Meet me over the Horizon

06

EDWARD

As I was on my way to the Mall. This bunch of "isip bata" friends of mine keep on calling me.

SPECS

Erwin, Andrew, Gela, and Zia joined the call...

Edward joined the call

"Asan ka na ba Ed Caluag?"

"On the way na nga naneto"

"Ed caluag amp HAHAHAHAHAHA"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

Minura ko pa sila bago ko ibaba ung tawag puro tawa na lang naman naririnig ko nage-echo pa halatang magkakasama na ang mga tanga.

When I arrived, I saw a familiar vehicle, but I couldn't remember to whom it belonged. I saw a sign 'VIP PARKING ONLY' . I followed the other cars, and the guard tried to stop me. I gave them my card, and they've released me immediately. I followed the vehicle I saw earlier and parked in front of it.

I couldn't move when I saw the person inside the car get out. It's her.

A bunch of staff went in her direction as they saw her. She opened the trunk of her car and gave the keys to the valet, and left. I also got out, and the staff bowed to me, same to Zena. She went straight on the food court and got to the COMIX's. I stopped for a minute and realised what I was doing.

'Para kang tanga E, really following her?'

I just shook my head at my own thoughts. I checked my phone to see where my friends are.

'Arcade'

When I opened the group chat, all I could see were their pictures at the arcade.

'Tangina mga walanghiya talaga'

Si Erwin nakapatong na sa lamesa ng hockey for kids table. Si Andrew naman nasa loob na nung staff counter, Gela at Zia na taga vid ng kalokohan nung dalawa.

Andrew calling...

"Woi asan na u?"

"Loob na ng mall papunta na ko dyan sa inyo"

"Lalabas na kami pre,punta tayo COMIX nagugutom na kami"

"Tara na"

I dropped the call when I saw my friends, binati ko ung 2 girls at inakbayan naman ako nung 2 ugok.

We're now in the front if the store, nauna naman ung 2 girls sa paghahanap ng table, kami namang tatlo ang namili ng kakainin, nang makapili na ko ay chineck ko si Zena. Narinig ko naman itong kausap ang cashier.

"Can I do a bulk order?" halatang may kaya in the way of speaking

"Yes, Ma'am, what would you like to order?" the cashier ask, and she immediately answered. She stops for a minute.

'Walk Jade, WALK! She noticed'

I just walked past her and sat on the chair facing the back, so she won't be pestered by this mfs.

"Ed, di ka oorder?" tanong ni Gela ng mapansin niya kong papaupo

"Kaya na nila Andrew yon" nilingon ko sila Andrew at nagtuturo sa menu di ko naman sinasadya pero napatingin ako sa kanya at sa lalaki sa likod niya.

Maya-maya pa dumating na si Erwin at Andrew.

"KAINAN NA!" sabay-sabay pa silang sumabay

'Jade kaibigan mo yang mga yan, kumalma ka'

"Manahimik nga kayo, nakakahiya ei" saway ko naman at tumahimik naman sila

'palibhasa may nakasalpak sa mga bibig ei'

Natapos na kaming kumain at pumunta naman ako ng cr, saktong paglabas ko narinig ko si Zia at Gela na naguusap

"Di ako komportable don sa lalaki na nasa likod nung magandang babae, kanina niya pa tiniti-tigan ang likod oh" turo ni Zia at don ko na napansin na talagang titig na titig ung matandang lalaki

This old hag is getting on my nerves. I switch places with Erwin to see if the old hag will do something to Zena.

'tangina neto ah'

Tumayo na ako para lumapit kay Zena dahil nakitang kong may hawak na cellphone at may kakaibang balak.

"Punta lang ako don" sabi ko kila Zia

"Go lang! desserts sana Ed" sabay na sagot ni Zia at Gela

Deretso naman ang tingin ko don sa lalaki, kinakausap niya si Zena at halatang hindi ito komportable. Nang tumalikod ito ay na-saksihan ko kung anong kagaguhan ang ginawa nito.

Dahil naka skirt lang si Zena ay madali niyang ginawa ang nais niya, nakasalubong ko si Andrew at Erwin at agad na sinabihan.

