Chapter 5
1170 Words
“Are you going to order or keep staring at me?” Nabalik ako sa realidad nang magsalita ang babae sa harapan ko.
They call it rude kapag nakatitig ka ng matagal sa ibang tao. Worse, baka mag-eskandalo pa at sabihing harassment ang ginagawa mo.
Nawala ang pleasant smile niya at napalitan ng seryosong mukha.
“Oh,” sambit ko. “Sorry about that. Can I, please, get a regular long black.” I said properly.
“Are you having it here or to go?” She asked at hindi pa rin nakangiti.
“I’m gonna have it here, thanks,” wika ko. I searched for her nameplate pero wala siyang suot.
“Anything else?” She looked at me as if she’s challenging me to stared back at her and I did.
I don’t back down.
This woman with dark brown hair tied in a tight bun, a nicely shaped face, a nice body and curves is alluringly beautiful, but with feisty personality.
“That’s it, thanks.” Sagot ko naman. Ni-punch niya ang order ko sa register at kinuha ko naman ang card ko at ni-swipe sa eftpos.
The woman handed me a table number. I took from her and when our skin brushes hers, I knew that she’s not just an ordinary girl.
Nagkatitigan kami. Hindi katulad sa iba ay para bang may spark. Ang sa amin ay parang may dumadaloy na kuryente sa gitna ng tinginan namin.
This woman hates me.
And I hate her gut.
Hindi ako nagpasalamat sa kanya dahil masyado siyang seryoso sa buhay niya. Whatever. I came here to buy a hot drink at hindi makipagtitigan sa kanya.
And I’m lying kung sasabihin kong hindi siya kapansin-pansin.
Umupo ako sa corner at pinagmasdan siya. Siya ang gumagawa ng kape ko. Tatlong customer pa lamang kami dito at dalawang matanda pa.
Lumabas ang isang lalaki na mukhang boss ng Café na ito. He talked to that cat woman. Yes, I’m calling her catwoman dahil sa aura niya.
I’m guy, so alam ko kung paano gumalaw ang mga kapwa ko lalake. At itong boss niya ay sigurad akong gusto siya.
Honestly, that woman is indeed a head turner. I hate to compare Margo is her total opposite.
“Tsk. What am I thinking,” sambit ko sa sarili ko. Margo is my girlfriend. She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever known.
Except for that catwoman.
“F*ck. Stop it, Archer,” sambit ko na naman sa sarili ko.
“I’m sorry, but you look weird and crazy when you talk to yourself, here’s your coffee,” malamig na sambit ni catwoman. Inilapag niya ang kape ko sa mesa.
“What?” Hindi makapaniwalang sambit ko. “What did you just say?” Humarap ako sa kanya with a frown and disbelief in my face.
How dare she say that to me. Napakatapang at walang habas ang dila ng catwoman na ‘to.
Bumaba siya ng konti at inilapit ng bahagya ang mukha niya sa mukha ko. Damn. Her curves are all in the right places. I could see her perfect cleavage staring at me.
“If I were you, I’m gonna seek a psychologist.” Bulong niya. Lumayo na siya sa akin at lumakad pabalik sa trabaho niya.
Napatitig na lamang ako sa kanya with disbelief habang nakikipag-usap siya sa boss niyang british.
I can’t believe that catwoman!
No one has dared to talk to me that way! Who the hell is she?!
Sa sobrang sama ng tingin ko sa kanya ay napatingin siya sa akin.
And she smiled sweetly.
She just f*cking smiled sweetly.
Marunong pang mang-asar! Dammit! Kumukulo ang dugo ko sa inis. Gusto kong makaganti. I have to make a way pero paano? F*ck.
Inubos ko ang kape ko at nang matapos ay tumayo ako at lumapit sa cashier kung nasaan siya.
“Anything else you wanna order?” Wika ni catwoman at halatang nang-aasar pa ang boses.
“I still want to buy because I’m still hungry. However, your coffee tastes crap.” I said with conviction and with cringey expression on my face. “I’ll make a feedback on your website about your coffee, so it won’t happen again. Thanks, hun.” Wika ko. Bago pa siya makapagsalita ay lumakad na ako kaagad palabas ng Café.
Sa paglabas ko ay hindi ko mapigilan ang ngiting wagi ko.
“Akala mo, ha,” sambit ko and I chuckled.
Then, I realized that I was swept away by her. Why do I feel giddy? F*ck this sh*t.
Magsisimula na sana akong lumakad nang biglang bumukas ang pinto ng Café at lumabas si catwoman.
Sh*t. I should have walked away quickly.
“Hey, you forgot your scarf,” she said in a flat tone. She’s still in a bad mood dahil sa sinabi ko.
I smirked.
“Oh, thanks.” Kindat ko sa kanya habang nakangisi.
Nagsimula na akong lumakad at narinig ko siyang nagsalita ng tagalog.
“Baliw,” aniya sabay pasok sa Café.
Napatigil naman ako sa paglalakad at tumingin sa likod ko. I stared at her back na pabalik sa cashier station dahil glass naman ang wall at pinto ng Café.
Catwoman doesn’t look like a Filipina. I know she’s asian. But she looked more foreign than a pinay.
Sa huli, nainis rin ako dahil sa sinabi niyang ‘baliw’.
“I’ll come back here, catwoman. You’ll see,” sambit ko habang nakatitig pa rin sa kanya mula dito sa labas.
Nagsimula na akong lumakad pabalik sa unit ko. I took the bus and it only took me minutes nang bumaba ako sa bus stop malapit sa building ng unit ko.
Nang makapasok ay nag-ring ang phone ko. Hinubad ko muna ang scarf at ang winter jacket ko bago ko tiningnan kung sino ang tumatawag.
It’s Cc.
I answered it.
“Hey, kuya. How have you been?” Tanong niya. “By the way, belated happy birthday. I forgot to greet you kasi. I was drunk nung birthday mo. I went to a party that night.”
“And you didn’t tell dad that you went to that liberated party?” Seryoso kong sambit sa kapatid ko.
“Kuya, not now, please. I badly need your help.” Wika niya. “You just turned twenty-eight and I’m twenty-six. And yet, you still treat me like a child.” Maktol niya.
“Because you are our princess,” I simply said.
“But, I’m a grown woman!” She yelled like a toddler.
Yep. She’s a grown woman.
“Then, behave like a grown woman!” I yelled back at her.
It may look like we’re fighting, but that’s just how we say we love each other. Celeste is our only girl in the family and mom told me to protect her always. Isama na rin si Makki, the silent one pero maraming babaeng nagkakagusto.
Girls these days like a silent guy more than a playboy like me. Makki is just a copycat of me, but with a silent personality.
- Writer
