Chapter 7
1437 Words
“UGH! Bwisit ka talaga!” sigaw ko habang galit na lumabas sa sasakyan. Nagpapadyak pa ako gaya ng batang hindi binilhan ng Happy Meal. Mabilis akong naglakad papasok sa mall habang si Mr. Kalma at Kilig, natatawa pa rin sa likod ko.
“Maricon!” tawag niya. “Sorry na? Don’t be mad.”
Tahimik ako hanggang grocery. Kinuha niya ang cart, siya ang nagtulak, ako naglalagay. Panay lambing.
“I promise, ‘di ko na uulitin.”
Tahimik pa rin ako.
“Uy... sorry na... Don’t be mad. Libre kita coffee?”
Wala.
“Ice cream?”
Dedma.
“Pizza?”
Patay.
Habang nasa fruit section ako, may babaeng lumapit sa kanya. Here we go. Friendly si ate, pa-cute, pa-demure. May bagong dinner prospect ang boy nating si Andrè.
“Sorry, not interested,” he politely declined.
“Aww. May girlfriend ka?” tanong ni ate, sabay turo sa akin.
Tumawa si Andrè. “Nope. She’s my friend, neighbor, and classmate.”
“Oh... so you’re single?”
“Technically, yes,” sagot niya. “But currently in a relationship with law school. Sorry, Miss.”
Boom. Nice block.
Pagkatalikod ni ate, balik kulit si manong.
“Maricon, 20 minutes na. Galit ka pa rin ba?”
Tahimik ako.
“Coffee? Ice cream? Pizza? Yakult?”
Napabuntong-hininga ako. “Hindi ako galit. Just... stop saying na nagmo-moan ako in front of you!”
Tumango siya. “Okay. Sorry na. Pero FYI lang, kung sa exam mo lang ako ganun ka-clear marinig, baka topnotcher ka na ngayon.”
“TANGINA KA TALAGA, LÁDEZMA!”
André nodded, even raising his right hand like he’s swearing in court. “I promise,” he said, then acted like he zipped his mouth and threw away the imaginary key. “Any other complaint, Hon—este—Maricon?”
“Ew. Don’t call me that,” I said, resisting the urge to throw a frozen chicken at his face.
“Okay, Madam Maricon. Queen Maricon. Presidente ng Anti-Playboy Association.”
I rolled my eyes. “Ano bang gusto mong ulam?” I asked habang nasa harap kami ng frozen food section. I was holding a pack of beef tapa while he was staring at a block of frozen laing like it was some ancient artifact.
“I don’t know… I don’t cook, Maricon. ‘Di ko alam kung ano ang gagawin ko sa mga ‘yan.”
“Obvious,” I muttered, then sighed. “Fine. Ako na lang magluluto.”
His eyes sparkled like batang nakakita ng bubble tea. “Talaga?!”
“Uh-huh. I’m cooking for myself anyway. Dadamihan ko na lang. Pero ibalik mo 'yung mga tupperware ko, ha. Ilalagay ko doon, tapos every morning and lunch lang ha. Walang dinner. Antok ko na ‘yon.”
He nodded eagerly, parang puppy na kinakausap. “Okay, okay! Babalik ko, promise! May label pa nga eh—‘Property of Maricon. Huwag itapon kung ayaw mong matadyakan.’ Scary ka pala talaga.”
“Better scared than tupper-less,” I said habang nilalagay sa cart ang mga ingredients. Ang dami naming binili—parang may ilulunsad kaming karinderya sa condo.
Pagdating sa counter, kinuha ko ‘yung wallet ko. “Hati tayo.”
“Nope,” sagot niya agad, shaking his head like he’s offended by the idea. “Ako na. Ako na magbabayad.”
“Eh kakain din naman ako.”
“You’ll cook. That’s priceless.”
“‘Wag kang pa-sweet d’yan. Bayaran mo na lang ‘tong fifteen thousand groceries, bago kita ipanabota sa BIR.”
Ngumiti lang siya at inabot ang card niya sa cashier. At ayun na naman. Ngingiti-ngiti si Ate cashier like she’s suddenly auditioning for a toothpaste commercial. Grabe talaga. Lahat na lang ng babae, dumudungaw pag si André ang kaharap. Kahit si Ate sa likod ng meat section kanina, nagtatanong kung may dagdag pa raw kaming order—wala namang kinalaman sa meat section ‘yung pinamimili namin!
“Do you need anything else?” tanong ni André habang pinupush ang cart na parang proud grocery dad.