"Abangan niyo yung gagong yon" sabi ko na agad naman nilang nakuha

"Sige" nang makita kong nakapwesto na sila ay saka ko nilapitan ung lalaki, what a monkey ngiting ngiti siya sa kagaguhang ginawa niya.

Ngunit, agad namang nawala ang mga ngiting yon ng agawin ko ang cellphone niya

"Hey, give my phone back!"

"Why would I?"

"Ha, it's my phone, you piece of sht"

"And what would you do with the picture that you've taken with this lady?" That got Zena's attention

"Uh, hi, excuse me? What picture are you talking about?" she finally spoke

"Hey there, Z", I turned around and greeted her

"Oh, Hi! I didn't know it was you, I didn't notice you, sorry" she lied.

'What a great pretender, let's go with the flow, Jade. This isn't the right time to have a deep talk'

'WTF?!' Deep talk sinasabi mo Jade?'

I just smiled, and suddenly her face became serious, and she faced the man fiercely. The man got scared and couldn't look at her in the eye, then I noticed his eye glasses ' middle part is blinking with red light.

"WHAT. PICTURE. DID. YOU. TAKE. WITHOUT. MY. PERMISSION?" she spoke while walking towards the man

'whoaaa whoaa whoaaa fearless lady'

"I just uhh- took pictures of your whole body while you were facing me earlier" Well, this one's a great liar

The police arrived, and I gave them the evidence that the old foreign man had taken earlier. I let Zena sit for a while, and I led the authorities outside to talk. I told them everything that I saw, including his glasses that have a camera in them. He was shocked that I knew about that, too. The Police have taken all the evidence and taken him to the Police Station.

I head inside the restaurant to check on Zena, and she was discussing something with the cashier, which is why I don't mind coming to her. She might've been shy after what happened.

I went back to my original seat, and my friends had started to put me in the hot seat.

"Sino yon?" Andrew

"Ba't di namin kilala yon?" Gela

"Saan mo nakilala yan?" Erwin

"Pano kayo nagkakilala?" Zia

"To answer those questions, sa gc" maikling sagot ko

"GC?"

"Yung ginawa ni Marco na gc, kasi kaibigan niya si Antonette na Tourism" still it looks like long but its a short explanation, narinig ko namang bumu-bulong bulong ung 2

"Ahhhh shuta si Zena"

"Siya pala yon, walanya naman kasi online tayo"

Napailing na lang ako at nagtuloy sa kain, kuma-kain kami ng desserts. Bigla namang tumunog ung phone ko at agad ko naman itong tiningnan.

Zena

"Thank you, E!" Then she put on a smiley emoji on the last part

"Oh aalis na pala si Zena ei" rinig kong sabi ni Erwin, nang tumunog ulit ang phone ko

Rayster

"R's Resto, 3rd Floor"

"On the way, I'm on the 2nd Floor"

I bid my goodbye to my friends,at first di sila naniniwala na doon ang punta ko at sinabi na susundan ko lang daw si Zena kaya naman pinakita ko sa kanila ang message ni Rayster.

I am on the escalator and scrolling through my feed when I see Zena's post. It's a picture of her and Rayster?!

'so that's why she ordered a lot of food?'

I finally reached the 3rd floor, I headed directly to R's Resto since the staff knew me, they immediately told me where Rayster is.

When I reached his office, I knocked. I make sure that no one notices that I knew where they were, specifically Zena

Tok tok tok...

"Pasok!" It's Rayster

"Who could that be?" It's Zena

"Maybe a staff", Rayster answered, before they could even continue their conversation, I opened the door

"Oh!" Zena pointed her fingers at me, shocked. I acted like I was shocked, too

"So here was your destination Z? What a coincidence"

"Yeah"

'short answers, an introvert more like an ambivert'

ZENA

The meeting resumed when Edward came; he's one of the partners Rayster was talking about. It didn't take long as the meeting was adjourned. I got up and excused myself for a while. I am on my way to the comfort room. When I got tripped by who knows why, that metal is there.

I am ready to get up and face shaming and criticisms, talking about me who's called 'lampa'. When someone caught me in his/her arms.

"Hey, be careful. The next time you're going to fall. It's going to be on me." I couldn't speak, and the only thing I could hear was my heartbeat.

