Jefferson…
“Jeff, do you have plans for today? You want to watch a movie? My treat!”, Howard messaged me.
After the awkward laughing I made with him last time, I avoided any joke that might offend him in anyway. I was so relieved the he didn’t get mad at me. Howard is by-far the closest person to me right now. My mind is still a pool filled with blurred images that I cannot understand. I don’t know if I can handle loosing Howard right now.
“I don’t have any plans yet. Okay, where are we going? What time?”, I replied to him.
“If you want, we can go there at SM Muntinlupa so you won’t travel far anymore. And if you want, I can pick you up at home so you won’t leave alone.”, Howard initiated.
“You will pick me up here? At home? Do you know where I live?”, I asked. Confused.
“No. haha. I mean, you live near in SM Muntinlupa right? We can meet somewhere near your place instead. Then, we will go there together.”, He replied.
“Oh I see. But is it okay if we go somewhere else? I am always there. I want to go somewhere new. How about Festival Mall. You want?”, I suggested.
“Sure, no problem. Whatever you say. So, we’ll see in Festival Mall instead. Are you good with 12 noon?”
“12? Are we taking our lunch there already?”
“Yeah, why? You’re not yet ready by then?” – Howard.
“I think I am. I’m just going to ask mom and dad. There both downstairs. I am sure mom already cooked lunch for us.”
“I understand. Maybe later afternoon?” - Howard.
“I’ll ask them now and I’ll message you what they say. Is it okay?”.
“Of course.”, Howard replied with a lot of smiling faces with hearts emoticon. “And Jeff, thank you.”
“For what?”, I asked.
“Because you agreed to go out with me.”
“It was nothing. I’ll be happy to go out with you. Let me go downstairs and ask them.”
Despite the excitement that I am feeling about Howard’s invitation, I am quite hesitant to ask permission from my parents. This is going to be the first time that I will go out alone after the accident. Also, its lunch time. Mom definitely cooked something special for us.
When I get down, I see dad watching a movie on the sofa. Mom is in the kitchen, busy. As expected, she is cooking. I can smell the Adobo coming from the kitchen. It’s our favorite.
“Mom…dad… may I go out with a friend?”, I asked them politely after collecting a huge deal of courage.
Both of them looked at me. Dad turned the TV on mute and faces towards me. And mom wiped his hands with the apron, lowered the fire of the stove and walked closer.
“Ah, it’s Howard. My classmate.”, I said. Very nervous. “He asked me if I can come with him to the mall to eat and watch a movie. Can I go?”,
Mom and dad exchanged looks before looking at me again. I don’t have any idea what they are thinking. Dad stood up from the sofa and crossed his arms around his chest. Mom took a deep breath before looking at dad.
“It’s okay if you won’t let me. I’ll just tell Howard that I have errands to do.”, I concluded in anticipation that my parents will say no.
I turned around and was about to return to my room when dad called out to me.
“What movie are you going to watch?”, he asked.
“Ah, hmm,..”, I uttered with much uncertainty and nervous in my chest because I was not expecting that dad would be in anyway interested. “Honestly, I don’t know. He just invited me.”
“You need money?”, -dad
“I’m good. I still have money from my allowance. This will be good.”, I said.
“Hon, is my wallet on top of the fridge?”, dad asked mom. I saw mom walked towards the kitchen fridge and pulled dad’s wallet from its side pocket. He handed it over to dad. I saw dad open it and pulled some cash and handed it to me.
“Is this enough?”, he asked.
I didn’t want to accept it but I’m afraid that dad will be upset if I don’t. I accepted the money and thanked him for it.
“Be careful okay and don’t strain yourself too much.”, he reminded me.
“Hon, are you sure we can allow him…..”,
“He’ll be fine hon.”, dad interrupted mom. “he needs some fresh air. Just promise us that you’ll call if something happen okay.”
“I will dad. Promise.”, I acknowledged reassuringly.
With the money on my hands, I walked back to my room. Very unbelieving and relieved. I didn’t expect that dad will allow me to go out just like that. He even gave me money to spend. When I entered my room, I noticed a message notification on my phone.
I saw Howard’s message which I immediately replied with, “see you at Festival mall at 12.”
***
“I’m sorry I’m late. I just took the jeepney.”, I apologized to Howard immediately after arriving at the mall 30 minutes after 12.
“That is okay. What’s important is that you are here now.”, he said calmly.
“I am really sorry. Are you hungry? I know you are because you said we will together.”, I asked.
“Don’t worry too much. I’m fine.” – Howard.
“Okay. Let’s go eat then. Where do you want to go?”,
We started walking along the wide and marble entrance floor of Festival Mall. There were a lot of people wondering around. They all looked happy and enjoying themselves. We proceeded to the food court where most of the foods stalls are.
“What do you want to eat?”, Howard asked me.
