Chapter 6

KALI'S POV

"Bakit ang bait mo?" He asked me as I assist him going up to his condo unit.

"Do I need a reason to be kind?" Iling ko.

Konti nalang mararating na namin yung unit niya. I knew that I wouldn't let him be in that party, drunk. Baka ano pa ang gagawin niya. Let's just say I'm a little interested in him. He told me kasi tungkol sa mom niya and I felt sympathy towards him. It must have been so hard for him. Nagtataka nga ako kung bakit nasa party siya at hindi niya kasama Mommy niya. But then again, maybe he wants to divert his attention to something else. However, he ended up drunk, thinking the same problem over and over again.

"I just didn't expect this from you," He chuckled.

"Girls like me still exists," I replied and we both stopped in front of his door. "Ano yung pin?"

Kumalas siya sa hawak ko at pagewang-gewang na lumapit sa pintuan. He started pressing the numbers which I quickly looked away. I know privacy and I don't want to take advantage of him being drunk. I have principles.

Pagkabukas ng pinto ay humakbang siya papasok but he suddenly dropped on the floor. Napailing nalang ako. Tipsy lang daw pero halos hindi na siya makatayo.

"Careful, now."

Lumapit ako sa kanya at tinulungan siyang tumayo. He's quite heavy now that he's totally drunk. Paniguradong wala na siyang maaalala kinabukasan.

I put his arms over my shoulders and entered his condo unit. May nakita akong sofa kaya doon na ako lumapit at pinaupo siya dito. I exhaustedly dropped on the floor, looking at him.

"Ang bigat mo," Iling ko.

He just smirked and closed his eyes.

I roamed my eyes around the room. The interior is so monochrome. Simple lang din yung mga furnitures niya but I bet it would cost a fortune. Malinis din, walang kalat and I'm sure nililinisan ito araw-araw, may it be a housekeeper or siya mismo. Kita ko rin mula dito yung kitchen. From ths looks of it, mukhang kompleto yung kagamitan. I can't help but to smile. It reminds me Kaia.

Si Kaia kasi ay mahilig magluto. Kahit noong mga bata pa kami, nagpapabili siya ng cooking set. Nang malaman ng mga ninang namin na ito ang hilig niya, cooking set nalang palaging nireregalo tuwing pasko. Hindi naman nagreklamo si Kaia, sa katunayan nga sobrang saya niya pa. Kahit halos magkaparehas na yung mga laruan niya, hindi nawala yung sparks. That's why she pursued Hospitality Management. Bagay din naman sa kanya. Hilig niya yung maglinis pati yung pagtuto ng ibang lengwahe. Kaya bilib ako sa kanya. She would never settle for less. She would always go for excellence.

I, on the other hand, is an architect in profession. Bakit ito ang kinuha ko? Kasi ito ang gusto ko. Kaia and I both took the program that we wanted. Ang kaibahan lang sa amin ay I only do the bare minimum. I know how to make plates, but I'm not the best in it. You know what I mean? Malalamangan talaga ako ng iba and it sucks because I always try best pero hindi ko talaga makuha. Palaging sinasabi sa akin na bakit hindi ko daw lagyan ng effort yung mga ginagawa ko. I did! Ginawa ko lahat ng effort pero wala akong magagawa kasi hanggang dun lang ang kaya ko. I can't be the best!

"Now you're acting like yourself," Biglang sabi ng lalaki.

Naguguluhan ko siyang tiningnan. "Ha?"

He pointed at my face. "Ganyang mukha. Ikaw na ikaw. Yung palaging may iniisip."

Napailing nalang ako. Ano bang pinagsasabi nito? Talagang lasing na. Kahit ano nalang ang sinasabi.

"You know what, I'm gonna bring you to your room," Aya ko.

I stood up and reached him pero bigla siyang umiwas sa hawak ko. My brows furrowed.

"Ayan ka na naman. You're not acting like yourself," Sabi niya.

"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?" I giggled. "Doon ka nalang sa room mo, okay? Para makauwi na din ako."

Pinikit niya yung mga mata niya saka hinilot ang kanyang sentido. I chuckled at his reaction. Ang cute niya namang malasing.

"Lasing nga siguro ako kaya kahit anu-ano nalang ang nakikita ko," he whispered but I still heard it.

"Halika na. Para makatulog ka na din," I said.

I reached my arms to him again but this time, hindi na siya umiwas. He let me hold him and assist him again until we reached his bedroom. Hiniga ko siya sa nag-iisang kama. Hinubad ko yung coat niya, necktie, shoes, and socks para komportable yung tulog niya. He's lying with his back against the back, closing his eyes, totally drunk.

Napatitig ako sa mukha niya. I took a step closer to him to see him more clearly. Ang hahaba pala ng pilik-mata niya. His nose is sharp and pointy. Pumupula na din yung magkabila niyang pisngi dahil sa kalasingan. His lips are red and pouty. Ang attractive din tingnan ng jawline niya.

"If I were to marry you, it would be okay," Bigla niyang sabi. "You took care of me like this. I can say that I am in good hands."

Kumunot yung noo ko. Ano bang pinagsasabi nito? Is he already dreaming. Nagsasalita ba siya habang natutulog? And what does he mean by marrying? Who is he marrying? Me?

Biglang tumibok nang sobrang bilis ang puso ko. I know that he must be thinking of a different woman but I can't help to feel the butterflies inside.

"What are you talking about?" I managed to ask.

