A/N: yes, an update after 48 years. 

Chapter 8: Coffee and Nice Guy

JAJA

Kulang na lang ay sampalin ko ang sarili ko. Umagang-umaga kung anu-ano ba naman ang nakikita ko??

Kinusot ko ang mga mata at bahagyang ipinilig ang ulo, baka sakaling magising ako. When I opened my eyes, I still saw the same person standing outside the shabby gate of my small apartment.

Nakatayo siya at nakasandal sa kanyang sasakyan. He looked like he's in a hurry, sa paraan na tila paulit-ulit na pagtingin niya sa kanyang relo. If I remembered right, it's seven in the morning at sa ganitong oras ay naglipana na ang mga chismosang kapitbahay. Hindi man lamang sila nag-abalang magtago habang panay ang mga bulongan nila.

That person happened to glanced at my apartment, at tila lumiwanag ang ekspresyon ng kanyang mukha.

It was Cooler Vander.

Securing the towel on my shoulder, agad akong lumabas ng gate upang salubungin siya.

"Sir?"

He frowned. "I thought we agreed on being not so formal with each other?"

I don't really remember, pero hindi iyon ang importante ngayon.

"Naligaw ka rito?" tanong ko, simply glancing at his outfit. Mukha namang hindi siya papuntang opisina because he's not in his usual office suit ngunit hindi pa rin nababagay ang kanyang suot sa paligid, more so his car. At bakit iba na naman iyon sa dala niya no'ng nakaraan?

Tiningnan niya ako at nang mapansing wala akong panloob na suot sa ilalim ng luma at manipis na damit ay agad siyang nag-iwas ng tingin. Agad ko rin namang inayos ang tuwalyang nakapatong sa balikat.

Napahinga siya nang malalim bago sumagot. "I know this sounded so sudden but I'm inviting you for dinner."

Dinner agad, kagigising ko lang?!

Muli akong napatingin sa mga chismosa sa paligid kaya inimbitahan ko muna siya papasok sa apartment. When he was inside, he looked so out of place. Malinis naman ang lugar ngunit hindi bagay si Cooler sa ganoon.

"Pasensiya ka na, maliit lang ang bahay ko," sabi ko at pinaupo siya sa lumang upuan na gawa sa rattan.

Cooler comfortably sat on it, walang pandidiri o pag-aalinlangan. Ngumiti siya sa akin. "It's cozy."

Gumanti ako ng ngiti. "Coffee?"

"Only if you would join me," sagot niya.

Agad akong nagtungo sa kusina. Since the apartment is just small, only the small drawer divides the living room from the kitchen kaya nakikita pa rin niya ako.

"Instant lang ang meron ako," pagbibigay alam ko.

"I'm okay with anything," sagot niya at inilibot ang paningin sa paligid. Buti na lang nakapaglinis na ako kagabi. I already threw Jules' things na ginagamit niya sa hindi mabuting bagay.

It didn't take long for me to make coffee at ngayon ay magkaharap na umiinom na kami ng kape. It was uncomfortable watching him sit in my couch, in my shabby couch. He insisted on removing his shoes so it's more odd watching him wore the old rubber slippers na kada isang hakbang ay napipigtas.

The chipped cup looks so ugly in his hand. That was my best cup, despite that tiny chip on its handle, I always thought na napakaganda ng tasang iyon but how I easily changed my mind just by watching him sipped on it. I silently observed him. No disgust on his face as he swallowed. Sa totoo lang ay inaasahan kong hindi niya iyon magugustuhan. Like he will look like he's expecting to fall flat to the ground after a sip. Pero sa halip sy sunod-sunod ang lagok na ginawa niya, savoring the bitter taste of cheap instant coffee.

He was actually enjoying it like he already forgotten what he came here for.

"Uhm, ano nga ulit ang ipinunta mo rito, Sir?" tanong ko sa kanya bago pa niya tuluyang makalimutan ang kanyang pakay.

He took another sip before putting the cup down. "Sorry to bother you this early..." Another sip. Well, at least he really looked like he's enjoying it. "Dinner. I'm inviting you for dinner. It's hard to explain but, Pi blabbed to my father about you."

And?

Cooler looked like he doesn't know what to say. Sa huli ay huminga siya nang malalim, before badmouthing Pi. "Look, meeting Pi was a bad news. She's a great find, but she's a little different."

I don't exactly get what he was saying but I just nodded. Totoo naman talagang iba si Pi. I mean, she even jokes a lot about murdering someone and possessing a gun. Medyo dark siguro ang kanyang humor, and that's what Cooler meant when he said Pi is different.

