C A R L O S
So I'm currently driving towards Starbucks. I don't know why, masakit pa rin ulo ko dahil sa hangover pero heto ako, nagdadrive papunta kina Ayel and Marian. Hays. Kung hindi ko lang kaibigan mga yon, tulog pa ulit ako ngayon.
What's more to add to my headache? This traffic in Manila. Now I'm stuck in the traffic for fifteen minutes at malayo pa ako sa SB.
Hindi rin ako mapakali kanina, I asked Bea for Celine's number. I don't know pero I feel like I need to get her number. Nung naitext ko na siya, I feel like I'm satisfied.
What the hell is happening to me?
Medyo umuusad naman yung traffic, pero mabagal nga lang. So habang nagda drive ako, may nadadaanan akong billboards. Dahil sa isang billboard, muntik na ko ng masagasaan yung rear bumper ng sasakyan sa harap ko.
Sino ba naman hindi mapapatingin kung yung nasa billboard ay si Celine? Hindi ko alam na naglalaro pala siya for PayMaya sa PVL, or sadyang busy ako masyado kaya hindi ko napapansin?
Ewan ko din.
~
Nang makarating ako ng Starbucks, panay ang asar ni Marian sa akin na session pa more daw ako. Ililibre pa nga niya daw ako ng kape para sa headache ko.
"Hindi mo nailabas?" Ayel asked.
I just shook my head. Hindi ako nagsuka kaya medyo masakit ulo ko. Well, hindi naman ako ganon kapag umiinom pero kapag nasobrahan talaga, ayun, may hangover.
Now while ate Ayel showed us some of Marian's work, her phone suddenly rang.
"Guys, excuse lang ah?" She said and went out of the shop.
We just nodded.
Marian was an architecture graduate and is currently working under an architectural firm. Now, Marian's works were posted in the firm's website for future buyers. Its a house design and floor plan, actually. Ate Ayel saw them and was planning to buy one.
"Guys. Parating na daw boss ko." Marian said when she came back to our table.
"Boss mo?" I echoed her last words.
"Oo. Since my works are top-rated daw, so she wanted to talk with the buyer herself. More like evaluation I think." She answered.
"Sino ba boss mo?" Ayel asked.
"Si ma'am J—oh, andyan na pala siya," Marian cheered and escorted her boss..... Ate Jho ????
"Ma'am, siya po yung buyer, Arielle Estrañero, close friend and nakasama ko rin nung college." Marian introduced. They both shook their hands. "And Tots Carlos is with us to help ate Ayel, same lang din with ate Ayel."
"I see," Jho said and glanced at me and smiled.
"We know each other," I intervened and smiled back to her.
"Ha? Ba't hindi mo sinabi, mehn?" Marian asked in disbelief.
"Close friend ko yung girlfriend niya." I answered.
"So, what made you to choose Marian's works, Ms. Estrañero?" Jho asked and took the vacant seat.
So, eto naman ako, nakikinig din kahit hindi masyadong familiar yung ibang terminologies. Oo na lang ng oo, ganon. Charot. Hahaha.
Jho doesn't seem like she had hangover din. Or hindi siya masyadong uminom? Ang alam ko uminom pa siya ng tequila last night e, tapos nag Bacardi pa. Ewan ko na kung ano pinang washing nila e.
Almost half an hour na silang nag uusap, and I also need to go home na kasi duty ko na within 30 minutes. I bid my farewell to them and went back to my condo.
I took everything that I need and agad na nagdrive papunta sa hospital. Mahirap ng malate, possible pa naman na may client si doctora ngayong hapon.
Nung makarating ako, I noticed na may nakapila na sa labas ng clinic ni doctora. Syempre, hindi ako pwede mag assess, assistant lang naman ako. At ang oras ni doctora ay 1:00 PM. Eh wala pa namang 1:00 PM.
Umupo muna ako habang hinihintay si doctora, and habang hinihintay siya, I picked my phone out of my pocket.
I texted Celine.
To: Celine
"Hi 👋🏼"
I assumed na lunch break pa lang nila so I assume na magrereply siya.
Bakit nga ba ako nag aassume? Bakit ko ba inaasahan na magrereply siya? Bakit ba?
From: Celine
"Hello ☺️👋🏼"
When her name flashed on my screen, I can't help it but smile. Wala naman sigurong masama sa pagngiti di ba? Ako naman 'tong reply agad!
To: Celine
"How's your lunch?"
I enjoy having conversations with her, kahit text lang.
From: Celine
"Magla-lunch pa lang ako, actually."
Magla-lunch pa lang siya? Bakit naman? Sobrang dami ba ng ginagawa niya?
Bakit ba ang dami kong tanong?
Bakit nga ba?
To: Celine
"Bakit naman?"
Ganun kaya ka-busy work niya?
Bakit ko ba tinatanong sa sarili ko kung pwede ko naman siyang tanungin? Charooot.
From: Celine
"Ang daming pahabol na work ni boss e. Hindi naman pwedeng humindi, kundi lagot ako."
Grabe Bea!
To: Celine
"Ay ganon. Sige. Eatwell and have some rest, kahit papaano."
Oh di ba. Napaka concerned kong friend.
From: Celine
"Ikaw? Kamusta lunch?"
I feel like my thumbs have their own lives, they just type my phone's password and replies a message.
To: Celine
"Okay lang naman. I'm here sa hospital for my duty."
Oh di ba. Parang labag sa kalooban ng kamay ko yung pag iisa nung thumb ko sa pagreply at pagtext.
From: Celine
"Huh? Anong oras ba duty mo?"
"Ang aga mo ata, Caloy," Doctora said which made me startle to my seat. Nakakagulat naman!
"Huh?"
"I heard uminom kayo kagabi. How's your hangover? I thought male late ka."
Where did she get those information? Hindi ko siya napansin na pumasok, or sadyang I'm super focused sa katext ko?
"Okay naman na po ako, doc. Syempre, important ang work. Hehe." I laughed.
"You seem to be so concentrated sa phone, may katext?" She grinned.
Napaka observant niya, kahit napaka konting chance lang ang makuha niya and yet, she can make conclusions. Tao ba siya?
"Ay eh, wala po. Napadaan lang po." I tried to cover up.
"Okay. If you say so."
I turned my attention back to my phone.
To: Celine
"1:00-8:00 PM."
Mag-aayos na sana ako ng sarili ko ng nagreply siya.
From: Celine
"Ah okay. Do your best, then! ☺️"
I don't know why, but I proceeded with my work with a smile on my face. Damn it. What's wrong with me?
To: Celine
"Thank you! Ikaw din! Huwag istressin masyado ang sarili ☺️"
After kong isend, dumating agad yung pasyente ni doctora.
"Keep in mind Caloy, you don't get to text someone from time to time." Doctora said while smiling at the patient. "Work is work."
"Hindi naman po." I smiled, too.
~~~
Time check, 2:40 AM. Finished this chapter on a Monday morning, despite the fact that I still have an exam at 2:30 PM today.
ITS BEEN A WHILE, READERS!!!! Nag update ako kasi I am in a good mood today! Be grateful. Cheret!
PS: don't get hyped over this, my next update will be after our final exams. That's probably on the 4th or 5th week of May, but I'm still unsure about that.