Ilang gabi pa nga lang
Nang tayo'y pinagtagpo
Na parang may tumulak
Nanlalamig, nanginginig na ako

Torete, torete, torete ako
Torete, torete, torete sa'yo

Torete by Moonstar 88

Kim stared at her phone. She gave a sigh ang picked up her cellphone to check if she has any messages. Nothing. She put it back on the dining table and stared at it some more. After a few seconds she picked it up again.. Still no message. She turned it off, waited for about ten seconds and turned it back on.

Wait..

Wait..

Wait..

And loading..

Still no message. Kim sighed.

“Ano ka ba Kim! Kanina ka pa buntong hininga ng buntong hininga diyan! Baka maubusan ka na ng hangin niyan!” Melissa picked up Kim’s cellphone and looked at it. “Ano bang problema ng cellphone mo? Sira ba?”

“Hindi.” Kim grabbed her cellphone from Melissa and walked towards the couch. She sat down and gave another sigh.

“Ayan ka na naman eh! Ano bang problema?”

“Baka nga sira yung cellphone ko?” Kim gave it a thought. “Text mo nga ako.. Tignan natin kung nakakareceive ako ng text message.”

Melissa took out her own cellphone from her pocket and started typing. “Fine, pagbibigyan kita. Ano ba naman kasi tong kalokohan na ito.. Ayan, send ko na. Now can you explain?”

Kim saw that she received a new message. She opened it up:

BALIW

“Wow Mel, salamat ah..” she said sarcastically.

“For the third time Kim, what’s the problem?”

“Kasi naman siya.. Di pa nagtetext. Eh Friday na.. Last na text niya sa akin nung Sunday pa. Bakit ganon?”

“Teka, teka, teka? May textmate ka? Bakit parang di ko alam toh?” Mel took a seat beside Kim.

“Textmate? Hindi.. Wala..”

“Eh kanino bang message ang hinihintay mo?! Nabubuang na ako sa iyo!”

“Kay Gerald.”

“Gerald?! Pinsan ni Matt?” Melissa gave her a frown. And then all of a sudden, her face lit up. “No way.. No way.. Kimmy? Si Gerald? Oh my God..”

“Oh my God ka diyan?”

“You have a crush on him! Kay Gerald.. Crush mo si Gerald!”

“Huh? Hindi noh!”

“Anong hindi noh ka diyan. I’ve known you since forever Kim, and I’ve never seen you like this before. Not even for ‘you-know-who’.” Melissa stood up and paced back and forth in front of Kim. “I can’t believe it.. You have a crush on him! You have a crush on Gerald!”

“Melissa stop it! Hindi ko siya crush.. Hello?! He’s gay remember? I’m just worried.. Baka may nangyari sa kanya? Wala bang nasasabi si Matt?” Kim grabbed Melissa’s arm and dragged her back to the couch.

“Uyyyy... Worried daw oh!”

“Melissa naman eh!”

“Fine, fine.. No, walang nasasabi si Matt. Baka busy lang sa trabaho? I heard he’s being trained to take over their famly business.”

“Siguro nga..” Kim agreed. “I hope he’s okay..”

“Naku Kim, are you sure you don’t have a crush on him? Ayos lang naman kung meron. It’s perfectly normal..”

“Ilang beses ko bang sasabihin sa’yo na wala nga! I’m just worried. I consider him a really good friend kahit sandali pa lang kaming magkakilala. He’s such a great person kasi.”

“Sure, sabi mo eh. Well look at the time, I have to go na pala.”

“Saan ka pupunta?”

“Di ba kanina kinukwento ko sa’yo na Matt and I are going out tonight?”

“Huh? Kailan? Di ko yata narinig yun ah? At bakit hindi ako kasama?”

“Eh paano mo maririnig, tulala ka diyan kanina. Puro ka pa buntong hininga. Nasa sarili mong mundo..” Melissa imitated Kim sighing. “Ngayon gusto mong sumama? Sorry friend, today is our first official date as a couple. Pangit naman kung may chaperone akong kasama, di ba?”

“Ay ganon? Chaperone pala ako ah.. Mukha na ba akong matanda?”

“I’m kidding friend. Pero seriously, anytime now dadating na si Matt. Sorry kung iiwan kitang mag-isa tonight ah? Gusto mo uwian na lang kita?”

“Kanina chaperone, ngayon naman ginagawa mo akong bata.. Ano ba talaga Melissa?”

“Ikaw naman, ang sungit mo. Palibhasa di ka tinetext ni Gerald!” Melissa got up and headed towards her room laughing. She heard the doorbell rang so she immediately grabbed her purse and left the room. She saw Kim open the door.

“Hey Kim! Kamusta na?” Matt greeted.

“I’m okay..” Kim replied. “Ikaw?”

“Ayos lang..” Matt looked behind Kim and saw Melissa. “Hey Mel, ready ka na?”

“Yup! Shall we go?”

“Okay. Tara..” Matt led Melissa towards the door.

Melissa stopped and looked at Matt. “Ay teka, may itatanong daw si Kim sa iyo.”

“Ako? Meron ba?” a surprised Kim asked.

Matt looked at Melissa and Kim confusingly. Melissa shook her head. “Asan daw si Gerald?”

“Ahhhh.. “ Matt smiled. “Ayon natutulog. Pagod daw siya. Kinukulit ko nga kanina nagalit pa sa akin. Sabi leave me alone daw.”

“Oh ayan Kim. Now you know why he’s not texting you.”

“Mel! Umalis na nga kayo!” Kim pushed Matt and Melissa to the door. “Have a great night okay! Don’t stay out too late! Goodbye!” Kim could hear Matt and Melissa laughing as she closed the door.

“Bwiset talaga yung dalawa na yun. Pinagtripan pa ako..” she grabbed the remote and the tv. “Crush, crush ka diyan. Paano ako magkakacrush dun eh gay yun.” Kim looked at her cellphone wallpaper. “Bading na hindi lang gwapo.. super gwapo.” She shook her head. “Eh! Ano ba tong iniisip ko. He’s just a friend.. Just a cute friend. Yeah! I can settle for that.” She got up to make something to eat when she heard the doorbell ring.

“Naman ‘tong si Melissa, naiwan na naman siguro yung susi niya.” She walked towards the door and opened it. “Oh ano? Naiwan mo na naman yung susi..” Kim stopped dead.

“Susi? What do you mean?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to keep you company. I heard Matt and Melissa are out on a date. So yeah, naisipan ko you’re alone here tonight so sasamahan na lang kita.” Gerald smiled and raised his hands to show Kim that he ordered take out. “I brought some food as well.”

Kim was speechless. She didn’t expect to see him tonight. Matt said he was sleeping.

Gerald’s face fell. “Were you expecting someone else? Do you already have plans for tonight? I can go if you want.” He started to leave but Kim grabbed his arm.

“No! I don’t have any plans. Nagulat lang ako kasi Matt told me you were sleeping and ayaw mong magpagising.”

“Hindi ako pagod. Ayaw ko lang siyang makausap. Makulit yun eh.” Gerald lied. He really is dead tired. This has been a long week. But he couldn’t pass up a chance to spend time alone with Kim. “So can I come in?”