All Over Again

CHAPTER 40: Start The Fire

Venice's POV

Jerwin: Well.. here we are.

Jerwin parked his truck sa tapat nung gate nung bahay ko. I was so ecstatic about the new house na halos kaladkarin na ko ni Jerwin palabas. He promised me I can go back tomorrow to order the movers around.

Ako: So.. what time dadating yung mga furnitures? And are you sure na pwedeng-pwede ko silang utus-utusan kung san at pano nila aayusin ung rooms?

Jerwin: Oo nga.. Just make sure the house looks presentable.

Ako: I shall do my best.

Jerwin: And by the way, I have to be in the studio pretty much the whole day tomorrow.. Do you want me to ask Mang Ponce kung pwede ka niyang i-drive around?

Ako: Naaaahhhh. Mag-jjeep na lang ako.

Jerwin: That's good. At least, di ko na kailangan bayaran yung gas nung van.

Ako: Kuripot. -__

Jerwin: Yea, yea. I'll see you sometime tomorrow then.

Ako: Okie. Good night!

I jumped out of the truck and nag-glide papasok nung gate. I heard the truck drive away as I opened the main door--

"VENICEEEE!!!"

O_O

And kakabukas ko pa lang ng pinto, lumipad na kagad ang nanay ko papunta sa'kin--which wasn't very easy to do, considering lahat ng kalat sa sahig.

Ako: Aloha, motherr.

Mom: San ka ba galing? Kanina pa kita hinahanap? T^T

Ako: I'm sorry for the wa-poise na exit kanina. Di na mauulit.

Mom: Kasi naman! Assuming ka naman masyado! San ka ba galing!??

Ako: Jerwin brought me to the house -- our house.

Mom: Ay! Nakita mo na?? Ang ganda di ba?!

And just like that, all was forgiven. My mom led me up to my room para ilabas lahat ng excitement nya dun sa bahay. In fairness, dinaig pa ang level ng excitement ko parang siya ang lilipat ah..

The next day..

Maaga akong nakalabas from school dahil may kung anong family emergency yung prof ko sa last class. So here we are. Nag-wwindow shopping ni best friend sa tabi-tabi kahit pareho kaming walang pera.

Sheena: He bought you a house?!?!?!?

Ako: No. He rented a house for him -- sabit lang ako.

Sheena: BUT YOU'RE MOVING IN TOGETHER!!!

Ako: SSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I immediately clamped a hand over Sheena's mouth, tapos biglang flash ng smile sa mga tao sa paligid namin. Kunwari delusional si Sheena, wala silang narinig! I dragged Sheena out of the store, and nung all clear na, tsaka ko lang tinanggal yung kamay ko from her mouth.

Ako: Wag ka ngang maingay! Pano na lang kung may makarinig!??!

Sheena: Eh kasi naman si fafa J! Na-sshock ako! Pero--anong itsura nung bahay? Mansion ba?

Ako: Loka. Hindi. I'm going there later, gusto mo sumama?

Sheena: Ay! Really? Anong gagawin natin dun?

Ako: Magpapaka-interior designer.

Sheena: AYYYY!! Sali ako!

Tumingin ako sa relo ko. Jerwin should still be in the recording studio--and I still have two hours bago ako expected dun sa bahay..

Ako: It's still too early... You wanna go to the recording studio with me?

Sheena: Eh? Anong gagawin natin dun?

Ako: Hmmm.. manggugulo tayo sa kung anong ni-rrecord ni Jerwin.. Pero syempre, para di masyadong halata, magdala tayo ng merienda.

Sheena: *gasp* Tingin mo, papakantahin nila ako dun? O_O

Ako: Adik ka ba? -___- Dadaan lang tayo.

Sheena: Panira ka ng pantasya, lam mo un? -__- Anong merienda dadalhin natin?

Napaisip ako... Ano nga ba? Hmmm...

Ako: May tindahan ng banana-Q at s**o at gulaman sa may harap nung building. Dun na lang tayo bumili.

