Inis na inis na si Alli sa pag-aantay ng masasakyan. It's rush hour. Kahit anong klase ng masasakyan hindi siya makakuha. Kahit sa mga ride hailing app, walang nag-aaccept. Ngayon niya pinagsisihankung bakit hindi pa niya tinanggap ang alok ni Elai at Thor na ihatid siya. Kinahiyaan niya kasi iyon. They were out of her way. Nagdahilan na lang siyang may dadaanan pa pero ayaw lang talaga niyang makaabala.
Alas sais siya umalis ng opisina. Pasado alas syete na hindi pa siya nakakasakay. Nafrufrustrate na siya. Tila hindi nauubusan ng mga mananakay sa sakayan. She is not really used to in commuting. Hindi siya sanay makipag-agawan at makipag-gitgitan.
Nang dumaan ang van na kailangan ng niyang sakyan, mabilis din agad iyong napuno at hindi man lang siya nakalipat. Napagdesisyunan niyang tumambay muna sa isang coffee shop. Palipasan ang rush hour. Nagugutom na rin siya. Hindi pa siya nakakapag-dinner.
She walked back the street pabalik ng building. May coffee shop sa ibaba ng building na pinapasukan nila. Dun na lang muna siya magstistay.
Nasa driveway na siya ng building nang may itim na jaguar ang bumusina at huminto sa tabi niya. Napalingon siya roon. Kinikilala kung sino iyon. Tinted ang salamin, hindi niya maaninag ang nasa loob. Yet she waited na pagbuksam man lang siya ng bintana para makilala niya ang driver nito.
Bumaba si JV mula sa driver's seat. Napatanga si Alli in surprise. Hindi agad niya agad nabati ito. JV walked towards her. He has a blank stare.Tila bahagya pang nakakunot ang noo. Napasulyap ito sa suot na wristwatch nang makalapit sa kaniya.
"It's quarter to eight, bakit hindi ka pa umuuwi?" he ask. He sounded like a pissed-off dad na naghihintay sa late na umuwing anak.
Hindi niya alam pano sasagutin iyon. Hindi siya sure kung kailangan ba talaga niyang sabihin dito kung bakit di pa siya nakakauwi.
"Uhmmm..." she uttered. Lost for right words.
"Wala ka bang personal service? Are you commuting? Mahirap makasakay dito kapag ganitong oras?" JV asked. To Alli's ears, there was a slight worry in her tone of voice.
"Ah y-yeah... I kind of figure that out now," she said shyly.
"Wala ka bang sariling sasakyan or sumusundo man lang sayo?" JV knows her status. She used to be treated like a princess nung college. Everybody knows that she's the unica hija of a well known clan in San Felipe.
Napayuko siya. Slightly smiling. Her life is different now. It may not be that low but it was not the same as before.
"I don't really drive and I am trying to live independently," simpleng sagot niya with bits of truth.
"Comm'on then, I'll drop you off," turan nito.
Alli had this instant urge to say yes but inunahan na naman siya ng hiya. Tinanggihan niya si Thor at Elai kanina. Ano na lang iisipin ng dalawa kapag nalaman ng mga ito na si JV ang naghatid sa kaniya.
'Wag kang ilusyunada, Alliah! Nag-aalok lang ng masasakyan yung tao. Iba na agad ang iniisip mo!' saway niya sa isip.
"Oh no, thank you. It might be out of your way. I plan to stay na lang muna sa coffee shop. Papalipasin ko na lang yung rush hour. I can wait," tanggi niya. She has to stop herself first sa pag-ooverthink. Dapat maaga pa lang kinokontrol na niya.
JV smirked. "Kahit sa San Felipe pa kita ihatid, Alliah, I insist."
Napatanga si Alliah sa sinabi ni JV. Iba ang dating sa kaniya nang sinabi nito. It made her heart flutter again.
