Red wasn't really hungry, so kwek-kwek lang ang kinain nya. Vince insisted that she try something else, pero tumanggi siya. Her stomach's not ready for everything that truck has to offer.

"One weird dish at a time," she told him.

"Does that mean that we will do this again?"

He wasn't insinuating anything. He was merely curious. But that made her think. Will they do that kind of thing again? Hindi na lamang niya ito sinagot. Umuna siya pabalik ng office. She was wary along the way. Baka kasi makasalubong niya sina Ariesa. Thankfully, she didn't.

Mukhang nagla-lunch pa rin ang mga ito. Nang bumalik kasi siya sa office, wala pa rin si Vico. Ipinatapon na niya ang kape since malamig na ito. Then she opened her computer and stared blankly at the screen.

Vico's right. Wala naman siyang gagawin. He pretty much takes care of everything. All she had to do is attend meetings and be present on certain events. If anything, Vico should have a raise for doing an excellent job as her EA.

But he's already booked for Maldives, paalala niya sa sarili. And I'm paying for all the expenses!

Pilit niyang inalis sa isip ang pinsan. These past few weeks, it actually felt like they're getting along. Vico seemed happier and she was getting less and less cranky. She needs to diss him again, just to make her feel like her life's still normal. Kasi parang nag-iiba na ang takbo ng buhay niya. And she doesn't want that. Ayaw niyang magbago. She's already used to her life.  

Napatingin siya sa phone niya when it started vibrating. She figured na wala sa office ang caller, otherwise they could have just called her on her local. And she's right. Si Troy ang tumatawag. Akala niya ay galit ito sa kanya dahil sa ginawa niya kahapon.

"Hello?"

"Busy ka?"

"No." Wala naman talaga siyang ginagawa. Aantukin lang siya sa office.

"I'm coming over."

"Why?"

"I'll tell you later." Iyon lang ang sinabi nito bago nito tinapos ang tawag. She leaned back on the chair and waited.

"Wala na ba talaga akong gagawin?" tanong niya sa sarili. She checked her emails. May ilang urgent pero hindi pa naman deadline. She decided to do those while waiting for Troy. Usually naman, puro emails lang na kailangan ng approval niya.

Her job had become less motivating ever since her dad disappeared. Wala na yung want to prove herself. Nakakapagod na rin naman. Na parang sa lahat ng gagawin nya, she should be no less than perfect. It's like trying to validate herself over and over and over again, just to make her feel worthy of his attention.

Troy came in a few minutes later. Hindi na ito kumatok. Dire-diretso na lamang ito papasok ng office niya.

"Are you ready?" bungad nito.

She frowned. "Ready for what?"

"We're going out. Come on."

He motioned for her to stand up. Siya naman ay nanatili lamang nakaupo.

"Where are we going?"

He put his hands in his pocket and shrugged. "Whenever we feel like going," he said nonchalantly.

"Okay. Let's just wait for Vico to come back."

"Fine." Troy sat down, crossed his arms against his chest and gave her a lazy smile. "By the way, my sisters want to have a slumber party with you. Up for it?"

"No. I'll be busy by then."

He chuckled. "You don't even know when it will be."

"You're not stupid, Troy. I know you know what I meant."

He leaned forward. "Red, don't say no to my sisters."

Napabuntong-hininga siya. "I just don't think that that's a good idea. I don't want them to get attached, Troy. Besides, I might not choose you."

"Why won't you choose me? If I'm a fish, then I'm king salmon. I'm the best," he said with pride.

She wanted to laugh at the comparison, but he looked so serious about it.

"Treat me well and I'd give you foodgasm," he continued. "Treat me badly and it's your loss."

"Are you still a fish?" she teased.

"All I'm saying is, here I am, perfection personified. All you have to do is take me... and I'm yours."

"But I don't think—"

"See that's your problem!" he said, cutting her off. "You think too much. Why not let your feelings decide for you, for once? Tell you what. Let's make this an exercise. Today, we won't think. We'll just feel."

"That's dangerous. What if I feel like crossing the street while the light's still green?"

"I just said don't think, not lose your common sense." He stood up and offered his hand. "Come on."

She was hesitant.

"You're doing it again. Stop thinking, Red. Feel for once."

Pinagtitinginan na naman sila ng mga tao. People knew who they are, of course. Simula nang unang tumapak sa kumpanya nila si Troy ay naging topic of interest na ito ng mga empleyado. Alam na rin ng mga ito na pinag-aagawan siya ng dalawang lalaki.

Mas tumindi tuloy ang inggit ng mga ito sa kanya.

"Ano naman kayang kabutihan ang ginawa nya to deserve those men?" she heard one employee ask once. Hindi alam ng mga ito na nasa likuran lamang siya.

"Kung kasingganda kita, you'll know the answer."

She saw the colors on their faces drain when they turned around and realized that she was just behind them.

"G-Good morning, ma'am."