I quickly got up and thanked him. I was really shy.

"Thank you, E"

"Again"

I didn't wait him to answer. And I left him there. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag ng nakalabas ako ng resto, don ko na lang inantay si Rayster para magpaalam na uuwi.

I hear some footsteps and a loud voice.

'Nakakahiya naman yung bunganga netong si Rayster'

Bago ko pa sila makitang lumabas ay nakita ko na agad ang maasim kong kaibigan. Sinalubong ko naman siya, at narinig ko naman ang tawag ni Rayster. Nakita siguro ako. Lumingon ako and I signaled him to wait.

"Sino yon?" Rayster mouthed me

"JR kuya ko" I said

Sinalubong ako ni JR, ng reklamo.

"Alam mo kung di ko lang kayo kaibigan ng kuya mo, matagal ko na kayong inilubog sa lupa pareho" sabi nito ng nakasimagot

"Baket na naman ba!?" kunyaring curious kung tanong pero alam ko naman na pinapasundo ako ni kuya sa kanya

"He said 'Can you pick up my principessa for me?' nag-puppy eyes pa si gago sa phone, di naman bagay" sabi niya at napahagalpak na lang ako ng tawa

"Thank you R. Sagot ko na ticket date niyo ng bebe mo patungong Hongkong" sabi ko sabay kindat

"Hayyy grabe sarap mong maging kaibigan, siya magpaalam ka na inaantay ka oh" lumingon naman ako dahil ngumuso siya at iniwan ko siya don

I walked past the crowd, and all I can say is I am confident with how I walk, lingunan ba naman ei.

'Ang kayabangan ni Zena'

Sinalubong na din ako ni Edward kasama ang ibang staffs ng Resto.

"Sinu-sundo ka na ng chaperone mo noh?" tanong ni Rayster at natawa naman ako agad, alam na alam na kasi niya.

"Oo, actually kung walang meeting si kuya ay baka kanina pa ko wala" sagot ko na ikinakunot ng noo ni Rayster

"Aba so di mo pala dapat sisiputin ang meeting natin?" may paturo pang ginawa ito na ikinatawa ng staffs niya

"Apaka OA ha, family bonding yon well to be specific sibling bonding" sagot ko at tumango tango naman ito, bago pa ito magdrama ulit ay nagsalita na kong muli

"Well, I better got going na, may date pa kasi tong sundo ko, nabitin" sabi ko na ikina hagalpak ng tawa ni Rayster

"Di maka angal sa kuya mo ei noh?" sabi niya habang natawa, ako naman ay tumango-tango na lang ang isinagot ko

Nakipagbeso-beso pa ako sa kanila, naghesitate pa kong makipag beso kay Edward sa hiya, ngunit lumapit ito at siya na ang nakipag beso.

"Send me the details for the opening, I'll come if my schedule is free!" sigaw ko kay Rayster

"Sure! Take care babe!" pinagtripan ako ng gago, itinaas ko naman ang middle finger ko at narinig kong pinag-tawanan siya

"Apaka sama ng ugali mo Zena!" what a dramatic friend of mine, di na ko lumingon at tinaas na lang ako kamay ko para kumaway

RAYSTER

Uy pers taym HAHAHAHAH. Hi guys! Ako nga pala si Rayster ang pinakamabait na kaibigan ni Zena

Zena: HOY NANANAGINIP KA YATA?!

Shut the f**k up, Zena

Zena: Fine, fine, I'll leave, see you later on my POV! Wag niyo nang basahin POV ni Ter.

Pota naman Zena layas na!

A: HOY KAYONG DALAWA MANAHIMIK NA KAYO! Zena bumalik ka na sa POV mo, hayaan mo na tong si Ter sa moment niyang panget.

Ayan sige magsama kayong dalawa! Ayoko na nga bye na!

ZENA / AUTHOR: Hala?! Joke lang eh. Hoy!

AUTHOR: Okay guys lipat na kayo sa POV ni Zena.

Grabe di man lang talaga hinayaan sa moment kong ito.

(A/N: Nagbabalik author niyo! andami na kasing plot na nabuo pero di natapos so rest assured na tatapusin ko na lahat ng nakapub!)