Chapter Three

Date

Our days like that continued for weeks. I still pick up and drop off Elie at her house. Her mom would always invite me to dinner, and sometimes breakfast when I come to their home in the morning to pick up Elie again.

"Pwede mo ba akong samahan sa grocery mamaya?" I asked Elie while I drove her to the school where she teaches.

"Hmm? Bakit?"

"I think I have to buy you and your mom groceries, at least. Palagi na kasi akong kumakain sa bahay ninyo. Nakakahiya na rin." I smiled.

But Elie shook her head. "Ayos lang iyon. Huwag mo nang isipin."

"No, please? Samahan mo lang akong mag-grocery mamaya pagkatapos kitang sunduin after your work. Let's go to the supermarket. Hindi ko rin kasi alam ang mga bibilhin ko kung wala ka doon," I said.

At sa huli, napapayag ko rin si Elie na magpunta sa supermarket at bumili ng grocery.

So after I picked her up from school in the afternoon, we went grocery shopping at a supermarket. Si Elie ang nagsabi sa akin kung saan daw kami mamimili ngayon.

"Mas makakamura pa sana tayo kung sa palengke mamimili," Elie said while we were parking my car in the mall's basement. Madadaanan lang kasi ang mall na 'to galing sa school kung saan ko siya sinundo. She mentioned this mall also has a big supermarket.

"You mean a wet market?"

She nodded. "Yes. At may mga suki na rin si Mama doon kaya mas nakakamura pa kami."

Ngumiti siya kaya napangiti na rin ako.

Pagkatapos kong mag-parking, lumabas na rin kami ni Elie sa sasakyan ko. Then we went inside the mall and straight to their grocery.

"Do you want to eat first before we go grocery shopping?"

Umiling naman sa akin si Elie. "Hindi na. Mamaya na lang. Busog pa naman ako. Bakit, ikaw ba nagugutom ka na?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm fine." I doubted they had a good restaurant inside the mall. I wanted to dine with Elie in a nice full-course restaurant.

I actually wanted to ask her to go on a date with me, but I also wanted to take it slow. Medyo mabilis lang ang mga pangyayari sa pagkakakilala naming dalawa. But I really wanted to be with Elie more. I wanted us to spend more time together and get to know each other better.

Pero may halos dalawang linggo na rin ako na pabalik-balik sa bahay nina Elie at doon ako kumakain. Kapag weekends, I just stay in the hotel dahil wala rin naman work si Elie kaya wala rin akong ihahatid at susunduin. Nakakahiya rin kung pati weekend ay pupuntahan ko pa siya, even though I wasn't invited. So I just spent my weekends at the hotel or working out at the gym. I've kept working on my laptop for my business.

Elie took a shopping cart at the entrance of the supermarket. Halos hindi ko pa alam ang gagawin ko roon. Inagaw ko na lang sa kaniya ang malaking cart para ako na ang magtulak. The cart was too big for her small frame. I mean, she's tall like a fashion model. Pero ayaw ko lang din siya na mahirapan.

Then we went grocery shopping. "Please take everything you need and want. I feel a little guilty always eating at your house, so you better buy a lot now 'coz I eat a lot too." I grinned at Elie.

Napangiti na lang din naman siya sa akin at napailing bahagya. "I told you, Akhlas. You don't really have to do this. Gusto ni Mama na nandoon ka at kumakain din ng luto niya. She likes cooking too, you know. It's also her hobby."

"Is that right? No wonder even the snacks she prepared tasted really good."

"Oo, kahit pagbi-bake ng mga kung ano-ano ay gusto rin niyang gawin. And she's probably bored too because I already made her stop working at sa bahay na lang siya."

"Yeah. She doesn't look that old yet."

She nodded at me. "Oo, bata pa naman si Mama. She was only in her early 20s when she had me..." she said.

I really wanted to ask her about her life with her mom, but I didn't think she was comfortable enough to talk about it with me now. I wondered if her dad left them. It happens to some people, right?

"How old are you now, by the way?" I asked her.

Bumaling siya sa akin at ngumiti. "You guess?"

"Hmm. I'd say 18?" I smiled boyishly.

Mapagbiro naman niyang inikutan ako ng mga mata niya at may ngiti sa mga labi niya. "Seriously, Akhlas?"

I smirked a bit. "Seriously, though. If only I didn't know that you're already a professional, you know."

She smiled. "I'm 24. And I'm just a new teacher too. How about you?"

"Oh. Yeah. I'm already turning 29," I said.

"Oh. Malapit na ba ang birthday mo?" she asked.

And I felt a little shy about that. "Uhm, yup."

"When? Will you tell me?"

"Sure."

"And will you be celebrating with your family? Oo nga pala, when are you going back to Germany? Hindi ka pa ba pinapauwi ng parents mo doon?"

I shook my head. "No. It's fine. Nakapagpaalam naman ako sa parents ko. Nagpapatulong din ako ngayon sa older brother ko para sa naiwan kong business sa Germany. And I already told you that I just work on my laptop now."

"Is that okay?"

"Yup. I'm having my long vacation now." I smiled at her.

We talked about my work, my family, and about her as we went through the supermarket. Tinulungan ko na rin siyang maglagay ng mga bilihin sa cart. Mukhang hesitant siya sa paglalagay ng mga bagay doon, kaya naman tinulungan ko na. Maliit na bagay nga lang din ito para sa pagkain ko sa bahay nila ng Mama niya palagi.

After grocery shopping, we also had dinner just inside the mall. "Are you sure you're fine here? We can find a better restaurant outside," I said.

Umiling siya. "Ayos na dito. At may dala pa tayong mga pinamili natin sa grocery. Although it's in your car now. But it's also getting late, Akhlas. Uuwi ka pa, 'di ba? Oo nga pala, where do you stay? I forgot to ask you."

