Daniel Elizabeth

•••

I was heading out from Starbucks, holding my favorite cup of coffee. I saw a guy sitting on the fountain ledge and strumming his guitar. I just stood here as I listened to his voice sing one of my favorite songs, "James Dean and Audrey Hepburn."

As I walked past him, I laid a hundred pesos on his lap, like what I always do to people who do street music. His talent shouldn't go to waste like that... if only I had more cash I could've paid him more.

He looked at me, a little stunned. I gave him a shy smile and started walking away.

"I should have said something complimenting too." I told myself that in my mind.

Everytime after work and after ordering coffee at the nearest starbucks, I always see him at the same spot...in the fountain ledge, strumming his guitar and singing. I always left a hundred pesos on his lap.

But this day was weird, he was singing a tagalog song which I haven't heard of...and yet, I tried to left another money on his lap but I only had fifty pesos with me.

Fifty pesos is still worth something. So, that's what I left on his lap, the only cash I had for today, the fifty pesos.

As I started walking away, he called me out and confronted me that I still owe him fifty pesos. He even took my coffee without asking me, which I find very disrespectful.

"Sinabi ko bang akin 'to? Itatapon mo rin naman ng hindi ubos, kaya ako na uubos para sa'yo."

He started drinking it all and then returned the cup, empty.

"Ayan, iyo na 'yan...salamat bayad ka na sa utang mo!"

"Ahmm, thanks?"

"No prob."

Then someone shouted at him, and he called him Lance. And I also think it's time to say goodbye to this stranger, but then he started talking again, as if we're already close.

"Sige miss alis na ako, hindi naman makapal mukha ko pero puwede next time samahan mo naman ng foods 'yong perang ilalapag mo sa binti ko? Joke lang!"

I giggled shyly at the way he talked...it was funny when he added that joke at the end. His humor is kind of funny...the way he acts is funny.

"I'm Daniel Elizabeth Valdez by the way, I like your voice when you sing that song...James Dean and Audrey Hepburn?"

He got that little surprised look on his face. He didn't quite know why. Does he find it weird that I know sleeping with sirens?

"Hoy lance, ano na?!" shouted the same guy earlier, still waiting for him at the corner.

"Wait lang erick! Huwag kang sagabal sa puwede kong maging love life, ah!" he shouted back.

This guy seems to think quickly and plan ahead. But I know for a fact that guys usually get attracted to attractive girls, and I think he's one of those guys as well. How disappointing.

"I think you need to go? I have to go too, see you when I see you?" I smiled and walked away.

But his aura seems to be the type of guy that is more fun to be with—charming in some sort of way. I could get along with him if we ever met again. But destiny isn't real... if we meet again, that's just pure coincidence, or so I thought.

•••

We became closer in the following days. He also followed me on Twitter and added me on Facebook. He really managed to look me up on social media. I also never saw myself eating street foods with him, and the taste really surprised me as hell.

"Eww, street foods are really dirty foods!" said one of my friends during college days in DLSU.

"Why is it a dirty food? I saw many students eating those after class..."

"It's dirty kaya! They sell it at the street, eh, madaming sasakyan ang dumadaan so iyong usok napupunta sa pagkain. Totally not the food we should eat, elizabeth!"

"If you say so..."

"And let's not talk about the dirty ice cream...it's not branded and doesn't have FDA approval!"

"Does all street foods not have FDA approval?"

"I don't know and I don't really care! Let's go grab coffee na lang and cheese cake sa starbucks it's more safe to eat there!"

It really surprised me how I ended up loving street foods now because of Sebastian. Maybe because he managed to convince me, or maybe he thought we're just the same... a poor person. What if I tell him the truth?

"Ikaw, mayaman ka ba?" he asked.

"Define rich."

"Mayaman, iyong mukhang kagaya niyang suotan mo, iyong pag i-ingles mo, iyong mga pagkukuwento mo na vip seated ka sa isang concert tapos hindi ka kumakain ng street foods. Tapos iyong pagstarbucks mo palagi! Tapos amoy mayaman ka, halatang madami kang pera sa itsura mo palang, eh!"

If that's how he defines rich, then maybe I am indeed rich and privileged. But why... why can't I feel it? Why can't I feel that I am rich...inside?

"Ahh...so that's the definition of being rich?"

"Ewan...ang alam ko lang naman na yaman ay 'yong pamilya ko, kaibigan ko, tapos 'yong sarili kong kasiyahan."

And then, he got me.

"You're getting my interest, mister sebastian. Do you have plans for tonight?"

I invited him out on a date in a very usual place where my past suitors always brought me out on dates.

He wasn't boring to be with, unlike my past suitors who always talk about business matter and wealth of each family. Sebastian was different. He was much simple, cool, funny and happy.

I paid for the meal since I invited him out. I offered to pay him for a cab which he rejected. I was alone in the taxi, thinking of him while staring outside the car window.

