Nagulat si JV nang datnan ang apat na kaibigan sa opisina niya kinabukasan. Naunahan pa siya ng mga ito.
"You're late," bungad ni Red as he walked towards his table. "You should've been here, 15 minutes ago." He has this teasing look na para bang nagbabadya na asarin siya ng napakaaga. Same goes to the other three.
"Kailan ka pa naging taga bantay ng pasok ko?" he said acting naively. He felt his friends knew what he was up to kaya andito ang mga ito ng napakaaga.
Tumayo si Thor and read a text message from his phone. "Your friend is here. Mukhang hahabol ata sa pagpapatali," the text message said. It was from Elai. "You're smile is very charming here," ani pa nito na pinakita pa sa lahat ang picture na sinend ng nobyo.
JV boyishly grin. Napailing-iling na lang siya sa panunukso ng mga kaibigan.
"A dinner date last night? Hatid-sundo na agad sa tinitirhan, tas may pa-coffee drop on the side? Care to explain, dear brother?" turan ni Matt.
"Yung hatid pauwi, justifiable. Pero yung susunduin sa umaga para pumasok, may motibo?" dugtong pa ni Buboy.
"Look, she needed a ride to work. She got stressed out sa commute kagabi. So I took the initiative na alukin na siyang daanan ko na lang today. We work on the same building." He doesn't want to sound defensive but he's friends aren't buying it.
"Sa ilang libong empleyado na meron ang company na 'to, is there any chance at least one na nag-alok ang may-ari ng building ng ride pauwi o papasok dahil na stress sa commute? May naalala ba kayo?" ani pa ni Buboy.
Kahit anong gawin niya alam niyang di siya makakawala sa pangungulit nang mga kaibigan. Wala siyang mairarason sa mga ito. They will just tease him till he give in and admit that he's liking a special someone.
"I knew there's more than just remembering events about her allergy during the lunch. That's already a green flag. Napakaliit na detalye and he remembers," turan ni Matt.
"Exactly! And we thought, she don't remember her when we were talking at Elai's office," sang-ayon pa ni Thor.
"I don't exactly remember her, Alliah Rodriguez?" tanong ni Red.
"Busy ka kay Terrenz nun, hindi mo siya maalala. Plus you only met her sa mga basketball game," paalala ni Buboy kay Red. "I think twice lang ata siya nagpunta. Opening and Championship."
"So panong mong napopormahan si Alli during college?" tanong ulit ni Red na kay JV na nakatuon.
"I didn't!" mabilis niyang sagot. "I was just being platonically nice to our junior. Mga malisyoso kayo!"
"Why so defensive? Besides, we like Alli. Elai like her a lot. She's really happy meeting her," kwento ni Thor.
"Terrenz will have to meet her, but I'm sure she'll remember her," ani Buboy. "And my Wallen would love her also."
Napapikit si JV in frustration. Saka nahilot ang ulo.
"Oh, she's invinting to a house warming party this weekend," anunsiyo ni Matt as he read the message Elai sent in their group chat. "We all have to be here."
Hindi na sumagot si JV. He started flipping some documents na nasa table niya and pinilit na iignore ang mga kaibigan.
Lumapit si Red sa lamesa niya umupo sa pinakatable saka isinara ang dokumentong binabasa niya. Napaangat siya ng ulo and gave Red a deadly look.
"You won't intimidate me with that look. Spill it now or hindi ka namin tatantanan," turan ni Red. Pinagtaasan baba pa siya nito ng kilay. He smirked. Napasandal and bit his lips.
He give in to his friends...
**************************************
Nakasubsob si Alli sa tinatapos na trabaho nang may bisitang dumating sa opisina nila. Napaangat ang ulo niya and saw a woman knocking on the glass door. The woman wave and excitedly smiled at Elai. To Alli, the woman is somewhat familiar. Pumasok ito.
"Obvious ang excitement, Katrenza? Wala pang lunch break," turan ni Elai sa pumasok na babae.
Then she remembers who the lady was. It was Terrenz Hilario, one of her seniors and Red's love interest. Hindi niya madalas na nakikita ito noon. And she hadn't personally met her. But she understood now, kung bakit nagustuhan ito ng isang Redentor Tuazon.
Terrenz is really pretty. Her beauty was somewhat classic and unfriendly. But her charm is so strong that you wouldn't dare to call her ugly. She has this bossy aura but somewhat warm.
"There's too much chaos in the GC that I can't just sit in," anito. Napaling ang tingin nito sa kaniya. "Hello," she greeted warmly at her.
Maldita sa unang tingin but she really has a heartwarming smile. She smiled back.
