“Lighter” (the way it was meant to be read)
“Vic, paabot naman ako ng lighter oh…”
“Hay naku, hindi ka nanaman nag-dala ng sarili mo eh.”
“Sorry na… alam ko naman kasi na magkasama tayo ngayon eh…”
Vic looks at Kathy and smiles. “Oo nga… We’ve always been meeting here at the ctc spg, kaya siguro nasanay ka nang hindi mag-dala ng sariling lighter. By the way, what time’s your next class?”
“Ah… Kakatapos lang nung last class ko eh… I don’t know what time pa I’ll be going home. Will you wait for my sundo Vic?” Kathy snuggles up to Vic, taking his arm in hers. Vic couldn’t help but smile at Kathy. He just knew he wouldn’t pass up this moment – this was his moment.
“Hmm… Eh baka may gagawin pa ata ako eh. Check ko lang schedule ko.” replied Vic jokingly. Kathy suddenly stood up and moved to the stone bench and looked at him intensely.
“Ang sama-sama mo! Anong check-check ng schedule ang pinagsasasabi mo dyan?!” cried Kathy, “Wala ka talagang kwentang kaibigan! I’m better off talking to my cigarette… Akin na nga yung lighter!”
“Kathy naman… nag-jo-joke lang naman ako eh! Sorry na, eto na yung lighter.”
Kathy took the lighter and turned her back to Vic. She couldn’t help but smile at her amazing acting. I certainly caught him off-guard with that! Ha! Buti nga sayo! Vic immediately stood up sat beside Kathy, looking very apologetic and quite sheepish. He couldn’t allow her to stay mad at him for such a trivial thing. He sits closer to her, looks her in the eye, and softly whispers, “Kathy, joke nga lang eh… Hihintayin kita, kahit pa hangang mag umaga!”
Kathy couldn’t help but smile at him. He gazed at her for a while. She was wearing that short skirt he always disapproved of with a matching fitted polo, which delicately framed her slender body. Her dark brown hair was waving softly in the cool afternoon breeze and her smile seemed to lighten up the darkening afternoon sky. She hasn’t even changed a bit… She looks exactly like I remember her…
It was a cool Monday morning. Vic was just a freshman then. The first class was English 11, and he had always hated English 11 since it was so early. What kind of freak wants to wake up early for another boring English lecture? Vic arrived early that morning; he was still feeling groggy and hadn’t taken his early morning cigarette. So, he then decides to go down to the first floor to get himself a hot cup of coffee from the vending machine.
“Tang-ina naman!!! Ang lutong na nga nung bente ko, ayaw pang tanggapin! Fuckin’ shit naman…”
The feeling of frustration and hopelessness starts to sink in. There was no way he was getting morning coffee. He decides to just ‘smoke it off’ in the hope of getting his brain functioning with a heavy dose of nicotine. The only saving grace about this situation is that I have the Smoker’s Pocket Garden all to myself… At least walang kaagaw sa bench diba? The moment he sat down on that stone bench, he immediately saw… her. Her hair was softly blowing in the wind, she looked absolutely gorgeous in her short skirt and white shirt, and her eyes... her dark brown eyes seemed to pierce right through him. Oh my God… She’s so hot… Kailangan kong makilala to…
And at that exact moment, she slowly walked up to him, her purse in her left hand and cigarette in her right, and sat down next to him. It was as if an eternity had passed as Vic tried to steal a glance at her… to see if she was real or just his imagination… She’s so perfect, diyosa siguro ito kung hindi ako nagkakamali… An eternity and a half later, she looks up to him and smiles.
“Ah… Excuse me po, may lighter ka po ba?”
Vic could hardly open his mouth. Who could in the position he was in? All he could do was reach for his left back pocket, fish out the lighter, and light her cigarette. She took one deep drought of the nicotine, closed her eyes, and exhaled slowly. Vic couldn’t help but stare. She slowly opened her eyes and then turned to look at him. He suddenly turned away and immediately felt tense… Tang-ina naman Vic!!! Pucha, isang tingin lang dapat… Baka kung anong isipin sa…
“That was really rude of me. Hi, I’m Katrina, but you can call me Kathy.” She then extends her hand… Vic reluctantly reaches out.
