CHAPTER 6

“So anyare? You look annoyed,is your date that bad?” bungad ni Celine kay Ellie. 

“Tsk.” Ellie then sighs and sip her coffee with her bored face. Her date was an epic fail. It was not Kael who she just met but instead an unfamiliar and weird guy.

“Who would have manipulated the list?” naguguluhang tanong ni Celine. Habang si Ellie naman ay nakapangalumbaba at busangot ang mukha. 

“Is it really manipulated? Baka namali ng secretary ni Kael?” walang buhay na saad ni Ellie. 

“Maybe? We really don’t have any idea. Just relax Ellie, there's still a lot of days para sa blind date nyong dalawa.” Pag-aalo ni Celine kay Ellie.

“But, what if he already found someone? Tapos yung nakadate niya pa ngayon.” she worriedly state. 

“Don't overthink will you? Saka, I think Kael has a standard naman he can't just choose easily to anyone.” 

Huminga ng malalim si Ellie at napatunganga nalang. Napaigta siya when she thinks of something. “What if hindi ko ipagpapatuloy tong pagbubuntis ko? Para wala na'kong problema at magrereview nalang ako for the bar exam.” 

“What the hell Ellie! Why would you think that way?!” gulat na saad ni Celine. “You know that’s not a great idea Ellie. Walang kasalanan ang bata sa kamaliang ginawa niyo. You better think twice before you say those.” pagpapatuloy na saad ni Celine na may kasamang pagkadismaya dahil sa sinabi ni Ellie. 

“I’m sorry, things are getting hard lately.” Ellie stated while looking down at her coffee at nilalaro na lang ang cookies na nasa plate niya. “Paano na lang kung kita na ang baby bump ko.” dagdag pa nito. 

“You know that I can't always hide this Celine. If they found out, I literally don't know what to do." She's worried about her family who doesn't know what is happening to her.

“I know, let's just see if Kael is still open for a blind date. I will make sure that you will be his next date.” tumango na lamang si Ellie sa sinabi ni Celine sa kanya. 

And then, they decided to go to their favorite place. The IT park, since the day of their friendship they always go there for picnics and to freshen up their minds. And think carefully of the decisions they will make. 

Kaya naman dun sila palaging pumupunta. Dati ay nagpi-picnic sila dun ngunit ngayon ay hindi na sila nag-abala pa na magdala ng pagkain. They will just go there to freshen up and think of their happy moments that happened at the IT park.

Pagkarating nila sa IT park ay agad naman silang nakahanap ng may lilim na pwesto.

“Parang kailan lang din nung palagi tayong pumupunta dito.” ani ni Celine. 

“Oo nga eh, minsanan nalang din ngayon. Tapos makakapunta lang pag may iniisip.” malungkot na saad ni Ellie. 

“Ikaw kasi eh, lakas ng tama mong magpa-” pagbibirong saad ni Celine na hindi tinuloy ang salitang sasabihin.

“Ano? Tuloy mo, magpa? Akala nito, inaaya nga kita dati eh, hmp.” pag aalaa nito noong inaaya niya si Celine na magpicnic sa IT park. Pero hindi ito nangyari dahil palagi silang nagkakasalisihan sa mga oras. 

“Magpaganda kasi yun, ano ba wag kang over thinker dyan.” pag iiba ni Celine sa usapan dahil alam niyang mag iiba nanamn mood ni Ellie sa pang aasar niya. 

“Tse! alam ko yang sasabihin mo ah, wag mo kong inaano.” pagtatampong saad nito kay Celine.

“Oo na bibilhan na kita ng isang gallon ng ice cream.” 

“Talaga? Yung ube keso flavor and double dutch?” may sayang saad nito na parang ang mga mata ay sumisiklap dahil sa narinig niya kay Celine.

“Wow ha! nag mention ka pa talaga ng flavors.” manghang saad nito. “Pag ice cream talaga limot agad na naging bad trip eh. Lakas ng trip mo ah.” pang-aasar pa nito sa kanya.

“Syempre ice cream na yan eh, walang atrasan to gurl.” pagsasabay ni Ellie sa asaran nilang dalawa ni Celine.

Nagpatuloy ang asaran nilang dalawa. Hanggang sa sumang-ayon nalang si Celine sa gusto ni Ellie na dalawang gallon na magkaibang flavor. Sa takaw ba naman ng isang buntis siguradong kulang ang isang gallon na bibilhin ni Celine. 

Sa kabilang dako naman ay agad na tinawagan ni Kael ang sekretarya niya dahil sa maling tao ang nakasama niya sa kanyang date. Seryuso itong nagtitipa sa kanyang selpon, at mga kilay nito’y malapit ng magkasalubong. 

Sinagot namn agad ang tawag niya ng kanyang sekretarya. 

“What just happened?” may lamig sa boses niyang pagtatanong sa kabilang linya. He hates those who disobey him in what he asked or wanted. And even to individuals who can't do their job right. Kaya labis na lang ang pagtiim ng kanyang bagang dahil sa kamaliang nagawa ng kanyang Sekretarya. 

