Dumiretso sina Mona sa bahay ng parents ni Fresia. Her friend let her take the car home, kahit pa ipinilit niyang magku-commute na lamang siya pag-uwi. She didn't argue with Fresia because she knew her friend was upset. Baka lalong sumama ang loob nito kapag nakipagtalo pa siya. Kanina nga ay hindi niya ito napangaralan. Fresia didn't want to listen, so she let it go. Alam naman niyang lalapit ito sa kanya kung kailangan na nito ang tulong niya.

So she drove home. It was a long drive. Mag-isa pa siya. At ewan ba niya kung bakit biglang sumagi sa isip niya ang magbakasyon. She needs to take a break, anyway. Araw-araw siyang nagtatrabaho. Nakakalabas lamang siya kapag may date o kapag nag-aya sina Fresia.

Right now, Fresia's definitely not in the mood to hang out. Baka ganoon din si Aika. Medyo malihim ang kaibigan niyang iyon kaya bihira siyang makabalita. But they know now that Aika likes Mickey. The two were probably hanging out.

Si Brandi, hindi niya alam. Ito ang pinakang-tamad mangumusta sa kanilang apat. Pasulpot-sulpot lang kapag hindi busy.

So, that option's out. Buti sana kung may iba pa siyang kaibigan.

Sa date naman, it's either Baste or Felix. Si Baste, medyo nakakailang imbitahin. Hindi kasi niya matantya ang ugali nito. And Felix has Angela and Andrea so... it's probably not a good idea to call him.

She dialled his number anyway.

Huli na nang ma-realize niya ang ginawan pagtawag. He was already saying hello. She couldn't help but feel longing towards him when she heard his voice. Did they see each other yesterday? Was it the other day? It felt like a long time ago. Ever since he introduced her to Angela, parang biglang nagkaroon ng distansya sa kanilang dalawa.

Hindi niya sigurado kung siya ba ang naglagay noon o bigla na lang talagang nagkaharang.

"Hello, Mona? Are you there?"

"A-Ah... yes. Hi."

"Napatawag ka?"

"Ah, oo. Ano kas... uhm... kumusta si Bullet?"

There was silence on the other line. She held her breath.

"He's been better. How's Fresia?"

"Same."

"Kumusta ka?"

Tumikhim siya. "Heto... medyo stressed. Nakakapagod mag-alaga ng heartbroken na kaibigan!" she answered, faking a laugh.

"I know the feeling," he replied. "Why don't we give ourselves a break?"

"Ha?"

"Hindi ka naman busy, di ba? Pumunta ako sa shop nyo kanina. Wala naman daw kayong masyadong ginagawa."

If not for her hold on the sterring wheel, she would have facepalmed. Maaasahan talaga ang mga empleyado niya sa mga ganitong bagay.

"Nasa byahe kasi ako. I'm not sure kung anong oras ako makakauwi," dahilan niya.

"O? Sa'n ka nanggaling?"

"Sinamahan ko si Fresia. Alam mo na, problemado kasi sya. Gustong mag-unwind."

"Oh... right. Matatagalan ka pa?"

"Oo, e. Next time na lang tayo lumabas."

"Oh. Okay. Ingat sa pag-drive."

She hates that she hears disappointment in his voice every time she tells him no. Why would he be disappointed when he can easily find someone else to hang out with? A guy like him can always score a date.

She ended the phonecall with a sigh. Bakit ba disappointed din siyang hindi na naman niya ito pinagbigyan? Self-preservation nga, di ba? Kailangang pigilan ang sarili? She's too old to be love struck. She should be level-headed by now. Mature na dapat.

Why does she feel like being greedy with Felix? Why does she want to spend so much time with him? He has a kid already.

She should find someone with no attachments. Fast.

--

"I'm not gonna lie. I'm surprised you called," Baste told Mona.

She didn't think this through. This one's on impulse. Bago siya makarating sa bahay, tinawagan niya si Baste at tinanong kung busy ito. Bago pa magbago ang isip niya, inimbita niya itong maghapunan.