After ng byahe at pangungulit dun sa tindera ng banana cue, pumasok na kami ni Sheena sa all-important building. Ang hirap kasama ni Sheena! Gustong pasukin lahat ng kwarto -- baka raw makita namin si fafa Piolo niya. -__- Ang hirap pa naman kaladkarin sa tamang direction ng mga may adrenaline rush. Kaya ayan, naligaw pa tuloy kami.. Naaliw si Sheena dahil halos naikot na yata namin yung building kakahanap nung recording studio. Kasi naman! Walang directory at "You Are Here" 'tong building na 'to noh!

Nung ready na kong mag-give up, we finally asked a wandering security guard, at naituro na rin kami sa wakas sa tamang daan. -__- Buti naman dahel napapagod na ko sa pagkatok sa door #1, #2, #3, and so on.

Note to self: Wag nang isama si Sheena dito next time.

Kumatok ako dun sa door na tinuro nung guard -- all the while nagdadasal na sana nga, this is it na! The door opened and sumilip ang mukha ni Kuya Pao. Isa sa mga nag-mmix ng music ni Jerwin si Kuya Pao. Nakilala ko nung minsang dumaan ako dito.

Kuya Pao: Oh Venice! Bumibisita ka?

Ako: Nanggugulo lang, kuya. Busy ba?

Kuya Pao: Di naman. Pasok ka.. or kayo?

Napatingin sya kay Sheena.

Ako: Ay, best friend ko poh, si Sheena. Sheena, si Kuya Pao.

Sheena: Hell-oh, kuya~

Ayy.. tama bang lumandi? -__- Ngumiti lang si Sheena, and nung tumalikod na si Kuya para papasukin kami, hinampas ko kagad si best friend.

Ako: Mag-behave ka nga!

Sheena: Bakit ba?! Eh ang cute ni Kuya eh!

I gave her one last warning glance bago kami pumasok sa loob. Nasa loob si Kuya Pao at si Kuya Trey--isa sa mga composers. Buti na lang.. Mukhang kasya ung binili kong banana cue.. Nasa loob ng recording booth si Jerwin. He looked up and waved nung nakita noyang dumating ako.

Kuya Trey: Baahhhh.. Ano yang dala mo? May share ba kami dyan?

Ako: Syempre naman, Kuya. Bribe ito para sa lahat ng trabaho niyo sa bagong album ni Jerwin.

Kuya Trey: Woohoo! Banana cue!

He bent down tapos nagsalita dun sa mic sa harap nya.

Kuya Trey: Jerwin, may dalang merienda yung asawa mo! Labas ka muna dyan!

Sheena: *bulong* Pffft. Asawa ka na raw.

Ako: Shut up. -__-

Nilagay ko yung bag ng banana cue dun sa maliit na table, tapos pinatong na rin ni Sheena ung tatlong malalaking baso ng s**o't gulaman parang sakto lang sa kanila ung tatlo.. wala pala kaming inumin ni Sheena. Nag-dive kagad ang mga Kuya para makikain. Gutom yata sila... Lumabas si Jerwin ng booth and dumiretso kagad sa'kin.

Jerwin: Ahhh!! Food! *silip sa banana-Q* Where'd you get it? It looks different from how Aling Ligaya makes it..

Ako: This is fresh from the streets. With extra flavor. Try it.

I took one stick tapos nilapit sa reluctant na bibig ni Jerwin... Masyadong malandi... Ayaw ng mga food na galing sa street..

-__-

Ako: It's okay. Promise, walang Hepa 'to or kahit ano.

Kokontra pa sana si Jerwin, pero pinanglakihan ko na sya ng mata. Kumagat ka na dahil kung hindi, isasalpak ko 'to sa bunganga mo. -_-

Jerwin: Okay. Fine.

He leaned forward and took a small bite--All of a sudden, the door opened while still holding the stick to Jerwin's mouth, I turned my head para tignan kung sino yung dumating and what I saw made me suddenly shove the banana in Jerwin's mouth -- which I only realized kasi he started choking. Buti na lang, mabilis si Sheena. She immediately offered him one of the cups ng s**o at gulaman nung nag-uubo si Jerwin..

Jerwin: What the hell are you doing!??

I flashed an apologetic smile, then turned again to the new arrival, na nakatayo dun sa may pinto ng studio. Jerwin followed where I was looking at, and I think, biglang naging understandable ung pag-shove ko nung saging sa bibig niya.

