Bridgetine Heirs | River

Chapter 3

VERJUS. I arrived half an hour early to prepare myself. I have never been so nervous on a lunch date. Siguro nag-ipon ipon na lang ang excitement at kaba ko dahil finally, after so many months -- magkikita na rin kami ni Jamie. Maagang sinundo ng mag-asawa si Cole kaya alas otso pa lang ay nakaprepare na ako. The anticipation is killing me. Gusto ko ng hilahin ang oras. I ordered a glass of wine to pass the time. I noticed a tall girl walked in pero hindi ko masyadong naaninag ang mukha n'ya. It can't be Jamie, masyado pang maaga. Expected ko na nga na baka ma-late s'ya. Women spends a lot of time getting ready for a date. Nagcheck rin ako ng phone at nagbrowse ng social media account ko. Hindi naman ako active dito. Mga pinsan ko lang at piling kaibigan ang nasa account ko kaya madalas puro kalokohan ang laman. People are starting to come in and it's almost twelve. Dalawang minuto na lang, makikita ko na si Jamie. 

"River."

Tumingala ako at hindi ko napigilan na mapakunot noo. "Hi, can I help you?"

She chuckled. "I'm Jamie."

Kung may langaw lang dito ay pinasok na ang bibig ko. Literal na napanganga ako. Hindi ko s'ya tiningnan mula ulo hanggang paa at sinikap kong mapanatili ang tingin ko sa mukha n'ya. The girl in front of me looks so different from what I was expecting. Definitely not the girl I saw last night at Gusto's. 

"H-hi Jamie." I got up immediately and pulled a chair for her. 

Bigla akong nataranta at binigyan s'ya ng isang ngiti. Nang maupo ako sa silya ko kaharap n'ya ay titig na titig pa rin ako sa kanya. She looked familiar and yet, not familiar. Nangyari na ba sa inyo 'yon?I feel really weird. 

"You looked surprised. Were you expecting someone else?"

"N-no. Hindi mo kasi ako binigyan ng clue kaya nagulat ako sa 'yo."

Napatawa si Jamie. "Really? O nagulat ka dahil hindi ako kasing moderno ng iniisip mo? I look different, I know. Did you want to cancel this lunch?"

May kaunting kirot akong naramdaman sa huling sinabi n'ya. I noticed a lot of people are starting to talk too. She looked different alright. Ang buhok n'ya ay banat na banat at nakapusod na parang donut. She didn't wear any make up except for a very light lipstick -- parang lipgloss pa nga. Nakasuot rin s'ya ng makapal at malaking salamin. Ganoon na ba kalabo ang mata n'ya? And that's just her face we are talking about. 

Maganda ang tindig n'ya at tuwid na tuwid -- she's tall for a girl and could pass for a model. She's slender too. Ang problema -- ang pananamit n'ya. Gusto ko tuloy s'yang hilahin sa mall at ipagshopping ng maraming maraming damit saka ipagtatapon ang mga lumang gamit n'ya. She's wearing black slacks, flat shoes, white long sleeves with buttons up to her neck. Para s'yang teacher noong unang panahon. Okay na sana -- pero sobrang laki sa kanya ng mga damit n'ya. It's at least five times bigger than her size. Even my grandma doesn't wear clothes like this. Maybe my great, great, great, great grandma. Tsk! Exaggerated I know.

"W-what? No. I want to have lunch with you."

She smiled and her perfect teeth showed. Sino ba ang may ngiting katulad nito? Damn it! Bakit hindi ko maalala.

"You don't have to be modest all the time, River. If you're embarrassed to see me in public, naiintindihan ko. I am not exactly like the women you go out with. But to me, this is a lunch between two new friends so I don't really care about what other people will say."

Tinawag n'ya ang waiter at ngumiti ito sa kanya. "Iced tea please."

"Yes, Miss Jamie."

Ang manager ay kasalukuyang naglilibot ng lumapit ito sa table namin at bahagya pang nagulat ng mapatingin kay Jamie. Mukhang nagpipigil itong matawa at gusto ko s'yang batukan kahit babae s'ya. Marge ang pangalan nito. Mamaya ay kakausapin ko. Suddenly, I felt like I have to protect Jamie from everyone who might hurt her feelings.

