Faith's Point of View
Confessing to your crush will never be easy. You have no idea what will happen next. Does he like me too? Does he feel the same way? Liking someone is taking a risk without him knowing.
"Kaiden," I uttered while he's washing the dishes. This is it, there's no turning back, ika nga nila. Huminga ako ng malalim. Tumingin ito sa'kin habang hinihintay ang sasabihin ko.
"G-gusto..." I was shaking with fear of being rejected again.
"Hmm?" Lalong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko, this is it. Wala nang atrasan.
"G-gus--"
"Faith!" a familiar voice shouted. I turned around and saw Stay just entering the café. He grabbed me by the arm. Oh, good timing, Stay. Ang laki n'yang abala.
All of a sudden I lost the pressure when I saw him. He glared at me while Kaiden closed the faucet and wiped his hand.
Stay looked at me from head to toe, he noticed the apron that I'm wearing while holding a tray.
Yes, I'm a waitress now. Can't believe?
"Pack up, we'll go home," he said.
"W-what?" I said in disbelief.
"I said pack up your things right now!" He shouted.
This is what I hate about Stay, he can easily make me obey when he shouts. I have no choice, pumunta agad ako sa kwarto ko at nagligpit.
It's been one month since I moved to Kaiden's house. And I still clearly remember our first meeting.
"Pwede bang..." Tumingin ako sa kanya. "...dito muna ako tumira?" Ilang saglit pa ay di sya umimik kaya nagsalita uli ako.
"Oh... Sorry, mukhang marami kang kasama sa bahay" I smiled. Whoo, akala ko best actress na 'ko, pero bakit walang epekto 'yong paawa effect 'ko? Kinuha ko ang maleta at akmang aalis na nang sinundan nya ako ng tingin.
It's now or never. Lumuhod ako sa harap nya. I need shelter, Lord. I want to live long! Hindi alam nila nanay na kung saan saan na lang ako pinupulot sa Maynila.
"Please?" I gave a pout. "Magta-trabaho ako bilang waitress, patuluyin mo lang ako," I uttered. "Please? Two months lang?" Dagdag ko pa.
Lumabas ako ng bahay kasama si Stay. I looked at Kaiden. Maybe it's not the time for me to confess... Right. I should say it when I'm ready. Ngumiti ako sa kanya at kumaway. "Don't fire me! I'm still your employee okay?!"
He laughed. "Of course. Agahan mo bukas!" And that made me blush. My heart jumped for a while. I think he likes me too, that's the good guess I've ever think. I'm really sure to that.
"Faith!" Tawag sa akin ni Stay habang pinapaandar ang kotse. Agad akong sumakay roon at kinawayan uli si Kaiden.
A smile stayed on my face while on the car. Nanatili namang tahimik si Stay kaya nagisip ako ng topic. Matagal ko na din s'yang hindi nakita.
"Bakit mo pa 'ko sinundo dun?" I gave a pout. "I'm okay there, I'm comfortable with him," dagdag ko.
"I can't believe this, Faith. You promised na ite-text mo ko kapag may nangyayari sayo, but what happened?" I looked at him. "You lived there with a guy for one month, tell me, did he raped you?"
"Ya! Kaiden is not that type of guy!" I quickly answered.
"So anong ginagawa nyo? Nagrorosaryo maghapon?"
I rolled my eyes.
"He's a kind man okay? At tsaka, anong pinagkaiba ng pagtira ko kasama ka, eh lalaki ka rin naman," tanong ko.
"You have trust on me, we've been friends for 11 years so yeah," he confidently said.
"Yes, thats it, pero hindi mo sinabi na nasa Manila ka lang pala? How dare you! I texted you before na magkita tayo pagkalipat ko rito, but you lied! Business tour mo mukha mo!" I shouted.
Ngayon lang kami nagkausap kaya naman napuno ng bangayan ang kotse. I didn't expect na pupunta s'ya sa cafe nang magtext ako sa kanya kagabi.
"Bakit ka ba napatira don?" He questioned. Uh oh. Lagot na ako, but I have no choice. Huminga ako ng malalim bago magsalita. Be ready to be scolded, Faith.
"I..." He raised his brows. "I failed..." I bite my lower lip.
"Then? How many subjects?" He said while focusing on the road.
"T-three..." I looked at him. "Stay... I'm kicked out." And that made the car stop.
"What did you just say?"