Jerwin: Geena. What are you doing here? O__O

I felt Sheena nudge me vigorously, before she leaned over to whisper something. Tumaas nanaman ang tsismis radar ng loka..

Sheena: *bulong* That's her?!? Oh Em Gee! She's hot!

I shot her a warning look. Geena walked over to where out little group was standing. May dala rin syang paper bag. Dinadalhan niya rin ng merienda si Jerwin...?

Geena: I was in the building, and I heard you're here too. I thought you might be hungry by now.. So I brought your favorite croissant.

"Favorite"? Jerwin likes croissants? She handed Jerwin the bag, then eyed the banana-Q dun sa mesa and I swear, she scoffed at me--or am I imagining the little glint of mockery in her eyes?

Jerwin: Uh.. thanks.

I looked around the room. Oblivious sa awkward atmosphere yung dalawang Kuya -- masyado silang busy sa mga saging nila. Si Sheena naman, nanonood lang. Jerwin accepted Geena's bag and placed it on the table. Nakaka-choke ang atmosphere!

Ako: Uh, I think we should go now.

Sheena: Weh?! Aalis na tayo?!?!

Ako: YES

Sheena: But we just got here. T-T

Jerwin: Yeah.. you just got here.

Ako: Pupunta pa ko sa bahay, di ba? Dadating yung mga furniture this afternoon.

Napatingin ako kay Geena. Does she know? Does she know Jerwin and I are moving in together? Is she gonna kill me? T^T

Jerwin: Oh. Right.

Ako: So.. Okay.. Uh, Kuya Trey, Kuya Pao! Alis na po kami!

Kuya Pao: Ha? Oh sige! Salamat ulit sa merienda!

Ako: Sige po!

I glanced back at Jerwin, and gave him a quick nod. I grabbed Sheena's arm and dragged her out of the room.. Before completely shutting the door, narinig ko pang may pahabol si Jerwin..

Jerwin: Hey, this banana-Q actually tastes good! Wag niyo 'kong uubusan, pag-uuntugin ko kayong dalawa!

Napangiti ako kahit papano.. At least natuwa sya sa banana-Q ko. I kinda felt better kahit nung lumakad na kami paalis ni Sheena..

Sheena: Bakit natin iniiwan si kabet dun!?!? Baka ahasin nya si Fafa J!!!

Ako: Ssshhh!!! Relax ka lang ok?!? Let's just go.

Kung alam lang ni Sheena. Hindi naman si Geena ang extra sa love story eh.. Ako ang kabet..

Jerwin's POV

The recording session lasted a few more hours after Venice left. For some reason, Geena decided to stay hanggang sa katapusan. She never visited me, much less, stay throughout one of my recording sessions before. I walked her to her car, just because I'm a nice gentleman. I thought I'd be able to leave without being interrogated, but I guess not...

Geena: So.. what's this talk about furniture arriving today?

Ako: I rented a house. Venice is in charge of putting the rooms in order.

Geena: Oh? You gave her that much power over your property?

Ako: Uh.. well...

I don't think there's any way of avoiding this...

Ako: She'll be staying in the same house anyway...

I looked down at my shoes and counted to ten before lifting my head up to face her again -- which I kinda wish I didn't. Her face clearly shows she's flabbergasted by what I just revealed.

Geena: You're moving in with her?!

Ako: Yeah.

A bunch of words ran through my mind to try to explain... but I also thought, what's there to explain? Isn't it normal for couples these days to co-habitate? Especially when they're in the "engaged" stage? I better run.

Ako: Look.. Uh.. She's waiting for me right now.. So.. uhmm.. I'll go ahead, okay? See you around--

Geena: Jerwin!

I froze. Crap. I told you I should run.

Geena: This Friday.. Dustin and I arranged a birthday party for you.

Ako: What?

Geena: We reserved a banquet hall in the Manila Hotel. At 8 PM. You should come and I guess, Venice too. Wait, no. Actually, I demand for Venice to come.

Ako: This Friday? I'm sorry, but--

Geena: I won't take "no" for an answer. Won't you come? For old times' sake? Okay! I'll see you there!

Before I can respond, she was already in her car -- slamming the door with brute force too. She just waved a quick bye, and then sped out of the parking lot just like that. I didn't even get to tell her that this Friday, Venice's mom is flying back to the States.