"Trabaho? Bakit? Don't tell me na titigil ka na sa pag-aaral?!" Rachel asked worriedly.
"What? No!" Kite denied her. "Part-time lang. I need money kasi. After a month, I'll be living on my own na. So, I need to have some income."
"Ah. Di pa ba sapat yung binabayad ko?"
"That's not it. Ayaw ko namang umasa sayo palagi. Malay ko ba kung saan mo kinukuha yung pinambabayad mo sakin."
"Ah, guilty it is, then? Haha! Huwag kang mag-alala, allowance ko to. Besides, it's more than enough for me. Kaya you have nothing to worry about," Rachel assure him.
"Okay. So? Sasamahan mo ba ako, o hindi?"
"Uhmm..." Rachel stroked her chin. "Sure, sure! Kailan ba?"
"On Saturday. Okay lang?" Kite asked.
"Okay. No problem!"
———
The rest of the weekdays went past normally.
Kite went to school in the morning to do his studies. Afterwards, he becomes a coach for Rachel at night.
And now, it's finally Saturday.
At the front of a locally famous coffee shop, a relatively tall young man was standing and seems to be waiting for someone.
He's wearing a sky-blue polo shirt, buttoned up to the neck. A black jeans paired with white sneakers. His hair, combed to one side. And a bag was hanging on his right shoulder. His appearance isn't that handsome, but his neatness is pleasing to the eye.
He was Kite Valdez.
After a short while, a taxi pulled off a few meters from him, and a young lady came out.
Wearing a white hooded-shirt, with its hood at her back. A yellow hood-less jacket atop it, its front unbuttoned, showing the designs on the white shirt below. With dark-blue ripped jeans and a pair of white rubber shoes. Her hair tied at the back, forming a long ponytail.
She smiled at Kite and walked up to him.
"Hindi ka ba naiinitan diyan?" Kite asked the newly arrived Rachel.
"Konti. Pero okay lang naman. Besides, malapit na yung 'Ber Months' kaya malamig na yung simoy ng hangin," Rachel answered while sniffing out the air.
Kite scratched his head. "Haist. Tara na nga."
"Saan nga ba?" Rachel asked.
"Saan pa ba? Try muna tayo sa mga fast food restaurant."
"Okay."
The duo then went to ask around several fast food restaurant. But they were unable to find one that's suitable for Kite.
It's not that all of them are unwilling to accept an applicant, it's just that none of them could satisfy Kite's needs. Or maybe the other way around, Kite couldn't satisfy what they wanted for an employer. Even if it's just for part-time.
What Kite needed was a place to work on his vacant time. Since he's still studying, Kite can only work at night. And not every fast food restaurants are opened 24/7.
Some are built inside malls and other establishments. Thus, they are dependent on the closing time of the said establishments. Many of them follows the commom closing hours which is around 9 o'clock pm.
If they were to accept this, Kite will only be able to work for 2-3 hours. Minus the hour that he spends in coaching Rachel.
It became a real problem for Kite.
Not to mention that he's hungry, he is also feeling guilty for dragging Rachel into his search—which up til now, remains fruitless.
The duo then went inside another mall to inquire.
As they were walking, Kite stole a glance at the girl beside him. She was smiling and was brimming with energy. Like all those time that they spent weren't even enough to tire her.
Kite had a feeling that if it weren't for her matching up his pace, she would've gone ahead while skipping.
Kite on the other hand, was really tired and his hunger was intensifying with every minute passing by.
Until he couldn't hold it any longer.
"Grrrr!"
A loud noice was heard.
Kite's face turned scarlet. He froze in his tracks from embarrassment.
He turned to look at Rachel, expecting her to shot him a teasing look or laugh at him.
But she didn't.
Instead, Rachel's hands were both on his waist. Her brows were knitted altogether.
Kite was confused.
'Why is she angry?'
Rachel took a deep breath then growled at him. "Why didn't you say that you were hunry?! Kanina pa tayo nanggaling sa mga fast food restaurants tapos hindi mo man lang sinabi?"
