Chapter Three: Shirt

“Kailangan ka pa naging tanga, Velayo?” another man came and judged the one who spilled some coffee on me.

Hindi ko mapigilan na mapahiya na lamang kahit na ‘di naman ako ang may kasalanan but standing in front of these tall men while my clothes are wet and stained is hilarious. I wanted to call Lorraine but I am having a hard time looking for her dahil sa sobrang taas ng mga lalaking ito.

I saw how that man who accidentally spilled me a coffee grab his wallet from behind before taking out paper bills. He handed it to me kaya lumaki ang mga mata ko nang makitang puro iyon one-thousand paper bills. The thought and sight of the money made me want to accept it dahil wala na rin kaming pera for the next few days but I chose not to.

I look up and shake my head. “No, Sir. I am fin—“

“Having your clothes stained is not fine, Miss. Take his money, don’t worry he knows how to earn.” The other man stated but I shake my head once more.

“It’s really ok—“

“Dude, you really have to pay. The clothes looks from a designer brand and you just got it stained.” That one man who is the shortest said.

Agaran naman akong napatingin sa damit ko at medyo nahiya and confuse at the same time. There is a Gucci print kasi in front of my shirt at alam ko namang hindi ito real dahil nabili lang namin ito sa online shop. At the same time, I feel bad about myself because I am not sure if he was saying it out of sarcasm or ‘di lang siya marunong on picking real brands and not.

The man was about to take a step forward to give me the money once again but someone who I haven’t heard talking spoke. We all look at him, even his friends, and he is looking down at my stained shuirt. “I have a spare clothes there. It’s from Dianne, we can use it.”

“Since when did your sister ride in your car?” The short one asked interrogatively, leaving with the other man.

The other men smiled at me while tapping their friend on his shoulder before walking away. “Irish, dude, we’ll wait outside.”

The man who got me stained nod his head before looking back at me kaya medyo napatingin naman ako sa ibaba to avoid his gaze. “I am really sorry for troubling you.”

I shake my head while waving my hand to and fro. “No, it’s fine.”

“We all know it is not that is why I feel sorry about it. But you really can use the money to buy a clo—“

“Kaya naman pala ang tagal bumalik, may ka meet up ka pala dito. At malapit sa banyo pa, ah.”

Agad akong napatingin sa kaliwa nang marinig ang boses ni Lorraine. I saw her now leaning on the wall while grinning as she look at me then to the man in front, then back at me once again. Nadagdagan naman ang kahihiyan sa katawan ko nang sabihin iyon ni Lorraine kaya lumapit ako sa kaniya for her to see my situation. She seem to notice it kaya agad din namang kumunot ang kaniyang noo. “Masyado ka sigurong tanga kaya binuhusan mo sarili mo?”

“Siguro sa ating dalawa ikaw ang tanga dito, Abusado eh.”

“Huwag ngang dinadamay ang apilyido ko, eh!” Sigaw niya bago hinarap ang lalaking nakabunggo sa akin. I saw how her eyes move up and down, skimming the man’s whole physique.

Ako ang naging uncomfortable sa mga ginagawa ni Lorraine kaya agad kong hinila ang kamay niya papalayo. “Mahiya ka nga. Aksidente niya akong natapunan ng drink niya kaya ganito.”

She eyed me suspiciously then look back at the man before smiling. My lips parted. Grabe ang characterization ng babaeng ito. Earlier she seems like ready to fight; but now she is secretly smiling flirtatiously.

I tap my forehead.

“Hi, Sir. I am Lorraine Keanne but you can call me mine—“

“Abusado—“

“Ano ba?! Tawag ng tawag sa apilyido ko eh!” She screamed back.

I hold myself from laughing. She really hates how her last name sound so I often tease her about it. Right now, nakakahiya para sa lalaking nasa harapan namin na maging ganito si Lorraine. He seems like professional and older than us kaya it looks inappropriate for Lorraine to act that way, plus the fact na we are wearing our university ID.

“Abusado?”

Lorraine and I both look at the man when he repeated her last name. I saw how his head tilted while looking at Lorraine and there seems confusion on his face. The latter is just grinning while tucking few strands of her hair behind her ears, making me face palmed.

I am about to stop my best friend once again but someone from behind intervene once again.

“Here.”

We all look behind and saw the man holding a white cloth. It’s folded nicely as he lend it to me but it took me few seconds before I got the chance to grab it.

“My sister haven’t used it and left it inside my car after shopping. Rest assured that it is clean. I do not know if you like it but it’s a sort of cropped shirt.”

I slowly bit my lower lip before nodding my head and smiling at him as a sign of gratitude. I thanked him but he just nod his head before turning away from us. I hid my smile the moment I turn back to face the other man but like earlier, he is always looking at Lorraine, leaving a big question mark on my head.

Does he by chance, liked Lorraine?

I groaned inside after that thought. There is no such thing us like at first sight. Absurd.

After I said my thanks at him also, he left the place immediately since his friends are waiting for him outside. I went inside the CR again to change my clothes and I feel a little freshen up upon seeing myself wearing this kind of clothing.

“Halatang expensive.” Lorraine commented kaya napatingin ulit ako sa kaniya.

I fix myself a little before we got out from the CR. We ate and finish the burger first before we decided to just take the drink with us. While walking back towards our apartment, that guy who offered me this shirt from earlier keeps on coming back inside my mind. Without thinking, I smell the shirt secretly before chuckling and smiling.

He looks manly and great.

“Patusin mo na ‘yun, halatang kinikilig ka eh.”

I look at Lorraine when she said that. She is now sipping on his cup while looking ahead us. I hissed before pushing her on her shoulder before running towards the gate in a hurry.

“Ang mahuhuli ay panget!” I screamed while running.

“Tonta, nakakawala ka ng poise!” Pasigaw na sagot niya.

The moment I got inside, I automatically slump myself on the couch, lying comfortably on top of it. I smiled once again dahil kada galaw ko ay bumabango ang damit na suot ko, halatang amoy panglalaki. I wonder if he sprayed it before giving it to me. O baka naman he usually sprayed himself inside his car kaya napunta rin sa damit?

Whichever it is, I could not stop myself from smiling before covering my face. I heard the door opens, a sign that Lorraine is already here.

“Gaga, yung sapatos mo!”

I remove my shoes immediately before hiding my face away from Lorraine because I do not want her to tease me. Since we don’t have anything to do left, I decided to sleep right here and let Lorraine do her own business.

Just when I am about to close my eyes to sleep, my phone rang.

I groaned.

“Sagutin mo!”

“Ikaw na!”

“Gaga, nasa CR ako!”

Without any other choice, I sat annoyingly on the couch and saw Athena’s name on the screen. My annoyance turns to excitement upon seeing her name on the screen because I know what is coming next if she calls.

“What’s up?!” I exclaimed to answer.

“Are you guys busy this weekend?”

My grin goes wider before shaking my head. “No. Why?”

She squeal from the other line. “Great! Let’s hop inside Rockwell Community!”

Oh my gosh. Rockwell? As in the place for elite bachelors and professionals?!

“Hurdle the whole night, Thalea! I will be rooting for you if you’ll find a man there!”