“What do you mean sir?” naguguluhang saad nito. 

“My date.” mailking saad ni Kael. 

“Why? Did it go well? Hindi maganda yung nakadate mo ngayon? Wala ulit sa standard mo?” Sunod na sunod nitong tanong kay Kael. 

“I was with the wrong person today, instead of the name I told you to set a schedule with. Who the fuck is Kylin?” he frustratedly said. 

“What? That's the name you told me to set a date with.” pagsasaad ng kanyang sekretarya. 

Napahawak sa sintido si Kael dahil sa sinabi ng kanyang sekretarya. 

“No, I clearly said to you the name, Khloe Eleanor Echavez.” biglang natahimik sa kabilang linya, kaya mas nabadtrip si Kael sa kanyang sekretarya.

"Oh, I think I misheard it. I'm sorry sir." pagdadahilan nito sa kanya, ngunit lingid sa kaalaman ni Kael. His secretary was paid by the woman he meet at the Cafe. 

His secretary manipulated it, because of the sum that was offered to his secretary. Kaya agad ding bumigay ang dahil mas malaki pa sa kanyang sweldo ang binigay ng babae. 

Kael sigh and he knows that his secretary heard it. Kaya naman pagkatapos ng segundong katahimikan ay nagsalita ulit ang kanyang secretary sa kabilang linya. 

"Should I make another schedule to you with her tomorrow?" Pag-iiba ng kanyang sekretarya sa usapan dahil alam niyang  badtrip na ito sa kanya. 

Napalingo ito habang hawak ang selpon sa kanyang tainga. 

"No, I have a meeting tomorrow. I will schedule it myself." he says and drops the call. 

He started the engine and drove away from the Cafe. What happened earlier got him confused because he thought that Ellie is the one he will date today. But instead it is the woman he doesn't know. 

Pag naalala niya iyon ay napapalingo nalang siya. But when he thinks of how the way  him and Ellie stared at each other. It makes him want to know her.  What happened to them the last time, never bothered him. He even wants to get to know her fully. 

He got mesmerized by her beauty earlier, that he can't even take off his eyes on her. Kahit na kasama na niya ang nakadate niya kanina ay bigla-bigla nalang siyang napapatingin sa table nila Ellie. 

He was even more confused when Ellie met someone there. It was supposed to be him but instead they both date different people.

Umuwi siya sa kanila rather than staying at his pad. At gusto niya din kamustahin ang nana Lili niya sa kanila. It is the person who raised him and was with him, when he was a child since both of his parents are busy with their businesses.

"Oh, son you're here, kumain ka na ba?" his mom ask. He was about to ignore her ngunit ayaw niya itong magtampo sa kanya. 

"Hindi pa mom, where's Nana Lili?" tanong niya sa kanyang Ina. He sees a hidden pain in his mother's eyes. But Kael ignores it.

“How about your blind date? I know you're doing it. Don't be too pressured about what your father said, Kael. Take it slow, you'll find someone soon, don't make it quick. It will ruin the timing.” pagsasaad nito sa kanya ng hindi sinasagot ang tanong ni kael. His mom 

Lumaki si Kael na wala sa tabi niya ang kanyang Ina. Ngunit hindi rin naman ito nagtanim ng sama ng loob sa kanya. Nakasanayan niya lamang na palaging hinahanap si Nana Lili pag umuuwi siya  sa kanila, dahil ito ang nag alaga sa kanya noong bata pa sya. 

Her mom smiles at him, bago sinagot ang tanong nito. "Nasa may garden si Nana mo, do you want me to cook you your favourite food?" pag-aalok nito sa kanya. Tumango lamang si Kael, naging excited namn ang kanyang ina sa pagluluto ng pagkain para kay Kael. 

He then goes to the garden, at nakita niya naman si Nana Lili na nagdidilig ng halaman kaya dahan-dahan siyang lumapit sa likod nito. 

"Ayy anak ng kabayo!" gulat na sabi ni Nana Lili dahil sa biglang pag sulpot ni Kael sa kanyang likod. Kaya napala din siya nito sa braso.

"Sa gwapo kong to? Anak ng kabayo? Nana Lili naman." pagmamaktol ni Kael sa kanyang Nana, habang hawak-hawak ang brasong napalo ni Nana Lili.

"Bat ba kasi sumusulpot ka nalang kahit saan. Para ka talagang kabute kang bata ka." Napatawa nalang si Kael sa turan nito sa kanya. 

Nag usap ang dalawa pagkatapos madiligan ni Nana Lili lahat ng halaman. At hindi namn mapigilang tumawa ni Nana Lili sa mga kwento ni Kael sa kanya na may kasamang biro. 

Nana Lili and Kael are so close, they are like mother and son. On the other hand, Kael's mother who is now holding a tray of Kael's food saw them. She saw how Kael smiles at Nana Lili. She saw how different her son is when he's in front of his Nana. 

Kael's mom can't blame Nana Lili, since Nana Lili did all the things and stand as a mother to Kael at naging tapat din iyong katulong sa kanila, kahit na may katandaan na ito ay nagtatrabaho pa rin ito sa kanila.