Chapter 23

Dead Air

Klein laughed at her response. "Joke lang! Pero samahan mo na ako, ha?"

"Oo nga. Paulit-ulit ka?" Nika answered while heading for the register.

"Naninigurado lang, 'wag kang galit. Bilis na naman uminit ng ulo mo."

"Pumayag na kasi ako, e."

"Oo na, sige. Sunduin kita ng mga 1:30 mamaya."

"Oks manoks," Nika said before the call ended.

She went back straight to their dorm room even though she was meaning to buy kwek-kwek and kikiam from the street food vendor across the convenience store.

Mamaya na lang siguro, sa isip-isip niya. May oatmeal saka sandwich naman ako.

She was waiting for the water to boil in Mithi's electric kettle when she pulled her phone from the pocket of her denim shorts.

There was nothing. Wala ring message si Miko.

Busy na ba siya agad? she wondered. Friday naman ngayon. Baka p'wedeng ayain ko mamaya?

Nika
Good morning ser

Miko
Hi! Good morning!
Nasa office ka na?

Nika
Inde ako pumasok hehe

Miko
Why? Are you okay?

Nika
Hindi eh
Napagod kasi ako kahapon kaya nag absent muna ako
Pero nagpapasama pala sakin si klein ngayon
Magpapa tattoo kasi siya kelangan daw ng moral support

Nika blushed after sending her reply. She didn't know exactly why she sent it. Sinabi niya lang naman kay Miko kung ano'ng gagawin niya ngayong araw. It's not like he asked, too. But for some unknown reason, it felt new that she was telling someone about her schedule for the day willingly.

And it was . . . fluttering.

Miko
Okay. Tell him I said good luck.

Nika
Sige
Busy ka ba ulit ngayon?

Miko
Yes.
Tambak na naman kami ng papers.

Nika's smile disappeared when she read his reply. She was aware of his schedule. Aware naman siya sa pinagkakaabalahan ni Miko sa school at sa trabaho pero madalang na rin kasi sila magkita ng mga lumipas na araw dahil doon.

And she wouldn't deny that she missed him, too.

Nika
Friday :(

Miko
I know.

Nika
Pwede ba ako mag-aya?
Kahit kila aaron lang mamaya
Pagtapos mo sa office
Ako naman manlilibre hehe

Miko
I'm not entirely sure if I can make it.
But we'll see, okay?

Nika
Oks manoks
Sabihan mo na lang din ako ha?

Miko
Of course.

Nika
Sige
Good luck sa school at office
:* ayan may kiss ka hehe

Miko
Hahahaha
Thank you!
I love you.

Nika
Miss na kita :(

Miko
I missed you, too.

She sighed. She wasn't able to reply back when the kettle boiled. Gutom na rin kasi siya at kanina niya pa hinihintay 'yong tubig para sa oatmeal.

It didn't take long for her to get ready and for Klein to pick her up. She even thought he'd run late, but he's particularly early this time.

"Kinakabahan kasi ako, unang tattoo ko 'to kaya kailangan ko ng pre-game," he replied when she praised him for being early.

Nangunot ang noo ni Nika sa pagtataka. "P'wede ba 'yon? Ang alam ko bawal?"

"'Di naman ako iinom. Laro lang muna tayo saglit."

"Ah . . ." she nodded. "Akala ko iinom ka. Literal na laro pala talaga sinasabi mo."

"Hindi. Binawalan din ako ni Lucas, e. Baka mabatukan pa ako mamaya. Strict pa naman 'yon."

Nika chuckled. "Pero talagang kailangan mo pa ng moral support ko?"

"Oo kasi nga kinakabahan ako. Iba-iba kasi feedback nila, e. May masakit, may sakto lang, may hindi."

"Baka depende rin sa pain tolerance mo at placement ng tattoo. Saan mo ba ipalalagay?"

"Sa hita." Klein pointed at a spot on his upper thigh. "Dito banda tapos paikot."

