"Oh, anak. Where have you been?" tanong ni mommy pag uwi ko. Ngumiti ako at humalik sa pisngi niya bago umupo sa sofa.
"Breakfast with a friend I met yesterday." I answered.
"Oh, you're making friends already. That's good, dear." she smiled and walked towards me.
"Pasukan mo na pala next month. Na-enroll na kita sa University ni Ella. 'Di ba doon mo gusto?" she asked.
"OMG, yes mom! Thank youuu!"
"Last year mo na sa college, 'nak. Parang kailan lang." she started getting emotional.
"Ma, ang OA." I laughed and stood up to hug her.
"I'm still your baby, don't worry." I giggled.
"Oh, Ella told me that you're planning to publish a new book. How's it going?" she smiled.
"Okay naman po, Ma. Ang ganda nga ng naisip kong plot." I excitedly answered.
"Ano title?" she asked.
"Wala pa po, pinag iisipan ko pa. I'll come up with one soon, hopefully."
"Good luck diyan sa libro mo at sa'yo mismo. If you need me, I'm always here for you. Oh, I have to leave for work. See you, sweetie." paalam niya at hinalikan ako sa noo.
Nang makaalis siya ay dumiretso ako sa kwarto ko at hinarap ulit ang laptop ko para maituloy ang kwentong sinusulat ko. I was in the middle of typing when I suddenly received a text from Ivan.
'Just got home. I hope you got home safe. See you next week!'
I replied and continued typing on my laptop. Nakatapos ako ng limang chapters sa buong maghapon. Not bad, normally kasi, hanggang tatlo lang nagagawa ko, tinatamad na ako agad.
I guess I just really like the plot of my new work kaya nai-inspire akong tapusin agad. At isa pa, matagal na nung huli akong nakapagsulat. Na-miss ko na din.
"What's that?" nakangiting tanong ni Ivan nang makupo siya sa harap ko. Nauna kasi akong nakarating sa coffee shop na kinakainan namin every weekend. It became our weekend routine these past few weeks.
"Ha? Wala. Bakit ang tagal mo?" pinaningkitan ko siya ng mata at sinara ang laptop ko. Binalik ko 'yun sa bag bago bumaling ulit sa kanya.
"Nakipagkita ako saglit sa mga kaibigan ko." he chuckled. "Ano 'yung tina-type mo kanina?" nakangiting tanong niya.
"Wala nga." I laughed. "Ikaw nalang mag order." I told him. Tumango naman siya at pumunta na sa counter.
"Tapsilog again." he chuckled when he got back with our food.
"Yay!" I cheered and clapped my hands.
"And your coffee, of course." dagdag niya at linapag ang isang baso sa harap ko. I smiled at him as a 'thank you' and started eating.
"Saan ka mag-aaral sa pasukan? Graduate ka na ba?" I asked him while we were eating.
"Uh, no. Graduating palang. Sa Rosewell." he shrugged. Uminom muna ako sa kape ko bago nagsalita,
"Doon 'din ako. Graduating na din." I shared.
"Really? Wow, so I'll see you more often, huh?" he licked his lower lip and smiled charmingly.
"Siguro. Kaso baka magkalayo tayo ng building. Maluwang daw ang school na 'yun, eh." I laughed.
"May lakad ka ba ngayon?" he asked when we finished eating. Umiling naman ako para sabihing wala.
"Gala tayo? Sa mall lang." he invited.
"Libre mo?" I asked. He chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah, sure. Ako naman nag-aaya, eh." he shrugged. Kinuha niya mula sa'kin ang bag ng laptop ko para siya nalang ang magbuhat.
"May dala kang sasakyan?" I asked when we got outside of the restaurant.
"Yeah, ikaw ba?" he asked me.
"Wala, nag taxi lang ako." I answered. He nodded and led our way to his car.
Nang makasakay ako sa passenger seat, napakunot ang noo ko nang maamoy ang loob ng sasakyan niya. Parang familiar na ewan.
"Are you okay?" his brows creased and looked at me. I smiled at him nodded before fixing my seat belt.
Tahimik lang kami buong byahe, nakatingin lang ako sa labas ng bintana habang siya ay naka-focus sa pagmamaneho.
Nang medyo lumuwang ang kalsada at umunti ang mga sasakyan na nakakasalubong namin, biglang bumilis ang pagtakbo niya. At first, I didn't mind. But minutes later, I suddenly felt nervous.
