“Sino-sino?” sagot ko.
C: Dan, ako, ikaw, Helen, tsaka si Greg.
Greg. Shit. Nope. Di pwede. Wag kang sumama, Jazz. Umiwas ka sa tukso. Si Greg na matipuno, maputi, may matangos na ilong, at mga matang bilugan — mga matang kung tumingin akala mo may iba pang sinasabi sayo. For some reasons, pagkaiwas-iwas ko talaga sa taong to. Parang may pakiramdam akong di maganda ang ending namin ng taong to.
Me: Tingnan ko. San daw? Two bots (bottles) lang siguro ako.
C: 2 bots ng mucho (malaking bote ng pulang kabayo).
Nagtawanan kaming dalawa dahil alam naman naming walang totoong two bots na inuman. Sa call center, lalo na kung weekends, walwalan ang inuman.
Weekend came. Pwesto sa labas ng bahay nina Dan, yung kaibigan naming tall, dark, and super kind. Hindi ako laitera, alam ko lang yung gusto ko. Either gwapo ka, or you are something kind or caring to me. Yan ang adjectives na ginagamit ko, coz, I aint beautiful like a Miss U candidate, but boy, I know I look mysterious, steamy, and yummy. Lol. Enough with the crazy. Helen was there too, who got the biggest mouth in any room. She’s also a friend.
Kwentuhan lang about work, mga chismis sa office, and mga promotions, etc. Hanggang sa:
Greg: Maganda si Jazz no? Tahimik lang, ayaw makijoin sa mga inuman after shift.
Jazz: I have errands kasi. Weekends lang ako pwede talaga.
Carl: Maganda ka daw (umarteng nasusuka).
Me: Hayop ka Carl. Thanks Greg.
Dan: Si Helen lasing na o. Buti na rin matulog lang sya dyan. Para walang maingay. Baka mamaya idaldal nya pa na nagagandahan ka kay Jazz. Chismis na naman yan.
Me: Onga. Ayoko pa naman ng isyu. Baka sugurin ako ng asawa mo Greg.
Greg: Sus. Di ako takot. Halikan pa kita e. (Sabay lapit ng mukha nya sa mukha ko. Akong napapikit na nabigla.)
Walang sumayad na labi. Laughter errupted.
Me: Tangina nyo wag nyo akong pagtripan.
At least a few more hours ng tawanan, tagay, kwentuhan. May tumilaok na. Tinamaan na kami lahat finally.
Me: 4am na. Packup na. Gusto nyo goto? Tara, dun tayo sa **** gotohan.
While waiting for cab, Carl said alis na sya coz pauwi talaga sya sa probinsya. Long weekend kaya samantalahin daw nya. He left on another cab.
The four of us, Dan, Greg, Helen and myself, on another cab. It was still dark.
Greg: Kuya, dun sa Pasig tayo.
Me: Anlayong gotohan naman. Dyan lang sa mga makalimang kanto yun.
Dan: Baka gustong matulog ni Greg. Ito nga si Helen tulog na naman e.
I was a bit groggy so I think I dozed off for a few minutes until we reached motel. Shit. Gising na kami lahat. Nasa baba kami and we dont know shit. Ang gulo. Two rooms. One across the other. One for the girls and one for the boys and so we agreed. I was the last to go up, so why in the world would Greg be lying face down on the bed in the room I though I was assigned to? I knocked the other room and no one was opening for me. All I hear was Helen giggling, laughing, half-screaming. Fuuuuuck. I went back to the other room. Greg is now sitting on the bed, holding the remote control. He’s suddenly all sober. San napunta lasing nito kanina?
Greg: Jazz, ano orderin natin?
Me: *awkward* Pancit? Buti gising ka na. Sa kabi…