala ang hikbi ko. "Please paki dalian po." "Yve? Bakit anong nangyayari?" sagot ni Kuya. Halata sa boses nya ang pagka gulat at paktataka. I don't know if my mind's tricking me but Kuya Domingo's usually cheerful voice became rough and rasp. "Paki sundo na lang po ako Kuya, kailangan ko ng umuwi." Pinunasan ko ang luha ko gamit ang tissue ng cafe. "Where are you? I'll fetch you?" ani Kuya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nag e- english si Kuya Domingo because I've never heard him speaking like that but I'm too emotional right now to think of that. "I'm at Noir Cafe sa may Congressional po." Sandaling natahimik si Kuya. "Alright. Luckily, I'm nearby. I'll go to you." Hindi na ako nakapag salita pa dahil he already ended the call. "I'll stay with you hanggang pagkarating ng sundo mo," ani Niki. It's almost ten minutes after Kuya domingo ended the call. 10 minutes feels like an eternity. I am silently tapping the table while we wait for Kuya. Buti na lang at hindi pa rin gumagalaw si Travis sa pwesto nya. My phone on the table rang. I didn't bother to look who's calling because my not- so good- intution is telling me that it's Kuya. "Come outside. I'm here." Iyon lang ang sinabi nya saka muling ibinaba ang tawag. Niki looked at me and titled her head towards the door like she's asking me if nasa labas na ba si Kuya. I nodded to her as a response. Nagmamadali at tahimik naming inangat ang mga gamit namin na naka ligpit na saka dumiretso palabas. I glanced for the last time at Travis saka nakitang naka tingin na rin sya sa amin. Niki held my wrist to give me support and para dalian ang paglalakad namin. Pag labas namin ni Niki, I am shocked to see who's waiting for me. Imbis na ang Sedan at si Kuya Domingo ang nasa labas, it is Kuya Dominic while leaning on his Bentley Flying Spur. Why is Kuya Dominic here?