"I-Ivan, pwedeng pakibagalan ng kaunti? Parang hindi maganda pakiramdam ko." I told him. Agad naman siyang sumunod at binagalan ang pagmaneho.
"Are you okay? You look pale." aniya.
"Yeah. Kinabahan lang ako, ang bilis mo kasi magpatakbo." I laughed.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. Hindi ko din napansin na napabilis pala." he chuckled.
"It's fine." I smiled at him.
Nang makarating kami sa mall, dumiretso kami sa arcade because we mutually agreed to go there.
"Gusto ko 'yun, oh. Cute!" I giggled and pointed at the coffee shaped stuffed toy that's inside the claw machine.
"I can try winning it for you." he said and inserted a token on the slot.
"Sige nga." I dared him. He smirked at me and held on the controls. Natawa ako nang makitang sobrang focused siya kaya hinayaan ko nalang kahit paulit-ulit na siyang naglalaglag ng token.
"I didn't expect you would actually get it." I teased when he actually got the stuffed toy. Well, he got it after more than twenty five tries though.
He winked boastfully which made me laugh. He crossed his arms and stared at me while laughing which made me stop.
"Oh, bakit mo ako tinititigan?" I raised my brows.
"You look cute when you laugh." he said and smiled widely. Natatawang tinampal ko ng mahina ang pisngi niya at umalis sa harap niya. Dumiretso ako sa iba pang arcade games at naglaro. Si Ivan naman, sumusunod lang, naglalaro din minsan pero madalas, pinapanood lang ako.
"Ubos na tokens ko, tara na." pag-aaya ko maya-maya. Tumango naman siya kaya lumabas na kami doon.
"Saan mo gustong pumunta?" he asked while we were walking.
"Hmm, sa bookstore." I answered. Pumayag naman siya dahil magtitingin din daw siya ng kanya.
"Libro ng favorite author mo, oh." sabi ko nang makakita ng libro na gawa ng favorite author niya.
"Meron na ako niyan. Kailan kaya siya maglalabas ng bago, noh?" he chuckled.
"Hmm, malay mo may tinatapos na siya ngayon. Abangan mo nalang." I winked at him and left him there to check out other books.
"Ikaw, sino ba favorite author mo?" he asked when he followed me.
"Wala akong specific na favorite. For me kasi, every author has a different style in writing. Basta gusto ko 'yung mga sinusulat niya at 'yung way ng pagde-deliver niya ng plot at kwento, nadadagdag na siya sa favorites ko." simpleng sagot ko at nagtingin sa bookrack ng pwedeng bilhin.
"Ikaw, ano ba nagustuhan mo sa works ng favorite author mo?" I asked him.
"I don't know, honestly. Hindi naman ako masyadong mahilig magbasa noon pero 'nung nabasa ko 'yung unang story niya, 'yung 'Never Love an Author', nagustuhan ko agad hanggang sa lahat na ng libro niya, nabasa ko. I fell in love with reading because of her." nakangiting pagkwe-kwento niya.
"You smile as if you're talking about a girl you like, huh?" I teased.
"I only like her works, Seah." he chuckled.
"Sa bagay, hindi mo nga alam identity niya, eh." I laughed.
"'Yan lang kukunin mo?" tanong niya ng makakuha na ako ng libro.
"Ah, oo. Hindi ko pa kasi tapos 'yung binabasa ko ngayon. Tsaka na ulit ako bibili sa susunod." sagot ko at naglakad na papuntang counter.
"I have a lot of books at home. I don't even recognize most of them because they're too many. You should go see them some time. Baka may magustuhan ka." he told me when we got inside his car.
"Hmm, sure, why not? Kailan ba pwede?" I asked excitedly. As long as it has something to do with books, I'm always in.
"Ngayon, gusto mo?" tanong niya.
"As in ngayon?" nakakahiya naman kasi kung biglaan.
"Yeah, ayaw mo?"
"Hindi naman sa ayaw, parang nakakakiya lang kasi sa parents mo." I said and rolled my eyes.
"Nah, it's fine, don't worry." he smiled. Tumango naman ako sa kanya para sabihing payag na ako kaya pinaandar na niya ang sasakyan niya at umalis na kami sa parking lot ng mall.