Love is a total waste of time but seducing is a lot more fun. Yan ang perception ko about the so-called love, until I met Jethro a.k.a. Mr. Gorgeous, the cute and hunky guy I met at a coffee shop. Hmm, nag-iba na kaya ang tingin ko sa love after I met him? Let’s see.
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Pagkatapos nung amusing first meeting ko with Mr. Gorgeous, naeexcite na ko palage na pumunta sa Starbucks; not to drink coffee nor to relax myself after a long day of work, but to have another glimpse of that annoying but gorgeous guy who made my heartbeat skip for once. Kaya lang, two nights straight na kong tumatambay dun and yet, I haven’t seen him. Namuti na yung mata ko at namawis na yung singit ko sa kakaantay, pero ni cute dimple nya o hot body, eh hindi man lang nagpakita sakin.
On the third night since I last saw him, I went to SB again, and like the usual, I brought with me a book in hand and enjoy my tall white chocolate mocha frappe. “Hay, I’m still longing to meet him again.” nasabi ko sa sarili ko, sabay sip sa frappe ko, at sinubukan ko na lang ifocus ang attention ko sa binabasa.
“—-ec? Phec? Hey!” Nagulat ako ng may marinig na may tumawag sa name ko at excited na inangat ang mukha ko mula sa binabasa para alamin kung sino, pero nadismaya lang ako ng si Vince lang pala, isa sa mga ka-officemates ko.
Vince: “Kanina pa ko tawag ng tawag sayo. Para kang timang dyan, ang bingi mo. Haha.” (Sabay upo nya sa vacant seat sa harap ko.)
Me: “Na-timang pa ko. Ano ba ginagawa mo dito ha?”
Vince: “Magkakape, syempre. Ikaw, anong ginagawa mo dito? Nagkakape lang din?”
Me: “Ay, hinde. Nagpapa-foot spa. Tsss. Vince naman, ano bang ginagawa sa COFFEE shop? Nagkakape malamang. Nagtanong pa ‘to. Timang ka din? Hahaha.” (Natawa si Vince. Ganun lagi ang batian naming dalawa tuwing magkikita kami. Barahan.)
Vince: “Pilosopo. What I mean to say is, are you drinking coffee alone, or are you waiting for someone?” (Bigla akong natigilan dun sa tanong nya. May inaantay nga ba ako? Pero pag nalaman nitong si Vince na nag-aantay ako sa isang taong hindi ko alam kung makikita ko pa, eh uulanin lang ako ng asar nito.)
Me: “Waiting? Well, no. I’m just here to relax and enjoy my coffee and the silence SANA. Eh kaso may asungot na biglang dumating at na-corrupt yung silence dito.”
Vince: “Hahaha. Ang sungit mo talaga, kahit kelan. But that’s what I like about you. Palaban at fierce. Hmmm.”
Napatitig ako sa mukha ni Vince. Kahit na hindi ito kasing-guwapo ni Mr. Gorgeous, marami rin itong nalolokong babae. Malakas kasi ang sense of humor ni Vince. Kung sa bagay, cute na rin naman siya kahit papano. Hindi naman ako magkaka-crush sa kanya nung bago bago pa ko sa office kung hindi. Pero hindi pa kasi ko choosy nun, at hindi ko pa alam na may mga katulad pala ni Mr. Gorgeous na nabubuhay sa mundo. Hahaha.
Napansin kong kanina pa titig na titig si Vince sakin. Lalo na sa mga mata ko. Nawala yung nakakalokong ngiti sa labi nya kanina, at sa halip ay tinititigan ako ngayon ng seryoso. Parang matutunaw ako sa titig nya, kaya dagli rin akong napayuko, saka hindi ako sanay na tinitigan ako ni Vince ng ganun, ng malagkit, ng parang may gusto syang ipahiwatig.
Vince: “Uy, bat ka napayuko?”
Me: “Wala lang. Wala. Bat ka ba ganyan kung makatingin?”
Vince: “Gusto ko lang matitigan yung mukha mo. Yang cute eyes mo. Pwede bang kahit sandali lang, makipagtitigan ka sakin? Makikipagtitigan din ako sayo, yung mata sa mata ah.”
Me: “Mata naman talaga sa mata eh. Alangan namang makipagtitigan ka sakin, TIYAN SA TIYAN? O kaya PISNGI SA PISNGI? DALIRI SA DALIRI? MATA SA SIKO? Wala lang. Suggest ko lang. Hahaha.” (Ewan ko ba, pero that’s the immediate thing I’ve thought of saying to him para malusutan yung awkward situation na yun at para mabawasan yung uneasiness na nafi-feel ko at the moment.)
