rosée du matin
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Eckart
I really hate working here.
But it's not like I have a choice-one enormous row with my dearest friend and here he is, sitting on a stack of cardboard boxes in the backroom of the Rosée du matin, counting down the minutes. I shouldn't have let myself become involved in that perilous game with de Gracia who was older and far more cunning. He's as ancient as a fossil, so you'd think he'd have a few more ploys up his sleeve to push me over the edge.
"Suck it up, natalo ka so kailangan mo mag serve sa mga customer ng booth namin. Sa pagkakaalam ko sabi ni dela Cruz sa hapon pa kayo e-dispatch" I click my tongue and drop the mop. Hindi sana ako nagtiwala kay Kairi.
It started with the little pranks. Insignificant but annoying all the same. Misplacing my camera, hats, drug handbooks when he knows I have a class. So sometimes I retaliated by turning on and off the lights while de Gracia is cleaning the trays, messing with the aircon, e.t.c..
de Gracia is our senior in medtech. He's more childish than us. At first akala ko he's younger than us. And he's the one and only student council president sa School of Allied Medical Sciences. What a bigshot.
"Look, you're my younger brothers kaya binibigyan ko kayo nung portion ng atensyon ko" he's doing it again, smile oh so wide.
"Iyo nalang yan de Gracia, tutal may kapatid ka naman doon mo nalang ibuhos lahat." bakas sa boses ni Kairi yung inis. Lucky enough hindi siya ang nabunot ngayon kundi he'll definitely walk out.
Yeah, kind of remember his brother last year? Bumista iyon dito and they said na kamukha ko daw. Actually, in my eyes we don't. I decided to leave them alone and de Gracia had cackled for the next minute while I furiously, desperately scrubbed all the dirt out, then rushed outside to let it dry. Only it was too late. The dryer was already running at that point, and sky outside was already gray, mottled and sad.
Napasapo nalang ako. Really? Why does it have to rain again? Masyadong blessed naman yung school year kung ganito lang rin. They said when it rains and currently celebrating it means it is a blessing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, magbaha na kung magbaha.
I am here now, head pressed into the wall smudged with fingerprints and what appears to be fecal stains. Human or animal, I wouldn't know, and I doesn't want to. Just then, de Gracia walks in and throws a look over my shoulder.
Minsan gusto ko tuloy siyang itaboy. Just a second after that thought lumabas naman sa isip ko that he's my senior after all. Damn.
"Your time's up."
It's almost as if my visitation privileges in prison have expired.
Every bone in my leg cracks as I stand up, and the soles of my feet throb. They're so inflated that I think I'll just go up a size in shoes to accommodate my permanently inflated balloon feet.
"Come on, cheer up a little. Punta ka na sa cashier. Remember ikaw gagawa nung drinks. A lot of sweet damsel in distress are waiting for their knight" tinawanan ko lang si de Gracia. He even wink and giving me a lot of disgusting hearts bago nag laho papuntag stock room.
"Fuck you Jeremiah." half shouted but barely hearable outside.
"Galit na si Valentino tinawag ka na sa first name mo" umiling lang ako sa kanila at nagatawanan. Just normal banters, you know the one that makes you closer.
Readied myself and just a little bit fix of my hair when Kairi knock. Ano naman?
"I know you're not in the mood, but there's a group of girls who just walked in and said they won't drink anything that isn't made by you-what is true love if not that?" Kairi snickers and takes my spot on the most concrete box they have here, then complains about how hot it is still from 'my flat ass.'
"I think ikaw yung wala sa mood, anyway see you later." I took a last glance before taking a step to the counter. Meeting de Gracia midway with an annoyed face.
"What did you do at ulol na ulol sayo mga yan? Especially that brunette?" side eyed and totally gets his point. I shrugged because I really don't know.
Hindi ko alam anong tumatakbo sa isip ng mga babae. They're too hard to understand. "Maybe they think I'm better in handling orders than you. Maya nalang ulit de Gracia madami pa ata akong gagawin and thanks to you, shithead" sabay tawa ko sa huling salita, although I really hate him for now but I can't face or say something like that head on.