"Oh . . . may design ka na?"

Tumango si Klein. "Oo. Ginawan ako ni Lucas."

"Patingin!"

"Mamaya ko pa lang din makikita. Surprise daw, e."

"Pumayag ka do'n? Paano kapag butterfly nilagay niya sa 'yo?"

"Gigibain ko tattoo shop niya."

"Wala ka man lang bang specific na sinabi? Talagang hinayaan mo na lang siya mag-decide sa tattoo mo?"

Klein shrugged. "May tiwala naman ako sa skills niya. Pinakitaan niya rin ako ng mga design sa portfolio niya tapos nag-request ako ng dragon tattoo pero sinabi ko na siya na bahala kung anong design. Sinabi ko na lang din saan banda ilalagay."

"Ah . . . okay ," she answered, nodding.

There was a mall near the tattoo shop. Doon na rin nag-park ng sasakyan si Klein. There were a few people at the arcade, too. Maybe because it was a weekday and the mall had just opened two hours ago?

His appointment is in thirty minutes. Ang sabi niya, kahit five minutes lang daw na laro okay na basta mawala lang kahit kaunti 'yong kaba niya.

"Sure ka sa five minutes mo? Baka mamaya abutin tayo ng isang oras dito, ha," sabi ni Nika.

"Oo. Baka pagalitan ako kapag na-late ako, e. Isang round tayo sa air hockey. Game?"

"Sige."

They played for a while. She was amused when Klein seemed pissed for putting too much effort just for his puck to reach the goal, while Nika just stood there, holding her paddle in middle of the goal to keep Klein from scoring.

But when she hit the puck once, she was able to earn a score when it went straight down the goal.

"Ang daya mo, e," sabi ni Klein pagkatapos nilang maglaro.

They were now on their way to the tattoo shop he was talking about. Totoo rin naman 'yong five minutes na larong sinasabi niya kanina.

"Paano ako naging madaya? Nakatayo lang naman ako do'n," taas-kilay niyang sagot.

"Ah, basta! Madaya ka pa rin."

Natawa't nailing na lang si Nika.

She roamed her eyes around Lucas' tattoo shop when they got there. May ilan kasing naka-frame na artwork sa mga dingding. They were mostly black and white drawings of inanimate objects and insects.

"Gawa mo 'to lahat?" Nika asked.

Tumango naman si Lucas. "Oo, 'yong iba d'yan gawa ko no'ng college pa ako."

"Ang ganda," she said while looking closely at a ladybug drawing.

"May promo pala ako ngayon kapag package ang tattoo," sabi ni Lucas.

"O? Paanong package?" Klein asked.

"Dalawang tattoo tapos libre 'yong isa."

"Bali tatlo na kung gano'n?"

Lucas nodded. "Kahit maliit 'yong isang tattoo na ipagagawa mo, puwede tapos automatic na libre 'yong isa."

Klein nudged her on her elbow. "Libre daw, o."

"Ha?" tanong naman ni Nika. She wasn't really listening because she was busy looking at the drawings.

"Libre daw isang tattoo. Dalawa ipagagawa ko tapos sa 'yo na 'yong isa isa."

A crease immediately formed on her forehead. "Ayaw ko nga! Bahala ka d'yan."

"Sige na, o! Libre naman saka sayang din 'yon kung 'di kukuhain."

"Edi ipalagay mo rin sa 'yo. Ba't dinadamay mo 'ko d'yan sa trip mo? Sinamahan na nga kita, e."

"Please? Sabi naman ni Lucas kahit maliit lang 'yong ipalalagay, p'wede daw," sabi ni Klein.

"May photo book ako dito ng mini tattoos. Baka gusto mong tingnan," Lucas intervened, handing her the photo book.

He flipped through the pages and a mini heart and butterfly tattoo caught her eye.

There was also a compilation of stars and constellation tattoos. May dates at coordinates din.