"Good afternoon. Has someone come by to ask for your order yet?"

"Yes. Someone did already."

"That's good, let me know if you need anything else. Enjoy your date."

Nasamid si Jamie ng wala sa oras sa sinabi ni Marge at tinaliman ng tingin ito. Was it the word 'date'?

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Bumalik ang server dala ang iced tea ni Jamie. She ordered seafood pasta for lunch. Ganoon din ang sa akin. 

"Gaya-gaya," natatawang sabi n'ya.

"Mukhang masarap eh. Madaming beses na akong kumain dito pero hindi ko pa na-try ang seafood pasta."

"So, now that you've seen me -- kakausapin mo pa ba ako?" 

Surprisingly, she looked calm. Is it the fact that she is used to rejection? Na kahit sabihin kong ito na ang huli naming pagkikita at pag-uusap ay okay lang sa kanya? Hindi naman panlabas na anyo lang ang mahalaga. People tend to be judgmental because they have set a certain standard of how people are supposed to look but in reality, pantay pantay naman lahat ng tao. I am not shallow. As long as she is not a liar, magkakasundo kami.

"Looks don't matter to me. So of course, mauulit ang pag-uusap natin at pagkain sa labas."

Sumilay ang magandang ngiti n'ya. That freaking smile again! It makes me mad that I can't think of the person who has that same smile. Damn! Mamaya ay magbubuklat ako ng album sa bahay. Hindi yata ako mapapakali hangga't hindi ko nalalaman kung sino 'yon.

"Really? I'd like that. Pero -- hindi ka ba nahihiyang makita na kasama ako? I mean, look at you then look at me," bahagya pa itong napangiwi. 

"I don't care what they say. You're my friend. To hell with what they'll say."

After I said that, she took her glass and raised it. "To our new friendship."

Itinaas ko rin ang baso ko. "To us." 

Our glass clinked and we took a sip. Nagkwentuhan kami ng tungkol sa mga experiences namin sa buhay. Mostly funny memories. Medyo tumahimik s'ya noong napag-usapan ang high school. Maybe she didn't have a really time back then kaya hindi s'ya masyadong umimik at nakuntento lang na makinig sa akin. Habang nagkukwento ako ay napagmasdan ko ang mata n'ya. She has doe eyes at mahaba ang mga pilik n'ya. Maamo ang mukha at kung ilulugay lang n'ya ang kanyang buhok ay siguradong lalabas ang ganda n'ya. One of these days, I will persuade her to let her hair down. 

Our food was served and it was indeed delicious. Bakit ba ngayon ko lang ito inorder? It's highly recommended by the chef and I haven't tasted anything like it before. Naubos ko lahat ang nasa plato ko at napansin ko ang tawa ni Jamie.

"Sinaid mo talaga?"

"Masarap eh."

"Gusto mo pa," inumang n'ya sa akin ang tinidor na may hipon.

Kinuha ko 'yon at kinain. "God! I don't think I can eat anymore. Alam mo 'yong pakiramdam na gusto pa ng isip mong kumain pero ayaw na ng t'yan mo? That's how I feel right now."

Napahalakhak s'ya. "You are so funny. Ngayon ko lang narinig 'yan."

Her laugh is like music to my ears. She refused to eat dessert at ako man ay hindi ko na rin kaya. 

"How about coffee?"

"Good idea, Jamie. Two coffees, please," sabi ko sa server. 

Habang hinihintay namin ang kape ay tinanong ko s'ya. "So, what do you say about going out of town with me on Friday? Let's spend the weekend together. Babalik rin tayo ng Linggo."

"Out of town?"

"Yes. Let's cross the border and drive to Montreal."

Bigla s'yang nawalan ng kulay sa mukha. Ayaw n'ya ba sa Canada? Maganda naman doon ah.

"How about we fly to Montreal then rent a car from there?"

Pinag-aralan ko muna saglit ang mukha n'ya. "Okay, let's fly then." 

She looked relieved. Hmm.. I wonder if she's hiding something from me.