CHAPTER 23
NEW CRUSH?
Narrator: Back at the Town Center as Maja and Sarah already received their movie tickets…
Maja: Erich, anong horas na?
Erich: (looking at her watch) 8:02 na.
Brenda: We should prolly head inside now.
Denise: Yeah.
Narrator: So the girls all went inside the theater. As they queued for the popcorn station…
Nina: Gusto niyong popcorn?
Maja: Okay lang ako. Busog pa ako eh.
Jamilla: Ako rin.
Denise: Well, uunahan kami ngayon.
Jamilla: Just meet us over in the theater.
Brenda: Sige.
Narrator: So Denise, Maja, Sarah, and Jamilla already headed to the theater room, leaving Erich, Brenda, and Nina lining up for popcorn.
After two white young dudes left the counter, Erich and her gang were the next. The minute they arrived there, Erich immediately saw a familiar Filipino dude, hair properly combed, and he looked around his early 20’s. As soon as he turned to Erich and her friends, he looked directly into Erich’s beautiful brown eyes as though he were deeply in love with her.
Guy: Hey…
Erich: Hey… (smiling) Parang kilala kita nung high school.
Guy: (smiling back at her) Ata… ikaw ba si Erich?
Erich: (nodding) Oo. You remembered.
Guy: Oo. Diba classmates tayo sa English nung 12th grade?
Erich: Ahh… ikaw pala si Edwin.
Edwin: Yeah. Ibigan mo yan?
Erich: Oo, sila Brenda at Nina. Guys, si Edwin.
Nina: (waving at him) Hi…
Brenda: (doing the same) Hey…
Edwin: (smiling) Nice meeting you two. How can I help you guys?
Erich: Ahmm just one large popcorn and three small drinks.
Edwin: At your service. (smiling as Erich laughs)
*
Narrator: Inside the theater room, where Maja, Sarah, Denise, and Jamilla were walking up the stairs…
Denise: Wala masyado manunuod ngayon.
Sarah: Kasi may pasok, saka Thursday bukas.
Jamilla: Usually sa escuela namin wala masyado ng pasok sa Thursday.
Maja: Saan ka ng pasok?
Jamilla: Sa Cal State Fullerton. Kasama rin sila Denise at Erich.
Maja: (as the girls found vacant seats on the third-to-last row) Ah ganun? That’s good. Ako naman sa UC Irvine kasama yun Popstar singer best friend ko. (wrapping arm around Sarah’s shoulder, grinning)
Denise: Aww… gusto naman ako mag kasama eh.
Sarah: (laughing) Okay lang. Bakit hindi ka mag apply dun?
Denise: Eh mas close yun Fullerton, kaya yun ang ng pili ko.
Maja: Ah ganun?
Narrator: The girls sat, starting from the end at Denise to Maja to Sarah to Jamilla.
*
Narrator: Meanwhile at the counter…
Edwin: (as he gives out the large popcorn and a box of three small drinks attached) Here ya go, ladies.
Erich: Salamat, ah? (smiling)
Nina: (grabbing the popcorn, Brenda grabbing the drinks) Erich, hihintay mo kami dun, ah? (pointing to direction of the theater rooms)
Erich: Sige.
Narrator: So Brenda and Nina left Erich at the counter as they were heading to the theater hall.
Edwin: Ng pasok kaba ngayon?
Erich: Oo naman. (smiling)
Edwin: Saan?
Erich: Ahm… Fullerton University.
Edwin: Cal State Fullerton?
Erich: Oo. (nodding as she laughs)
Edwin: Marami akong ibigan ng pasok dun.
Erich: Talaga?
Edwin: Oo. Minsan dumalaw ako dun kapag wala akong pasok.
Erich: Saan ka ng aral?
Edwin: Sa Cal State Long Beach.
Erich: Ah talaga? Magandang school yan, o?
Edwin: Siempre, pero dahil sa mga maraming budget cut, di ko na pasok last semester.
Erich: Oh that sucks.
Edwin: Yeah… ang economy talaga, o?
Erich: Oo nga eh. Kakasora.
Edwin: Ng trabajo kaba ngayon?
Erich: Oo.
Edwin: Saan?
Erich: Photographer ako sa Mervyn’s.
Edwin: Talaga? Saang Mervyn’s?
Erich: Sa Brea Mall.
Edwin: Mabuti naman. (as Erich laughs)
Erich: (after momentary pause) Sige, Edwin. Aalis na ako.
Edwin: O sige. Teka… (as Erich looks back at him) Busy kaba bukas pag tapos yun pasok mo?
Erich: Umm… probably not. Bakit?
Edwin: Gusto mo… kakain tayo sa labas? (smiling)
Erich: (thinking with a worried expression on her face) You mean dinner?
Edwin: Well, yeah. (laughing)
Erich: Umm…
Edwin: Busy ka, noh? (teasing)
Erich: Ehh… it’s not that. I… (long pause)
Narrator: But the minute she was about to speak, another blackout occurred.
Erich: Oh my God…
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