“I am not craving for anything. There’s Jollibee and Mcdonalds, the usual. What is new in there foodcourt?”, I said.
“There are a lot of foods there to choose from. You love noodles right? How about Mongolian? I am sure you’ll love it too.”, Howard suggested.
“Since did I love noodles?”, I asked Howard. Wondering.
“Ah, didn’t you mentioned it to me before?”, he replied with a slight defensive tone on his voice. “hmm, maybe I was wrong. Somebody might have mentioned it to. I might have mistaken you to be that person. But I am very sure that you will like it.”
“Okay, where is it.” – me
“Before they were at the third floor, beside Sbarro. But the mall renovated, they were relocated in Shopwise. But compared to their previous location, this is much smaller now.”, Howard narrated like a story that he is very familiar with. “Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?”
“Nothing. I’m just amazed with how you talk about this noodle store. It looks like you are always eating there.” I replied.
“Not really. I just had a friend who loved that noodle house so much.”, Howard said.
“Let me guess, you used to eat in that noodle house together before.”, I tried to finish his sentence.
“Actually, we never had the chance to eat there together. He told me how good their noodles are. I tried it and he was right. It was good.” – Howard.
“So, your friend is the one who always eats and there not you? But you are telling me about it like you are the one who always eats there.” – me.
“Haha, you can put it that way. Because ever since I tasted their noodles, I always come back to it.”, Howard said. Very happy.
“Alone? Why didn’t you eat with your friend?”, - me
“Like I said, we never had the chance to eat together.”, Howard said. His voice suddenly turned sad.
“Why?”, I asked.
Howard did not answer my question right away. He smiled at me but never said anything. I was waiting for his reply while we were walking but he didn’t give me any. I caught him looking at me from time to time like he really wanted to answer but never continue.
“I am sure you are going to love their noodles. When you tasted it, you will come asking for more.”, Howard said, in an attempt to change the subject. I did not insist on asking him anymore. I don’t want him get upset on me again because of my intrusion.
After a minutes of walking, we reached Shopwise. We entered the grocery store and along its side was the small yet very busy noodle house that Howard was talking about, the Mongolian Noodles. His description was accurate. Its place was slightly smaller compared to those in the food court. There were only five table to dine in. The kitchen was seen through its class window and you could see how they’d cook your noodles. The array of steel square containers where you will choose your toppings for noodles were lined with several customers.
“Welcome to Mongolian Noodles, Jeff.”, Howard said cheerily with his hands wide open.
“You look like the endorser of this noodle house.”, I teased.
Howard smiled at me. His smile was so beautiful and contagious. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the dine in area. He wanted us to get our place before falling in line at the noodle bar. There were only a few tables which are unoccupied and luckily we managed to take the remaining table.
“Are we leaving our bags here?”, I asked Howard when I saw him drop his bag on his chair about to get in line.
“Jeff, the line is just two meters from us. Who would dare to take it?”, He answered with a slight sarcasm but on a sweet tone. I returned comment with a smile and put my bag next to his instead.
Howard immediately get into the lady at the bar front and ordered two unlimited noodles for the both of us without asking me. “You will love this. Trust me.” He told me when he saw to look on my face.
After the lady, we both fall in line at the noodle bar with huge bowls on our hands. In front of us is an array of different toppings that we will put on our noodles. It’s a mixture of everything and there’s a lot. I did not know what to put on mine.
“Start with the noodles. Fill up your bowl.”, Howard told me when he saw me blankly staring at everything. “and then, choose from any of these toppings. You can put anything you want. Any amount you can eat.”. Without totally understanding him, I nodded in assent.
The noodle part was easily. But I was caught up when I was on the toppings. I didn’t know what to choose.
“What’s wrong.”, Howard asked from behind.
“What’s delicious?”, I asked him shyly. I didn’t know what combination to put in. I was worried I might ruin my noodles if just put anything on it.
“Put in a little garlic, a teaspoon of peanuts, slices of carrots and cucumber. If you want radish, you can put some slices. Then take some of those bean sprouts. Those are good. Add in some vegetables too.”, Howard instructed me as he pointed out everything on the pantry. I was amazed on how well-versed he was on these noodles. At the end of that long table was a guy waiting for us.
“I’ll have the all meat. Chicken only for my friend. Both spicy.”, Howard told the guy who immediately scooped the sauces on the last canisters on the table.
“You don’t like pork and beer right? You only want chicken on your noodle.”, Howard said to me.
“I only want chicken on my noodles?”, I clarified.
“I mean, I am not sure if you will like their meat here so I ordered chicken for you instead.”, he replied casually. “and their sweet and spicy sauce is great. I’d like you to try it.”
“You really know a lot in this noodle house, do you? You even ordered everything for me.”, I said, ignoring the confusion in almost everything that Howard was doing.
“I told you, I used to be here many times before.”, he smiled at me meaningfully.