Kaya was disappointed when she learned that José already left before they ate dinner. Todo practice pa naman siya kanina kung paano siya magt-thank you.
"Ah, si José? Don't worry about him. Taong bahay lang talaga 'yun kaya atat umalis. Mukhang na-drain na ang social battery niya kaya umuwi agad." Jia answered when Kaya asked her about José. She just came back after she saw Kevin off.
"Tell me more about him."
Jia was taken aback but she still answered.
"Ayun, he's a quiet type and has this weird personality, like he's so unpredictable. Kaibigan ko siya since freshman. Kaklase ko rin siya ngayon."
"So, walang something sa inyo?"
"Well, yuck no. If narinig niya siguro 'yan, nahimatay na 'yun ngayon." Sagot ni Jia at umaktong nandidiri. Saka I have a boyfriend. Jia still hasn't told Kaya about Kevin that's why Kaya doesn't have a clue. Knowing her cousin, she'll probably make a fuss about it. Saka na niya sasabihin kapag kailangan na.
"What's with your sudden interest?" Kaya just smiled as an answer. Jia froze when she saw her smile. Wait, I know that smile.
"Huwag mong sabihing type mo siya?!" Jia asked, shocked at hindi makapaniwala. Napatakip siya ng bibig.
Hindi sumagot si Kaya, instead ngumiti lang siya ulit which lalong naging shocked si Kaya at saka biglang umiling-iling.
"No no no. Kung ano man ang balak mo, itigil mo na."
"Bakit?" asked Kaya, she played with her hair, twisting it, like a teenager in love.
Umiling-iling si Jia atsaka pinanlisikan ng mata si Kaya. "Wala kang chance doon."
"At bakit aber? Enlighten me." said Kaya, in her confident voice, mukhang hindi niya sineseryoso ang warning ng kaibigan niya.
"From what I observed from him, aro ata siya."
"Aro what?"
"Aromantic, 'yung mga taong bihira magkaroon ng romantic attraction sa kung sino. Gagi 'te alam mo ba during our freshman year," hinila niya sa braso si Kaya atsaka hinila sa sofa para istoryahan pa.
"Marami nang nagpakita na interes sa kanya. But guess what? he ignored them all. He thinks they're only joking and making fun of him kaya hindi niya sila pinaniwalaan lahat. Pati 'yung It Girl sa batch namin, hindi din nakaligtas." she clicked her tongue, expressing disappointment and dejection.
"When I asked him why, ang sabi niya wala pa daw siyang time para doon. Katwiran pa nga niya na nakukulangan na nga siya sa oras niya sa pag-aaral, idadagdag pa niya 'yan. That guy loves studying more than ever. Isa pa, noong minsang tinanong ko ulit siya kung may nagugustuhan ba siya or crush man lang, ang sabi niya wala. Ang tingin daw niya sa lahat ay bato kaya there's no way daw na magkakagusto siya sa kung sino dahil bato sila sa paningin niya. Kahit ako, bato din sa paningin niya." she giggled at José's absurd words.
"Ang weird nung lalaking 'yun sa true lang. And knowing both of you," humagikgik muna siya bago tapusin ang sasabihin. "..you are definitely 100%, not a match."
Tinapik-tapik niya sa balikat si Kaya, "Kaya te, warning na 'to, you should give up. That guy is not available."
Tumayo na si Jia sa sofa saka muna nag-inat bago umalis. "Don't forget to say thanks to him, a. Ah right, if you wanna thank him buy him sweets."
Naiwan naman si Kaya na nakatulala dahil sa nalaman. Hindi pa nga nag-uumpisa ang laban, talo na siya agad. Minsan na nga lang siyang magkaroon ng serious interest for someone, sa taong emotionally unavailable pa.
Since, wala na rin naman siyang lagnat. Hinawakan na niya ang cellphone niya. Bumungad sa kanya ang libo-libong notification atsaka messages.
She took a big breath before clicking the messages one by one. They're all from his boyfriends and from the look of their messages, she knew she's doomed. Alam na nila ang tungkol sa pagsasabay-sabay niya sa kanila. She apologized first, then broke up with them, and block them. She also deactivated all of her social media accounts and created a new one. Of course, dahil doon ay tila para siyang nagkaroon ng peaceful life. Wala nang nags-spam ng message sa kanya. This time, mga important person na lang ang friends niya sa social media niya. If only she had done this earlier, hindi siguro gaanong magulo ang buhay niya ngayon.
Habang nagi-scroll sa instagram ay dumaan ang post ni Jia.
Wait, diba magkaibigan sila ni José? Edi mutual din sila sa IG?
She immediately stalked Jia's profile and scrolled through her posts to find Jose's account. In one of Jia's posts, may post siya about her last year outing with her blockmates. Sa last slide ay isang stolen picture ni José na nakaupo sa bench at nagbabasa ng libro. Nang pindutin niya ang account na naka-tag ay nakita niyang naka-private ito. He doesn't have a profile picture. Without hesitation, she clicked the follow button. She'll just pray that he will follow her back.
As for the posted video of her, since deleted na ang main post bago kumalat lalo, hindi na masyadong napag-usapan pa. Meron pang nag-reupload pero hindi na masyadong pinag-pyestahan. Of course because of that, many are disappointed. 'Yung dating kumikinang na tingin nila sa kaniya ay napalitan ng panghuhusga. Hindi niya alam kung matutuwa ba siya o malulungkot dahil dito. Matutuwa, dahil hindi na oa at exaggerated ang tingin niya sa kanya. Malulungkot, dahil hinuhusgahan siya ng mga tao.