Vince: “Phec naman eh, panira ng moment. Kainis. Hahaha.”
Sabay tawa na lang din ng loko. Nagtawanan lang kami at nabalik na sa makulit na usapan at barahan yung kaninang animo’y nakakailang na pag-uusap namin. Nasa ganoon kaming tagpo nung mapalingon ako sa table sa left side ko, sa may bandang couch, at biglang nawala ang ngiti ko at parang hindi ako makapaniwala sa nakikita ko. Pero hindi ako maaaring magkamali sa taong nakatingin sa table namin, kahit pa nga may laptop na nakaharang sa harapan nya. Kilalang kilala ko yung lalaking may cute na dimple sa left cheek na yun, na may katawang kahit nakasuot pa ng long sleeves na nakatupi hanggang siko nya, at slacks, ay mapapasabi ka na lang ng “Syet, ang hot nya.” Saka he looks fresh kahit na gabi na at halatang galing din sya sa work. I’m beginning to wonder tuloy if he smells good, weakness ko pa naman ang manly scent ng mga guys.
“Jethro!” pasigaw na sabi ko sa isip ko. Napigilan ko man ang sarili ko na isigaw ang pangalan nya, pero hindi ko napigilan ang mapatulala, para bang hindi ako makapaniwala na abot tanaw ko na ngayon ang lalaking pinagpapantasyahan ko these last 3 nights kaya di ako makatulog, ang lalaking dahilan kung bat nagmukha na kong zombie sa laki ng eyebags ko. Pwede na nga siguro kong pang-Plants vs. Zombies. Hahaha.
Vince: “Oy, mukha kang naengkanto dyan.” (Pansin nya sa pagkatulala ko, sabay pisil nya ng madiin sa ilong ko. Yung parang nanggigigil.)
Me: “Ouch, sakit nun ah.”
If I was in my usual self at di natetense sa presence ni Mr. Gorgeous, baka ginantihan ko ng hampas tong si Vince. But I can’t help na hindi mapalingon muli kay Mr. Gorgeous, pero sa malas ay hindi na sya nakatingin at kasalukuyang nagtatype na lang sa kanyang laptop. I want to talk to him badly. Pero ayoko malaman ni Vince yung tungkol kay Mr. Gorgeous, magtatanong lang yun, mangungulit, and I don’t want him to know about our memorable first meeting, with emphasis on the word “memorable”. Hahaha. Think of a way, Phec. C’mon, brain cells, makisama kayo. Haha.
Me: “Sorry Vince. Medyo sumama kasi bigla yung pakiramdam ko. May LBM ata ko. Punta lang ako sa ladies’ room. You can go home na if you want, it’s getting late na rin, baka matagalan pa ako eh, sakit kasi talaga tiyan ko.” (Hahaha. I know, ang lame ng excuse ko. But I couldn’t think clearly at that time.)
Vince: “Sure ka? I can wait for you. I can even accompany you. Haha. Ano na naman ba kasi yang tinira mo at nagka-LBM ka?”
Me: “Haha. Ano ba yang term mo, tinira talaga? Pwede bang pakipalitan? Ibang tirahan yung naiisip ko eh. Wahaha. Joke lang. Hay nako, wag mo na ko antayin kung mang-aasar ka rin lang. Saka I can manage, really. Pero kung mapilit ka, sige, pwede ka naman sumama. Kung gusto mo, ikaw na rin maghugas. Hahaha.
Vince: “Really? Can I?” (Sabay ngiti ng nakakaloko.)
Me: “Sows. Gusto mo lang akong tsansingan eh. Pwede mo namang sabihin na lang. Idadahilan mo pa yung paghugas. Hahaha.”
Vince: “Hahaha. Asa naman ‘to. Bat naman kita tsatsansingan, you’re not even my type. Baka ako, type mo?”
Me: “Type? Hahahahaha.” Hindi ako sumagot, tumawa lang ako ng tumawa. Then I stopped for a while from laughing para tingnan sya ng parang nandidiri, sabay pinaasim ko yung mukha ko, at tumawa ule ng nakakaloko. “Hahahahaha”
Vince: “Lakas mang-asar. Taob ako sayo. Haha.”
Me: “O sya, sige na, mauna ka na. Sakit na talaga tiyan ko eh. Baka matuluyan ako, magkalat pa ko dito. Haha. Go home na. Chu!” (Taboy ko sa kanya. Hahaba na naman usapan eh.)
