Chapter 06:

Inabot na ako ng madaling-araw sa pag-iisip kung anong dahilan kung bakit kinakabahan ako. Nakuwestiyon ko na rin ang existence ko sa mundong ito habang naliligo ako, pero hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin alam kung bakit kabang-kaba ako dahil lang nakita kong ni-like ni Ruby ang post ni Sarah na naka-tag sa akin.

It feels like I'm a cheating boyfriend to someone I spent only a day with.

Nang hindi na talaga ako makatulog ay bumangon ako mula sa pagkakahiga at kinuha ang cellphone ko. I browsed her name in my contacts and dialed it immediately. Itinapat ko sa tainga ko ang cellphone at pinakinggan itong mag-ring.

Sobra-sobrang kaba ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. I need to confirm what really the reason behind it is. I know that it's all about Ruby because the moment I saw her username liked the post I was tagged in, kinabahan na kaagad ako.

Ring lang nang ring ang number niya, pero hindi ko alam kung sasagutin niya ba o hindi. Nawawalan na ako ng pag-asa na sasagutin niya ang tawag ko. Papatayin ko na sana at tatawagin siya ulit nang matigil ang tawag at may narinig akong tunog sa kabilang linya.

"Hello, sino ba 'to..." a sleepy voice said.

I checked the time and it's already two o'clock in the fucking morning! Of course, she's sleeping, Jin! Bobo ka!

"A-Ano, tulog ka na ba? Sorry," I said in a nervous voice.

"Sino ba 'to?" she asked again.

Hindi ban aka-save ang number ko sa kan'ya? Sa pagkakatanda ko, ni-save niya ang number ko noong nagpalitan kami ng username sa Instagram. Did she delete it?

"Si... Si Jin 'to..."

Matagal na nanahimik si Ruby sa kabilang linya. Akala ko nga, pinatay na niya ang tawag. Ilang sandali pa nagsalita ulit siya.

"Sinong Jin?"

Wow, hindi na niya ako kilala? That fast? Wow.

"'Yung... 'yung sa bar. Architect."

"Ahh, ikaw pala!" she chuckled in a sleepy voice. "I deleted your number already. I thought you won't call me anymore."

"Yeahm I'm sorry. I was busy with my work."

She laughed. "Sure," she laughed again. "Can you call me tomorrow instead? I have class tomorrow at 8:00 a.m."

Napapikit ako nang mariin sa hiya nang dahil doon. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I will call you tomorrow, for sure."

"Okay, then."

"Good night," I said.

She didn't answer; she ended the call instead.

Napatingin ako sa screen ng cellphone ko. Parang ang sungit naman nito kapag hindi nakainom. I suddenly missed the moment I spent with her; she's bubbly and has too many stories to tell that night. Hindi nga kami naubusan ng pag-uusapan, eh.

Sabagay, sinong hindi magsusungit kung naistorbo ko ang tulog niya? Napailing na lang ako bago pinatay ang cellphone at ibinalik sa side table, bago nahiga at nakatulog na nang mahimbing.

Kinabukasan ng hapon, pagkatapos ng trabaho ko, mabilis akong tumawag kay Ruby habang nakasakay ako sa loob ng sasakyan at hindi pa nagdi-drive. Ilang ring pa rin ang inantay ko bago niya sinagot 'yon.

"Hello..." she said on the other line.

"Hi. Can we meet?"

Narinig ko ang maraming ingay sa kabilang linya. Feeling ko, maraming tao sa kinalulugaran niya ngayon.

"Nasa university pa ako. Can you wait for me?"

I sighed in relief. "Okay, I'll wait for you outside SLU."

"Okay, sige."

Nang patayin na niya ang tawag ay ini-start ko na ang engine at nag-drive na papunta ng SLU. Ilang minuto lang din at nakarating na ako ro'n. Maraming mga estudyante ang naglalabasan sa gate at ang ilan naman ay pumapasok. Lumabas ako ng sasakyan tsaka sumandal dito para maghintay sa kan'ya.

Baka kasi hindi niya ako makita. Hindi niya naman alam kung ano ang sasakyan ko.

Ilang minuto lang din ng paghihintay ko, nakita kong lumabas si Ruby doon na parang may hinahanap. Siguro, ako 'yon. Nang mapadpad ang tingin niya sa gawi ko ay iniangat ko ang isang kamay ko, dahilan para makuha ko ang atensiyon niya.

Naglakad siya papalapit sa akin.

"Bakit mo gusto makipagkita?" she asked as soon as she's in front of me.

I chuckled as I thought, she smelled like bread. "I just wanted to see you and say sorry for taking almost a month before I could even contact you."

She chuckled. "Sus, okay lang, ano ka ba! No big deal," she smiled. "Tsaka ayaw kong magkaroon ng problema kay Sarah," she shrugged.

Napakunot ako ng noo at bahagyang naigalaw ang ulo sa pagtataka sa sinabi niya. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged again before smiling. "You're dating her, right? I know Sarah. She won't just post someone without any reason for it."

I laughed. "I'm not dating her and I'm not dating anyone, Ruby. I was just an architect for a house that her Dad is giving her. There's nothing more than that. And he's got his own man to date."

She scoffed. "She never learns," she rolled her eyes as she sighed. "Anyway, ano? Hahayaan mong panoorin tayo ng mga schoolmates kong chismosa rito?"

I watched her hair blown by the wind as I walked to the shotgun seat to open the door for her. Wala talaga akong alam na puntahan naming dalawa pero sa tingin ko, okay lang din naman sa kan'ya dahil maaga-aga pa. 6:42 p.m. pa lang.

Maybe we should eat dinner first.

"Where do you want to eat?" I asked her as I entered the driver's seat.

She shrugged. "Anywhere. Ayaw ko ngang mag-dinner, eh."

