Time: 12:03 pm

I was walking along the highway. Clasped in my hand was a brown paper bag containing the gift I had bought with the help of Luke.

Kakagaling lang namin sa ice cream parlor ni Mrs. Lim. We ordered our favorites. For me, it was the strawberry and chocolate sundae while luke ordered the double dutch ice cream.

We stayed there for a few hours before Luke got a call from the hospital. Umalis siya ng maaga kaya kaming dalawa lang ni Mrs. Lim yung naiwan doon.

"Kamusta ka naman Hazel?" Tanong ni Mrs. Lim.

"Okay lang naman po, mabuti nga po ngayon nakakalabas na ako during Saturdays," I said with a mouth full of ice cream.

"Mabuti naman," nakangiting sabi niya. "Eh si Luke, kamusta naman siya?"

"He's alright naman po," sinabi ko habang iniiwasan yung tingin ni Mrs. Lim.

"Ganoon ba?" She smirked. "Eh kayong dalawa, okay lang bah?"

Nabulunan ako sa kinakain kong ice cream. Hindi lang magaling gumawa ng ice cream si Mrs. Lim, she's also good in reading other people.

"Ummm..." tumingin ako sa puting kisame. "Hindi ko nga po alam kung anong gagawin. It's so obvious na may feelings siya for me pero I only like him as a friend but if I tell him that baka maging sad ulit siya," I said without pause. Halos mawalan na ako ng hininga pero patuloy ko paring kinain yung ice cream.

"Besides, I like someone else," mahina kong sabi.

When I looked towards Mrs. Lim, nakasandal siya sa counter at masayang nakikinig sa kabaliwan ko. I wiped the few drops of ice cream on the table with a few napkins and walked towards the counter carrying the the bowl where my sundae had been.

"What do you think I should do, Mrs. Lim?" I asked her habang linapag yung bowl na may kutsara sa counter.

"Hmmm... Sa tingin ko naman, ikaw yung tipo ng batang alam kung anong gagawin sa lahat ng sitwasyon," nakangiting sabi ni Mrs. Lim. She took the bowl and disappeared into the kitchen.

Pagbalik niya sinabi niyang, "At alam ko rin na may plano ka na kaya kung ano mang naiisip mo, 'yan yung gawin mo. Walang maling desisiyon, basta isinasaalang-alang mo yung makabubuti para sa taong iyon."

What Mrs. Lim said stuck to my head. If I tell Luke that I don't like him, should I also tell Irene the truth about me?

Sooner or later malalaman din niya kung sino ako. I just hope na malaman niya mula sa tamang tao.

Naglalakad na ako ngayon papunta sa bahay ni Irene dahil alam kong doon si Chester naghihintay.

He told me earlier when we met that I need to be home before 1 pm because he had plans to do with Irene.

What about Chester? Should I also tell him the truth? But then again, I'm not really sure if I'm the original considering Irene's always been there for as long as I can remember.

Anyways, enough about that. I'll tell them all when the time is right.

Papalapit palang ako sa bahay ni Irene noong  may nakita akong isang lalaking nakasuot ng blue T-shirt, brown na Capri pants, at white rubber slippers.

Tiningnan ko ng mabuti at nakita kong si Chester pala ang lalaking iyon. Binilisan ko yung paglalakad. Muntik tuloy akong madapa. I'm so clumsy.

I can see the relief in his face when he turned to see me.

“As promised Mr. Grey,” huminto ako sa harap ni Chester. “I’m back before 1 pm.” I made it a habbit to call him by his last name everytime I did something he requested.

“Thank you, Hazel,” sabi ni Chester sabay akbay sa mga balikat ko.

"Chester, ano sa tingin yung magiging reaction ni Irene if she saw what you were doing?" Tanong ko sa kanya sabay tanggal ng kamay niya. "We're infront of her house, you know."

Tumingin kami sa two storey house sa gilid namin.

“Anong bang ginawa mo sa mall?” tanong ni Chester.

“Ummm… May binili lang ako kasama si Luke,” I told him with an innocent grin.

He put his hands inside the pockets of his pants bago huminga ng malalim.

“Bakit kasama mo na naman si Luke?” dinig ang pag-alala sa bosses niya.

Hindi niya pwedeng malaman kung bakit kasama ko si Luke kaya I changed the topic. Or else it will spoil the surprise.

“You know, dapat sumama ka nalang kasi,” naiinis kong sabi ko kay Chester.

"Alam mo namang maraming akong ginagawa tuwing sabado," naiinis ding sabi ni Chester.

Ayaw kong makakita ng taong nalulungkot pero gusto ko naman asarin yung mga taong naiinis. At ngayon, naiinis si Chester sakin pero gusto ko pang dagdagan.

"Ummm... By the way, napulot nga pala ni Irene yung note sa bag mo na dapat mo and now she thinks na siya yung dapat mong iwasan or else," I started fueling his irritation. "It was from an unknown sender." 

"Ano?!" Sumabog si Chester. "Nasaan na yung sulat na 'yon, Hazel?!"

"Angry much?" I said with a mischievous grin. "Nandoon parin kay Irene, obviously."

Akala ko magagalit pa siya. Pero imbes na sumabog siya na parang bulkan, umulan siya na parang ulap.

"Sorry Chester," I asked for forgiveness. Nakasimangkot na ako ngayon. "It's because I told them-"

“Hindi, ako dapat yung mag-sorry,” malungkot na sabi ni Chester. "Tama nga naman sila dapat hindi ako masyadong ma-involve sa kanya."

"But you can't help but to get involved," mahina kong sabi.