"Hi," she simply replied. "Alliah," pakilala niya.
"Oh I know you!" mabilis na turan ni Terrenz. "The University Beauty Queen. Yeah, you speak the label. No doubt, JV won't resists," she said.
Napatanga siya sa sinabi Terrenz. Nilingon niya si Elai and Elai just teasingly shrugged. Muli niyang binalik ang tingin kay Terrenz. Terrenz is smiling widely and mischievously. Tila may kakaibang pahiwatig ang ngiti nito.
"Aww... you're really naive," anito. "Masanay ka na, we are just excited for our friend. You should also meet Wallen. Pero hindi makakarating si buntis. Inaatake ng paglilihi. But she will be at your house warming party."
Napatanga si Alli sa tinuran ni Terrenz. Napaling ang tingin niya kay Elai. Elai just smiled widely and shrugged her shoulders teasingly.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I took the liberty to invite the the Warrior Five and the Queens in your house warming party. The more the merrier," Elai eagerly said. "I am being too much?"
Alli stutter. "I-it's ok. It's just that hindi ganun kalaki ang apartment ko. Baka di tayo magkasya."
"Oh don't worry," sagot agad ni Terrenz. "We're not really that outgoing. We're just loud pagmagkakasama but not really chaotic. Besides, the smaller the venue, the more intimate the event. Don't mind us."
"Wag ka na rin magprepare ng food, we will bring it. We just want to give your house a blessing," ani rin ni Elai.
Alli can't help but smile. She's happy meeting these people. She felt the sense of belongingness to someone's circle. She's not really that extroverted type of person. She don't really have that large number of friends. In fact, her friends in college are just classmates and dorm mates. When they graduated, the connection stops. She had Nick simula pagkabata. But things happened and their relationship change.
She got excited on the idea she now have new friends sa katauhan ni Elai and Terrenz. They are warm and she made her feel at ease.
Pero ipinagtaka niya kung bakit tila excited si Terrenz na makilala siya. And she kept smiling at her na para bang may kakaibang ipinapahiwatig ito. She's also talking in riddles. She also said, 'yeah, you really speak the label, No wonder JV can't resists.'
Resist what? What does it mean?
"So..." ani Terrenz na sa kaniya pa rin nakatingin. "How do you find Carat's so far? Ok ka naman ba kay Elai?"
"O comm'on, you know I'm fun-to-be-with! Besides, ang chill lang namin dito. Bukod sa may araw-araw lang na istorbo," sabad ni Elai.
Natawa si Alli sa interaksiyon ng dalawa.
"So far, I'm enjoying my stay. It just been my second day here but Elai was right, she's fun to be with," sabi niya with sincerity.
Napatango-tango si Terrenz with a little shrug.
"Eh si Boss JV?" pagkuwa'y tanong nito na may halong panunukso. "Is he making some kind of impression?"
Nangunot ang noo ni Alli na napapangiti. Nagets niya ang double meaning na tanong ni Terrenz. Eto ba ang rason kung bakit ito nasa opisina nila ngayon?
"JV? He's being nice," simpleng sagot niya.
She might have been a little overwhelmed sa naging treatment nito sa kaniya simula kahapon at dinner at pagkahatid sa kaniya. And she probably overthink nang mag prisinta pa itong sunduin siya kaninang umaga papasok. Also the coffee that he bought for her was somewhat a little too extra. But she don't want to jump into a conclusion just yet. He just probably being nice and a gentleman.
"I think nice is understatement," turan ni Terrenz. "We know how he treated you up until this morning. And JV never treats other girls like that."
"Shut it, Katrenza!" biglang sabad ni JV na hindi nila namalayang nasa opisina na pala ni Elai. Kasunod nito ang apat na kaibigan. Napalingon silang tatlo sa limang lalaking dumating.
Matalim na tingin with a sulky pout ang binato ni Elai kay JV. "Defensive?"
Nilapitan si Terrenz ng lalaking matangkad na sa pagkakaalam ni Alli ay siyang si Red. Umakbay ito sa nobya. Matt and Buboy sat on the couch. And Thor sat on Elai's chair. JV stood in front if Terrenz.
"Nahahawa ka na sa pagiging malisyoso niyang boyfriend mo. Tigilan niyo na si Alli. I am just trying to make her comfortable here for all times sake," JV said.
Tinaasan ng kilay ni Terrenz si JV. Nilingon nito ang nobyo na tila naghahanap ng kakampi. Nginitian ito ni Red saka niyapos pa as if comforting here.