Lumapit ito sa passenger seat ng sasakyan nito, binuksan ang pinto saka humarap ulit sa kaniya.
"Get in o bubuhatin kita papasok dito." He said now sounding commanding. Nasa expression ng mukha nito na balak totohanin ang sinabi.
Alumpihit man, wala ng nasabi si Alli kundi ang sumunod na lang sa sinabi nito. Pumasok siya sa sasakyan nito and sat on the passenger.
Nangingiting pinanood lang ni JV si Alli habang tuluyang makasakay ito sa sasakyan. He closed the door as Alli went in. His smile so wide nang hindi na siya nakikita. He controlled his excitement habang umikot papunta ng driver's side. Bahagya pa niyang sinulyapan ang dalaga nang makaupo na siya sa driver's side. He's checking if she is comfortable.
"Where to?" tanong niya.
"M-may I?" tanong niya na iminuwestra kung pwede galawin ang navigation screen sa sasakyan ni JV. Hindi niya kabisado ang lugar kung san siya nanunuluyan. Ayaw niyang mag-explain kay JV. Kinakabahan siya just being with him alone.
"Go ahead," simpleng sagot ni JV.
Tinipa niya sa navigator ang lugar kung saan siya pwedeng ihatid ni JV. Pinanood lang siya nito. When she's done, hinarap niya ito.
"Diyan ka nakatira?"
Tumango siya.
"It's quite far. Traffic pa. Have you had your dinner?"
Umiling siya. Ayaw na niyang magpanggap o magdahilan. Isa pa totoo namang nagugutom na rin siya.
"Let's have dinner first, then."
Alam niyang kahit tumanggi siya, ipipilit na naman iyon ni JV. He had already instilled in her that he doesn't take no for an answer. She is somewhat learning it.
Dinala siya ni JV sa isang seafood restaurant na malaput-lapit lang din sa opisina nila.
"Are you allergic to seafood?" JV asked as he parked the car.
Umiling lang siya.
JV moved in a rush. In an instant nakababa na ito ng sasakyan at mabilis na nakarating sa side niya para pagbuksan siya ng pinto. She didn't wait for him on purpose. Sadyang mabagal lang ang pagkilos niya as she tries to absorb that she is having a dinner with JV alone.
'Alliah, this is not a date! Tumigil ka na sa kung anu-anong naiisip mo!' saway niya ulit sa sarili.
JV is definitely making her heart flutter. He's treating her like she's too special not just an acquaintance. He's being too gentlemanly with his countless acts of service. Simpleng pagbuksan lang siya nito ng sasakyan is too much for her. Yun pa kayang they would eat a dinner na silang dalawa lang.
'Alliah, please kumalma ka. This is just dinner.'
Alliah would like to think that JV is just like a senior co-alumnus. They used to treat each other as an acquaintance before. He used to take care of her kapag kailangan niyang umattend ng mga varsity games nito as their muse. Pinapansin din siya nito sa campus noon kapag nakakasulbong siya. It was platonic interactions. But it was fluttering for her.
JV pulled a chair for her as the hostess guided them to the table. Itinago na lang ni Alli ang kabog ng dibdib niya sa inakto na naman ni JV. She tried to think that JV might have treated a lot of girls just like he is treating her now. He must've been a true gentleman all throughout.
"Do you prefer anything?" he asked as he scanned the menu.
"Honestly, I'm good with any," simpleng sagot niya. In reality, bukod sa gutom na talaga siya at parang hindi na siya makakapili ng maayos sa menu, she has this heart pumping moment na hindi talaga niya makontrol simula pang kanina. Hinayaan na lang niya si JV umorder.
JV took the initiative to order for her. He thought that Alli must've been first time here at siya naman ang nakakaalam ng menu dito, siya na ang umorder na kakainin nila. He informed the hostess of their choices with an emphasis on removing all garlic from the food.