Nakakahawa talaga yung lungkot. That's why I hate it. Change topic nalang kami.

“By the way, ano ba yung gagawin niyo ni Irene?” I asked him to hopefully remove the sadness in the atmosphere.

“Gagawin sana namin yung damit na ginuhit niya sa sketch book kahapon,” sabi ni Chester while wiping off his tears. Medyo nawala na yung lungkot sa boses niya.

“Well you better go na, magigising na mamaya si Irene,” sabi ko kay Chester.

“You’re right,” sabi ni Chester.

“Wait," pinigilan ko siya sabay hawak sa kamay niya.

Kinuha ko yung binili ko sa mall, “Since birthday mo na sa Wednesday I got you an early gift,” I told him sabay bigay sa kanya ng regalo.

He took the the small gift wrapped in red paper from the small paper bag I gave him. He just held it on his left hand and stared at it na parang may x-ray vision siya. I got bored waiting for him to open it.

“Hindi mo ba bubuksan?” naiinip kong tanong.

“Baka mamaya na lang,” sabi ni Chester.

“What? Why? Buksan mo na kasi. You know this is the only time we have to talk,” naiinis kong sabi kay Chester.

“What if ayaw kong buksan?” patuksong tanong ni Chester.

“Kung ayaw mong buksan then don't. Bahala ka. Nagsayang lang ako ng time and effort,” sabi ko with a pout. “Favorite color mo pa naman yung gift wrapper, humph." 

Tumalikod ako kay Chester na naka-pout pa rin yun bibig ko. Nakakainis...

“Okay Hazel, bubuksan ko na kaya dapat nakatingin ka na dito.”

Tumalikod ulit ako pero nagulat ako dahil super lapit na ng mukha namin. I stared at him with a straight face.

"I'm not Irene you know," sabi ko sa kanya. "If you're going to do that to someone, do it to someone who likes you, okay?" I gave him an 'I only like you as a friend' smile. 

Lumayo siya ng konti at nilagay ang regalo sa harapan naming dalawa. He gently peeled the wrapping paper. It was taking FOREVER. Nakalimutan kong gustong-gusto din pala akong inisin ni Chester.

When he was finished unwrapping the gift a black bracelet box appeared. When he opened it, kitang kita ang isang mini chain bracelet na may letter C na nakakabit.

“Hmmm….”

“Hindi mo ba nagustuhan?” I aksed him in anticupation.

“Hmmm…”

“Ano ka ba naman! ‘Yan lang ba ang reaction mo,” naiirita kong sabi kay Chester sabay sampal ng marahan yung braso niya. “Don’t you know that it took me hours para pumili ng isang gift para sayo.”

Aalis na sana ako noong hinawakan ni Chester ang kanang braso ko.

“Thanks Hazel,” sabi ni Chester na may kasamang ngiti.

I know he likes the gift. But I also know that he will love it more if Irene got him the same gift. I just don't understand how guys think.

“Hazel?”

“Yes?”

“Sa Wednesday ko nalang 'to susuotin para pwede kong sabihin na regalo ito sakin just incase na magtanong si Irene,” sabi ni Chester.

I smiled at him before saying, “Sure.”

Habang nakatayo kami sa harap ng gate ay nakita ko si Lola Mary na nagdidilig ng mga halaman at mga bulaklak niya.

“Hi po Lola!” sigaw ko sa kanya while waving my hand vigorously. Tumingin si Lola Mary sa akin at kumaway din.

Binuksan ko yung gate at lumapit ako sa kanya habang kumakaway.

“Nakapag-lunch ka na po ba Lola?” I asked her while I patted Manny's head. His tail was wagging.

“Oo apo,” sabi ni Lola Mary. “Eh ikaw  kumain ka na ba?”

“Ummm... Kumain po ako kaninang umaga at kumain din po ako ng ice cream bago pumunta dito,” sabi ko kay Lola Mary.

Mabagal na naglakad papunta sa amin si Chester.

“Eh ikaw Chester kumain ka na ba?” tanong ni Lola Mary kay Chester.

“Hindi pa po Lola,” nahihiyang sabi ni Chester.

“Sabay na kaya kayong kumain nitong bisita natin, apo,” Lola Mary suggested while I kept playing with Manny.

“Hihintayin ko po munang makabihis si Irene at sabay po kaming kakain,” palusot ni Chester.

When I looked at Chester he was already giving me a 'Go right now or else' stare.

“Fine, Mr. Grey,” sabi ko sa kanya. I always considered that stare as a request.

Pinapaalis niya agad ako. But then, it’s almost 1 pm so I really have no choice.

“You know Chester dapat tulungan mo muna si Lola Mary sa pagdidilig habang hinihintay mo si Irene,” bulong ko kay Chester.

“Baka magtaka si Irene kung gising na siya,” sabi niya sa akin.

“At bakit naman siya magtataka?” tanong ko sa kanya while I tilted my head to my right.

“Kasi dapat sa labas pa ako ng gate kung gumising siya,” pamimilit ni Chester.

“Just tell her na ang tagal niyang gumising kaya pinapasok ka ni Lola Mary. That's why you're helping her sa pagdidilig habang hinihintay na magising siya,” sabi ko kay Chester.

Napaisip ng malalim si Chester. “Sige na nga,” pagsangayon niya. “Maaasahan naman lagi yung mga advice mo.”

Nabigay ko na kay Chester yung gift ko kaya pwede na akong umalis.

“Bye Chester."

“Bye Hazel.”

Guys are so unpredictable. But what's the point of all these guys falling for you when the one you like doesn't even talk to you.