“Wala na siguro. Wait, may yellow paper pa ako? Meron pa. Okay na.”
“Good. Lagay ko lang sa sasakyan ‘to tapos balik tayo.”
“Ha? Bakit pa tayo babalik?”
“Ice cream and pizza,” he said with a smirk. “For you.”
“Para saan naman?”
“Peace offering.”
“TSS. Wala naman akong galit.”
“Wala ka nga pero mukha kang may tampo, eh. That’s worse.”
Habang naglalagay kami ng pinamili sa kotse, sinabihan ko siyang ‘wag na mag-ice cream and pizza. But of course, matigas ang ulo. Seryoso, may trauma ata siya sa may galit sa kanya. Baka kasi pag tinatampuhan siya, hindi siya pinagluluto ng sinigang sa bahay kaya natatakot.
“What flavor?” he asked habang papasok kami ulit sa mall.
“Choco mint,” I answered, then inabot ko ang pera. “Bayaran ko. Ang laki na ng binayaran mo kanina.”
“What? No.”
“Sige na, André. Ikaw na nag-full tank, ikaw pa grocery, baka ikaw na rin magbayad ng tuition ko n’yan!”
“Hmm. That can be arranged.”
“Loko,” I muttered habang natawa. In fairness, kahit ang dami niyang ka-flirt, nakaka-light ng mood kasama si André. He’s the kind of person who makes you laugh… and then annoys you ten seconds later.
Ako na sana pipila sa Dairy Queen pero nag-insist siya. Of course, habang nakapila siya, may nakausap na naman siyang babae. Baka mamaya may magpasa ng resume sa kanya bilang next dinner option. Seriously, parang may invisible “Available & Delicious” sign sa noo niya!
Pagbalik niya, may hawak na siyang dalawang cup. “Here you go,” he said, handing me the choco mint.
“Bagong appointment?” I asked.
He laughed. “No.”
“Type mo naman ‘yun ah.”
“Ano ba sa tingin mo ang type ko?”
I paused. “Maganda. Malaki boobs. Malandi.”
“Ouch,” he said, kunwari offended. “I feel like from your perspective, I’m a pig.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Medyo.”
“Grabe ka, Maricon. Wala na nga akong ‘appointments.’ Busy na ako. Law school is my mistress now.”
Habang kumakain kami ng ice cream, nagsimula siyang magreklamo tungkol sa readings. “Sobra, Maricon. Ang daming cases. Tapos ‘yung si Jax, ayaw pa akong bigyan ng digests. Akala mo naman siya si Google!”
“Eh tamad ka kasi,” I teased.
“Eh, tinatamad na nga ako sa buhay, tapos may civil procedure pa!”
I rolled my eyes. “Then why are you even in law school?”
He shrugged. “My dad. He wants me to be like him.”
“Lawyer siya?”
“Yeah. Judge Ladezma. Gusto niya sundan ko ‘yung yapak niya. Ako naman, gusto ko lang ng tahimik na buhay with free pizza and occasional sinigang from you.”
I laughed. “Kung gusto mong tahimik na buhay, ‘wag kang magpa-picture!”
Bigla niyang nilabas ‘yung phone niya. “Ngiti ka nga,” he said, phone already pointed at me.
“Hoy!” tinakpan ko agad ‘yung camera. “Para saan ‘yan?!”
“IG Story.”
“Wag! Kaya nga tayo chinichismis ng buong Ladezma bloc!”
“Kahit naman ano gawin natin, Maricon, may chika pa rin sila.”
“Wag kasi! Paano kung may crush sa akin tapos hindi ako mapormahan dahil akala nila boyfriend kita? ‘Wag mo akong harangan sa love life ko!”
“Love life?” he asked. “Ano bang gusto mo?”
“Wala akong specific. Basta pag gusto ko, gusto ko.”
“Okay. Ano naman ang ayaw mo?”
“Lahat ng meron ka.”
He burst into laughter. “Grabe ka. That’s harsh.”
“Harsh pero totoo.”
“Don’t you know,” he said in a low teasing voice, “the more you hate, the more you love, Maricon?”
“ASA KA PA!” I shouted, just as he click-ed the camera.
“Hoy! Burahin mo ‘yan!”
Too late. That night, habang nagbabasa ako ng digest, biglang nag-vibrate phone ko. I checked his IG story and there it was.
📸 Photo of me mid-sip of ice cream, looking annoyed as hell.
Caption: “She’s not my girlfriend. She just cooks for me, shouts at me, and makes my heart skip a beat. Kidding. Or not?”
Punyeta.
- Writer
