"Lalabs!" Green happily called out when she saw me. She got up and ran towards me with her arms opened wide.
"Miss na ako ng misis ko?" I asked hugging her tight.
"Oo," she replied. "Hindi ko alam kung bakit mas na-mi-miss kita ngayong tumatambay na ako kaysa kapag hinihintay kita sa bahay. Doon kasi sa bahay natin, naamoy ko 'yung pabango mo 'tapos 'yung t-shirt mo na pinagpalitan nayayakap ko..."
"Aw...in love na in love talaga sa akin ang misis ko."
"Yumayabang ka na, Lalabs."
I laughed. "O, tapos na ba ang tambay mo, tara na uwi na tayo?"
"Okay. Wait, kunin ko lang mga gamit ko."
I watched her run back to where she was seated to get her bag and a brown envelope.
"Bye, guys!" She waved at the others.
"Uy, Gianna, anong oras ka tatambay bukas? May lakad kasi kami ni Raymond kaya baka hindi kita masamahan."
"Okay lang, Cindy, pwede ko namang samahan si Gianna kahit hindi ko s'ya buddy," Gian volunteered. "Anong oras ka nandito bukas, Gianna?"
"Hindi ko pa alam, eh."
"Okay lang, classmates naman tayo sa lahat ng subjects kaya magkikita talaga tayo," Gian replied smiling.
"O, sige, una na kami. Bye!" my wife said.
"Kupal n'ung lalaking 'yun," I grumbled as we went down the stairs.
"Sino?"
"'Yung Gian."
"Ano ka ba, friendly lang talaga 'yun. Gan'un naman 'yun sa lahat ng tao."
"Sa lahat ng tao? Hindi s'ya gan'un kay Cindy."
"Gan'un s'ya, Lalabs. Classmate ko kaya 'yun palagi kaya alam ko kung paano 'yun kumilos."
"Mas lalo akong nagseselos d'yan sa sinasabi mo. Paanong alam mo kung paano s'ya kumilos? Ibig bang sabihin ay palagi mo s'yang tinitingnan?"
"Lalabs, ha, ang lala mo. Hindi ko s'ya palaging tinitingnan but since classmate ko nga, ay siyempre napapansin ko. He's really a good guy. S'ya 'yung tipo ng taong who'd go out of his way para tumulong. Mr. Congeniality nga ang tawag sa kanya kahit ng mga profs namin, eh."
"Bakit parang may paghanga 'yung pagkakasabi mo?" I asked as we exited the building.
"Seryoso talaga 'tong may ganito tayong usapan? Na pinag-uusapan natin si Gian?"
"Hindi ko nga kasi maiwasang magselos. I still remember how you used to have a huge crush on him. Nabato mo pa nga ako ng remote control nang dahil sa kanya, eh," I said as we walked towards the parking lot.
"Excuse me, hindi s'ya ang rason kung bakit binato kita ng remote control noon, it was because you were trying to annoy me by being flirtatious."
"I wasn't even flirting, I was trying to court you."
"Grabe s'ya, haba ng hair ko," she said flipping her hair.
"Feeling ko may gusto sa'yo 'yun."
"My God, Lalabs, hindi pa rin ba tayo tapos sa topic na ito?" she said as we reached my car.
I opened and held the door for her.
"Thank you," she said
I jogged to the driver side then slid into my seat.
"Wala na ba akong karapatang magpahayag ng damdamin ko?" I asked as I maneuvered the car out of the parking lot. "I am not comfortable that he's staying so close to you."
