Pabitin Stories : My Lost Coffee Maker

            She’s living a life that every girls wish to have. She lives in a mansion, with a big room and walk-in closet full expensive and signature beautiful clothes. And she is Allison Jacobs, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Jacobs, the sole owner of The Valley Hotel all over the world.

            “Why can’t I go outside without them?” reklamo ni Allison sa mommy nya.

            She wants to go shopping, alone, pero ayaw syang payagan ng ina na umalis ng mansion ng mag-isa.  Sometimes she wish n asana hindi na lang sila filthy rich, rich lang sapat na sa kanya. Define sapat for Allison. Sapat foe her means she can still buy all she wants. Ano ba ang mga gusto nya? Burberry, Bvlgari, DKNY, Gucci, LV, Prada, Hermes, Chanel, and lahat ng mamahalin.

            “You know why baby, that is for your own safety.” Paliwanag na naman ni Mrs. Jacobs sa anak for the nth times now.

            “But mom, hindi ako mag-enjoy. And mom, how can I find my Mr. Right if there are big guys following me? Mom, I might be an old-maid. You know I don’t like to be one just like Auntie Riri.”

            “Fine my baby Alli, you can go shopping alone. But just this once, understands?”

            She hugged her mom, at tumakbong paakyan ng mansion papunta sa sariling kwarto para mag-ayos para sa kanyang solo shopping experience for the first time!

₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰

            “I’ll have… Zebra Mocha Frap tall size, Crunchy Berry Frap tall size, and Raspberry Cheesecake.”

            I’m here at Starbucks, I’m so tires na kasi so decided to take a quick rest by drinking something with caffeine and sugar. Yup, I’m not yet dome with my shopping. This is the first time that I go shopping alone, so I must make the most out of this chance.

            “Hmmm… this Zebra Mocha tastes so good!” after trying the Zebra, I try naman na Crunchy Berry. “Oh goodness, heaven!” hindi ko napigilang sabi.

            Whoever made this drink, I love him na instantly. He can be my husband na, but dapat he’s handsome pa rin naman. I want to bear a child that is so adorable. I wonder how I look like when I’m pregnant na?

            Tumingin ako doon sa likod ng counter, and there I saw him making another cup of coffee. Aww, I so love him na nga yata. Siguro naramdaman nya that someone’s looking at him so lumingon sya. Are eyes met, and I feel something run through my skin. Kinikilig ako! He’s so cute, he’s so pogi!

            Bumalik na sya sa ginagawa nya, suplado. Hindi man lang nag-smile, while me I was all smile at him. I want him. I really want him. I really want to take him home. I want to see him every morning when I wake up and of course to have a chance to taste his perfect coffee anytime of the day.

            As much as I want to shop, I love watching him make coffees. I don’t know why, but I think I really like him. Not everyone can pass my maarteng taste when it comes to coffee, that’s why I don’t usually go places like this.

            I don’t know kung gaano ako katagal sa panonood sa kanya, I just saw him walking out of the shop. I hurriedly pick-up my bags, and sinundan ko sya.

            “Hey! Hello, I’m Allison Jacobs. What’s your name?” dire-direcho kong sabi habang nahihirapan na akong sumunod sa kanya. “Hey, can you please slow down?”

            And he didn’t, looks like mas binilisan pa nya ang paglakad nya. Hinarang ko ang sarili ko sa dadaanan nya, so he can stop and I have a chance to talk to me even if sapilitan lang.

            “Hey!” napalingon ako sa bag na nakasabit sa shoulder nya, I saw his name plate. “Percy! Yes, now I know your name!” and I gave him a smug smile.

            “What do you want?” Percy asked.

            “I want you!”

            “Ha? Baliw ka ba?” tanong nya with disbelief all over his handsome face.

            “Yes, I’m crazy… for you!” and I giggle.

            Bigla na lang nya akong nilagpasan. My bags are all over the floor, so I need to pick all of it pa. “Hey, Percy!” I run na para mahabol ko sya. He’s so hard to deal with naman.

            “Come on Percy, please talk to me naman!” I said desperately as I still run after him. “Ok, please?”

            He stops walking naman at face me. “You know what Allison, I don’t have time for you, and most especially you’re a brat, a spoiled brat.” Ang sakit naman nya magsalita.

            “What? Ano naman kinalaman ng pag-uusap natin sa pagiging brat ko?”

            “You’re a certified brat, and no one will win against a brat like you. Hindi ka titigil hanggang hindi nakukuha ang gusto mo, meaning non-sense ang pakikipag-usap sa mga kagaya mo.” Mahabang sabi nya.

            Okay, I’m hurt of what he just said. Parang brats are so mean naman the way he talks. Maybe most of the brats are, pero hindi ako belong sa kanila.

            “Okay, let’s get it straight to the point then. I want you to be my personal coffee maker.”

