after [6]

[6]

Our sleepover was a success. After knowing my geek room, she was really in shock for couple of minutes and if you think that we had a pillow fight, we didn't. This is not some cheeky romantic turned into horror movies you guys are watching. Come on, be realistic!

Ugh. Start na ng classes next week and bibili na ako ng mga gamit ko. Yes, ako lang mag-isa. Next week daw si Rina sabi ni mama.

Hindi ba pwedeng sabay na lang? I'm lonely 😭

"Lola, aalis na ako." I said then went out. She's just watching TV tapos mamaya, nagtatahi na ulit yan.

Dumating na ako sa mall and damn! Ang daming tao dito. Jusko. I stopped walking then I fished for my earpods and plugged it on my phone to listen to music. I don't want to hear people right now. I put my music library to shuffle mode and I felt at ease then started walking towards to National Book Store.

I sighed when I saw the sight and smell of books and school materials coming up my nose. Kinuha ko na yung push cart at nilagay doon ang mga kailangan ko sa pasukan. Bibili na rin ako ng kailangan ko sa study room. Kailangan ko nang palitan yung mga malapit na masira. Ugh. I need new painting materials too.

Nasaan ba nakalagay itong binder separator na 'to?

"Miss, saan po yung binder separator niyo?" Tinanong ko yung worker nila na naglalagay ng bagong stock ng cartolina. "Ayun po, Ma'am." Tinuro nya sa akin yung mga set ng hinahanap ko na nasa tutok ng shelf.

Kung sinuswerte ka nga naman.

Bakit ba kasi kailangan nasa tuktok yung mga 'yon?

Muli kong tinignan yung worker na busy gawin yung trabaho niya. Gambalain ko ba ulit? No, Clary. She's busy. Gawan mo na lang ng paraan na makuha yun or tumawag ka na lang ng worker din na hindi masyadong busy.

I looked around if there's any person to help me with this dilemma, pero wala. I thought of a way to get that stupid binder. Pag hindi ko kasi binili yun, sobrang gulo ng study ko. I can't study if I see trash around.

I look stupid because nagtata-talon ako dito para lang makuha yung binder. Ganun ba talaga ako kaliit? Shit naman oh. I got tired of jumping and I brushed my loose hair in front of my face. Tied my hair into pony tail and readied myself for anything that would happen after I do this.

I tip-toed and held at the shelf just to get that black binder. When I was just about to get the binder, I saw a hand who effortlessly got the binder that I want. What the. I looked at the guy who got the binder. "Excuse me, I was the one who wants that first." I stated. His back was facing me and when he heard me he turned around.

Shit.

"Wow. What coincidence." He said with a smirk creeping up on his face. "Oh. You again." I said then huffed. I fixed myself and let my hair down. "Hello, Clary." He said looking intently to me. What is he up to? "Hello." I said while looking at the black binder that was originally mine. He looked at the binder he's holding and looked at me again. "Here. Next time, don't be shy calling up the workers here. They'll help you, shorty." He said. "Who are you calling shorty?" I taunted him. "Ikaw," He said then put the binder in my push cart and walked away.

Ako?! Excuse me! 5'5'' ako! I was too late from talking to him back. Nakalayo na sya sa akin. Nakakainis! Sayang sya! Pogi na sana ang yabang yabang nga lang. Bwiset! Kapal ng mukha nya!

I sighed in annoyance and continued my haul.

Hinanap ko yung mga post-its dito and I looked at the price. Nalula ako sa presyo. Grabe! Humahampas na sa 200 yung price! Sa California ang mura lang nyan. Grabe. Lalo na yung mga tumpok tumpok na ballpens dun. Ang mu-mura! Dito halos lumuha ka ng dugo sa mahal.

OA na yung dugo pero nakakalula yung presyo, ha.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated and I checked it to see my mom texted me.

From: Mama

Nak, where are you?

Ugh.

To: Mama

NBS. You?

After replying, I went back to searching the perfect notebook binder for me. I saw one pero may nakahawak na dun kaya naghanap ako ng panibagong stock. I saw the person who's holding the binder pero likod nya lang then my phone vibrated again. Ay nako.

From: Mama

Nasa isang boutique ako. After ko dito I'll go there.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance while replying

To: Mama

I'm not a kid anymore. After ko dito, ako na lang pupunta dyan. Anong boutique ba 'yan?

From: Mama

Ok. I'm here at AEROMINA'S

After seeing her text, I didn't replied and looked at the person who's holding the binder only to find out that the person's not there anymore. Kaya pinagpatuloy ko na lang yung paghahanap ko ng binder na 'yun.

