I'm own my way to Matina Town Square kung saan kami magkikita ni Isaac. Sino ba kaseng tangang mag-aayos ng bag sa McDo tas 'di man lang napansing may nahulog na?
I don't wanna use my car even though walang pasok kasi bukod sa kuripot ako when it comes to paying for my gasoline, nakakatamad ding magdrive. So I choose to commute nalang.
Kinuha ko cellphone ko sa bag ko and unlocked it, I opened my messenger and luckily, nagchat si Isaac doon.
Isaac Cardinal
Where are you?
Ay, excited ba na makita ako? Chos. I replied "malapit na". Traffic kasi sa Matina. Nakakainis. Ang init pa naman.
I also got a message from my girls saying "ingat", ang pinagkaiba lang, may pahabol na "landi well" ang kay Criz. Haynako.
I was a little late when I got in to our meeting place, bukod kasi sa ang traffic sa Matina, nag-training pa kami ni Dad on how to use guns.
Malapit na ako sa keepsakes nang nakita ko siya. He's wearing a tee that is longer than his denim jacket, with dark colored pants and Air Jordan 11. Pogi, naka-outfit talaga.
Nahiya naman ako sa suot ko, I'm just wearing a plain gray croptop which I paired with a highwaisted pants and Dr. Marten Jadon boots.
"Hey, kanina ka pa ba? Sorry, traffic," sabi ko agad nung nakalapit ako.
"Di naman masyado," sabi niya at may kinuha siya sa bulsa niya, yung ID ko, "Anyways, here's your ID."
Kinuha ko agad ID ko, "Salamat talaga! Di ko man lang napansin,"
"'Wag kaseng tatanga tanga,"
Napataas tuloy kilay ko, "Excuse me?"
"Ge, daan," He joked. "Anyways, wanna have lunch? My treat,"
"Namimilosopo ka pa tas bigla kang mag-aaya, I can pay naman."
Di niya ko pinansin at dumeretso na sa loob ng keepsakes. Suplado! Barilin kita dyan eh.
Dumeretso na agad siya sa counter para mag-order, sumunod nalang ako.
"One chicken pesto pasta and baked macaroni, please," He ordered then looked at me, "Ikaw? Anong kakainin mo? Pick two,"
"Ano? 'Di ko naman mauubos 'pag dalawa inorder ko ano," parang tanga 'to!
"Ang payat mo, kumain ka ng marami. Now, pick two," Napakasuplado talaga. Pwede ka bang barilin sir?
"Fi--"
"Ang cute niyo naman pong dalawa, ma'am and sir," sabi ni ateng kumukuha ng order.
Isaac smirked, "Ako lang po, 'wag niyo na isali 'tong kasama ko."
"Bwisit ka talaga," sabi ko sakanya, he laughed. "Ate, isang creamy lasagna and spicy buffalo wings po," I ordered.
Binayad niya na yung inorder namin atsaka nauna na siyang maglakad paakyat kung saan kami uupo. Napaka-gentleman niya po talaga.
He immediately sat down without even offering me a sit. Grabe ha. I sat down in front of him.
"So, mahirap ba fine arts?" He started the conversation.
"Ba't mo alam? Stalker ka ba?" I joked.
"Ano ka sineswerte?" He fired back. Babarilin ko na talaga 'tong pilosopong 'to.
"Napaka-walangya mo talaga," He just laughed.
"Answer my question,"
"Oo naman, ah, wala namang course na madali eh," ani ko. "Ang kaso lang, di ako 'yung pumili, I love arts, alright. Pero ito yung pinapili sa'kin. I really wanted to take Legal Management because I want to become a lawyer someday, but my parents won't let me. Knowing that the government right now is a mess. Politics is dirty,"
"True, pero kung ano dapat gusto mo, 'yun sinunod mo. You don't have to follow your parents' orders all the time." He said seriously.
"I know, pero hayaan na. Second year na ako, eh," sabi ko. "Ikaw? Mahirap ba engineering?"
He scoffed, "Sinabi mo na kanina diba? Walang course na madali,"
"Nagtatanong lang!" I defended. "Sa anong program nga pala na engineering kinuha mo?" I asked.
"Civil,"
"Here is your order ma'am and sir," nagulantang ako nung dumating bigla ang waitress. dala-dala ang mga order namin.
"Thank you," sabi ko nung nailapag niya na 'yung pagkain.
"Do you usually eat here?" I asked. "No, minsan lang kapag trip naming magbabarkada. Ikaw ba?" He asked.
"Same, not the first time to eat here, though," I answered.
"Okay, let's eat. Pray first," He said.
