Nag-ca-calls ka ba ngayon?
Tumayo ka at tignan mo ang sup mo sa station niya.
Mukha ba siyang nalilito?
Nalulungkot?
Or maybe... nag-iinit?
Baka sup mo ang friend kong si Maria.
Lately, napapansin ko na mas maraming tao ang nagkukuwento ng mga sikreto nila sa akin. Siguro gusto nilang ma-blog. Or siguro gusto lang nila ng outlet.
Katulad nitong kaibigan kong sup na si Maria.
Minsan, habang naghihintay ako ng mga pina-photocopy ko kay manong, di napigilan ni Maria na ikwento sa akin ang kanyang dillema.
"I'm human, natural lang naman siguro sa akin ang ma-attract sa agent ko, di ba?"
"Oo naman, natural na natural," ang sagot ko.
"Then why am I so ashamed at myself?" tanong ni Maria.
"Maybe because you know it's wrong for sups to have a relationship with their agents?" I replied, and added some more, "Maybe because virginal ang image mo?"
She slapped my arm, "Fine fine fine... I know maraming reasons kung bakit mali yung nararamdaman ko, pero girl, alam mo naman na hindi ako normal na ganito, di ba? I've never claimed that I have, ummm..., lusted after someone!"
Which is totally true, actually. She's not exactly mahinhin, but she's no whore either. I've never heard her say that she was lusting after a guy, let alone an agent of hers!
"What's so bad if you have the hots for an agent of yours?" I asked her.
"Ang problema kasi, halata niya yata! I actually think he's flirting with me!" she answered, flustered.
I raised an eyebrow, "Ows? Anong ginagawa ni Mr. Boylet?"
"Subtle things lang naman. He texts me everyday, asking if kumain na ba ako, kung kamusta na ako," Maria enumerated, "Once, naglagay siya ng post-it note sa loob ng pedestal ko, may nakasulat na "I love your smile!"
"Pumalakpak naman ang pekpek mo?" I teased.
"Slight lang, slight," she continued, "Tapos nung isang araw, after shift, kaming dalawa na lang natira sa area amin, lumapit siya sa station ko tapos inaya akong kumain sa labas."
"Oh, anong sabi mo?" I asked.
"Um-oo ako. Nung nasa elevator na kami, nabanggit niya yung girlfriend niya."
"Excuse me? May girlfriend na si Mr. Boylet?" I asked incredulously.
"Apparently!" she answered.
"So anong ginawa mo?" I asked.
"I made up some excuse and umalis ako," Maria said, "Hello! Hindi ako kabit no?"
"Hindi ka nga kabit, makati ka lang," I joked.
"Hahaha! Crazy ka," she said, "Anyways, as soon as I left, he texted me. Is there anything wrong daw, mga ganyung epek."
"Anung sabi mo?"
"Di ako nagreply," she said.
In fairness naman kasi, si Mr. Boylet, malakas talaga ang dating. He's tall, dark, and medyo-medyo handsome. Emphasis on the dark. Dark-skinned talaga siya, as in maitim. Pero the good kind of maitim. Yung tipong dark chocolate ba... sweet sa tongue. Total opposite siya ni Maria, na mestiza.
"Alam mo ba, there are times na parang gusto ko na lang lumuhod sa harap ni Mr. Boylet? Para kasing ang sarap-sarap niya eh," Maria noted.
"Remember, sis, the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice! Ang tanong: uhaw ka ba?"
She laughed, "Sa kaniya lang!"
"What do you plan to do now?" I asked her.
She thought for a second, "Palipat kaya ako sa GY shift? Para maiwasan ko na siya?"
I didn't answer. Di ko alam ang sagot eh. If I were in her place, malamang pumatol na ako. But then again, that's me. Joke lang. 