"Uhm, I'm staying at the hotel right now," I answered.

"Oh. So you have no particular reason for visiting the Philippines? Like work, perhaps?"

"I'm also visiting my siblings here in the country. They live here with their own families now."

"Ganoon ba..."

"Yup. Although I haven't gone to see my brother yet, but we already talked on the phone, and I promised him I'd visit his family before going back to Germany."

I saw her nodding.

Then we just ate at a fast-food restaurant inside the mall. Doon din ako niyaya ni Elie. She said mas matagal pa raw maluto ang mga pagkain kung pupunta pa kami sa ibang restaurant. At tama nga siya na inabot na rin kami ng gabi dito sa mall. When we went out of the basement parking in my car, it was already dark outside.

Dumeretso na kami ng uwi sa bahay nila, at pagdating namin ay nakaluto na rin ng dinner ang Mama ni Elie para sa aming tatlo. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Elie. We had already had dinner at the mall, so she probably forgot to tell her mom.

"Uh, Ma—"

"Thank you for the dinner, tita," I said, looking at Elie.

She was looking at me too, and I just gave her a smile. In the end, we ended up eating again the dinner her mom prepared.

"Nag-grocery po kami ni Akhlas, Ma," Elie said to her mom.

"Oo nga at ang dami n'yo pang pinamili. Akhlas, hijo, hindi naman kailangan at nakakahiya pa sa'yo."

Umiling ako. "Ako nga po ang nahihiya sa inyo, because I always eat here at your home." I smiled a bit awkwardly.

Elie's mom shook her head at me. "Ano ka ba? Wala lang naman ito. Welcome ka rito sa amin, hijo. Huwag mo nang isipin iyon."

I smiled at Elie's mom. "Thank you po, tita. I really appreciate it," I said, and I meant it.

"Oo nga, Ma. At mag-isa lang pala siya rito. I mean, he's staying at a hotel."

"Ganoon ba, hijo? Nasabi nga sa akin ni Isabel na nagbabakasyon ka lang dito..."

I nodded. "Opo. But I have two siblings living here in the country now with their own families. I actually came to visit them."

"Oh. Bakit nasa hotel ka kung may bahay naman pala ang mga kapatid mo rito?"

"Uh, actually, about that—my sister was telling me to just stay at their home, but—"

"But you're more comfortable alone at the hotel?"

I turned to look at Elie, and she was smiling at me. I smiled at her too. I think she's getting to know more about me and even about how I feel... It's nice to know that.

And I want to know more about her too. I nodded at what she said.

After dinner, nagpaalam na rin ako sa Mama niya na babalik na sa hotel ko. Hinatid pa ako ni Elie sa labas ng gate nila sa sasakyan ko.

"Ingat ka pauwi ng hotel mo. Dahandahan lang sa pag-drive, okay?"

I nodded at her. "Yes, I will. Thank you again for today, Elie. And please thank your mom for me as well. She really cooks delicious meals. I can't help but remember my mom's cooking back in Germany."

"Ano ka ba? You already thanked my mom for the dinner. At isa pa, kumain ka pa talaga ulit kahit kakakain lang natin sa mall. Alam ko na ayaw mo lang malungkot si Mama kapag hindi tayo kumain sa niluto niya ngayon. Kasalanan ko rin kasi hindi ko pala siya nasabihan kahit sa text man lang na kumain na tayo kanina sa mall. Baka pa sakitan ka ng tiyan n'yan sa dami ng kinain mo ngayong gabi?"

Umiling ako kay Elie at ngumiti. "I'll be fine, Elie. I'll see you again tomorrow, then?"

"Uhm, it's weekend tomorrow kaya wala akong pasok... Pero pwede ka naman magpunta dito sa bahay bukas kung gusto mo." She smiled at me.

"Oh." Halos mapasapo ako sa mukha ko. I tend to forget about the days now that I've been spending them with Elie. I shook my head. "No. It's all right. Sorry if I keep on bothering you..."

Umiling siya sa akin. "You're not causing trouble for me and my mother, Akhlas. Kaya nga sabi rin ni Mama, 'diba na welcome ka rito sa bahay namin?'"

I smiled. "Thank you."

Ngumiti lang siya sa akin, at halos matulala ako sa mukha niya because she really has the prettiest smile. She's always lovely, especially in my eyes. Lahat ng bawat galaw niya, ang mga pagngiti niya, it always makes my heart leap. I've never felt this way towards anyone before. Maybe soulmates are true, after all? Because you know it when you've found your soulmate... Damn it. When did I ever sound so cheesy like this? It doesn't sound like me. What have I become because of you, Isabeli Flores?

I don't blame her for anything, though. I like feeling this way towards her, and I'm glad that she also tries to reciprocate my feelings for her...

"Uhm, Elie?"

"Yes?"

"Can I... invite you to have dinner with me? Let's try to dine outside sometimes too?" I finally asked her. Asking a girl out was a first for me since I hadn't done this before. But I wanted to experience new things and spend time with Elie.

"Oh. Like a date?" She smiled.

Medyo natigilan ako at bahagya pang napalunok, tapos ay unti-unti akong tumango sa kaniya.

Elie just smiled more at me. "Okay."

"Really?"

"Yes." She was smiling beautifully.

At talagang nakakahawa ang mga pagngiti niya kaya napangiti na rin ako. "Thank you, Elie."

"Okay. Sige na at baka mas lalo ka pang gabihin sa daan. Take care."

I nodded. "I will."

Pagkatapos, pumasok na rin ako sa kotse ko. Hinintay ko na makapasok si Elie sa loob ng gate nila at maisarado na niya ito bago ako nag-drive paalis at pabalik sa hotel ko.