I shouldn't have let him eat dinner in that kind of place...that place is not for him. That's not a kind of place to bring a guy like him, I felt like I offended him by doing that.

"You're stupid, elizabeth. That's a wrong move." I whispered to myself.

•••

Paper works keep on coming to my office. It has been a busy week since our company, VZ Co., opened a brand new branch in Bulacan. And this time, I finally had the chance to handle it. I have been waiting for that day to come, and it's getting closer to my reach... almost there. My hard work is paying off well.

Ever since that dinner with sebastian, he started wearing a coat. Like one of those businessmens use to wear, It doesn't suit him...I like him wearing his cheap non-fragrant shirts instead. Every time he posts something on his facebook or twitter, I automatically clicked the like and the heart unconsciously but I don't seem to mind.

On Sunday, I promised him to a movie date. The mall was just a bit near in my condo so I arrived early as expected. I waited for him almost an hour and a half and I even bought the tickets. Good thing I ended up wearing a peep-toe wedge instead a pump or else my feet would be numb by this long waiting and standing.

"Pasensya na late ako hahaha!" he said while scratching his nape.

"Ohh, it's okay."

"Natraffic ako eh hahaha pasensya na talaga kanina ka pa ba dito?"

"Not long enough."

We watched the movie. I haven't watched it since its release...I was so busy with the company that I forgot to date myself.

He was staring at me in some point, and it make me shy...very shy. I really don't like people looking at me, it makes me nervous and feel pressured. Like they're watching my every move so I have to act perfectly.

"Don't look at me..." I said with a shy smile.

"Then look at me." he said in a voice which makes me more nervous but feels good.

After watching the movie, we went to buy clothes. I have to buy clothes for my stay in Bulacan for two weeks. I have to manage the opening of the store, and it should be perfect so that I could prove to my dad that I am worthy to take over the company in the future... and that is my goal.

After I bought all the clothes I needed, we went to the SM Appliance Center to buy a new coffee maker. I was roaming the store when I noticed sebastian was not following me around. I searched for him in every corner of the store while holding the coffee maker and then, I saw him at the tv section, talking to a girl...a promodiser and they seem to know each other very well. He was laughing while talking to her...the kind of laugh I never heard when his with me. He was messing the girls' hair and then, I walked my way to the counter.

I got a cab and the funny thing is the way he's over protective. He was taking pictures in every corner of the car and even the driver.

"Ma'am huwag po kayo mag-alala, hindi naman po ako masamang tao...takot ko na lang po sa boyfriend niyo." the driver said while looking at the rear-view mirror.

"He's not my boyfriend po."

"Ahh, manliligaw po ba?"

"Yes...kinda?"

"Mukha naman mabait ma'am, atsaka bagay naman po kayo."

"I hope so po."

"Bakit parang may pagdududa ma'am? Play boy po ba 'yon? Fuck boy?"

"Ahmm, I don't know po. I don't really know him that much so I don't want to judge him when I don't even know him more."

"Sabagay...huwag kayong mag-alala ma'am, mukha namang hindi siya gano'n klase ng tao pero mag-ingat pa rin kayo...tayong mga tao kasi mahuhusay magtago ng sikreto at totoong pagkatao."

Sebastian wouldn't pursue dating me if he has a girlfriend already, and besides, he knows that I was there. Maybe they're just friends or have something in common.

"Sir, can I ask you something po?" I asked the driver.

"Sige sige what is it, ma'am?"

"If you met your past lover by coincidence...what will you do? what would you feel?"

"Ahh, iyong parang TOTGA ko?"

"Yes, something like that."

"Hmm...siguro kakausapin ko siya, kakamustahin gano'n tapos kung ano man malaman kong magandang nangyayari sa buhay niya, magiging masaya ako para sakaniya."

"You'll be laughing with her?"

"Oo puwede rin kung mag-aasaran kami tungkol sa nakaraan hahahaha!"

And he was laughing with that girl, like it was different from the ones I hear. He was happy.

"TOTGA..." I said unconsciously.

"Oo, TOTGA...the one that got away!"

"Your what if..."

"Hmm, what if?"

"Yes, your what if...what if you and her were meant to part ways, only so that you could find each other again?"

"Hahahaha ma'am, TOTGA lang. Sa huli, pipiliin pa rin natin 'yong taong gusto natin uwian. Hindi porket may bumalik, eh, ibigsabihin no'n pati 'yong pagmamahalan niyo dati ay babalik na rin. Lahat ng tao nagbabago, pati klima, pati mga uso, at lalo na ang puso...damdamin."

"Thank you, sir. I'll keep that in mind."

"Hindi, dapat you should keep that in heart! Isapuso mo, ma'am!"

I gave him one thousand pesos and let him keep the change. He was a nice man, and he even told me about his family and his life as a taxi driver.

He somehow reminded me of someone. He reminded me of sebastian...he was always talking and I was always listening.

He was like...he felt like...a good day.

•••

TBC.