Since she doesn't know what he likes, she let him pick the place. He picked her up that evening.

So, here they are, inside another fancy restaurant.

"Bored ako, e."

She waited for his reaction. She didn't get any. Wasn't he even a little annoyed that she insinuated that she only called him because he's bored?

"I'm surprised you agreed to meet," dagdag niya.

"Bored din ako," seryoso nitong sagot.

Tiningnan niya itong mabuti. Maybe he'd loosen up a little and smile.

He didn't.

Bumuntong-hininga siya at nagpatuloy sa pagkain. And like before, namayani na naman ang katahimikan sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Tuloy, may dessert pa sana pero nag-aya na siyang umuwi. Nakakawalang-gana kasi itong kasalo pagkain. Nang magpaulan yata ng katahimikan sa mundo, si Baste lang ang nagkainteres na sumalo.

She immediately wanted to go home and call it a night. Pero nang mapadaan sila sa isang convenience store, pinapara niya ang sasakyan. Gusto niya ng ice cream. It picks up her mood when she's down and right now, she could use a pint.

Nanlibre ng ice cream si Baste. They left the car on the parking lot and walked from there. Pampababa na rin ng kinain. Kailangan din naman kasi nilang kainin kaagad ang ice cream para hindi matunaw at masayang. Might as well walk because the night breeze was kinda nice.

Sa paglalakad nila, nadaanan nila ang isang lumang parke na kumpleto ng palaruan na medyo kinakalawang na. Since hindi niya makausap si Baste, naisipan niyang puntahan ang parke para doon mag-emote. Sumunod ang lalaki sa kanya.

She sat on one of the swings, making the chains groan with her weight. Napatitig si Baste sa kanya.

"What?" taas-kilay niyang tanong.

"I was surprised you fit in there."

Pinaningkitan niya ito ng mata. "Grabe! Ang judgmental!"

Baste snorted. He finished off his ice cream and threw it on a trashcan nearby. Siya naman ay nagsimula igalaw ang mga paa. Out of habit na rin siguro. Kapag may swing, syempre kailangan mong magduyan. Kaya nagduyan siya. Nagbingi-bingihan siya sa langitngit ng mga kinakalawang na bakal.

Gusto niyang dumila kay Baste na nakatayo lamang sa isang tabi na para bang may hinihintay na mangyari.

Tapos... may nangyari nga.

The rusty chains gave out their last groan. Naputol iyon. Nalaglag siya sa buhanginan.

"Ouuuch!" she wailed. Naiirita siyang minsan na nga lang makasakay sa swing, inabot pa siya ng malas. Nakakairita ring hindi pa niya ubos ang ice cream na natapon lang. Sayang.

Lalong nakakairita na nakatingin lang si Baste sa kanya, nakatakip ang kamay sa bibig, at nagpipigil ng tawa.

"A little help here, please!"

Tumikhim ito. Lumapit sa kanya at tinulungan siyang makatayo. He complained how heavy she was while doing so. Gusto niya itong sipain kung hindi lang dahil sa maganda nitong ngiti na ngayon lang ulit niya nakita.

Akalain mong marunong pa pala itong ngumiti!

"What?" he asked when he noticed that she's staring.

"Wala naman. First time ko lang kasing makita 'yang mga ngipin mo. Ang puti, Beh! Pwede kang model ng toothpaste!"

Baste closed his mouth and went back to his serious, uptight self.

"Balik na tayo sa convenience store," aya nito.

Nakapamulsa ito habang naglalakad. He was looking ahead while she was staring at him. Hinihintay niyang mailang ito at pagalitan siya, just so they have something to talk about. Pero mukhang sanay na sanay itong tinititigan dahil hindi man lang ito naiilang.

She sighed and looked at the road instead. Ano ba, ipu-push pa ba nya 'yong third date? Ganito pa rin ba katahimik sa susunod, kung mayroon mang kasunod?

