Chapter 1

"Order daw sa table 3, Venice, hinahantay na." Naramdaman ko ang pagtapik niya sa akin sa balikat. I felt relived when she called me by my second name. I really hate it when people call me Psyche.

Agad naman akong tumalima kahit sobrang ramdam ko na ang pagod. Kinuha ko ang order na shake at piraso ng cake bago inilagay sa tray.

Inayos ko muna ang suot ko bago ako lumabas. I need to look presentable dahil maraming costumers ngayon lalo na't Valentine's. 

"Here's your order ma'am, enjoy po," I said with a smile as I serve her order.

"Are you a working student? You seemed young e." Napalingon ako sa babaeng pinag serve-an ko. She's looking at me, hindi bahala na kumakausap siya ng isang waitress ng café.

"Yes, ma'am. If you'll excuse me po, I still have a lot of things to do," I asked politely.

"Sure, I hope you enjoy your work." Napangiti ako sa sinabi niya. That's the kind of costumer I want to serve, always. Hindi 'yung mga costumer na laging may reklamo kahit sila 'yung mali at 'yung mga hindi marunong maghintay.

I was in the middle of going back to the kitchen nang makarinig ako ng sigawan. And then, there was a couple in the middle. The boy was proposing to his girl.

Napatigil ako sa paglakad. Is this some kind of a nightmare? Gustong gusto kong puntahan ang lalaking iyon para isigaw sa lahat na akin siya pero hindi ko maigalaw ang paa ko para lapitan sila.

I felt myself go numb, hindi ko maramdaman ang mga kamay ko. Pinipigilan ang sarili na hindi lumuha pero hindi ko magawa. Nanginginig ang kamay ko sa galit at sakit.

And maybe this is tears of joy. Maybe I'm fucking happy seeing my fucking boyfriend proposing to other girl. 

Parang pinipiga ang puso ko dahil sa sakit na nararamdaman ko. I'm breathing heavily, trying to calm myself down pero ayaw talaga. He promised me that he will marry me. He promised! Ang bobo ko lang kasi naniwala ako sa pangako niyang iyon.

They were all celebrating. Masaya silang lahat dahil may bago na namang magkasintahan na matutuloy sa altar. Hindi man lang nila inisip na 'yung lalaking nag-aaya ng kasal ay may pinangakuang iba.

He even said to me, "ingatan mo sarili mo ha, papakasalan pa kita, pangako." And now, I can finally prove that it's a fucking shit. Hindi ko na nga alam kung maniniwala pa ako sa salitang pangako.

I slowly wiped my tears. Damn! Fuck you tears, why can't you stop falling?

Kaya pala halos isang linggo na siyang hindi nagrereply sa'ken. He also said that he will celebrate his Valentine's Day with his mom, but it all came up to be a lie. Why do they have to lie kung meron na silang bago? Bakit hindi nalang niya ako iniwan kung hindi na siya masaya? I'm willing to let him go if he'll ask me to.

People shouldn't be promising to someone kung hindi naman nila tutuparin. The word promise should be a sacred word, hindi 'yung ginagamit para makapagsinungaling.

"Miss! Can I have a water please? And a tissue also." Hindi agad ako nakakilos dahil nanlalamig ang katawan ko. 

Tears are going down from my eyes. I can't describe what it feels. Sobrang sakit, I feel betrayed. Well, I am betrayed.

"Miss!" Nagulat ako dahil sa pagsigaw. I didn't even notice that they were all looking at me.

"A-Ah, yes po," marahan kong sagot dahil hindi ko na kayang magsalita. 

Tumakbo ako papuntang kitchen.

Nakita ang kasama ko. "C-Can you give t-the costumer a tissue and w-water? I-I'm just going to the bathroom." Putol-putol na ang pagsasalita ko.

"Sure, but are you okay?"

I smiled, even if it's fake. "Yes, totally fine. Thank you."

Hindi na ako umalis ng kitchen dahil narealize kong nasa labas pala ang bathroom. I just cry myself out there.

Tangina ang sakit-sakit. Ang sarap ibato sa kanya lahat ng pangako niyang napako. 

"This is a kitchen, not a bathroom. Hindi ka dapat umiiyak dito, miss." 

Napalingon sa nagsalita. A very very handsome man. Wearing a suit and slacks. His chiseled face is so damn perfect. His almond eyes that's looking at me na parang ikatutunaw ko. And that red lips were that words came from is just breath taking.

"Wala kang pake." 'Yan nalang ang pinili kong isagot. I don't want to talk to someone right now. All I want is to go home and cry, but I can't, may trabaho pa ako. Gusto ko lang bawasan ang bigat na nararamdaman ko habang nagkakasiya sila sa labas.

"I suppose you still have a work to do." Masungit niyang turan sa akin.