Mukhang desperado na si Cooler, sa kung anumang rason na hindi ko maintindihan. "I will make this easier as possible. Pi and my old man, they're alike."

Nakuha ko agad ang ibig niyang sabihin. "So, nagbibiro rin ang daddy mo about guns and murder, like Pi?"

He almost spit his coffee. "I wish it was as simple as that. I guess my old man's more extreme than Pi. Sana huwag mo itong mamasamain, and please don't think of this as anything. Walang kahulugan ang pag-imbita ko, if that worries you."

Napalabi ako. He was obviously reminding me of our real relationship. We're employer-employee, he certainly made that clear.

"Of course, alam ko naman 'yon, Sir."

"And about that, please can call me Cooler." He smiled. In  all fairness, maganda ang ngiti niya. Cooler is definitely a definition of handsome. "Even during working hours."

"Even working hours?" Gusto ko lang klaruhin.

Tumango siya. "Yes. I realized that learning magic would be fun if we're friends and comfortable with each other. I'm sorry kung hindi maganda ang previous encounters natin. I knew I was  being an ass."

Ngumiti ako at tumango. News flash, Cooler is actually cool guy. Mukhang siya ang tipo ng taong mabilis makagaanan ng loob. 

"I know it's weird," patuloy niya. "But this is me being desperate. My old man would make it a big deal if hindi kita madala. Don't worry, I will pay--"

"No," mabilis kong tanggi. Hindi niya naman kailangang gawin iyon.

"Was that offensive?" tanong niya. "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you when I talk about money."

Umiling ako. "H-hindi naman. It was a sort of weird request, pero wala naman sigurong mawawala kung sasama ako sayo. Isipin na lang din natin na pasasalamat ko iyon sa'yo sa ginawa mo."

Hindi na niya kailangang bayaran ang oras ko dahil wala na naman akong pinag-iipunan gaya ng pangpiyansa ni Jules. Kailangan ko nang magising sa katotohanan. Jules and I are over. Maybe I was just so fixated on my fantasy that I want my first boyfriend to be my last. Naniwala akong mabuting tao si Jules, that what he was doing were just temporary things to sort of lessen his boredom. Dati ay iniisip ko na kaya niya akong hintayin. That he can wait until our first night as married couple bago kami gumawa ng bagay na dapat ay ginagawa lamang ng mag-asawa. I thought he was willing to wait, and I admired him for that dahil hindi naman niya ako pinipilit kahit na nasa iisang bobong lamang kami. But there were rumors everywhere that he actually slept with the entire neighborhood. Ngunit pinili kong paniwalaan si Jules. Pinilit kong paniwalaan ang pantasyang nasa isip ko.

Pero minsan ganoon naman talaga ang in love, diba? Minsan nagiging tanga tayo. Minsan lang, wag nang pasobrahan pa.

Siguro nga ay naging tanga ako. Yes, tanga ako, pero ngayon ay natuto na. For now, I have to love myself more. Hindi ko na papagurin ang sarili ko sa kakatrabaho para lamang mabuhay kami ni Jules. While I was doing lot of day jobs, Jules was doing lots of girls-- that and other nasty things na dapay ay kalilimutan ko na. This time ay uunahin ko na ang sarili ko.

"Great," narinig kong sabi ni Cooler. "I hope huwag mo ring mamasamain if I will take you to shopping."

Napakunot ang noo ko. "Ha?"

Cooler sighed. "Pi's order."

Dahan-dahan akong napatango, slightly confused of what exactly is happening. Anong kapangyarihan ang meron ba si Pi para sundin ni Cooler lahat ng utos niya? Maybe because Pi is pregnant, that's why as much as possible ay susundin nila lahat ng gusto nito. I heared that if you don't satisfy as pregnant woman's wants and needs  or bad things may happen.

"O-okay, ngayon na?" tanong ko.

"If you're ready."

                                                ***************************************

Ayaw kong paghintayin nang matagal si Cooler kaya binilisan ko ang galaw. I usually take a bath for more or less 30 minutes ngunit sa pagkakataong ito ay nagawa ko iyon sa kinse minutos. I wore my best dress, para namin kahit paano ay hindi ako magmukhang katulong sa tabi niya. It was only after I got dressed that I realized that my best dress still looked like plain ones kapag itinabi ako sa kanya. I pleated my skirt with my hand nang lumabas ako nang silid. Cooler stood up and smiled at me.

"You looked good," komento niya.

"Thank you," sagot ko. "This is my best dress. Hindi man ito kasing mahal ng mga damit mo, branded pa rin 'to but in a lesser price dahil nabili ko lang 'to sa ukay."