Vince: “Grabehang pangtataboy ah. Parang nambubugaw lang ng langaw eh. O sige na, makaalis na nga at baka maamoy ko pa yan. Yuck. Haha.”
Me: “Excuse me lang, mabango jebs ko noh. Haha. Sige, bye-bye na. Ingat pauwi. Ay, ingat pala sila sayo. =p”
I kept the book I was reading sa bag ko and sip the remaining contents of the frappe. I stood up, get my bag, and walk towards the washroom. Nung pagpihit ko ng doorknob para iopen yung CR, nagulat ako ng may pumigil sa kamay ko. Light lang yung pag-touch sa hand ko, yet mariin at parang ayaw itong pakawalan. Instead of being frightened, somehow, there’s something inside of me that tells me na lumingon ako dahil matutuwa ako sa bubungad sakin. So, I followed my instinct, lumingon ako at hindi nga ako nagkamali, it was him! But what made my heart skip once again, was our closeness and how little the gap between our faces is. Tumingin ako sa kanya, wari’y pinagsasawa ko yung mga mata ko sa napakagwapong nasa harap ko.
Jethro: “Phec?” (I blinked. What the heck, I had momentarily forgotten our situation, where we are, and how amusing we look in the eyes of the other customers who are seated near the washroom! Nakakahiya. Napansin ko rin na hindi nya pa binibitiwan ang kamay ko. Kilig!)
Me: “Sorry. Just admiring the ‘view’ from here.” (I know, ang landi. Hahaha.)
Jethro: “View? Does the view here amaze you that much?” (Palingon lingon nyang sabi, hinahanap kung san ba yung magandang view na tinutukoy ko. Ang cute nya, he look so innocent yet he’s so manly. Geez, what an amazing view he is! He really is so gorgeus to look at. Niyaya nya ko na maupo kami sa table nya kanina.)
Me: “Uhh, yeah. Ang ganda nga ng view. Sobrang cute at mukhang mabango pa. Para ngang ang yummy mo eh. I mean, para ngang ang yummy nung coffee nila dito noh? Natry mo na yung iba pa?” (Anak ng tokwa, hirap lumusot. Hahaha.)
Jethro: “Hmm, yes, I’ve tried some of them, pero alam mo nakakasawa na rin kasi atmosphere dito sa SB. Saka medyo maraming tao ngayon. Do you wanna go to some other place where the two of us can be alone?”
Me: “By ‘some other place where the two of us can be alone’, you mean?”
Jethro: “Why do you ask? Anu ba pumasok sa isip mo nung sinabi ko yun?”
Me: “Do you want an honest answer? Or would you like me to reply a wholesome one? Haha.”
Jethro: “Aha! You’re thinking something naughty, aren’t you?”
Me: “Well, yes, I am. How about you, don’t tell me you’re not? We’re no longer kids naman na naglalaro ng bahay-bahayan at pag sinabi mong pumunta tayo sa isang lugar na masosolo mo ko, eh iisipin kong maglalaro lang tayo ng barbie ko at batman mo. Of course, I’ll think of something naughty. =p”
Jethro: “You’re really that blatantly frank, aren’t you? But what made you think na may binabalak akong gawin sayo na naughty, eh this is just our second meeting, and I don’t remember telling you that I like you.”
Me: “Then, tell me. Tell me that you like me. It’s that easy.” (I winked at him.)
Jethro: ” Hahaha. Yeah, it’s really that easy. But I know, you’re not as easy as that.”
Me: “I can make myself easy for you.”
Jethro: “Teka, easy tayo ng easy, anu bang klaseng ‘easy’ yan? Easy to get? Easy to touch? Easy to kiss?” (Sabay akto nyang ikikiss nya ko. Ako naman, ngumuso ako kunwari. Nung malapit na ang mukha namin sa isa’t isa, I moved away quickly. Then smiled sweetly.)
Me: “Nuh-uh. That’s not what I meant with ‘easy’. What I mean is, I’ll try to make myself easy to understand for you. I know, I’m confusing to be with, one moment, I’ll flirt with you, then at the next minute, para kong virgin at dalagang pilipina kung umarte in front of you.”
Jethro: “Hahaha. Well, sometimes you look like a virgin.”
Me: “Sometimes lang? And then sometimes I look like a slut? Hahaha.”