-x-

I went to AEROMINA'S (yes it is really capitalized letters) with a logo of a box with a bow and arrow on top of it that I don't know the significance of it to the brand name. I saw my mother inside with a sales lady beside her, holding the clothes that she picked for hers and mine.

"Ma," I said as I went inside. She looked at me, happiness filling her eyes and greeted me cheerfully.

"Hey! You try those clothes that I picked for you! They're the latest ones!" I glanced at the clothes and some of them are in the colors of what Kirsten just bought me.

Ugh. Light, girly colors.

"Maaaa, bakit naman puro pambabae pinili mong kulay? Wala bang black dyan?" I asked in a whiny tone. She looked at the clothes then her brows furrowed together because of irritation.

"Matuto kang magsuot ng mga ganyang kulay, Clary. Hindi palaging itim, puti at grey ang dapat sinusuot. Isukat mo na 'yan." She said.

I sighed then went to the dressing room.

"Mrs. De La Fuente! Oh my! Long time no see! Hello, hello!"

I heard someone greeted mama. Sakto, tapos na ako suotin yung pinapasukat nya at lumabas.

"Sweetie! Do you remember Amina? Eros's wife! She attended our business party at New York last year!" Galak na sabi ni Mama. The hype is all over her face.

Amina? Oh, her! I remember her wearing a blue Grecian dress at our business party. Investors namin sila ng husband nya. Mom went to New York because the investors wants to see Papa and Mama together. Siguro naurat sila na si papa lang nakikita lang nila tuwing may business party.

Is it just me or parang hindi tumanda si Amina?

"Yes, I do. Nice to see you again, Amina" I said then shook her hand.

"My, my! You look beautiful in that dress! You should wear our latest collection. Free of charge!" She immediately said and waved at the saleslady at binulungan nya. Nagulat ako kasi free of charge yung sinabi nya sa dulo.

"Gosh, Amina we can pay it naman! Nakakahiya!" said Mom.

"No! It's really fine! We just released our latest collection. She's in a petite yet sexy size so bagay sa kanya yun!" Amina said while smiling. Ang cute nya magsalita ng tagalog. Amina loves learning news languages. Last year, we had a small talk and she said that she was learning Korean that year. So Tagalog ang target nya ngayon.

Bumalik na yung saleslady na may kasama na kasi ang dami ng latest collection nila. Grabe, pwede na akong magbenta ng damit online dahil sa dami ng damit ko.

Amina's really, really happy. Amina and Daddy are friends since high school. But I only met her last year because she and her husband, Eros migrated in Greece right after their high school graduation and doon na 'rin sila ni Eros nag college. Kinwento kasi ni Daddy yan sa akin.

Going back, hanggang sa latest shoes collection nila nasa harapan ko rin. They just asked my size and nilabas nila lahat yon. I tried some and got tired so after nun, sabi ni Amina ipapadala na lang daw yun sa bahay.

Tapos tinanong pa ni Amina si Mommy kung pwede daw ba akong maging muse nya sa fashion week next month. Syempre, pumayag naman si Mama. I disagreed but nag give in din ako kasi nakakahiya naman kay Amina. Kung maganda ako, wala akong panama sa ganda nya. Kaya possessive si Eros sa kanya dahil kahit may asawa na si Amina, ang dami pa rin nagtatangkang ligawan sya. Pfft. Ang pogi kaya ni Eros. Wala silang panama doon.

"Hey," Mom said then knocked. Sumisilip lang sya sa pintuan ko. I looked back at my door dahil nasa vanity ko ako. I'm cleaning my mirror. Ang dumi na eh.

"Yeah?" I said then went back on cleaning my mirror.

"Gusto mo ba ng walk-in closet?" She asked.

"Wow. If I said yes, would you really do it?" I asked back, chuckling. Ang himala naman kasi. Bigla bigla na lang sya nagtanong ng ganun.

"Well, yeah. With your incoming new clothes, you really got to have a huge walk-in closet. Marami-rami rin yun ha. Ang bait bait talaga ni Amina." She said.

"Yeah sure. Bahala ka. Pwede naman kasi sa attic na lang yung walk-in closet ko. Basement naman yung bodega natin eh. Bahala ka hahaha!" I said.

"O'nga no? Sige. Pag-usapan namin yan ng Lola mo. Sige na, sweetie. Good night." She said then umalis na.

Kakatapos ko lang maglinis then I went to bed and as I close my eyes, I knew sleep and tireness crept onto my body as I succumb to having a good night indeed.