Bitbit ang isang paper bag kung saan nakalagay ang hiniram niyang jacket, confident siyang naglakad papunta sa isang direksyon. She only has one class today and it just finished. Right now, she's heading to her cousin's department. Sa pinakadulong-dulo ito ng campus. Kanina pa siya naglalakad pero hindi pa rin siya nakakarating. Sobrang lawak din kasi ang kabuuan ng university. Napaisip tuloy siya kung paano nakakayang pumasok ni Jia kapag ganitong kalayo ang nilalakad niya kada papasok siya. She could never.
Hinanap niya ang lugar na sinabi sa kanya ng pinsan niya. Nag-text siya na nasa student lounge daw siya at kapag nakakita siya ng malaking puno, doon daw located 'yun located. Pagkadating niya sa Computer Technology Department ay panay ang tinginan nila sa kanya. Marahil ay nagtataka sila kung bakit siya napadpad sa department nila. Hindi niya na lang pinansin ang tingin nila at dumiretso na lang kung nasaan ang pinsan niya.
Lumingon-lingon siya sa paligid at nakita na nga ang student lounge na tunutukoy ni Jia. Compared to her department's student lounge which is located indoor, ang sakanila naman ay outdoor. There was a big tree at the center of the student lounge, providing a plenty of shades. Because of that, students are free to relax without worrying about the heat of the sun.
She was amazed. Mula sa hindi kalayuan ay nakita na niya si Jia, kasalukuyang nakatutok sa tenga niya ang cellphone niya kaya panigurado ay may kausap siya. May kasama siyang isang lalaki, at halos matigil ang paghinga niya nang makita kung sino 'yun. It was José, nakasuot siya ng stripe na long sleeve with a color combination of blue and white at black pants. He's wearing a reading glasses. Naka-focus siya sa laptop na nasa harapan niya.
Napansin na rin siya ni Jia kaya sinenyasan niya agad si Kaya na lumapit doon. Napatingin din si José sa kanya pero agad din niyang iniwas ang tingin niya. Nakita niyang tumayo si José na balak na sanang umalis kaso pinigilan siya ni Jia at may sinabi sa kanya. Napabalik siya sa pag-upo at saka napakamot na lang.
Nakangiting lumapit naman si Kaya sa kanila.
"Nahirapan ka bang pumunta dito?" Tanong ni Jia.
"Sobra! Ang layo ng nilakad ko. Buti nakakaya mo 'yung ganitong eksena."
Jia chuckled. "Sanayan lang."
"Ah right, last time I forgot to properly introduce you to each other. So," Lumingon si Jia kay José at ngumiti nang pagkalawak-lawak. José was annoyed when he saw her smile. Jia is always like this, he likes to tease José by introducing him to new people from time to time because she knows that he hates meeting new people. Last time lang, hinila siya ni Jia at ipinakilala ramdomly sa kakilala niya para lang mabigyan si ng anxiety at stress. She said para daw exposure therapy at mabawasan ang pagiging anti-social niya. He hated it though.
"This is my cousin Kaya, and Kaya, this grumpy guy is my friend, José. You two should shake hands. You are now acquainted to each other." Excited na sabi ni Jia, although it feels fake and sarcastic.
Kaya smiled and held out her hand to José who just stared at it. Naramdaman niyang bigla siyang inapakan sa paa ni Jia kaya napadaing siya. Pinandilatan niya ng mata si Jia, bumuntong-hininga atsaka kinamayan si Kaya. Hindi naman maiwasang muling mapangiti si Kaya. She felt her heart skip a beat when their hands touched.
"Unfortunately, I have prior engagement so I have to leave now." Biglang tumayo si Jia at binitbit ang gamit niya.
"Kaya, may sasabihin ka kay José diba? Then, ikaw na bahala sa kanya. Bye!" Tinapik niya sa balikat si José para magpaalam, saka naman niya kinindatan si Kaya.
Jia already warned her about José last night, but if she's really serious, she said to still try and give it a shot. Malay mo naman at magkaroon nga ng miracle at ma-break ang wall ni José. 'Yun nga lang ay may kasama pa ring warning.
"José is my friend at kahit gaano man siya ka-weirdo at nakakainis minsan, I care about him a lot. So Kaya, if you're not serious about him, leave him alone. Just give him the jacket and go. Don't play with his feelings.. but that's only IF there's an effect ha." Nagpaulit-ulit sa utak niya ang pagtawa ni Jia after niya sabihin 'yan. In-emphasize pa talaga niya ang 'if', as if she already knows the outcome. She probably thinks that she will fail because she has seen this before. Maraming sumubok na mag-break ng wall ni José but no one became successful. He has nerdy type of look but people goes crazy for it. Although he dresses plain and basic, malakas ang dating niya kaya marami ang nagkakagusto sa kanya. He doesn't even need to try para magustuhan ng iba. But because of his anti-social personality and cold aura, people don't have the courage to approach him. They have no choice but to give up. Miracle nga talaga na Jia was able to enter in his wall. She is his only friend, other than her wala na and now Kaya was trying to enter in his wall too.
Kaya cleared her voice before she spoke dahil natatakot siyang baka mautal siya or pangit ang lumabas na boses sa bibig niya.
"Uhm, here. I want to give it back, sorry for holding on it for so long." Inilapag niya ang paper bag sa harapan ni José.
"I want to personally thank you for saving me that day and lending me your jacket. So I came here to meet you. Also," she suddenly lowered her voice. "Thank you for the hacking."
He raised her eye to look at Kaya without even showing his emotion. Isa lang ang masasabi mo sa expression niya, he wants to leave. Of course, naf-feel na din ni Kaya na ang uncomfortable na siya sa kanya but she still continues talking. Ibinuhos niya lahat ng courage niya para sa susunod na sasabihin niya.
"Can I invite you for a cup of coffee?"