#HeartboundWP

♡

Day 16 | E

"SA'N KA NA naman pupunta?"

Elias turns to look at Ky behind him. He steps aside and lets her walk beside him on their way out of their class. "I'll pick up Zozo."

"Sa 'tin siya magdi-dinner?" He picks up on how her voice hiked up a pitch just a bit higher than usual. Everyone likes Zo. She's the youngest in the family, and she's adorable. "Or aalis lang kayo? Kakain kayo sa labas?"

"Just . . ."

He shakes his head to himself. If he tells Ky na he's driving Zozo to a café where Nadi could possibly be, hindi siya tatantanan nito ng tanong. Baka maghinala pa na he's using Zozo just go there and see her. He's not. Kung puwede nga lang, he would bail out of this commitment. Puwede naman, technically, but he doesn't have the heart to say no to the kid. Lalo na't napapayag na siya nito at napagkasunduan na.

"I just have to drive her somewhere," he says instead.

Hopefully, iyon nga lang ang gagawin niya. Drive Zozo to Butter and let her do her thing dahil siya naman ang may kailangan kay Nadi. He wishes—prays—that his niece won't ask him to do anything that would give him a heart attack, like, obviously, talking to Nadi. It's not like he doesn't like talking to her—of course, he does—but given their . . . 'situation,' he doesn't think that that's the best idea.

Besides, his heart is still recovering from seeing her two days ago. Had he not exhausted himself for the past two nights with weights in the gym and speeding through his backlogs, baka nga hindi siya nakatulog. It's a miracle that he did not see her in his dreams.

With all that said, he needs at least five more working days before he can see her again and not embarrass himself by freezing in front of her or just outright fainting. Ang malas na lang niya that Zo's birthday is tomorrow, and he cares for the kid more than he does for his image and dignity that he cannot stand in the way of her dream birthday party, even if it comes at his own expense.

Kyla lets him go, but not before he gives her the assurance that he'll come home tonight. No one asked him what happened last Saturday after his session, but he feels Ky and Zak carefully watching him when he gets back. They probably thought they were being discreet.

Elias pays the staring no mind, though. He knows they just care. And since they know just a little close to none, he understands the behavior. To take their attention off him, and to assure him that he's fine, he tells them a little bit of what happened—his next sched, how the room looked, and the likes. He even brought up seeing Nadi to take their minds off his disposition. He's just fine—as fine as he could get after seeing Nadi after two weeks of not seeing her, of course.

"'Wag ka nang magpabili nang kung ano-ano si Tito mo, ha?" Kuya Ali reminds Zo while helping her put on her small backpack. Zo's father picked her up from school and let her stay in his office. Elias just met them halfway through their way home.

"Binibili niya kasi," Zoa says, making Elias laugh. He ruffles the top of her head before getting the backseat door for her. He merely grins when his niece looks up at him with a deep frown on her face because he messed up her hair. He gets in the driver's seat after telling Kuya Ali what time he can bring Zo home.

"Do you want to have dinner first?" he asks when they get back on the road.

He sees her shake her head through the mirror. "Nag-snack kami ni Daddy po."

"Busog ka na ro'n?" he asks, hoping that she'll say no, but she nods. He sighs. "We can get early dinner. Saan mo gustong kumain?"

"Sa bahay na daw kami kakain pag-uwi sabi ni Daddy."

Well, shit. It seems like there's no way for him to escape his fate. His plan is for them to go somewhere and 'accidentally' spend a little too much time there for them to be late. Para pagdating nila ng Butter, it's either the place is closed or Nadi's no longer there. That's the only way he sees himself making it alive through this evening.

"Do you want to get anything? May kailangan ka sa school?"

Zoa shakes her head no again. Napalunok na lang si Elias. He glances at her for a second before asking again, "What about clothes? Do you want new shoes? I'll get you new shoes. May isusuot ka na ba bukas?" God, this is low. He feels like he's toying with the kid.

Zoa's forehead creases. "Punta muna tayo kay Tita Nadi, then okay."

His eyebrows raise. But it works. Somehow. It just needs a little ironing out. "Bumili muna tayong shoes mo. Then, we'll go."

Zoa doesn't say anything. For a second there, Elias thought na makakahinga na siya nang maluwag. He's about to take the next turn para deretso sila sa mall, but then she slams her palm on the side of the shotgun seat and stands up from her seat, leaning forward and trying to see his face. He immediately tells her to sit and put her seatbelt back on, but she doesn't listen. "We're going to be late! Ayaw kong ma-late!"

"Sit down, please."

"Do you want us na ma-late?"

He hates doing it, but he uses his Serious Uncle tone on her just to get her to listen. "Zo. Umayos ka ng upo."

Zoa follows his instructions—may kasama nga lang dabog at simangot. Who was he trying to fool? She's Ate's daughter; of course, she's going to be smart. He feels bad upon seeing the frown on her face and her fidgeting with her fingers, but god, he does not know if he can do this today.

But it's Zozo's birthday tomorrow, and that only happens once a year, so he drives past the turn slot and continues on the way to Butter. Bahala na. "What if she's not there? Hm?"

His niece crosses her arms, sinking her back on her seat, muttering something that Elias doesn't quite catch. He sighs. "Ano 'yon, Zo? I can't hear you."

She meets his eyes in the mirror. The guilt washes over him upon seeing the expression on her face. She's upset. "Can't you ask her where she is?" she asks, voice lower now compared to earlier.

He gulps. Technically, he can, provided that she doesn't have his number blocked. But he doesn't want to, because of things he cannot explain to a seven-turning-eight-year-old. "Baka she's busy. We don't want to bother her."