            “What?” hindi ba nya ako naintindihan?

            “Quit your job and be my personal coffee maker.” I smiled at him sweetly, but he just turns his back on me. “I’m serious Percy. I really like how your coffee tastes.”

            “Ms. Allison Jacobs, I’m declining your offer.” Sagot nya at naglakad na sya palayo sa akin.

            “Then be a barista at The Valley Hotel Manila.”

            See? I’m so genius. Sino ba naman ang tatanggi sa ganong kagandang offer? I know, his not the type of person that will turn his back on a very nice job offer.

₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰

            “I want a cappuccino made by Percy, and blueberry cheesecake.”

            I’m here at Valley Hotel Manila, it’s Percy’s first day as a barista. I’m so excited for him, like I was his mother. Well, I’m excited kasi starting today araw-araw ko ng matitikman ang mga creations nya.

            “Waiter!” tawag ko sa waiter na nakita ko na nakatayo lang. “Can you tell the chief barista that I want to talk to him or her.”

            “P-po?”

            “You heard me right, I want to talk to the chief barista.” Nagkakamot naman ng ulo yung waiter, pero hindi pa rin sya umaalis sa tabi ko. “What? You don’t know who I am?” iling naman sya. “I’m Allison Jacobs, the one and only daughter of the owner of the hotel where are you working right now.”

            There, nagmamadali pa syang umalis sa harap ko. After less than a minute, nakita ko na palapit na sa akin yunh chief barista I guess.

            “Good morning Miss, gusto nyo daw po akong maka-usap?”

            “Please take a sit first.” Ng maka-upo na sya, saka ulit ako nagsalita. “I want you to allow Percy Rivera to create new mixes for the coffee and fraps.” I said to him with a sweet smile.

            “I’ll ask your mother first, Miss.” Sagot nya.

            I’m sure mom will allow it naman. “Ok, but you will help him ok, and I too. We will be the one who try his own drinks, and also my mom.” naka-smile pa rin ako. I’m in a good mood right now.

            “Sure thing Miss. Would that be all?” and I nod na lang as an answer.

            “Here’s your order Ma’am.” And the waiter places my orders on my table. “Bon appétit!”

₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰

            Out of ten creations he made, five yung nagustuhan ni mommy at ni Sir Thirdy. Yes, there are new five drinks sa menu ng Valley Hotel Manila. Percy made those superb creations. In a span of two weeks, naging bestseller na ang dalawa sa lima na ‘yon.

            “Thank you Percy, really.”

            “No Allison, thank you. Kung hindi dahil sa pangungulit mo sa akin before, hindi ako mapapasok sa Valley Hotel.”

            The management allowed Percy to have a week vacation, so we are here at Laguna together with his mother and youngest sister. I know dapat sila lang para family bonding, but Percy insist that I should come with them.

            “Ate Allison, Kuya, Mama, punta tayo Enchanted Kingdom. Please?” Annabeth said with puppy dog eyes.

            Who can say no to this cute little girl if she has that cutest expression? Definitely not me! “Ok Annabeth, we will go there.” I said, and she giggles and hugs me.

            Pinandilatan lang naman ako ni Percy ng mata, I bet ayaw nya pumayag. But hell, wala na sya magagawa dahil Annabeth is currently flipping all the clothes inside their bags.

₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰

            Tita Agatha decided not to come with us na lang since hindi maganda yung pakiramdam nya. I suggested na nga lang na bukas na lang kami gumala when she’s okay na, but we can’t stop Annabeth from crying her lungs out. She really wants to go, so tumuloy na rin kami kahit na nag-aalala si Percy kay Tita.

            “Where do you want to ride first?”

            Annabeth pointed the mini-gondola for kids; I don’t know what they call that ride. Pasensya, it’s my first time here. After that ride, hinila naman kami ni Annabeth sa bumper car. I don’t like waiting, and the truth is I don’t get used of pagpila sa kahit saan. I’m filthy rich, why would I waste my time falling in line?

            Magkasama si Annabeth at Percy sa iisang car, while I’m alone. They keep on chasing and bumping my car, which is the main purpose of this ride. Maybe I should bring my enemy Bella here, and I will bump her car non-stop until tumilapot ang brain nya from her super thick skull.

            “Hey! Madaya kayo, wag nyo ako pagtulungan!” reklamo ko na.

            “We want to bump you, bump you!” pakanta na sabi ni Annabeth while dancing to the tune of her own song. “We will, we will bump you, bump you!”

            I started laughing out loud because of her craziness. Who would thought that’s she’s just seven years old?

            After our crazy ride on bumper cars, yung carousel naman ako nakita nya. She’s just too excited to notice that ride when we enter the place. That ride is so boring, that’s why ‘di na ako sumama sa kanilang magkapatid. I’ll take pictures of them na lang.