Nanatili lang siyang nakatitig dito as JV was giving instructions sa waitress. At eto na naman siya, secretly admiring him. Humarap ito sa kaniya when he finish talking to the waitress.
"I hoping you are starving. Medyo madami-dami akong inorder. I hope we can finish it all," anito ng nakangiti.
"With my allergic flaws, medyo mahirap akong pakainin. But, you're right. I'm already starving," she admitted.
"When did you come here? Bakit ngayon ka lang namin nakita sa company ni Elai?" JV asked.
"2 days ago. Today is my first day," aniya.
"I believe your father owns a trading company. Bakit ka napunta sa Marketing firm ni Elai?"
"It's a complicated story. But, to tell you honestly, my father's company isn't doing well. Hindi naman yun talaga ganun kalaki. It just big for San Felipe. And right now, it faces some kind of conflict. But nothing major. As for me, gusto ko lang ng new environment," pahapyaw niyang kwento.
"Akalain mo nga naman, it's really a small world. Kay Elai napunta," ani JV.
"Speaking of Elai, was she an alumnus also from our University?"
"No. Kababata siya ni Thor. Mas matagal silang magkaibigan versus us. They basically grew up together. Thor was almost an orphan at the age of 14, mother ni Elai ang nag-alaga sa kaniya since then. We've just become friends during highschool. Sila since diapers, i think," kwento ni JV.
"But they didn't go to the same college?"
Umiling si JV. "They used to live in the same house. But they have different interest. Tsaka nagkakasawaan na sila. Ikaw ba naman araw-araw mo ng nakikita sa bahay, magiging kaklase mo pa?"
"But they end together?"
JV chuckled. "It's a funny story. They don't realize that they actually love each other at first. Elai is this hopeless romantic type who doesn't see Thor as that. You know him as the kwela, not-so-serious, happy-go-lucky Arthuro. Amongst the five of us, he's the most playful. Plus, Elai just saw him as an older brother. But things happen, and they end up together," kwento pa ni JV.
"Hmmm... interesting," aniya na napapatango.
Pansamantala silang natahimik sa usapan as they waited for their meal. Si JV ulit ang unang nagsalita pagkuwa'y.
"So how is your living set-up? Ok ka naman ba dito?" he asked. He is honestly interested in how a princess can cope with a simple independent life.
"So far, I'm ok. Nastress lang talaga ako sa part ng commuting," she giggles. "But I'm excited. This will be the first time that I get to decide on my own. it's different from dorm living before. Suportado pa ko ni Daddy noon. But now, I will have to pay for my own apartment on my own. And earn my own living."
"Your apartment? Ok naman ba?"
"It's--- private. I like it," sagot niya. "Pero syempre kailangan ko ng kunting cheat card. Pinupuno ko pa yung gamit ko sa bahay eh. I still want to live comfortably."
"Curious ako kung panong comfortably living yang tinutukoy mo. If possible, baka gusto mong magpa-house warming party."
Automatic na napataas ang kilay niya sa sinabi ni JV. Was he being too friendly towards her at gusto ba nitong magkita ang bahay niya? She sniggered.
"Seryoso? Pupunta ka ba pag nagpa-house warming party ako?"
"I wouldn't miss it for anything else. I'm sure Elai would insist."
Gusto niyang masamid sa tinuran ni JV. Tila na-excite siyang magpa-house warming party basta pupunta ito. Napatango-tango siya but in her head kung anu-anong scenario na ang pumapasok sa isip niya.
"Then, paghahandaan ko yan. Sagot mo na invitation ng Warrior Five and others," aniya.
Gwapong malapad na ngiti lang ang sinukli ni JV sa kaniya. Pagkuwa'y dumating na ang order nila. They started eating when the food was placed on the table.
Somehow, Alli felt at ease habang kumakain. JV might have been giving weird signals but she gladly played along. Ipinagkibit balikat na lang niya ang extra special act of service nito. She enjoyed her meal with him...