4: Anything for you

6pm and my work is finally over.

"Any plans for tonight, Anj?" tanong ni Kairus habang nag aayos ako ng gamit ko. Nakasandal siya sa pinto ng opisina ko at hinihintay ako, habang nakasuksok ang dalawang kamay sa kanyang bulsa.

Nangunot ang noo ko at nilingon siya.

"Why?" taas kilay kong tanong habang isinusukbit ang bag ko sa balikat saka sabay kaming lumabas na ng opisina at naglakad papuntang parking lot. Nagtext si Eli na nandoon na daw siya at naghihintay.

"Club." maikling sagot ni Kairus sa gilid ko at nagkibit pa ng balikat.

Agad nagusot ang mukha ko after ko marinig iyon, I don't do those kind of things anymore. Call me boring but I really don't like going to those places, I'm not fond of crowded area. Unless sila Eli ang kasama ko.

I saw Jay jogs toward us with a smile on his face, I'm glad he's kind of relaxed now. Kairus turn his neck to face the newbie.

"Ikaw Jay? Sama ka? Club." yaya niya pa.

Napailing nalang ako sa kalokohan niya kakaumpisa pa lang magtrabaho dito ng tao dinidemonyo na niya agad. Hays.

Jay took a glance at me as we walked together papuntang parking lot. "Sasama ka ba?" he asked na medyo ikinagulat ko. I immediately shook my head saka binalingan si Kairus.

"I'm sorry Kai but I have plans with Eli tonight." nakangiting sabi ko pero inirapan lang niya yon.

"Yeah of course Eli nanaman." mapait niyang sabi kasunod ng pag irap ng mata at natawa nalang ako.

Again Jay took a glance at me but I just shrugged my shoulders. I waved my hand soon as I saw Eli leaning against his black car, I felt Jay followed my gaze.

"Boyfriend mo?" he asked na medyo ikinagulat ko ulit kaya napalingon ako sa kanya.

I heard Kai's loud scoff so I squinted my eyes on him to make him shut his mouth. Ngumiti ako at umiling kay Jay.

"Bestfriend." maikling sabi ko.

Soon as I reached Eli's car I waved my hand to the two guys.

"See you on Monday, Anj." nakangiting sabi ni Jay at sinulyapan si Eli sa tabi ko saka tumalikod kasama ni Kai.

My bestfriend eyed them silently and rolled his eyes looking so annoyed. I softly punch his chest while laughing.

"See you on Monday, Anj." he repeated Jay's line while making a face na sobrang nagpatawa sa akin.

Kahit kailan talaga 'to!

"Isn't that the newbie you're talking about earlier? Ano 'yon friends mo na agad?" tanong niya habang pinagbubuksan ako ng pinto, I carefully slide inside saka naman siya umikot para maupo na sa driver's seat.

"His name is Jay and he's nice." maikling sabi ko habang nagsi-seatbelt.

"Don't you have any female friends in your company? Why does it always have to be males?" nakanguso niyang tanong habang nagmamaneho na halos magpatawa sa akin.

"Ofcourse I do have female friends hindi mo lang kasi madalas nakikita." nakangisi kong sabi.

He just shook his head while pouting his lips.

He's really possesive.

"What do you want to have for later?" maya maya ay tanong niya.

I scrunched up my nose as I think of what food I'd like to have.

"I like pizza and ice cream." I told him smiling.

He just nod his head.

"Pizza and ice cream, as it is then. Yun lang? How about your favorite munchkins?" he asked and I can't help not to smile widely at his thoughtfulness.

This is what I love about him, he's so thoughtful and caring, I seriously don't understand why Amber chose to broke up with him when he's almost the definition of husband material. Tsk. She better make sure that she has a valid reason for breaking my bestfriend's heart or else...

"Libre mo ba lahat?" I asked him teasingly.

His brows furrowed as he took a glance at me as if I just dropped the corniest joke on earth and set his eyes back again on to the road.

"When on earth did I fucking asked you to pay?" he hissed and I grin widely.

Yes, he's spoiling me a lot ever since we're kids. I always told him that we should split the bill whenever we're going out or something but he's aggresively refusing the idea at minsan pa nga magkakapikunan pa kaming dalawa kapag nagpupumilit ako. And then wala nalang akong magagawa kundi magpasalamat sa Diyos because I got super lucky for having him as my bestfriend.

"Maybe I should asked Jemi and Riz too if they prefer something." I told him saka dinukot ang phone ko sa bag.

I asked my two bestfriends and they told me that they're fine with everything as long as merong beers. Hays.

"They just asked me to buy beers." I told Eli and he just smirked.

"Lagi naman." naiiling niyang sabi.

Pagkatapos naming bilhin lahat ng need naming bilhin ay dumiretso na rin kami agad sa apartment niya.

"Malapit na din daw sila Jemi," I informed him habang binubuksan ang pinto niya, habang siya bitbit lahat ng mga pinamili namin.

"You should change first," paalala naman niya bago dumiretso sa kusina.

"I will take a bath!" sigaw ko naman dahil tinatamad na akong sundan pa siya sa kusina saka ako dumiretso sa kwarto niya.