Her eyebrows furrow. She leans forward again, hand on the side of the front seat. "So?"

"Anong 'so'?" Elias asks, mirroring the crease in her forehead.

"But you're not busy," she says, matter-of-factly. Mentally, Elias massages his temples. "You can ask her kasi you are not busy. She will message us when she's not busy anymore. Pero you're not busy po, so you can message her first."

"Malapit na tayo," Elias says, dismissing the kid's suggestion. Wala siyang lusutan, e. "Just sit properly."

He's a bundle of nerves when they arrive at the two-storey commercial building. Like the universe is taunting him, there's an empty slot in the limited parking space, not allowing him to drive around the block to park somewhere else and give him more time to gather his strength and collect himself. Usually, it's hard to find a spot to park in the area, lalo na sa ganitong oras, but it seems like the stars are conspiring against him and reserved that parking space just to watch him embarrass himself in front of her.

Zoa jumps off her seat when he gets the car door for her, and rushes to the stairs.

"You're so slow!" she yells at him while he's double—triple­-checking if the doors are locked. Niloloko lang niya ang sarili niya na ginagawa niya iyon for safety. He would rather spend an hour circling his car than go up now and see Nadi, kung nasa taas man siya.

He knows his niece is getting impatient when she starts putting both her hands on her hips while waiting for him. His deep breath comes out shaky as he goes inside the building.

He stops himself from taking the first step up the stairs. God. He cannot do this. "You know what?" he says, making Zo turn to look at him. "Go up. Invite her. I'll just wait for you here." He gestures to the bench on the far corner.

Zoa's eyebrows snap together. She grabs his hand and pulls him up, and Elias has no other choice but to take the stairs with her. He's afraid that her fingers would slip from his hands trying to pull his weight up and she would hurt herself. "You have to come! You're more friends!"

Pinagpapawisan na siya nang malamig. His insides have all started to toss and tumble every step he takes up the stairs. It's like he's walking straight to his impending doom. His vision starts to spin upon seeing the letters on the glass door spelling out the café's name. He's so going to die.

He stops in front of the shop. Complete halt.

From inside, Nadi's wavy hair sways behind her as she makes her way from one of the empty tables to the spot behind the counter. The lights are making her hair appear darker, making its contrast with her skin and the light pink dress she's wearing more prominent. She laughs at whatever one of the familiar staff is saying.

She's here. And he has died.

"She's here!" Zoa squeals. She looks up at him when he doesn't move when she pulls his hand. "Let's go!"

He's deceased. He crouches and meets Zozo's eyes. "You go in. I'll stay here."

"Samahan mo 'ko," Zoa says, pouting.

He shakes his head. "You go tell her about your birthday. I will wait for you here, okay?"

"But you're more friends—"

"But it's your birthday."

Zo's brows snap together. She drops his hand and crosses her arms over her chest. "I will invite her. But pasok tayo together."

He shakes his head no again. "I will wait for you here."

"But why—"

"Are you going in or we're going home?" He's so going to hell.

The look on Zoa's face transitioning from excitement, to confusion, to frustration, and now to distress feels like a thousand tiny needles puncturing his heart. Her eyes turn glassy, and she moves away when he tries to touch her. He stands up, tries to hold her hand, but she avoids him and only tightens the way her arms are crossed over her chest.

Gusto sabihin ni Elias na tama si Ate at kumukulit nga si Zoa, but it feels unfair to say that now considering that he knows he's pushing all the wrong buttons and driving her patience to its limits. She's a kid. Of course, she's frustrated her uncle can't accommodate her very simple, supposedly harmless request.

"Zo—"

Her hands are balled into fists when she drops them to her sides. "You don't want her on my birthday!" she accuses him with a stomp.

"What—"

"Kaya si Tito Migs pa nag-invite. You don't want to invite her!" She steps back when he tries to come closer. "You want to ruin my birthday!"

"What?" Elias exclaims. He catches her and holds her by the shoulders despite her protests, crouching again to look her in the eye. "I love you and I would never—"

The chime from the café doors opening interrupts them. His throat runs dry when he sees Nadi, in all her glory, standing by the doorway. She meets his gaze for a second before she brings them down to Zozo who's at the verge of tears. Nadi smiles sheepishly. "Is there a problem?"

Zoa looks at Elias sharply, like she's telling him to tell Nadi na may problema at siya iyon. When he doesn't say anything, his niece just peels herself away from his hold and marches inside.

Elias sighs. He stands up, reaches for the door to hold it open so Nadi can take her hands off it. They watch Zo occupy an empty chair, her back facing them. His breath hitches when Nadi turns to face him. God, she's so near. She jerks a thumb to his niece's direction. "Is she . . .?"

"I'll take care of it," he says. Nadi nods. He doesn't know what else to say, and for some reason he feels like there should not be even a second of silence between them, but he has no idea what to tell her, so he only croaks out in a small voice, "Hi."

Even to himself, he sounds like a lousy highschooler. He clears his throat. Parang dapat nanahimik na lang siya. Nadi's eyebrows furrow for a moment, probably because his voice sounded so weird. And now she's probably rethinking why she ever gave him the opportunity to be with her. As she should, apparently.

"Hello. Come in," she says before turning on her heels.

Elias watches Nadi go to Zoa's table and talk to her for a second. Nadi catches him looking, and the crease on her forehead returns before she signals for him to come inside. Elias nods, entering the café and wiping his sweating palm on the side of his pants when he lets go of the door. He glances at his niece who has her head down on the table, and at Nadi who goes back behind the counter and unknowingly lodges his heart on his throat when she tucks her hair behind her ears.

He's so done for. Here lies Elias Zuriel F. Icasiano, a loser and the worst uncle in the world.