"Tangina naman, Seah! Tao din ako, may nararamdaman din. Tigilan mo nga 'yang kaka-hampas mo! Masakit sa braso!" sigaw sa'kin ni Ella at pinalo ako ng unan.
"Ella!" tili ko at gumulong-gulong sa kama niya.
"Ano ba problema mo? Susugod ka dito para magwala? Saan ka ba galing?" she asked and crossed her arms.
"May manliligaw na ako, hmp! Don't touch me, crush din ako ng crush ko." I boasted which made her raise her brows.
"What are you implying here? Nililigawan ka na ni Ivan?" she asked.
"Yes, very good!" I clapped. "Kinikilig ako!" I giggled.
"Hoy, napakaharot mo. Umayos ka nga, sigaw ka ng sigaw, kanina ka pa." sita niya.
"Alam mo? Panira ka talaga ng moment kahit kailan." I said.
"Pero seryoso, ano nangyari?" tanong niya at pinaningkitan ako ng mata. Agad ko namang kinwento sa kanya lahat ng nangyari buong mag araw na magkasama kami ni Ivan.
"Pahirapan mo muna, huwag mo sagutin agad." walang ganang sabi niya ng matapos ko ang sinasabi ko.
"Hindi ko naman sasagutin agad, hmp. Kaya nga manliligaw muna siya, 'di ba?" I crossed my arms. Tumango nalang siya at kinalikot ang cellphone niya, may ka-text yata.
"Good morining!" Ivan greeted with a wide smile when he saw me at our usual restaurant. It's Saturday and it became our regular weekend 'thing' to go on breakfast 'dates' together.
"Late ka ng five minutes." kunyaring naiinis na sabi ko. It wasn't a big deal, really. Just wanted to tease him.
"Yeah, ikaw palaging late ng ten minutes." he fired back and chuckled. "I was late 'cause I had to pick this up." he smiled and handed me a white rose again.
"E'di thank you." I giggled and took it from him.
"Nag order ka na?" he asked and sat in front of me.
"Yup, tapsilog and iced coffee!" I answered him and smiled.
"Bakit dala mo nanaman laptop mo? May tinatapos kang project or report?" he asked when he saw my laptop on the side.
"Nope, but I'm doing something." I shrugged.
"Well then, what is it?" he asked curiously.
"You'll know soon." I smiled sweetly. Ngumuso siya kaunti pero tumango pa'rin naman.
"Date ulit tayo." pag-aaya niya 'nung naglalakad na kami palabas, kalatapos lang kumain.
"Sa mall nanaman?" I asked and chuckled. Tumawa siya at inakbayan ako na siyang kinagulat ko pero hinayaan ko nalang.
"Hmm, ano ba gusto mo? Gusto mo punta tayo sa'min tapos tambay tayo sa may library ko? Book date, ganun." he asked which made me smile widely. Sunod-sunod ang pagtango ko para sabihin gusto ko 'yong naisip niya.
"Ilatag mo nalang ito diyan, oh." nakangiting sabi ni Ivan at may inabot sa'kin na carpet. Ngumiti naman ako at binaba saglit ang librong binabasa ko para maayos ang mauupuan namin.
"You want coffee? Ipagtimpla kita." he offered. Tumango naman ako at malawak na ngumiti.
"Iced coffee, please!" I said and giggled. He smiled and ruffled my hair before excusing myself.
Nang makalabas siya, binuklat ko ulit 'yung librong binabasa ko. Isa 'yun sa mga libro ni Ivan sa shelf, 'yung hindi daw kaniya.
"Oh, what's this?" I asked myself when a piece of thick paper suddenly fell from one of the pages. Pinulot ko 'yun para makita kung ano 'yun.
"A bookmark?" I mumbled. Parang bookmark siya dahil sa length pero may printed image as a design. It was a girl with long hair, nakatalikod siya kaya hindi kita ang mukha. Naka-white off shoulder siya based sa nakikita ko at naka-shorts.
"I'm back, here's your coffee, ma'am." Ivan said when he came back. Napatingin siya sa hawak ko at nangunot ang noo,
"What's that?" he asked and sat beside me. Inabot ko naman 'yun sa kanya at kinuha ang kapeng linapag niya malapit sa'kin.
"Nahulog lang sa libro. Bookmark yata." I shrugged. He was staring at the photo when his eyes suddenly widened a bit.
"Camille." he whispered.
"'Yan si Camille?" I asked him.
"I think so. I'm not really sure." he sighed. "Huwag mo nalang sigurong pansinin." he smiled a little and put the bookmark back inside the book.
"Kumusta pala mga panaginip mo? Nandun pa'rin ba siya?" I asked him, reffering to Camille.
"Hindi na masyado. Parang bihira nalang." he shrugged.
"Ayaw na siguro sa'yo." I teased him to lighten up the mood. Parang bigla kasing nag iba 'yung ambiance 'nung nabanggit si Camille.
"Kawalan niya." he laughed. Napairap naman ako at mahina siyang binatukan. 
"Eh, 'yung libro ng favorite author mo, kumusta?" I asked him. "Natapos mo na ba?"
"Ay, oo nga. Tatapusin ko na ngayon. Mag basa ka na din diyan." sabi niya naman at linabas ang libro niya. Tumango naman ako at tahimik nang nagbasa sa tabi niya.
"Oh, shit." napaangat ako ng tingin nang marinig ko ang mahinang mura ni Ivan, parang kinakabahan pa mukha niya habang nagbabasa. I smirked at that.
"Namatay 'yung bidang lalaki, puta." he said with wide eyes.
"Don't cuss." I laughed.
"Eh, ano ba naman kasi 'to? Hindi na nga nagkatuluyan 'nung past life, hindi pa nagkatuluyan ngayon." he pouted a bit.
"Nakakatampo na si CallmeC. Pangalawang tragic story na niya 'to, hmp." he crossed his arms. I laughed at the way he acted before picking up his book.
"Sinabi ko naman kasi sa'yo, mamatay 'yung isang bida." I shrugged and waved the book around.
"E'di ikaw na fortune teller." he rolled his eyes. "Pero maganda pa'rin 'yung story, siya pa'rin favorite author ko... kahit mapanakit siya." parang batang sabi niya at umiling.
"Hmm, and I'm sure, she's happy that you're one of her readers." I smiled at him.
"Pero nakakatampo siya. Pero wala naman akong karapatang magtampo kasi reader lang ako, 'no?" he laughed and put his head on my shoulder which made me flinch a bit.
"Ganyan ka lang," pigil niya sa'kin nang makaramdam siyang balak kong lumayo.
"Basahin mo din 'yung story niya, hindi pwedeng ako lang nasasaktan dito." inosenteng sabi niya. Natawa naman ako at pabirong pinalo ang hita niya.
"Sira ulo. Babawi nalang daw sa'yo si CallmeC sa next story niya, abangan mo nalang daw." I chuckled.
"Sana happy ending na next." he rolled his eyes. 
Happy Ending, huh? 
"I'll think about that." I whispered, almost inaudibly.
"May sinabi ka?" he asked and looked at me, completely clueless.
"Wala." I laughed and continued reading queitly while he just sat there, drinking his coffee while watching me read.