I walked through his walk-in closet saka hinanap yung mga damit kong dinala niya kanina. I smiled when I saw my undergarments  neatly fold and organized by colors just beside his own boxers. Tsk. Kunwari pang ayaw na maglagay ako ng undergarments ko dito pero tingnan mo naman at naka-organize, by colors pa. Hay naku Elijah!

I took a black lace pair of my Victoria's secret undies and a pair of my PJ's saka ako dumiretso na sa banyo which is adjacent room lang ng kanyang walk-in closet. I did my thing in quick movements dahil ayokong paghintayin ang mga abnormal kong kaibigan.

Paglabas ko sa banyo ay nagulat pa ako ng madatnan si Elijah na nakaupo sa dulo ng kama niya habang nakakunot ang noo. He turned his neck soon as he heard the bathroom door swung open, buti naman at nakapagbihis na rin siya, he was wearing a black oversize shirt and grey sweatshorts.

"Finally," he blurted out which made me raised my brow saka lumapit sa dresser niya para magblow-dry ng buhok.

"Why? What's with the face?" tanong ko saka napalingon din sa pinto ng kwarto niya ng marinig ko ang malalakas na bunganga ng mga kaibigan namin galing sa labas.

"They're here na?" I asked and he nodded his head before heaving a loud sigh,

"And they're arguing again on which movie we're going to watch.." he trailed off saka dahan dahang lumapit sa akin habang nakasimangot.

"And?" tanong ko sa kanya nang tapunan ko siya ng tingin galing sa repleksyon niya sa salamin na nasa harap namin.

"Ayun magbubugbugan na yata.." sagot niya saka nagkibit ng braso at natawa naman ako saka hinila na siya palabas ng kwarto.

"Let's go bago magsabunutan yung dalawa." natatawa kong hila sa kanya.

Paglabas ng kwarto halos mapasapo ako sa noo ko dahil hindi pa rin tapos magtalo ang dalawa.

"Harry Potter is much better!"  sigaw ni Riz.

"But Stranger Things is way way better!" sigaw din naman ni Jemi, ayaw magpatalo.

Nagkatinginan nalang kami ni Elijah..

"I know pero ayon na yung pinanood natin last time!" bwelta naman ni Riz.

"And? Hindi naman natin natapos!" sagot naman ng isa..

It will be a very long debate so maigi nang mapigilan ang dalawa..

"Okay! Okay! Mga mima ng taon! Para walang away, dating gawi!" panghihimasok ko at kapwa naman silang natigilan.

"Pero kayong tatlo lang nila Elijah ang maglalaro." dugtong ko pa.

"Okay, go ako diyan." sagot ni Jemi at in-adjust pa yung manggas ng t-shirt niya,

Natatawa at napailing nalang si Elijah sa kalokohan nilang dalawa.

"What is your bet, Eli?" tanong ni Riz.

Nanulis naman ang nguso ni Eli habang nag iisip saka malawak na ngumisi.

"If I won we'll be watching Pirates of the Carribean," sabi niya at nalukot naman ang mukha nina Riz at Jemi.

Of course, nothing beats his favorite.

"God damn it! Mas worse yung trip mo." naiiling na comment ni Riz saka tumalikod na silang tatlo sa isa't isa habang nasa likod ang isang kamay.

"Okay game? Bato, bato, pick!" chant ko at sabay sabay naman silang humarap sa isa't isa kasabay ng buka ng mga kamay nila.

Humagalpak ako sa tawa ng makitang natalo si Riz dahil papel ang kanya samantalang gunting naman ang sa dalawa.

"What the fuck! Make sure to win kahit ang panget ng bet mo I'm rooting for you!" sigaw niya kay Jemi at kunware pang minasahe ang likod nito.

Elijah smirked upon seeing the two,

"Okay magkaka-alaman na po kung anong movie ang nararapat ngayong gabi!" pang-aasar ko pa at sabay silang ulit na tumalikod sa isa't isa habang nasa likod ang isang kamay.

"Bato, bato, pick!!" sigaw ko at..

Fuck...

Elijah won.

Agad siyang ngumisi at tumalon sa couch saka hinablot ang remote sa pagkakahawak ni Riz na ngayon ay parang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa dahil sa nangyari.

"Sorry ladies! Capt. Jack Sparrow is sailing!" nakangising anunsyo ni Eli at natatawa ko naman siyang sinundan at naupo sa tabi niya habang sina Riz and Jemi naman ay naupo sa harap namin.

"This is your fault," bulong pa ni Riz.

"Oh, shut up and just enjoy the movie." Jemi hissed while taking a slice of pizza.

And I'm glad... so glad na nandito sila para sa kaibigan namin, atleast everyone were showing concern and care to our dearest Eli.

I took a glance at Elijah and saw him focused on the movie while munching his favorite snack.

I'm glad that somehow we're making him smile, atleast kahit papaano ay nalilibang siya at hindi naiisip ang problema niya. I just hope na sana ay maging okay na rin siya soon.

For now, I will do whatever I could do to show him my support, to let him know that he's not alone most especially in this dark times of his life.

------

❤️