"Watch your mouth Valentino, still your senior remember?"
"Yeah, senior card my ass." didn't wait for his response as I am in need to cater the customers, not gonna let them spread negative reviews especially when I'm here. I chuckled a bit when I heard them laugh at my response.
My usual smile plastered and greet the first customer that I'll be entertaining.
"This is Eckart Valentino at service on behalf of the Rosée du matin cafe. I am excited to make and serve your order. So what will you take for today our lady?" still smiling. I don't know when or how did I come up being like this.
I was never really that responsive, maybe when I decided to be part of a varsity when I was in my last year of elementary, that's where the changes start. Oh well, naging natural nalang naman sa akin. I think my forte is communicating and connecting with people.
"I'll take Vanilla Latte please" tinaas ko yung kamay ko so that we can have a a little clap celebration.
"Gusto ko rin yung Vanilla Latte. At the same time, it's sweet and creamy. The strong coffee balances out the sweetness of the vanilla syrup and the smoothness of the milk, while the ice cubes provide the right finishing touch. Great choice" I even gave a thumbs up and gave her the number.
Minutes have past maybe almost an hour. Naubos na yung mga babae na hindi nag tatake ng order if it wasn't me. Jeremiah de Gracia that smartass using me for marketing strategy.
"Shit, it feels like I'm going to melt" I even swayed my arms and it's turning into flimsy rod. I slacked my back when I scan the cafe and there's no customer taking an order.
"Free time" masaya kong sabi. I'm drained but making other people feel special by giving them your attention even to smallest detail. It makes me feel burden free.
"Congratulations, natapos mo na rin ang isang kawan ng mga babae. Iyan kasi chix boy" tapik pa ni de Gracia sa akin at umiling naman si Kairi while refilling those milks.
"Pinagsasabi mo? I didn't do any flirting. I am just being nice you see. Hindi porket mabait tayo lalo na sa mga babae eh malandi na. What if I'm just plain gentleman. I respect them even, if they find me being flirty they can't blame me. It's them who should be responsible on their own feeling. Hindi ko hawak puso at utak nila. I treat them the way I treat others, no one's special and like I said they should be responsible hindi naman ako dapat mag adjust for them I wasn't made just to fit in their own narrative. I'm still a human" mahina kong sabi but still firm.
This is what I hate the most, branding me as if I'm a criminal for snatching their attentions. Growing feelings as if I'm the responsible for it. Don't tell me that every time they encounter those kind of treatment, will they fell in love? No? I just don't get it so I didn't bother minding their business.
I grunted as I hit my shin on the gondola rack. "Fuck"
"Mind your language in front of the customer. Attend to it, last na yan bago ka umalis sa araw na ito" de Gracia as always reminding me of my foul language. As if there's no one curses? Tinapik ko nalang siya pabalik ata inayos yung apron bago ko ito tanggalin mamaya.
"Can I have a Mango Muffin & Green tea" I did a little jump dahil sa sinabi nung customer.
"One of the best menu I can suggest. Is that all?" tanong ko habang nakangiti na tinignan si Kairi. We were betting if there would be a green tea or mint choco order. Looks like I'll be winning.
I think I'm done for today "de Gracia I'm done for today's agenda." sigaw ko kasi nasa storage sila and I didn't got any response. What are they even doing. The bell chimes as it echo to the almost empty and cold room.
"Close na ata" napatingin ako sa kakapasok. Actually we're not, well I am but they are not.
"Pleasure to have you, how can I be of assistance?" ngumiti ulit ako while tying back the apron.
"Almond Bonbon & Mint Chocolate Frappuccino" flabbergasted of her order I didn't even notice how I made a disgusting expression.
"Look, green tea's much better?" I smiled and even let my eyes did the same. I'm nowhere making this drink.
"Ah ganun ba? Uhm just Mint Choco is enough" dropped an exact amount, exact amount! This is intentional! Sinundan ko yung babae kung saan siya uupo. Then there's dela Cruz. She knows I hate making Mint chocolate.