I chuckled. "Kaya hindi ka lumalaki, eh."

Tiningnan niya ako nang masama kaya naman tumikhim at nag-iwas ako ng tingin bago nagsimulang mag-drive. Hindi na ako nag-isip pa ng iba at nag-drive na lang ako papunta sa Hill Station. Hindi ko naman kasi masiyadong kabisado ang Baguio kaya naman kapag may pupuntahan ako rito, nakaasa rin ako sa Waze. Pero dahil nga sa halos apat na buwan ko nang pananatili rito, nakabisado ko na rin.

Nang makarating kami sa Hill Station, mas lumamig ang klima. Hindi naman sa giniginaw ako pero iniisip ko si Ruby, baka nilalamig. Naka-blouse at pants lang kasi siya. Wala pa naman akong suot na coat pero mukhang sanay naman na siya sa klima rito.

Sabagay, taga-rito nga pala siya.

We ordered our foods and waited for it to to be served.

"Seriously, why did you want to meet me?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I want to be friends and closer to you."

She laughed. "Kung gusto mo talaga, noon mo pa ginawa."

I smiled. Paano ko ba sasabihin na kilala ko si Anna at George?

"I was busy with my project here."

She scoffed. "Busy flirting with Sarah, no?"

I chuckled, shaking my head as I flexed my elbow on the table. "I really have no business with her, honestly."

Umirap siya kasabay ng pagtawa niya na para bang kasinungalingan ang lahat ng sinabi ko. "Even Hennessey found her gorgeous! Try asking my other cousin, George, who's very loyal to his girlfriend! He also found her pretty! I can't believe them! Isusumbong ko talaga kay Ate Anna 'yon!"

I laughed inside while watching her whine in front of me while her eyes are unconsciously rolling. It was like she really hates the guts of Sarah even though they are following each other on Instagram. Sobrang daldal nga pala ni Ruby kahit na hindi lasing. Akala ko madaldal lang siya dahil lasing siya.

"Kilala ko si Anna," I said that made her mouth agape.

"W-What?! What a fucking small world, ha?" she laughed. "Sabagay, you're on the same field and I guess, Architecture's world are really small kasi sabi ni Anna, may UAPSA thingy raw sa school nila pero hindi siya naging member?"

I smiled. I really love how she talks like that. Nakakatuwa siya panoorin. It also makes me feel comfortable around her so I want her to continue being like that. Sobrang daldal talaga.

"Anyway, how did you know about Ate Anna? She's very pretty, 'no? I'm sure you had a crush on her."

Napaawang ako ng bibig dahil sa sinabi niyang 'yon. Gano'n niya kabilis nai-conclude 'yon? Wow, ganito nga talaga siguro ang mga babae. Maybe their woman's instinct are legit, huh?

She laughed at her epiphany. "Wow, tama nga ako!" she laughed again. "Hindi naman kita masisisi. Maganda naman talaga siya," she shrugged.

I laughed. "Hindi mo rin masisisi ang iba kung nagagandahan sila kay Sarah."

Ngumuso siya at humalukipkip, bago umirap sa akin. I chuckled at the sight in front of me.

"Aren't you friends? You are following each other, ah?"

She sighed. "We're friends nga! She's an Ate though she's got some bad, you know, bad hobbies," she sighed again as she rolled her eyes. "I'm just kinda possessive with my cousins. I like Sarah but I don't want any of my cousins to be connected with her."

I smirked. "But I'm not your cousin."

Nakita ko ang paglunok niya, kasabay ng pag-iwas niya ng tingin. Hindi na siya nakasagot pa nang ilang sandali lang, dumating na ang order naming pagkain. Hindi na niya ulit ako tiningnan pa at hiniwa na lang ang karne na nasa plato niya matapos dumating no'n.

"What's your course?" I asked as we started eating.

She shrugged before taking a bite of her beef. "Hotel and Restaurant Management."

Napatango ako. Kaya pala amoy siyang usok kanina. Baka may baking or cooking subject siya. She must be a really good cook.

"Kailan ka ga-graduate?"

"I'm still in third year. Why are you asking?"

I shrugged. "I need to go back to the office after my project."

She slowly stopped eating before looking at me. "And? What does that have to do with me?"

I laughed at her remark. "Sorry. Wala naman. I just want to spend some time with you, sana. While I'm still here."

She smirked. "Do'n ka na kay Sarah. Mas madalas naman kayong magsama no'n."

I laughed again. "I don't even feel comfortable around her."

"Bakit? Kasi maganda siya? Intimidated ka?" she answered like it was an obvious answer.

"Kasi kliyente ko siya."

She smiled a little before taking another bite of her beef. "At sa akin? Comfortable ka?" she asked.

I smiled and nodded before I sipped from my water. "I just found your talkativeness very comforting."

Humagalpak siya ng tawa, dahilan para masamid siya. Mabilis ko siyang inabutan ng tissue matapos niyang uminom ng tubig.

"Thanks," she said before taking the tissue from my hands.

I suddenly chuckled with the pun I made inside of my head.

"Inuubo ka, Ruby," I hid the escaping laugh from my mouth. She looked at me like I just told a stupid statement. "Baka kailangan mo ng Robitussin."

Tumawa ulit siya nang tumawa habang bahagya siyang nakatayo para hampas-hampasin ako dahil korning joke ko sa kan'ya.

"I can't believe that a handsome architect like you can make a fucking corny pun out of me name!" she said after calming herself from laughing.

"Wow," I laughed. "You just called me handsome."

She smirked. "Because you are."

___

"Some people have experienced this when they say a word that they've said a million times before, but suddenly think that it's the weirdest-sounding thing ever. Say "rhythm" aloud a few times and think about how freaking weird it sounds, seriously." --aconsciousrethink.com