Saving Sol [BxB]

Chapter 1 || The Spill

S O L

Kapag tinanong mo sa'kin kung sino'ng best friend ko, I would simply say 'Music'.

I sing, though I don't show it to people. Sa totoo lang, kaya ayoko kumanta sa harap ng tao, 'di sa hindi ako confident sa sarili ko, I have a great voice, inaamin ko. But, the thought of me looking red like a tomato in front of everyone, scares me.

I've been through depression, and Music has always been with me. Books too, music AND books helped me. May pinaniniwalaan akong lahat ng mga tao'y may sari-sariling kanta at kwento sa buhay nila. It's complete nonsense if they'd reply na walang kwento sa buhay nila.

They're just shy or afraid to be judged by other people.

Dumating na'ko sa campus, and arrived at the café right on time. If you're wondering, si ate Amy ang namumuno diyan. She was once an Elite in KUP, until she graduated and worked as a barista.

Nagtataka nga 'ko e, student siya dati, but she had the mind of a business woman. Pero yeah, it's Amy for pete's sake, matalino at matiyagang tao 'yan. No wonder the school allowed her to build her café inside the campus.

I settled my bike sa gilid ng parking lot, huminga ako ng malalim bago kong itanggal ang airpods ko. Dali dali ko namang inilagay ito sa lalagyanan at inilagay sa bulsa ng bag ko. I checked my phone to know what time it is. It was 7:43, opening ng café is 7:50 para makapag-ready kami for 10 minutes for the customers pag nag-8 o'clock na.

I lock my bike in place and quickly went inside, 'di ako nagdalawang isip buksan kaagad ang pintuan dahil alam ko namang dumating na si Amy bago pa'ko makapasok dito.

"Goodmorning, Ate." I smile.

"Goodmorning 'rin!" Sigaw ni Ate Amy sa likod ng dispenser ng tubig.

"'Nong ginagawa mo diyan, 'te?"

"Ah, inaayos ko yung bagong dispenser para mamaya. Self served na water dito sa café, para 'di na tayo mag-alala taking orders." She said, while fixing her glasses.

Ate Amy's a small woman, kasing height lang ng balikat ko. I'm 5'4, so mga 5'2 lang si Amy. She has short brown hair, and has glasses. 'Di siya chubby, pero 'di rin siya fit. Malaki bewang niya. Over all, she's pretty.

She stood up after squatting, and inayos niya ang pagtayo niya, nangalay siguro siya.

"Oo nga pala," ani ni Amy. "Yung water for the dispenser dadating mga 8:00 sakto, ikaw na mag-buhat papasok. Ang bigat bigat no'n for a cute girl like me."

I chuckled, "Yeah, liit liit mo kasi Ate."

"Gusto mo'ng mawalan ng trabaho?"

"Peace, Ate. Peace." Nagtawanan nalang kami.

"Sa likod muna 'ko, just tell me kung may customers na. I'll make the drinks, you handle the orders. You know, the usual." Sabi neto, bago tuluyan na'ng umalis.

"Alam ko, Ate." Kinuha ko ang aking apron sa bag at isinuot naman na ito. Sa likod kasi may upuan do'n, kaya do'n kami madalas tumatambay. Pumunta ako sa counter at tiningnan ang ingredients, inayos na pala ito ni Ate. Naghugas muna 'ko ng kamay, before noticing na may pumasok na pala.

Lumingon ako at nakita ko ang isang lalaki na may dalang tubig at inilagay sa front door.

"Eto po yung tubig na pinadala niyo, lagay ko nalang po dito sa harapan." Baka nagmamadali si Kuya.

"Ay, sige po! Ako na po bahala diyan." Nag-thank you na ito at kumaway paalis.

Ngumiti ako pabalik. Pinunasan ko muna ang aking mga kamay, before going outside.

"Ate! Yung tubig dumating, ipasok ko na, ha!"

"Sige, ingatan mo yung dispenser, mahal 'yan!"

Napatawa nalang ako, tuluyan lumabas. Binuksan ko ang pintuan at nilagay ko ang aking paa sa pintuan para bumukas lang ito.

I went down and lifted the water container, when suddenly out of nowhere, may lalaking pumasok sa pintuan.