We uttered our prayer before we eat. Masarap naman talaga pagkain dito sa keepsakes, though, some are pricey, pero worth it naman.
Inuna kong kinain yung creamy lasagna na inorder ko habang nagb-browse ako sa phone ko. I saw some selfies of Shanley na inupload niya just now, I quickly commented.
Yvanna Gaumond Palahi po!
Shanley quickly responded with an emoji that is showing its middle finger. Napatawa ako.
"Baliw ka ba?" Agad na tanong ng kasama ko.
Napatingin tuloy ako sakanya ng masama, "Ba't ka ba ganyan, ha?" He just laughed as if I told him a joke.
"Anyways, I have a question,"
"Yeah, what is it?" I quickly responded.
"Are you somehow related to Ardryan Gaumond?"
Napataas kilay ko, "He's my father. Why?"
"Wala naman,"
"Weh? Paano mo nakilala tatay ko?" I asked him out of curiousity.
"He's a business tycoon, who wouldn't know him though?"
I snorted, "Wow, sorry ha,"
"And I kinda like it that you're too lowkey. You don't bring your expensive car with you?"
" Crush mo ba ko?" I joked.
"Kapal mo, just answer my question." He fired back.
Napa-iling nalang ako, "Ayokong magmukhang mayabang, I wan't to people to look at me na normal lang,"
"Bakit? Abnormal ka ba? Di naman ah," He answered.
"Hindi kasi 'yan 'yung ibig kong sabihin, bahala ka na nga dyan," Sabi ko't sinimulang kainin 'yung spicy buffalo wings dahil naubos ko na 'yung lasagna.
"Ang lakas mo palang kumain, pero ang payat mo,"
"Uhm, I have fast metabolism?" I joked, kahit na totoo naman. I love to eat a lot pero paano ba magpataba?
"Huh, sana all."
"Bading ka ba?"
"I always hear that around me, nakakabading pala kapag lalaki ang nagsasabi?"
"Oo, hindi ba halata?" I joked. Then I glanced at my wrist watch then saw that it's almost 6pm.
"I have to go after this, may tatapusin pa 'ko eh," Sabi ko.
"Sige, may gagawin pa 'ko,"
"Thanks for the treat, next time ulit? Joke," I joked.
"Sure, why not?"
I got home by 7:30 pm. Sobrang traffic nanaman ng Matina Crossing. Matagal pa bago ako nakasakay. Langya.
I immediately opened my laptop, 'di pa nga 'ko natatapos sa digital art, gusto pang makipag video-call ng mga kaibigan kong 'to. Langya.
My phone beeped reminding that it has a message. I opened it and 'yun nga, tinetext ako ng magaling kong kaibigan na magvideo call daw kami.
I immediately opened my messenger and clicked join sa group video call.
Langya, kababagong bukas lang, ang iingay na.
"Ano bang kailangan niyo?" Agad na tanong ko.
"ANO? NAGDATE BA KAYO? SAAN?" Agad na tanong ni Criz, itong baklang 'to, parang may pinagmanahan. Anak ba 'to ng nababasa kong chismoso sa wattpad? Charot.
"Baliw, nilibre ako kahit na ako dapat 'tong manlibre eh,"
"OA mo! Sana all nililibre," Sagot ni Haniezyn.
"Nagpaparinig ka ba? Magkapit-bahay lang naman tayo, labas kana. Labas lang, wala 'kong sinabing manlilibre ako," Ani Shanley.
"Gago ka, 'wag mo 'kong kakausapin." Sagot ni Haniezyn. We laughed at their little argument.
"Alis na 'ko, ah? May gagawin pa nga 'ko, tinatapos ko pa digital art," Paalam ko.
"'Wag na! Ako nga 'di ko pa nagagawa eh." Sabi ni Criz.
"Wag mo 'kong igaya sayo ha, sige, bye," Sabi ko at pinagpatuloy pa 'yung ginagawa ko.
I'm working on my digital art right now which is a girl who is painting something. Ang subject kasi namin ay yung magr-reflect dapat saamin 'yung drawing. I drew a girl na nakatalikod, nagd-drawing with a lot of drawings and paintings posted on her wall. I really love to draw but the difference is that, I don't post my drawings on the wall of my room. Bukod sa nahihiya pa 'ko kasi hindi ako sanay na pinupuri ako, I prefer seeing a lot of books that is displayed in my room than drawings.
Whenever I draw, I feel like I was in it. And whenever I read, I can also feel like I was the person that is in the story.
Books are indeed amazing, just like guns.
It can take you to another world... but the difference is, guns are dangerous.
---
thanks.