“My name’s Vic… So……. first class mo for today?”
“Yeah… you know, I really hate this… it’s so early in the morning, tapos English. Sobrang nakaka-antok pa prof namin.”
“Ehdi mag yosi nalang tayo dito.” Vic smiled at Kathy… and she smiled back.
That was two years ago… and here we are. Still friends… Vic couldn’t make up his mind. He stood to lose the very woman he had loved for two years in one wrong move. Yet his inaction could lose her to another guy. The afternoon was quickly fading, he felt the urgency to do something… anything! DO I GAMBLE IT ALL OR FOREVER HOLD MY PIECE???
Vic stood up and took his bag. Kathy looked surprised… He slowly and carefully took out a necklace he had bought two years ago. Vic felt like he was going to vomit. Please naman… ibibigay ko lang ‘to! Vic kaya mo to pare. Sabihin mo na para matapos na… He dropped to one knew and took out the rose with the other hand and slipped the necklace into his pocket. The words were slowly forming in his mind… He slowly gave her the rose and took her hand and placed it in his… DO OR DIE VIC!!!
“Kathy… Do you remember the first time we met? It was right here… From the moment I saw you, I said to myself, ‘She’s so perfect… ‘ kala ko nga nananaginip lang ako. Yet here we are, right now, right here…” he paused. He looked into her eyes – those piercing dark brown eyes, and said, “Kathy, I love you so much. I can’t live without you… You are my world… I love you so much Kathy, please be mine?”
*****
Possible Ending #1 (gud ending)
There was a teardrop forming in Kathy’s eye. Vic put his hands to her face, and wiped away her tear. She looked into his eyes and smiled back.
“Lamo Vic, since the first day we met, I was hoping, deep down in my heart, that one day, you’d say those words to me. And lamo ba, yung sundo ko kanina pa andun sa Chinese Parking Lot since after lunch… I really just wanted to spend the afternoon with you… Ang tagal mo kasi eh, masyado kang torpe.” Kathy was smiling as she said those words.
Vic immediately embraced her and put his cheek to hers, and softly whispered in her ear said, “Kat…”
But his words were cut short as Kathy closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his. “I don’t care anymore Vic, I love you too.”
Vic sat down beside her on the stone bench. He took out the necklace he had bought for her and carefully placed it around her neck. Before he could take his hands off her, she hugged him tightly.
“Hon, pahiram ako ulit ng lighter…”
Vic reached down into his left back pocket and took out his lighter and lit Kathy’s cigarette. “Kathy, where do we go from here?”
“Ehdi mag yosi nalang tayo dito.” Vic then smiled at Kathy… and she smiled back.
Possible Ending #2
Kathy looked straight at Vic’s eye… “Vic… I’m flattered that you feel that way about me… but….”
At that exact moment, Kathy’s ride came, a tall and handsome young man came out and waved at Kathy. She immediately took her hand away from Vic’s and waved at the young man. “Sandali lang Migo, papunta na ako.”
She looked sadly at Vic… “Thanks for waiting with me Vic. Nandyan na si Migo… he’s my new boyfriend.” Vic could do nothing but stare sadly into her eyes as well… He could see right through her… into her thoughts.. Ang tagal mo kasi Vic… Hindi na kita mahintay…. I wish we could still be friends…
“Vic, ingat ka pauwi… text mo ko kung la ka ulit kasama mag yosi…” she paused for awhile and then said with a straight face, ”I’m sorry things didn’t work out between you and me… I’ll still be here for you… as a friend, take care Vic”
Vic stared blankly as the love of his life walked away from him… leaving him at the SPG… Vic, malas ka lang talaga… He suddenly felt a soft tap to his shoulder. He heard a soft, sweet voice that sounded strangely familiar....
“Uh… excuse me… could I have a light?”