Nasagi ko naman ito sa aking paglingon at dahil dito, nahulog ko ang tubig. Agad naman akong tumayo, at nakita ko ang lalaking basang basa ng kape sa kanyang t-shirt. Meron naman itong dala-dalang gitara sa loob ng casing nito na itang hawak naman ng lalaking ito. He had a shocked face, we both had. The first thing I did was...

"Sorry!!" Sigaw ko, at kumuha ng pamunas sa counter, ipinahid ko naman ito sa kanya ng mabilis. Tinignan ko ang mukha neto, lali na ang kanyang mga mata. I was shocked by the man that was in front of me.

"It's okay." He smiled, looking at his shirt, and looked up, making our eyes meet.

I'm dead, I am SO dead.

It was Nathan Rodriguez! KUP's school heartthrob! The talk of the campus! The campus crush!

Parehas kaming napatingin sa isa't isa with wide eyes. And like in slow motion, I saw his face more clearly. His eyes brown with a speck of gold, because of the sun shining. His lips, his hair and his... height.

Sa height ako tumitingin, mga kuya. Don't judge me.

And after every second we laid our eyes on each other, I felt a spark. In the back of my mind, there's one word I immediately thought of...

Mahiwaga..

He was stunned, hindi namin inalis ang mga mata namin sa isa't isa, until Amy came in.

"Ano'ng nangyare?" Tanong niya, may hawak hawak siyang mop.

Ako ang unang nag-break ng eye contact namin for a solid minute. He's still looking at me, sigurado akong pulang pula.ang aking mukha ngayon.

"N-Nasagi ko kasi siya nung nagbubuhat ako ng tubig... I promise, 'di ko sinasadiya " Explain ko.

"Again, it's fine."

"Ba't kasi may kape ka, ha?" Tanong ni Amy, habang mino-moo ang kapeng nasa sahig.

"Ah, e, binili ko 'to sa'yo earlier this morning. I came back kasi you gave me black coffee, I ordered one cafe latte." He chuckled a bit.

Nagtinginan kami ni Amy.

"Ikaw pala may kasalanan eh!" Sabi ko.

"Excuse me, kasalan ko bang clumsy ka, at nasagi mo siya?"

"Sino'ng lutang at namigay ng black coffee sa taong nag-order ng cafe latte?"

She turns around and pouts.

"...sabog kasi ako no'n, kakadating ko lang, 'tas nakita ko si Nathan na nagmamadaling bumili ng kape." She explains, while pouting.

Tumingin naman ako kay Nathan, he shrugs his shoulders, "'Early birds takes the worm.' I guess?"

Napahinga ako ng malalim at tuluyang nag-sorry sa kanya.

He just smiles, "Again, it's fine, I have a spare shirt in my case." He says before shaking the case on his back.

"Okay..." I smile sadly, knowing I ruined someone's day. Dapat pala nag-ingat ako. Amy looked at me and sighs.

"Okay lang, Sol. It was an accident, besides you can say sorry by giving him another cup of coffee. This time, a cafe latte." She winks. I beam at the idea, agad naman akong tumayo at nagtrabaho sa paggawa ko ng kape ni Nathan.

"Sol, huh? What a cool name for a cute guy like you." Nathan says, with arms crossed.

Namula naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"T-Thank you." I reply, ngumiti naman ito. Pumunta na agad si Amy sa likod after siyang tulungan ni Nathan sa pag lagay ng tubig sa dispenser. Nag

palit naman siya sa CR kaya malinis na siya. Kaya itong lalaking 'to naiwan kasama ako.

After minutes, I finish the latté and took my marker. I wrote Nathan down and gave the latté to him.

"I'm sorry, consider this as a gift from me asking for forgiveness." I shyly said.

He takes a sip on the latté. He looks at me, at sabay ngumiti. "Consider yourself forgiven." Ngumiti naman kaming dalawa.

"'Di pa pala ako nagpapakilala ng maayos, though I'm pretty sure you already know me. I'm Nathan, Nathan Rodriguez." Sabi neto, before showing his hand for me to shake.

I smile, "Sol, Sol Mendoza." I grab his hand with a smile.

And just like that, I feel the sparks all over my body again. But this time, I know for sure he felt it too.