I can hear a sudden snap.
Napatitig ako sa kaibigan ni dela Cruz. The one I saved from being damped by the rain but spilled her drink on her. A comical scene I say.
"Valentino pwede ka na umalis- at bakit ka nandiyan" ngumiti ako. I didn't bother giving them response and I heard Kairi's annoying laugh.
"So what did you do? Laki na ata galit ni dela Cruz sayo pati yung kaibigan niya na recruit pa nga" umiling lang ako kay de Gracia at kinuha na yung pera. Ang sakto lang hindi na yung tipong mag hihintay sa sukli.
"The last time we were here. Valentino, our guy tried to be hero you see. Removing his coat for the purpose of helping that woman, yung kaibigan ni dela Cruz na mabasa sa ulan pero yung nangyari naitapon ni Valentino yung hot choco sa kanya. Siguro dela Cruz tipped her friend to order Mint Chocolate kay Valentino. Deserved" Kairi as usual being so competitive babbled out what happened yesterday.
"Maybe she likes you? You know dela Cruz is her friend. There's a possibility" I shook my head as I disregard that idea. Not this again.
"She's unhappy because I spilled her drink on her first day here, and making me make this crappy drink is probably part of her three-step murder plan," I linger at the doorway, a little hesitant to submit to the monotony of the rest of my shift. I can already hear dela Cruz and her friend at their table cracking up, no doubt blowing straw wrappers at each other that I anticipated to clean up later. After all she's with dela Cruz, sprinkled of craziness.
Two hands supporting his weight, de Gracia lets himself slump against the wall. "Why three steps? Is it really a murder plan? Or how to make Valentino fall in love in three steps-"
"Not that again. Also, haven't you heard of BTK?" I ask to change the topic, gesturing wildly in the air as my brain rattles from the name. "Bind, torture, and kill. They'll get me in a bind, she'll torture me, and she'll probably kill me. It'll make the front page of the newspaper: Photography Club member found to be making drinks with murdered employee's blood. Murderer on the loose."
Kairi's brow furrows at the thought. "That's fucking filthy, Eckart, but I'd best be the one to discover the body."
"You will," I solemnly promises him. "Walang ibang unnang makakapansin na nawala ako bukod sayo."
It's attacking me again.
I take a deep breath to fill my lungs with that familiar smell. Was it Pretichor? I've first noticed a particular odor as the first fat drops of summer rain fall to the hot, dry ground? Rain, of course, has no scent. However, a "earthy" odor known as petrichor pervades the air just before a rain event. It's described as musky, fresh, and generally pleasant. I'm baffled as to why it's so persistent.
Most people would zoom past this small stretch in the narrow hallway to escape being damped experience in this rainy season-but I'm not like other.
Take this as my small act of defiance, even if there isn't anyone there to witness my bravery. I'd rather indulge on this than the lovely aroma of freshly ground almonds and freshly brewed coffee.
I take a little step forward after a brief pause, squares my shoulders, and then feels a tight grip on my shoulder pulling me towards the counter, where the frappe machine glows.
"Eckart, umayos ka nga ayan ka na naman. Just make this and then pahinga ka. Usap tayo." tumango ako at napangiti sa sinabi ni Kairi.
"Ikaw ba mahilig ka ba sa Mint chocolate?" tanong ko kay Kairi habang naka ngisi.
"I don't have time for stupid questions. Ayan bumalik ka na sa sarili mo" bumalik siya sa kanyang ginawa.
Huminga ako ng malalim. When did it even start? I thought it was long gone, but it was still there, lingers. The more I tried to polish off the more it spread.
Umiling ako and tried to dig my own brain to think another topic to give attention to. Ah.
I recall her, and I gave her the moniker "mosaic muse." Every breath-taking view I capture stays with me for the rest of my life. It never slips away. Should I call this my passion on photography? I think I spaced out for a long time since I saw her looking at my direction.
The rain then slowly kissed it goodbye. There's a playful brightness that shines through the heart of small rain kissed leaves, elevating them far above the rank of a cold cut jewel.
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