He despises people who failed in life. I can say he's a successful man, a future pilot, earning a lot of money and an outstanding student. He has a plan, he has a journey that everyone dreams to have. Inshort, may direksyon sa buhay.
"P-pinilit ko naman eh," umiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. Anong oras man ay parang magwawala na sya. At iyon ang nagpakaba sa'kin. "I didn't see m-myself holding a scalpel and such while wearing a long white coat." I can't hold on my tears anymore. They fell.
That day when the Professor said I'm kicked out... My life became instantly worthless. My scholarship was gone, and I have no home. I have no money to fill my stomach, I only have myself.
But my feet bought me to a café, kneeling in front of Kaiden... who became my shoulder to lean on that time.
Stay hugged me. It's been a long time since he comforts me every time I feel rejected. In the middle of the road, I cried all the pain I've been carrying for a long time.
My heart aches as I remembered it again; My parents still didn't know about this. I'm sure, they'll kill me. Ipapamukha nila sa'kin na isa akong pabaya. Nakakahiya.
I used to be a honor student, but now? I'm just a woman who have no chance to study again.
"Don't be pressured, it's okay if you're already 20 and not yet a college graduate, disregard the surrounding negativity, okay?"
And what Stay said made me stop from crying. I'm still thankful that he's here.
---
Kinabukasan.
"Stay!" Tumakbo ako sa salas at lumapit sa kanya. His eyebrows immediately met. "Sabay na tayo," ngiting sabi ko.
Maaga ako ngayon dahil excited na akong makita ulit si Kaiden. Buti na lang at pupunta si Stay ngayon sa Flight school, he's completing the license to be a pilot.
Sumimangot s'ya sakin at lumabas na ng bahay. Sinundan ko s'ya at pumasok na rin sa kotse.
"Psh, akala ko pa naman may maglilinis na ng bahay ko," sabi n'ya habang inii-start ang kotse.
"Kinuha mo lang pala ako para maging maid." Umirap ako sa kawalan at nagcross arms.
"Bakit? Hindi ba't maid ka lang din don?" I glared at him.
"Hey, I did it voluntarily," ani ko.
"Whatever." Binilisan nya ang pagmamaneho. Nanatiling tahimik si Stay pagkatapos ng maikling bangayan. Ilang minuto lamang ay nagpababa na 'ko sa café ni Kaiden.
"Thankyou!" Kumaway ako kay Stay bago pumasok. He smiled at me then he left.
Nagtago muna ako sa may bintana at sinilip si Kaiden. Abala sya sa costumer, sila Leo at Mia naman ay nakaupo lang at nagce-cellphone.
"Hi guys!" Nagulat naman silang tatlo sa pagdating ko. "Hoy, kayong dalawa, bakit 'di n'yo tinutulungan si Kaiden?"
"Hays, pagod na kami," sagot ni Leo habang nakapangalumbaba.
"Why? Madami bang costumers? Ang aga pa ah," tanong ko. Umiling naman silang dalawa ni Mia habang si Kaiden ay nakangiti lang. Ang pogi talaga nya pag nakangiti, pakiramdam ko nasa heaven na 'ko.
Lol, huwag naman.
"Napuyat kami kakareview kagabi tapos narealize namin na wala kaming pasok sa subject na 'yon," napatungo si Mia sa panghihinayang.
"Hindi ba nila alam na naubos ang brain cells ko kagabi?! Aish, lalong pinabobo ako ng kap-" Tinakpan ni Leo ang bibig ni Mia.
Imagine, you're the endorser of a certain product then you'll just degrade it. That's Mia. Buti na lang hindi narinig ng mga costumers, estudyante pa naman sila.
"Faith," tawag ni Kaiden habang hinuhubad ang apron. Gosh, he looks so hot. I c-can't-
"H-hmm?"
"I think we're running out of stock, we need to go on the grocery," sabi nya sa'kin.
"Alright, tara!" Tumayo si Leo at nagayos.
"Kami na lang ni Faith, mag assist na kayo dyan, marami pang dadating, okay?" And that shocked me, habang si Leo ay napasimangot. So.. kami nga lang dalawa. I can't believe this,
In a grocery store, with Kaiden, smiling to each other like a happy couple- gosh, do I need to slap myself? Is this a dream? If not, I'm super duper happy to what I have thought. That's so cute.
We're a couple buying groceries for our home.
I smiled as we get out from the café.