Pastries
1057 Words
[Xylandria's POV]
Maagang natapos ang lunch namin. Nais pa sanang uminom nina Mr. Chavez pero kailangan na naming umuwi dahil may pupuntahan pa sina Mom at Dad para sa isang prestigious occasion na gaganapin sa New York. They were invited by Mom's Amiga.
"We'll see you soon. Thanks for coming here by the way." Immanuel, Walter's Father said and gave my Dad a friendly tap on his shoulder.
"It's a pleasure to come here. Well, mauuna na kami."
Nakipagkamay ako sa kanilang lahat at lumawak ang ngiti ko nung makalapit ako kay Walter. I chuckled when I saw how he forced himself not to draw a smirk.
"I guess i'll just see you tomorrow?" Tumango siya at panay kagat niya ng kanyang labi.
Now he's shy? Eh kanina panay tukso niya sa akin eh. Moody talaga ang isang 'to... ulyanin talaga.
"And now look who's enjoying, kanina panay simangot mo pa," nakangising tukso sa akin ni Mom nung nagsimula na kaming bumiyahe.
"May kakilala kasi ako. I really thought it was going to be awkward."
"You mean Walter? Isn't he the country's top one olympic? I never heard him for years. How did you know him? As far as I know, you are not into sports."
"S-sa coffee shop kasi kami nagkakilala. We're both regular costumers there." Napalunok ako nung magkatinginan sina Mom at Dad.
"You like coffee?!"
"N-no, but I love pastries."
Everyone in the family knows that i'm not a coffee person, but I feel like the Sky Autumn became my sanctuary.
"Really? Or do you find Immanuel's son interesting?"
"What?" I was surprised to hear my Dad assume something like that.
"Well, of course you wouldn't be interested in him. It would be funny to think na ipinagpalit mo ang lahat ng mga mayayaman at gwapo mong manliligaw sa isang PWD. Nakakadismaya nga eh, he was a handsome young boy and now he looks hideous." Bigla naman akong nairita sa sinabi ni Mom. She's insulting Walter.
"Ano namang mali kung PWD siya? It's not like he wanted to be like that!"
"Why are you shouting at me? I'm your Mother." Mabilis akong napatahimik sa suway sa akin ni Mom.
Katahimikan ang bumalot sa amin. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit lumabas ang mga pang-iinsulto sa bibig ni Mom.
Walter is a nice person. He's tough and strict outside, but deep inside... he's fragile.
"Are you in love with him, Xylandria?"
"No, Dad! Of course not!" Mabilis akong umiling. I can't be in love with Walter, that's too absurd.
"Come on, Xylandria. I never seen you laugh like that with a man. Mailap ka sa mga lalaki kaya nung nakita kitang nakikipagtawanan kay Walter, naisip ko na baka gusto mo siya."
"No, Dad, you got it wrong. Walter is just different from others."
"Because he's a PWD!" Kumunot ang noo ko nung sumabat si Mom.
"No, because he's gentle. I feel comfortable around him because he's not pretentious like the other guys. Bakit ba idinidiin niyo na PWD siya? Oo PWD siya, so what? It's funny to think na gwapo at mayayamang lalaki lang pala ang gusto niyo para sa akin."
Bigla naman silang natahimik dahil sa sinabi ko. Napatahimik din ako dahil sa topic namin. In love... ako? Kung magpapakasal din naman ako sa huli, gusto ko yung lalaking maipagmamalaki ng anak ko. Ayaw ko namang i-bully ang anak ko dahil sa kondisyon ng ama niya. Umiling ako at iniwakli na lang ang mga bagay na naisip ko.
.
Napaangat ang magkabilang kilay ko nung nakakunot ang noo at titig na titig sa akin si Walter.
"What?"
"Pang-apat na polonaise mo na yan." Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin at uminom ng smoothie. Sinubukan kong huwag nang magsalita pero hindi ko mapigilan dahil sa istrikto niyang pagtingin sa akin. Parang bawat galaw ko ay iniinspeksyon niya.
"Bakit ba? Are you worried that I might ruin my body shape? Come on! I have enough of that."
"Pfft!" Napabusangot ako. Yumuko siya at kita ko ang pagyugyog ng balikat niya na tawang-tawa.
"What?"
"You think I would care about your shape? You can eat all you want."
"Eh ba't parang sinisita mo ako?"
"Kasi alam natin na ako magbabayad niyan." Napanguso ako.
"Ayaw mo naman kasi na ako ang magbayad."
"Exactly and you're taking advantage of it."
Sumandal ako at humalukipkip. Panay dila ko sa labi ko nung malasapan ang asukal. Ang sarap... parang bitin yata. I glanced at him and he's not paying attention to me anymore. He's busy doing another masterpiece which made me smirk. Bahala siya, gutom ako eh.
"Fiona!" Tinaas ko ang aking kamay at tinawag ko si Fiona. Mas lumapad pa ang ngisi ko nung makita siya sa gilid ng mga mata ko na napaangat ng tingin at nanlalaki ang mga mata. He looks hesitant to stop what I was about to do especially nung makalapit na si Fiona sa akin.
"Two orders of cereal bar nga."
"Anything else, Maam?"
"That's all," iling ko.
I pursed my lips and stared at my lap. I held back my laugh as I was trying to avoid Walter's stare. Napalunok ako bago unti-unting inangat ang tingin. He's giving me the 'what-the-hell' look.
"What?"
Nagmamaang-maangang tanong ko sa kanya. He rolled his eyes and leaned back. He was crossing his arms and giving me a disappointed look.
Don't laugh. Don't laugh.
When my cereal bars came, Walter's shoulders fell as his way of surrending. He frustratedly sigh before continuing his precious artwork. Ako naman ay panay hugong ko lang at sinimulan nang kainin ang mga cereal bars ko.
.
Eclair... isang dosenang eclair na naman siguro ang kakainin ko. Ugh, ano pa kaya ang pwede? Psh, bahala na si Walter, madami naman siyang pera eh. Kahit bilhin pa niya ang buong Sky Autumn.
Ni-lock ko na ang sasakyan at dire-diretsong pumasok ng Sky Autumn. Napatigil ako nung walang tao ang café at bawat lamesa ay may mga pastries na nakalantad.
Si Walter lamang ang nag-iisa roon kaya nagtataka ko siyang nilapitan.
"What's happening? May nagpa-reserve ba ng café?"
"Yeah," supladong sagot niya at hindi nag-aangat ng tingin.
"Sino? Ikaw?"
"Yeah," napataas ang kilay ko sa naging sagot niya. Is he trying to make me look stupid?
"Ba't?"
"You keep ordering a lot these days. So I decided to rent the entire café, i'll pay for it anyway."
- Writer