"I was not kidding when I said you really looked good. And now, I'm learning. Ukay? Like thrift store or something?"

Nakangiting tumango ako. "Pinasosyal mo pa."

He looked confused. "Well, do you know you owned the dress bago mo binili?"

Tumawa ako. "How would I know?"

"Paano kung may sakit pala sa katawan ang may-ari n'yan?" naguguluhang tanong niya.

"Sabon lang ang katapat niyan, hindi mo naman susuotin nang hindi pa nalalabhan eh. And sometimes, may mga damit sa ukay na hindi pa nagagamit kaya ang swerto mo kapag ganoon."

He stopped and sort of think. "Paano mo nalalaman na hindi pa nagagamit?"

"May tag pa," sagot ko sa kanya. "Good as new, ganoon."

"I beg to disagree. It doesn't guarantee---"

I raised my hand to stop him. "Ah basta, ganoon na 'yon. You will never understand it. I hope you still didn't had breakfast. Libre kita sa tapsihan."

Hindi na siya umangal hanggang sa makalabas kami ng bahay. Like I expected, puno ng tsismosa sa labas. Panay pa ang picture nila sa sasakyan ni Cooler. They immediately dispersed nang makalabas kami ng apartment, nunit hindi man lamang nag-abalang umalis at magtago.Cooler opened the door for me and followed the directions I was giving, patungo sa paborito kong tapsihan.

                                             ***************************************

"Hanggang dinner na yata 'tong kabusugan ko," komento ni Cooler habang hinihimas ang tiyan. Tumawa ako at pinunasan ang gilid ng labi. 

"Sino ba kasing nagsabi sa'yo na tatlong order ang kainin mo?" natatawang tanong ko.

He giggled and shook his head. "Seriously, this is the best. Thank you for bringing me here. You know, napaisip tuloy ako na hindi lahat ng bagay na nakakapagpasaya sa'yo ay may katumbas na malaking halaga. I paid a lot to other restaurants, kahit minsan ay hindi ko naman nagustuhan ang pagkain. Yet here..."

"Siyempre naman no, hindi lahat ng mahal ay masarap," sagot ko.

He grinned boyishly. "Buti pa ako, mahal at masarap."

I rolled my eyes. "Ang corny mo."

"KJ mo naman," sabi niya at napalingon sa paligid na tila ba may hinahanap."

"Walang waiter dito, okay? Self-service 'to at pay as you order dapat 'to, buti nalang malakas ako sa may-ari," nangiting sabi ko sa kanya. "At ako na bahala, this is my treat."

"Pero—"

"Don't worry, kakain ako nang marami sa dinner mamaya para hindi mo iisiping may utang ka sa akin." Tumayo ako at agad na nagbayad sa counter. Ramdam kong sinusundan niya ako ng tingin hanggang sa makabalik ako sa upuan. 

When I looked at him, he was smiling.

"Bakit?" tanong ko.

"Wala, I'm just happy."

"Ang babaw naman ng kaligayahan mo, tapsi? Seryoso?" biro ko.

He giggled. "Well, it reminded me of my carefree life. Alam mo bang nagpart time ako dati habang nag-aaral sa ibang bansa? My old man can provide everything pero nagtrabaho ako para makapag-ipon at nang makabili ako ng regalo sa kapatid ko." He sounded proud and happy. 

I learned today that Cooler Vander has a good side. There was no one to vouch for his words pero ramdam ko sa sarili ko na totoo ang mga sinasabi niya. He told me briefly of his life. Na dalawa silang magkapatid sa magkaibang ina. That he was a product of lust and pure physical attraction and not love, meanwhile his brother's mother was the first true love of his dad. His father married neither his mom nor his brother's mom. Long story short, magkaiba raw ng paniniwala ang daddy niya at mommy ng kapatid niya, that's why they chose to go their separate ways despite the overwhelming love.

Hindi rin sila lumaking magkasama ng kanyang kapatid, and they both lived a very different life. That his brother sort of hate them, sa rason na hindi niya sinabi, that's why he worked so hard to buy a gift for his brother. Ayon sa kanya, that was the only thing that his brother accepted from him.

Cooler sounded so happy as he told me things about his brother. His eyes sparkled as he told me how smart his brother was and everything. His voice was beaming with admiration and affection. Binida rin niya lahat ng achievements ng kapatid niya, as if it was his own. That he was so smart and goodlooking at kung anu-ano pa. Lahat yata ng magagandang bagay ay nasabi niya tungkol sa kapatid niya. He was truly happy telling stories about him, but I heard nothing about his own life.

Which made me sort of wonder, what kind of life did he live?

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