Kite didn't know what to say. He stared at her blanky. Unable to comprehend why she's worried about him.
It's the complete contrast of her usual treatment to him.
Or perhaps, if was all just a prejudice. Maybe she was really kind-hearted. Minus the annoying attitude. Well, we all got our own dark sides.
Kite was feeling sorry for thinking that way about Rachel when she grabbed his hand then dragged him.
'Huh?'
He looked at Rachel and asked, "Saan tayo?"
"Saan pa ba? Ehdi Kakain!" Rachel said without looking back at him. "Ayoko namang buhatin pa kita kapag nahimatay ka diyan."
"Eh bakit lumalabas tayo ng Mall?"
Rachel stopped walking and paused for a moment before answering him. "Para kapag nahimatay ka, di na ako mamroblema. Madali nalang kitang maiiwanan kasi wala namang cctv dun para sabihing magkasama tayo. At saka, makakasakay ako agad ng taxi. But don't worry, I'll call an ambulance immediately once I'm inside the taxi."
Kite felt his eye twitch. He suddenly regretted feeling sorry for Rachel earlier.
"Joke lang! Hahaha!" Rachel turned to look at him while laughing. Then he punched his shoulder. "Sa labas tayo kakain, may alam akong kainan dun."
Kite was again, unable to respond. Aside from being unable to follow the flow of Rachel's mind, he was using almost his all to remain standing. That punch almost made him wobble. His hunger apparently doing its job.
So he just nodded and let Rachel lead the way.
Then, they've reached their destination.
It wasn't an extravagant restaurant, nor was it a glamorous buffet.
They were in front of a food stall.
"Uh..." Kite looked at Rachel. He was not expecting someone who has a lot of money to come and eat here. "Why are we here?"
"Well, dito tayo kakain. Don't tell me na di ka kumakain nito?" Rachel asked him while she took a piece of isaw and soak it in a container filled with vinegar sauce. She then called at the stall's owner, "Manong, isang puso nga po."
"Well, I have been eating this before. Nagtitipid nga ako di ba? Sabi mo pa nga Jurassic yung sapatos ko. Kaya I'm not unfamiliar with these kind of food." Kite said. Then he took a stick with hotdog in it, and placed it in another container with ketchup. "Hindi lang ako nag-eexpect na dito tayo kakain."
"Bakit? Kasi mapera ako?" Rachel asked him.
Kite hesitated if he should answer her. But since he was exposed, he nodded in the end.
"Well, tama ka rin naman. I don't do this frequently. Only when I'm not with my family or when I'm alone can I do this," Rachel said. "I like doing this stuff. I don't want to be someone na hindi alam yung mundong ginagalawan niya. I prefer to explore."
Kite observed the woman before her. She seemed mature at some time, like now, for instance. She seems to be carefree and a happy-go-lucky.
Kite envied her. He wanted to be like Rachel. Free from all the shackles that's been keeping him from doing what he want.
"Haha! Tama na nga! Kung anu-ano na tuloy yung pinagsasasabi ko!" Rachel laughed.
"I'm sorry," Kite said.
"Sorry for what?" Rachel asked him.
"For thinking like that about you," he said.
"Ano ka ba, okay lang yun! Kumain ka na nga lang," Rachel said as she took another round of isaws.
"Okay," Kite said and then smiled. "And thank you. For showing me what I wanted to be," he murmured.
"Huh? May sinabi ka ba?" Rachel asked him.
"Ah, wala. Sabi ko salamat kasi ikaw magbabayad nito." Kite lied.
"Huh?" Rachel confusedly asked.
"Hehe." Kite grinned.
"Walang-hiya!" Rachel growled.
"Praktikal lang," Kite retorted with his hand in a money/okay gesture.
"Che!"
———
After eating, they went back to the mall to continue their search.
As they were walking inside the mall, Kite saw a group of familiar people.