Jethro: “No. You’re not a slut. I never thought of you as that. You look innocent nga with your expressive eyes eh. They are mesmerizing. They mesmerize me to the point that I can’t look away. I just want to stare at your angelic face. That’s why I told you that sometimes you look like a virgin. An angel, but a naughty one. Haha. It’s just that sometimes, you’re too bold. But I like it….I like you.” (Hindi ako makasagot. Na-caught off guard ako sa mga sinabi nya, lalo na dun sa last three words. Wala ring pumapasok sa isip ko to reply to him. I stared at him blankly. Habang parang nag-eecho lang sa isip ko yung mga sinabi nya: I LIKE YOU. I LIKE YOU. I like you. I lyk u. i lYk u pHh0wwzZ aJ3jeJe. Hahaha. Basta puro I like you.)
Jethro: “Hey! Hindi ka na umimik. Tara na nga, let’s get out of here. Kanina pa nag-iinit pwet ko dito sa upuan. I bet ikaw din. Hahaha” (Sabay iba nya sa usapan. Well, I guess, okay na rin yun. Napraning ako dun sa sinabi nya eh. Mabuti na ring sya na ang pumutol sa awkward silence because I don’t know how to respond. Nawawala coolness at pagka-witty ko pagdating sa kanya eh. It’s so not like my usual self.)
Me: “Akala ko kung ano ng nag-iinit sayo eh. Hahaha. But seriously, medyo gabi na rin. I think we should call it a night.” (Sabay tayo naming dalawa, while getting our things. Habang naglalakad kami outside, we talked about various stuffs, from the mababaw ones like “Bakit ba ang ipis, kung san ka tumapak eh dun din pupunta” to the absurdities of life. But what I had discovered was, he’s not only gorgeous but he is also quick-witted, so cool and entertaining to talked with.)
Me: “Sige, Jethro, hanggang dyan na lang ako sa sakayan.”
Jethro: “Hey, if it’s okay with you, I can bring you home. I brought my car today.”
Me: “Really? Akala ko nagcocommute ka lang din like last time?”
Jethro: Yeah, di kasi ko normally nagdadala ng kotse. That’s why I didn’t offer you a ride home nung first meeting natin, commute lang din ako nun eh. Ang hirap kasi ng parking dito sa Makati. Pero kanina, since late ako nagising, dinala ko na lang kotse ko para di na makipagsiksikan sa LRT.”
Me: “Oh, I see. Pero nakakahiya naman sumabay sayo, kakakilala pa lang natin eh. Is it really okay? Hindi ka ba natatakot that you’re offering a ride to a person you’ve just met two times? Sige ka, baka may binabalak pala ko gawin sayo. Hahaha.”
Jethro: “Ikaw pa yung may balak gawin sakin. Parang baliktad ata. Hahaha. Pero okay lang.”
Me: “Okay lang na may gawin ako sayo? Hahaha. Kidding!”
Jethro: “Hahaha. What I mean is, okay lang na kakakilala pa lang natin pero I’ll give you na a ride home. Pero okay na okay din ako dyan sa sinabi mo. Hahaha”
In the end, napapayag nya rin ako na magpahatid sa kanya. Nagpunta kami where his car was parking, and while inside the car, at first it was kind of awkward kasi we’re alone. Just the two of us. Pero ang gentle nya kausap at makakalimutan mo na lang ang oras and place while you’re with him. Kasi parang you can talk to him about anything under the sun. Hanggang sa nakarating na nga kami sa tapat ng house ko.
Nung bubuksan ko na ung pinto ng car, he said, “Ako na”, then nagmamadali syang bumaba to go to my side para iopen yung door for me. Syempre kinilig naman ang lola nyo. Plus 100 points ka sakin, Mr. Gorgeous. Haha.
Nang nasa harap na kami ng gate, I told him, “Thanks for a wonderful night and for the ride home.” And then, I couldn’t help it; it just seemed natural to lean over and kiss him. To my surprise, he returned the kiss. The kiss was a tentative one at first, parang nakikiramdam kami sa isa’t isa, and then it deepened and deepened. He had, in the course of the long kiss, placed his hands at my back, near my waist, stroking it, while I had put my arms around his neck. Nung maghiwalay ang mga labi namin, we were both smiling widely, familiarly, while staring at each other’s lips. Without a word, I smiled, and said, “O pano, bye na?” He was still staring at me, amused, and amazed.
Binigyan ko sya ng final light kiss on the lips and he breathed into my mouth, “See you around.” Ngumiti ako ng sobrang tamis, kumaway sa kanya, at naglakad papasok sa gate namin, while thinking, “Yes, I’ll see you again. Definitely.”
Sana nagustuhan nyo po yung kasunod nung first post ko. Sorry kung natagalan kasi medyo busy rin. Thanks for reading! I was really overwhelmed with your positive remarks. Maraming salamat talaga! Sana di kayo magsawa sa story ko at sa akin! 