Nics’ POV

Kailangan ko ngayong tumao dito sa shop dahil nagday-off ang isang sales lady. Sabado pa naman. Medyo madaming tao sa Mall pag ganitong araw.

Just right, marami ngang pumapasok sa shop. Di naman lahat bumibili pero kailangan pa ring sagutin ang mga tanong nila.

“Hi!”

Napapitlag ako. I know that voice.

“Hey!” I answered back.

“Napadaan ako kanina, I saw you very busy, kaya nagtake out ako ng pagkain for you and your employees.”

“Thanks, Zach! Di ka na dapat nag-abala.” Naalala ko na naman ang sinabi ni Zeb few days ago. Hindi raw siya boto sa lalaki.

“I’ll put these in your office.”

Napatango nalang ako.

“Kain ka muna, ako nalang muna magbabantay dito.” Saad niya pagbalik. I hesitated pero dahil gutom na rin ako pumayag nalang ako. Pagkatapos ko, pinayagan ko naman yung isang sales clerk na kumain and then yung cashier.

“You should never skip your meals.”-he said while I was on the cash register. May nakapila namang magbabayad.

“Wala ka bang work today?” I asked.

“I don’t go the office on weekends except if there is an emergency.”

Napatango nalang ako. Bumalik na rin naman yung cashier after her break. Nagpalakad-lakad nalang ako sa shop. Sumusunod naman siya.

“Why did you choose to be a businesswoman rather than musician?” he asked out of nowhere.

“Walang pera sa music.”- I answered glibly.

“Bakit mayayaman naman yung mga singers ah. Magaling ka namang kumanta.”

Napatingin ako sa kanya. Did he ever hear me sing?

Nabasa naman ata niya ang iniisip ko because he chuckled.

“Di ba nung highschool ikaw ang Musical Superstar ng school natin?”

“Was I?”

“Yeah, the Glee Club president kahit junior ka pa lang.”

So all along kilala niya ako nung high school pero never niya akong kinausap except that faithful day na umiyak ako sa harap niya. Napagod na kasi ako noon ng kakabigay lang ng chocolates nang di niya ako kinakausap ni minsan kaya tinanong ko na siya kung anong kailangan kong gawin para magustuhan niya ako pero kasabay naman nun ang pagluha ko.

“Sikat na sikat ka kaya nun!” –he said.

I smiled bitterly.

“Eh, bat mo ako binasted?”

Bigla siyang natigilan sa sinabi ko.

“What do you mean?”

“Basta! Lagi kitang binibigyan ng chocolates nun!”

He smiled teasingly.

“I should have known you were courting me.”

I didn’t answer, pinagtitripan na naman ata ako ng lokong to. Imposible namang hindi sumagi sa isip niya na may gusto ako sa kanya.

“I thought you were just generous at marami lang kayong chocolates.”-he added at ngumisi.

Inirapan ko nalang siya.

“So you liked me before?”-tukso niya. Napataas naman ang kilay ko.

“How about now?”-he added.

Parang uminit na naman bigla ang ulo ko. Ang taas talaga ng confidence. Bakit ko ba kasi naungkat ang bagay na to.

“You can’t answer. Silence means-”

“No!” I cut him. Tumawa naman siya.

“Really?”-he said with a challenging look. Then held my waist.

“Hey! Bitawan mo ako!” madiin kong hayag pero mas lalo niyang hinigpitan ang pagkakayakap niya. Kulang nalang magdikit ang aming mga mukha.

Shocks! He’s really unbelievable! Napatikhim ang ilang tao sa shop but he just smiled like nobody is watching. I saw my employees giggling. Humanda sila mamaya.

“Please, let go of me.”- I pleaded. I know nagkukulay-kamatis na ang mukha ko dahil sa ginagawa ng lalaking to.

“In one condition.” He smiled at inilalapit ang mukha niya sa mukha ko na pilit ko namang iniiwasan.

“What?”galit kong tanong.

“Play the piece ‘What Do We Mean to Each Other’ in the Piano.”

What? Nagloloko ba siya? Pero baka nga di ako bitawan. Nakakahiya. Tumango nalang ako. He smiled then let go of me.

Napasimangot ako while heading to the displayed piano. Sumunod naman siya na tatawa-tawa.

Nabwibwisit ako pero nung sinimulan ko ng tipain ang piano. Nawala na ang inis ko. Music really is my life and it makes me feel better everytime. Nagulat ako nung kumanta siya while I was playing.

I'd rather know if you had turned the page

If you go faster than I do

Suddenly it's not so clear just what I am to you

Am I friend, am I lover, do we still need each other

When you touch me, when you touch me baby I can tell

In fairness, maganda ang boses niya.

What do we mean to each other, am I friend, am I lover is it over now

If this is it then why bother tell me where do we take it from here

What do we mean to each other am I friend ,am I lover, is it over now

Do you love me still or do you just mean well

Gosh! Why is he looking at me straight in the eyes?

I can see clearly how im hurting you

Every breath gives you a way

All we go on separate roads has gone in the way.

Am I friend, am I lover, do we still need each other

When you hold me, when you hold me baby I can tell

What do we mean to each other, am I friend, am I lover is it over now

If this is it then why bother tell me where do we take it from here

What do we mean to each other am I friend ,am I lover, is it over now

Do you love me still or do you just mean well

He smiled.

“Kantahin mo yung susunod na stanza.” Saad niya. So, duet pala ang bet niya. Pagbigyan na nga lang.

Time became a poison looking slowly on my home

Screwing all the memories, Is it tearing us apart

When you touch me, when you touch me baby I can tell

What do we mean to each other, am I friend, am I lover is it over now

If this is it then why bother tell me where do we take it from here

What do we mean to each other am I friend ,am I lover, is it over now

Do you love me still or do you just mean well

What do we mean to each other, am I friend, am I lover is it over now

If this is it then why bother tell me where do we take it from here

What do we mean to each other am I friend ,am I lover, is it over now

Do you love me still or do you just mean well

Do you love me still or do you just mean well

I heard someone faked a cough. Pagtingin ko, it’s Zeb. Madilim ang mukhang nakatingin sa amin.

“What’s the meaning of this?” he asked in his manly voice. Parang gusto kong matawa. Pagtingin ko kay Zach, he smirked at Zeb then headed the door.

“Tell me, kayo na ba?”-baling niya sa akin.

“Hindi ah!”

“Eh bat kayo kumakantang dalawa?”

“Pinilit niya kasi ako.”-depensa ko.

“Gaga anong pinilit, kurutin ko yang singit mo eh!” akmang lalapit siya para kurutin ako kaya napatakbo ako. Napatawa nalang kami pareho.

“I don’t want you near him, baka mamaya ma-inlove ka sa kanya ulit. Not a good idea.” He said matter-of-factly.

Napa-smile naman ako sa sobrang concern niya. Niyakap ko nalang siya.