"Ano? Damayan mo na kasi ako," pangungulit ni Klein.

She glared at him when her phone pinged in her hand and a text message appeared on the screen.

Miko
I'm about to eat lunch with Andy.
Kasama namin sila Atty. Peralta.
Hope you already had your lunch too.

Nika chewed on her inner lip after reading his message. Perhaps, giving into an impulse once in a while wouldn't hurt?

"Sige na nga," sabi niya kay Klein.

"Ayon! Ano ipalalagay mo tapos saan?"

"M. Maliit lang. Dito," Nika said, pointing at a spot behind her left ear where Miko mostly plants his soft little kisses.

"M? Hindi letter N?" tanong ni Klein.

She nodded. "Oo, M."

***

It didn't hurt like they usually say. Nika was the first one who got inked. Maliit lang naman kasi 'yong pinalagay niya kumpara kay Klein kaya siya na rin ang nauna.

The needle digging on her skin felt like tiny scratches—it was bearable. But Klein was the one who winced and complained a lot while getting inked.

Tawang-tawa naman silang dalawa ni Lucas sa kanya.

Nika grinned. "Ginusto mo 'yan."

"Ayaw ko na. 'Di na ako uulit," reklamo ni Klein.

"'Wag kang makulit!" suway ni Lucas. "Kapag nagkamali ako dito, wala nang burahan 'to."

"'Di pa ba tapos?"

"Wala pa ngang kalahati?"

She couldn't help herself from laughing. Halos dalawa hanggang tatlong oras din ang inabot ni Klein sa pagpapa-tattoo. Malaki rin kasi 'yong pinalagay niya sa bandang hita. Nakuha pang magpadagdag ng isang tattoo sa may likod ng balikat niya.

It was quarter to six in he evening when she made it back to her dorm. She freshened for a bit before changing into one of her black dresses for their date night.

Wala namang pasabi si Miko so far na hindi sila tuloy kaya nag-ayos na rin siya agad.

She borrowed one of Lana's silver hair clips to keep her hair from grazing her tattoo. She was advised by Lucas to keep that section clean to avoid any infection. Binigyan din siya ng gel ointment para sa tattoo niya.

Her black satin dress hugged and accentuated her curves well. Nika didn't bother much with her makeup, too. Okay na siya sa kaunting pulbos, concealer, at mascara. She just wore a red lipstick to finish her look before heading off to the bar.

Nika
Ser
Paalis na ako

There were already quite a few people inside the bar. But maybe because it was a Friday night. Quarter to eight na rin nang dumating siya.

Nika took the liberty to order dinner for the both of them. And since she got her tattoo, she was advised not to drink any liquor for two days so she settled for a mocktail instead.

Nakailang silip na rin siya sa cellphone niya pero wala pa rin siyang nakukuhang reply galing kay Miko.

Baka busy? sa isip-isip niya. Besides, she arrived early than their usual.

Nika
Mikooo
Dito na pala ako kanina bago mag 8
Nag order na rin ako ng pagkain natin
Pero nauna na ako kumain ha?
Gutom na ako hehe
Sabayan pa rin naman kita mamaya

The place was quickly filled before it read ten o'clock. And the calming bossa nova music was then replaced by EDM remixes by the DJ at the booth.

She also finished two glasses of virgin mojito, and still, there was nothing on her phone but dead air.

Not a message. Not a missed phone call.

Nothing.

Nika
Ser
San ka na?

Nika waited for a couple of minutes for a response but there wasn't even a read notice coming in so she decided to call his number.

She held her phone to her ear while munching on a soggy nacho chip.

Two rings . . . four . . . five, and a couple more went by until the operator talked on the other line telling her that his number was currently unavailable.

A crease appeared on her forehead.

It's been more than two hours. Sinabi niya rin naman kanina na magsasabi siya kung hindi matutuloy pero anong oras na? Pasado alas-diyes na?

Nika
Miko
Tuloy ka ba o hindi?