"S-Sino ka ba? Bakit ka nangingialam sa akin? And how did get in here? Bawal ang costumer sa kitchen." Mataray na sagot ko. I don't care about a damn thing right now.

"Well, I'm just someone who can fire you if you don't continue to work on my café. And yes, bawal ang costumer sa kitchen, pero ang owner pwede."

Napatigil ako sa pagpunas ng luha sa pisngi ko at napatingin sa kanya. What did he just said? H-He's the owner?

Mas lalo akong napaiyak, not because of the heartbreak anymore, kung hindi dahil alam kong matatanggalan ako ng trabaho dahil sa pagsagot ko sa may-ari.

"I-I.. I-I'm deeply sorry sir, f-for acting that way. I-I'm very s-sorry sir."

"Come here." I heard him.

"P-Po?" Tanong ko kahit narinig ko siya.

"I said come here." 

Agad akong sumunod sa kanya. Lumabas kami ng kitchen bago dumiretso sa staff room. Kinabahan pa ako dahil baka may gawin siyang masama sa akin.

"No, it's not what you think, I'm not going to take advantage at you. I just want you to wipe your tears and fix yourself. Then tell me what happened," he said, with authority.

Pinunasan ko ang luha sa mukha ko gamit ang aking kamay. Napansin niya siguro na ang dungis ko na tingnan kaya may inilabas siya mula sa kanyang bulsa. He hand me his blue handkerchief. "Wipe your tears, he doesn't deserve that."

After I fixed myself. Hinarap ko siya. I take a deep breath. "M-My boyfriend, he proposed a wedding to the other girl, kani-kanina lang." 

"The boy who proposed outside? That's your boyfriend? He's not that handsome, mas gwapo pa 'yung guard namin." 

Pagak akong napatawa dahil sa sinabi niya. "There, you're smiling. You're more beautiful when you smile. Then I want you to make him realize kung sino ang sinayang niya."

I just find myself going to their table, where they are having a very happy conversation. The girl flexing her fucking ring on social media. Akala niya naman maganda iyong singsing. 

Kinuha ko 'yung tubig na nasa tray ng kasamahan ko bago ako lumapit at binuhos sa ex-boyfriend ko. Yes, he's an ex already, mas gwapo pa 'yung may-ari ng café kaysa sa kanya, nang sobrang daming paligo.

"What the!" I heard him cursed, then looked at me. "B-Babe." hindi ko pinansin ang pagtawag niya sa akin bagkus ay humarap ako dun sa babae.

Pinigilan kong umiyak sa harap niya. It hurts me hearing him call me with that endearment. 

"Did you heard him? Did he just call me babe?" I mockingly asked. Hindi ko alam kung saan ko nakuha ang lakas ng loob kahit ang totoo ay para na akong babagsak dahil sa sakit ba nararamdaman ko.

"What the hell is your problem?!" She shouted at me. Tss, ang sakit sa tainga, parang chimpanzee na nakawala sa kulungan. 

"My problem? No I don't have a problem," I chuckled fakely before I continue. "You, you have a problem." Diniinan ko pa ang salitang you.

"Alam mo miss, wala kaming problema, ikaw 'yung baliw na kung sino na basta nalang nagbuhos ng tubig sa fiancé ko! Bakit, sino ka ba?!" She shouted, again.

I scoffs sarcastically. Hilam pa rin ang mga mata ko dahil sa pag-iyak ko kanina but I don't give a fuck. Sa kanya na, saksak niya pa sa baga niya. It's not my loss. He just lost a queen.

"Kung ako baliw ano ka? Paa? At tsaka sino ako? I'm her girlfriend, yes 'yung girlfriend na pinangakuan niya rin ng kasal tapos makikita kong magpoprose siya sa babaeng hindi marunong magpafacial? I'm Venice, by the way." Mahabang lintaya ko.

She laughed. Argh, nakakairita. "What? So naiingit ka? Kasi ako 'yung papakasalan at hindi ikaw and fyi, you're his ex-girlfriend." Diniinan niya ang pagkakasabi niya sa word na ex. Akala mo naman aagawin ko pa. He's yours now.

"No, I'm not jealous my dear. I'm just here to remind you, na baka marami pa siyang pinangakuan ng kasal, ikaw lang 'yung inaya ng kasal, pero hindi ikaw 'yung dadalhin sa altar. Best wishes." Then I turn my back at them. Dumiretso ako sa labas at doon ibinuhos ang sakit na nararamdaman ko.

Masakit pa rin, but I can manage.

"You good?" Nagulat ako sa nagsalita, and there he is, the-poging-owner-of-the-cafe.

"Y-Yes, I think? By the way, thank you?" I asked for his name.

"Cupid, my name is Cupid."