'F*ck! Sila Leo yun ah!'
He stopped on his track then looked at Rachel.
"What? May problema ba?"
'Baka anong isipin na naman nila kapag nakita nilang magkasama kami ni Rachel!'
"Ah, wala. Sandali lang mukhang okay yung tinitinda nila dito ah," he said then pulled Rachel towards one of the displays of a store while keeping his eyes on Leo's group.
'Bilisan niyong maglakad! Lumampas na kayo samin!'
When Leo's group went past them, Kite finally sighed with relief. Then he turned towards Rachel.
"Oh, I didn't know na interesado ka pala sa mga make-up, Kite," she suddenly said to him.
"Huh, anong sinasabi mo?" Kite was confused.
She then pointer her lips towards the display of the store where they stopped.
Because he was hurrying, he did not pay any attention to this. But now, he could see what the displays were. And the kind of store in front of them.
Make up kits, lipsticks, mascara, and such were displayed in front of him. Well, it looks like they were in front of a store that sells beauty products.
A woman's paradise, a torturous place of waiting for men.
In this place, a woman will claim to look around for only a few minutes. And if the partner agreed to wait, the trap will be activated. A waiting game that will feel like an eternity, is dawned upon the unfortunate soul of men.
Those victims then will be scarred for life. Resulting to them having different kinds of pain, loss of money, sudden urge to go to the toilet, and even not being able to see this place. These are all experienced by men whenever they're with their woman and was passing by this place.
Kite knew about the bewitching prowess of such store, that's why he intended to pull Rachel to someplace else.
Then, a woman in work clothes—a staff of the store perhaps—appeared and greeted them.
"Hello, ma'am and sir! Welcome to Beau's!"
"Ano raw? Mukhang yun yata yung pangalan ng tindahan," Kite thought.
The staff turned to Rachel then continued, "Are you perhaps interested with are products ma'am? If so, I'll be glad to show you around!"
Rachel waved her off then said, "It's not me who's interested, it was him." She then pointed at Kite.
The staff who seemed not to be expecting it, was speechless for a moment before talking again. "Uhmm, your boyfriend po is interested with our products?"
"Hey, hey! I'm not her boyfriend!" Kite interjected immediately.
"That's right. He's not my boyfriend. We're just friends with benefits," Rachel added.
F*ck.
Kite was flustered. He then turned towards Rachel and asked her, "What are you saying?! "
"Why? May mali ba dun?" Rachel confusedly said. "Di ba friends lang naman tayo? Tapos, I pay you while you teach me Dota. Isn't it benefiting from each other? Mutualism?"
"But stil..." Kite wanted to say something about it, but was unable to refute her logic. He then just said, "Ayusin mo naman yung pamimili ng gagamiting salita! Nagmumukha tayong uhums eh."
"Huh? Uhums?"
"You know, yung ano?"
"Huh?"
"Ahem," the completely forgotten staff in front of them cleared her throat to get their attention. Then she turned towards Kite. "So, sir... Would you like me to show you around?"
Kite immediately rejected her offer while waving his hands. "No, no! It's a misunderstanding. I'm not interested with the products."
Rachel seemed to have a realization after listening to Kite. She then added, "Yeah. Mali nga yun. Hindi siya interesado sa products niyo..."
Kite heaved a sigh of relief.
"...kasi gusto niyang mag-apply for a work sa store niyo." Rachel continued.
F*ck.
"Oh! This is new!" the staff seems delighted. "Come with me this way then, sir. I'll lead you to our manager."
———
Kite found himself on his bed, thinking about what just happened earlier.
"I am f*cking going to work at a beauty product store!" he couldn't help but curse.
His myriad of emotions were in a mess. He was delighted with finally being able to find a job, yet was feeling conflicted by the type of job that he got.
Time flew by with Kite finally being able to go to sleep while thinking about all those things.
Well, he still need to go to the Church tomorrow.
And he needs to be on time. For someone was going to be with him.
He'll be going with Rachel.
###