She smiled sweetly, which was a very scary sight for the employees, because she never smiles and she's never sweet.

"Your face just ruined my morning, dear."

"S-Sorry po."

"The next time I see you, you're fired."

She never saw that employee again. Mukhang sineryoso nito ang pagtatago sa kanya.

Sa ibang pagkakataon siguro, matutuwa siyang pinagtitinginan sila ng mga tao. But not this time. This time, she was flustered and caught off-guard. Mula sa office niya hanggang sa lobby ay hawak-hawak ni Troy ang kamay niya.

They boarded the elevator to the parking lot.

"Why the fuck are you holding my hand?"

He shrugged. "Cause I feel like doing it."

The smile that followed made her blush.

"Where do you feel like going?" he asked.

Nasa kotse na sila pero hindi pa rin nila mapag-desisyunan kung saan sila pupunta.

"I don't know."

She looked out the window. Nasa intersection sila. Red light. She didn't know if Troy will choose to go right or straight ahead. Kung siya ang masusunod, she would have him turn right three times and head back to the parking lot of the building she works in.

This no thinking nonsense of his was such a bad idea.

"I'm hungry. Aren't you hungry?"

"It's just after lunch," sagot niya.

"Yeah, pero konti lang ang kinain mo, di ba?"

She looked at him and frowned. "Are you spying on me?"

"A little."

Green light. He drove straight ahead.

"Where are we going?"

He didn't answer. Basta nag-drive na lang ito. Maya-maya pa ay nasa parking lot na sila ng Glorietta. Hawak-hawak ulit nito ang kamay niya habang naglalakad sila papunta sa restaurant na feel nitong kainan. Hindi naman siya nagreklamo. She likes the feel of his fingers intertwined with hers.

"I hope you like Thai food," he said as they entered a Thai restaurant.

"I love it."

His eyebrow arched in amusement.

"What?"

"Love, huh?"

"Shut up."

Once seated, they immediately ordered. She felt like ordering a lot, so she ordered a lot. The waiter gave her a funny look when she told him that she wanted to taste the whole menu.

"Aware ka naman sigurong dalawa lang tayong kakain, ano?"

"I feel like tasting everything."

"Kapag nagka-indigestion ka, huwag mo akong sisisihin."

Sa buong buhay niya, ngayon lamang siya kakain ng napakaraming putahe sa isang upuan (with the exception of buffets). Saka lang niya na-realize na napakarami nga nang dalhin ng mga waiter ang ilan sa in-order nilang pagkain. They had to take the food out by batch dahil nasa pang-dalawahang table lamang sila at hindi kakasya lahat.

She just tasted the dishes. Hindi naman siya kumain ng marami. Troy, on the other hand, ate like it was his last day on earth.

"Did you swallow a person?" she asked.

Tumawa lamang ito.

Naka-apat na balik ang nagsi-serve sa kanila. Siya na lamang ang nakatikim ng desserts dahil busog na kaagad si Troy sa pangatlong batch pa lang. After eating, ipinabalot na nila ang lahat ng natirang pagkain. Troy paid for the hefty meal, but he didn't seem to mind.

Wala rin naman itong magagawa dahil ito ang nag-aya. At wala syang dalang pera. She left her purse back at the office. Pamihadong maloloka na naman sa kahahanap sa kanya si Vico.

Troy called someone to get the left-overs. He instructed the man to hand them to the beggars on the street. Nang makaalis ang lalaki ay naglakad-lakad sila sa labas ng mall para magpababa ng kinain.

"Let's go watch a movie," she told him later.

"What movie?"

Nagkibit-balikat siya. She doesn't usually watch movies on public cinemas. May home theater naman siya. This would be her first time since college. Pumunta sila ng sinehan at naningin ng mga palabas. Since they couldn't agree on one film, napagkasunduan na lamang nilang manuod ng dalawa. First would be her choice and the second was his.

She chose a horror film. Hindi naman niya ini-expect na takot pala si Troy sa multo. He was hiding behind his coat the whole time. And she can't help but laugh at him.

"You're such a wuss!"

Pinandilatan siya nito. "Nakakatakot kaya!"

"Kalalaki mong tao, natakot ka sa special effects?"

"It was very realistic, okay?!"

She made a face and headed towards a popcorn stand. Hindi pa rin maalis ang ngiti niya. Ngayon lang siya nakakita ng grown man na takot manuod ng horror movie. Para tuloy mas lalaki pa si Vico kesa kay Troy.

Troy grunted. "Quit it."

"What? I stopped laughing already."

"You're still laughing on the inside," akusa nito sa kanya.

That made her laugh again. She made him pay for the popcorn saka sila pumasok ng sinehan for his movie pick. Sa bandang unahan sila pumwesto, because she picked the seats and she's not dumb enough to sit on dark corners with him.

Bago magsimula ang palabas, he leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "You look pretty when you laugh. You should laugh more often."