"Are you done staring?"

Umirap siya. "Ewan ko sa 'yo."

Umuna siya sa paglalakad. Tahimik namang sumunod si Baste.

They were almost near the car when she received a call from Felix. She ignored it the first time. Hindi naman nagtanong si Baste.

Nang tumawag si Felix nang ikalawang beses, nasa kotse na sila. Baste just started the engine. She just let it ring.

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

Umiling siya.

"Boyfriend problems?"

"Single ako."

"Ex?"

"Hindi ko pa nga nagiging boyfriend, e," nakanguso niyang sagot.

"Ah."

They fell silent, like they always do when they hang out. Palaging dead end ang convo kay Baste.

When Felix called for the third time, Baste finally spoke up.

"Do you want me to answer for you?"

She knew it was an immature thing to do, but she wanted to know how Felix would react if he heard a man's voice on her line. So she gave Baste the phone.

"Yes, hello?" Basta glanced at her before continuing, "Yeah, she's here."

Kumunot ang noo nito.

"Whatever you want to tell her, you can tell me. I'll relay the message." He paused to listen. Her breathing hitched when she saw his nostrils flare a little. "It's Sebastian, actually. And you are?"

Felix, she thought, imagining him gritting his teeth on the other line. Of course, she's just assuming that he's jealous.

Tuminging muli si Baste sa kanya, may pag-aalangan sa mukha nito. He handed her the phone and said, "He said it's important."

Simangot niyang kinuha ang phone sa lalaki.

"Yes, hello?"

"Akala ko ba ayaw mong lumabas? Why are you out on a date?"

"Uhm ano... pinagbigyan ko lang si Mommy. Nakiusap kasi."

She threw Baste an apologetic look. It's embarrassing that she has to lie to his face, but she hoped that he will understand.

"Didn't you tell your mother that you're going out with me?"

She faked a laugh. "Beh! Maka-react ka naman parang boyfriend kita!"

Felix didn't respond.

"I mean, we went out a couple of times, but it's nothing serious. Can't I keep my options open?"

Nang hindi pa rin magsalita si Felix, bigla siyang tinamaan ng konsensya. But she can't just take it back, can she? Talaga namang hindi sila exclusive sa isa't isa. He has Andrea and Angela. Why can't she have someone else as a fallback?

"Ah. I see. So that's how it is for you."

She bit her lip.

"Bakit ka nga pala napatawag?" segwey niya.

Narinig niya itong bumuntong-hininga. "It's about Bullet."

"What about him?"

"'Yong lola nya, na-ospital."

"Si Lola?! Hala! Bakit daw?"

"Problema sa baga, e. I was hoping you could convince Fresia to come to Pampanga. Bullet's already losing his mind here."

"Nandyan ka na?"

"Oo. Uuwi rin ako mamaya tapos bukas ako babalik dito. If you want, you can go with me. Kayong dalawa ni Fresia."

"Ay, hindi na, Beh. Bigyan mo na lang kami ng instructions kung pa'no pumunta. Hindi ko pa kasi sure kung anong oras kami makakaalis, e."

"Okay."

Tumango siya, naghihintay ng kasunod nitong sasabihin.

"Sorry sa abala."

"Ano ka ba. Ok—"

"Good night."

He ended the call. Napatingin siya kay Baste. Ito naman ay sa kalsada nakatuon. Sinabi niya rito kung ano ang napag-usapan nila ni Felix. Not that he needed to know, but she just needs someone to talk to. Her conversation with Felix made her a little uneasy.

Maya-maya pa, nakarating na sila sa bahay niya. Bago siya makababa ng sasakyan, tinanong siya ni Baste kung gusto niyang magpahatid sa Pampanga. She would have said yes, had it not been for Felix's reaction earlier.

Para bang... nagsiselos ito.

If he was jealous... dapat ba siyang matuwa? May karapatan ba siyang matuwa? She shouldn't, right?