“Ouch, ow. I’m sorry, my bad” I apologized.
“No, it’s my-…. Irene?” Sabi ng lalaking nabangga ko then I look at him.
“OMG! Joseph? Is that you?” I asked.
“The one and only, how have you been Ai?” He asked then hugged me.
“I’m doing fine, busy sa work.” And I hugged him back.
“Wow, its been what? 5-6 years?” He asked
“Yeah, something like that. Hey, I really wanna continue this conversation but I’m actually in a hurry, a cab is waiting outside.” I explain.
“Oh okay, I understand. Let’s catch up sometime, here put your number in my phone. I’ll give you a call.” Then he handed me his iphone.
After giving him my number and paying dun sa binili ko, lumingon ako kay Joseph. I smiled and wave my hands at him and he did the same thing saka ako nagmamadaling lumabas sa store at sumakay sa taxing naghihintay sa akin.
Joseph is my classmate back in college, isa siya sa mga naging barkada ko until he got a girlfriend yun hindi na siya sumasabay sa amin hanggang sa grumaduate kami.
Four days later at 8:30 pm kakatapos lang ng meeting ko when I got a two miss calls and a text to an unknown number. I open the text and it says:
“Hi there stranger :)”
Wow, uso pa ba textmate ngayon? I just ignore it. Thinking maybe it was just some creepy guy. Bumalik ako sa desk ko to finish some of my paperworks while thinking about double cheeseburger and a fries. Damn it I’m hungry! I was just sitting in my chair for 5 minutes when my cellphone rang – it was the creepy guy. I did hesitate to answer it at first but sinagot ko pa rin ito.
“Irene?” From the other line, I recognized it abruptly.
“Hey there stranger” sagot ko while smiling.
“Haha, so you did see my text. Am I disturbing you?” Joseph ask.
“Yeah, and honestly I thought you were some creepy guy na naghahanap ng textmate” I said and he laughed. How cute.
“Not much, kakatapos lang ng meeting then nagtatapos ng paperworks” as I continue.
“Woah, you sounded like my mom. Jeez. I remember back when we were in college nung may crush ka pa sa akin, lagi ka ngang absent sa klase eh” panunukso nito.
“Huy! Kapal mo ah. At nahiya po ako sa’yo. Kala mo naman lagi kang present, tse” balik tukso ko.
“Haha, yeah those were the days. So you still working?” He asked
“Nah, I’m planning on going home instead. I’m starving.” I said
“Good. Then sabay na tayong mag dinner, what is your work place address? I’ll pick you up” he offers.
“I’ll tell you where if my double cheeseburger burger kang dala.” I laugh and told him my work address.
After a couple of minutes he came. Lumabas siya from the driver’s seat, umikot papunta sa front seat at binuksan ang pinto nito for me.
“Wow, Joseph Bautista ikaw nga ba yan?” Sabi ko papunta sa kaniya.
“Bat parang nagulat ka? Binuksan ko lang baka kasi magasgasan mo, bago pa naman tong sasakyan ko” panunukso nito habang tumatawa.
“Tse, ang sungit” I said while rolling my eyes then sumakay na sa sasakyan niya.
That wasn’t the last night na sinundo niya ako from work nasundan pa yun several times. We always text and call each other. We hang out too, sa bar, coffee shop, restaurant. Meeting Joseph again brings my college memories back that I almost forget. And that makes me happy.
Ang saya lang to have someone in your life, someone from the past. Simula ng magtrabaho ako ay naging busy na ang buhay ko. I always declined when my friends or co workers invite me to go out with them. But when Jospeh came nagka-oras ako, wow magic! Baka na overwhelmed lang ako sa presence niya.
One Friday night naka-uwi na ako from work, Joseph and I are talking in the phone.
“Do you have any plans for the weekend?” He asked.
“Wala, bahay lang. Kain, tulog repeat!” Sagot ko.
“Ew, sound so matanda” pa conyo netong sabi.
“Haha, tse ang arte mo!”
“Haha, anyways remember Mike back from college? He invited me to come in his house tomorrow, may party daw siyang gagawin” sabi niya.
“Oh! I remember Mike” sabi ko
“Cool! Great, cause I kinda said na pupunta tayo, hehe” he said.
“What?! Huy, nakakahiya. Ikaw lang kaya ang ininvite” gulat kong sabi
“Wag ka ngang maarte jan. Okay lang yun. Para naman kayong di classmate dati” sabi niya.
“Nakakahiya kaya. Baliw ka talaga”
“Okay nga lang kasi ang kulit. It would be fun” sabi niya.
“Talaga lang ah”
…