Bigla nalang siyang dumilat and he caught me staring at his face. I couldn't hide the embarrasment that I felt. But then again, he's drunk and wouldn't even mind my expression.

Para akong malulunod sa paraan niyang tumitig sa mga mata ko. Mapupungay ang kanyang mga mata but I could tell that whatever he will be saying will be sincere. I bit my lower lip.

"You are a potential wife," He said before closing his eyes.

Ramdam ko ang pag-iinit ng magkabila kong pisngi. Potential wife? Ako ba ang tinutukoy niya? Kahit hindi ako ang tinutukoy niya, I am still flabbergasted by the way he looked at me. Nahigit ko ang aking hininga.

When I recovered from my mini shock, kinumutan ko na siya para maging komportable din ang tulog niya. I stared at his face again for a minute before I decided to go. I made sure na nakalock yung condo niya.

Nang makalabas ay hindi na mawala-wala yung ngiti ko sa labi. I bit my lower lip kasi parang tanga na ako sa lapad ng ngiti. Baka pag-isipan akong baliw sa mga taong makakakita sa akin.

I didn't bring my car kaya nagtaxi nalang ako papauwi. When I arrived home, wala pa si Kaia sa bahay. Well, I'm sure pinagkaguluhan pa siya ng lalaki doon? Well, iba naman talaga aura niya. Magkamukha nga kami pero masasabi kong mas maganda pa rin siya keysa sa akin.

Masyado ko ba siyang pini-praise? Eh kasi she have things that I don't. Wala lang. I just admire her the way she is. We may grew up together, but we grew a different from each other.

Ilang minuto lang ay narinig ko na yung gate na bumukas pati ang pagpasok ng sasakyan. Paniguradong si Kaia na yan!

I waited for her in our room. Excited na akong ikwento sa kanya yung nangyari. If there is anyone who I can tell everything to, si Kaia na 'yun.

"Kaia, I met the man of my dreams!" I squealed the moment she entered the room.

She only smiled and directly went to the bed. "I'm tired, Kali."

Nakita ko yung pagod sa mga mata niya. It looks like it was never easy entertaining everyone. Well, as an introvert myself, mahirap nga sa akin ang lapitan yung tao. Except for that man earlier. Ewan pero may strong urge talaga akong lapitan siya for whatever reason.

"Sa bagay, nakakapagod naman talagang makipag-usap ng napakaraming lalaki. Yieeee!" Tili ko. "Ang ganda mo talaga tonight. Haba ng hair."

She's wearing an elegant dress which showed skin but not too revealing. Tama lang para makuha yung atensyon ng mga kalalakihan. Maganda yung pangangatawan niya. Nababagay din sa kanya yung mga suot niyang accessories. Her make up was spot on.

She chuckled. "Kung maganda ako, maganda ka rin no. Magkamukha lang kaya tayo."

I remembered when we were in Junior High. May Araling Panlipunan kaming asignatura. There was a homo sapiens and Kaia joked that it looks like me. Tinawanan ko lang siya at sinabihan na magkamukha kami at kung kamukha ko yung homo sapiens, kamukha din niya ito. We had a good laugh and she never brought up that joke ever again. Para sa kanya ang bobo niya naman noon at hindi niya naisip.

"Magkamukha nga pero iba-iba naman charisma natin no," I insisted. "Ah basta! Nakakakilig talaga Kaia."

I saw how the men looked at Kaia from head to toe. Yung mga mata pa nila, parang gusto na talaga nilang lapitan ang kakambal. Some couldn't get the courage to do so. Yung iba naman at nagmalakas-loob na lapitan siya. Isa na dito ang anak ng Presidente. It looks like he's really into Kaia.

"Pero iba pa rin yung kilig na nararamdaman ko sa lalaking nakilala ko," I smiled widely.

"Sino ba yan ha? Baka fvckboy yan ha? Naku kapag nalaman kong fvckboy nga yan malalagot ka talaga sa akin," she said protectively.

Sa aming dalawa, siya yung protective. Kapag may umaaway sa akin sa school noon, siya ang nakikipagbardagulan. Natatakot kasi akong makipag-away. Kaia on the other hand would throw a fist if she needed to. Hindi siya nagpapaapi at mas lalong ayaw niyang may inaapi. That's one thing I admired about her. She have her own principles, her own rule kaya kahit kailan ay hindi siya naging sunod-sunuran. Well, hindi ko alam kung hanggang ngayon pa rin.

"Yes Mommy," Irap jo. "Hindi ko na nga nakuha pangalan niya. It was complicated."

I never had the chance to ask his name. Nabusy kasi akong alagaan siya ang stuffs.

"You never even got the chance to ask for his name? Paano mo siya mahahanap?" She asked.

I saw support on her eyes. Sinusuportahan niya ako sa paglalandi ko and that is something else. Akala ko magagalit siya sa akin kapag ginawa ko yun. Oh well, it's 2023 naman.

"Don't worry, Twinnie. I believe that it won't be the last time I'll see him. And when I do meet him, ipapakilala ko siya sayo." Kampante kong sagot.

"Di nga?" She asked in disbelief

"Oo nga!" I insisted.

Hindi ko man naitanong yung pangalan niya o nahingi yung phone number niya, I still think that we will see each other again. I can feel it!

"Okay. I respect your judgment," she said and closed her eyes.

"You're gonna love him, Kaia," I said. "He's the sweetest!"