"Let it be, sweets. Hayaan na natin si JV sa diskarte niya," sabi nito sa nobya. Saka humarap sa kaniya. "I really haven't met you even before. I'm Red, by the way." Red gave a slight wave.
"Also, this is Buboy. I hope you remembers," pahabol ni Matt.
Alli just smile at everyone. "Ofcourse, I know all of you. The popular sanguines at the university. How can I forget? Hanggang ngayon, even if you'd graduated a long time ago, nababanggit pa rin kayo sa university. The most sought alumnus."
"Oh really?" sarcastic na turan ni Terrenz. "Tignan niyo nga naman, you still made a mess kahit na matagal na kayong graduate. Hindi talaga kayo makalimutan."
Napapailinh-iling na lang ang lima sa sinabi ni Terrenz.
"Anyways," sabad ni Thor. He looked at his wristwatch. "We're here because it's lunch time. Minsan lang tayo magkasama-sama ulit, why don't we eat lunch together?"
"Anong minsan? Umay na ko sa mga pagmumukha niyo actually," turan ni Buboy. Tumayo ito. "We were seeing each other everyday. Even my wife is getting annoyed with your faces. Maselan pa naman ang pagbubuntis. I'm leaving. Wallen is waiting for me," anito.
"Sama na ko. I have a meeting later on," sabi naman ni Matt.
"I need to leave also. Papunta talaga ako ng site I just have to drop by here," ani naman ni Terrenz.
"I'll come with you, then," turan ng nobyo ni Terrenz.
"So it'll be just the four of us then?" ani Thor na tumingin sa nobya, kay Alli at kay JV.
Terrenz gave Thor a sharp look. Nakuyumos naman ni Red ang mukha in frustration. Pasimpleng inambaan ni Matt si Thor while Buboy is giving him a wide eye. It was Elai who understood what their friend meant with their reactions.
"You know, Babe. I have to be somewhere else also. I giess, you come with me," humarap ito kay Alli. "I'm sorry, Al. Hindi kita masasabayan."
"That's ok. I need to finish stuff rin naman."
"Oh no! You should take your lunch. You have to eat properly. Health first always," ani Terrenz. Humarap ito kay JV. "JV kaya mo na yan, treat her to lunch. And make sure she eats."
JV just gave Terrenz a cold look. Obvious ang pagmamatch nito. In fact, his friends are going beyond the mile sa panunukso sa kaniya. He's just hoping Alli won't mind at all. Baka maunahan ito ng takot sa kaniya.
"Let's go, then. Iwan ka na namin, bro," aya ni Red na may makahulugan na namang ngiti towards him.
"Alli, will see you this weekend at your place, ok?" Pahabol ni Terrenz as she waved goodbye to her.
All his friends left Elai's office. Napasunod na lang siya ngbtingin sa mga ito. When they were all out. Kakamot-kamot sa batok na humarap siya kay Alli.
"See how chaotic my friends are. Pag pasensyahan mo na. Makakasanayan mo rin yang mga yan," sabi nito shyly.
"Ang saya nga eh. It's really fun to have large group of friends. I'm used to seeing all five of you. But with the three girls, it has been more interesting. Friendship goals indeed," she said.
Being with JV a couple of times make her more at ease. But she can't supress the feeling na naiilang pa rin siya kapag silang dalawa lang. Probably the hidden admiration she had for him makes it difficult for her to be at ease. Nahihiya siyang mahalata nito.
Sumulyap ito sa oras. "It's lunch. Papagalitan ako ni Terrenz if hindi ka kakain ng tanghalian."
"Really? You don't have to. I mean, hindi pa naman ako nagugutom," simpleng pag-iwas niya. Masaya na siyang naexperience niya ang hatid, dinner, sundo at coffee. Pag may pa-lunch pa, baka umasa na talaga siya.
"But I insist," ani JV na tila fully decided.
Kumabog ang dibdib ni Alli. She would want to insist also na tanggihan ito but tila hindi niya magawa. Pakiramdam niya wala siyang pwersa na kontrahin ito.
"If so, let's just have a snack. Wag na heavy meals," suhestiyon na lang niya. Pakiwari niya kasi'y di na rin siya tuluyang makakakain.
"Ikaw bahala," simpleng sagot ni JV. And gave her a subtle boyish grin. Nakatingin pa ito ng tuwid sa kaniya.
She tried looking back at him also but lalong kumakabog ang dibdib niya. It was so loud na baka maramdaman na iyon ni JV. She just shrugged saka inabot ang cellphone sa mesa.
"Let's go," aniya kay JV na hindi inaalis ang tingin sa kaniya. Nagpatiuna na siya na lumabas ng opisina. JV followed her with a slight grin on his face.