            One minute passed so slow, and nainip na agad ako so I decide to take a walk. Hindi naman siguro ako maliligaw dito, after all part pa rin naman ito ng Philippines. I have an ID naman with me, so if ever na mawala ako makakabalik pa rin ako.

            And yes, wala akong kasamang bodyguards kaya super laki talaga ng problem ko if ever na maligaw ako. Tinakasan ko kasi sila, just kidding. My mom allowed me to go alone because I’m with Percy naman, he trust him naman daw.

            “Hi? You look lost.” Biglang sabi ng isang boses out of nowhere.

            “I’m not lost, so stay away from me.” I said in my most malditang aura.

            “I’m Luke. And you are?”

            He’s so makulit. I want to kick his butt and face para tigilan nya ako. “Don’t talk to me okay, I might die because of suffocation. You have the bad of all the bad breath in the world. Para kang Arab na kumain ng limang buong onions.” I said to him honestly.

            He looks at me like I drop an atomic bomb right where he’s standing. I can see his face turn into scarlet red. Why? Naging honest lang naman ako, bakit sya nagagalit?

            “Hey, are you ok? Bakit umalis ka doon, paano kung nawala ka?” biglang sulpot ni Percy.

            Hindi na lang ako sumagot, hinila ko na lang sya far from that guy na mabaho ang hininga. Nagpunta kami sa kainan, I bet gutom na si Annabeth. Fine, gutom na rin ako. Hindi ako sanay na maglakad under the sun.

            “Dito na lang kayo, ako na lang ang bibili.”

            “Ate Allison, are you okay?” tanong bigla sa akin ni Annabeth.

            “Yes, why?”

            “Your face, namumula ka. May sakit ka din ba parang si Mama?” she asked innocently.

            Napahawak naman ako sa magkabila kong pisngi. “Oh, maybe because of the heat and the sun. hindi kasi ako sanay eh.” Sagot ko na lang sa kanyan. “Can I ask you something about your Kuya?”

            “May nagugustuhan na bang babae ang Kuya Percy mo?”

            “Yes.” Mabilis na sagot ni Annabeth. “Pero hindi na alam ni kuya kung nasaan yung girl. He has a picture of that girl, pero never ko pa nakita. Madamot kasi si kuya minsan, so hindi nya ipinapakita sa akin.” Ouch! Parang ang sakit naman masyado noon. The guy that I like, like someone else na. “But according to him, bigla na lang daw nawala yung girl, bigla na lang daw hindi nagpakita sa kanya. Nikwento nga ni Mama na dapat magkikita si kuya at yung babae isang araw, na sasabihin na daw ni Kuya na mahal nya yung girl, pero yun nga hindi na nagpakita yung girl that day.”

            Information overload na, heartache overload pa. I was about to ask another question to her, pero dumating na si Percy.

            “Sorry natagalan, ang haba ng pila.” He said habang nilalagay sa table yung mga binili nya.

₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰

            Nakabalik na ako sa Manila, pero hindi pa rin mawala sa isip ko yung mga nalaman ko from Annabeth. Maybe until now mahal pa rin nya yung girl na ‘yon, at walang pupuntahan yung feelings ko for him.

            “What’s the matter baby, mukang malalim ang iniisip mo?”

            She really knows when I need someone to talk to. “Mom, I like Percy but he likes someone already.” I said to my mom looking straight to her eyes.

            “Mom, this is the first time that I felt this kind of feeling. This is so new to me, liking someone.” Sabi ko ulit when she didn’t say anything. “He’s all I wanted in a man. He’s handsome, kind, understanding, caring, and most specially he can make a coffee that sent me to heaven. Mom, what should I do?”

            She let out a deep sigh. “Allison baby, this is not the first time na naramdaman mo iyan. This is the second time na sinabi mo sa akin ang mga iyan, the same exact sentence.” Now I’m wondering. “Hindi mo maalala, because of the accident that happened six years ago. You met a car accident, that is the time na tumakas ka para makipagkita sa kanya, kay Al.”

            “Who’s Al?”

            “He is your first love baby, but we never met him and I know why. Natatakot 

ka na baka paghiwalayin namin kayo ng daddy mo, which never crosses our mind. We saw how happy you are whenever you came home from school. Al makes you happy.” Mahabang paliwanag ni Mommy.

            “Where is he now, do you have any idea?” umiling lang si mommy. “Did he come at the hospital to see me?”

            Umiling ulit si Mommy. “No baby. Hindi sya nakadalaw sa’yo not even once. We need to bring you to US for an operation. When you woke up after the operation that brings you to coma, you can’t remember anything, you had an amnesia.” Paliwanag ulit nya.

            “I don’t… why you keep all this to me, mom? I’m not mad, ok. I wish I knew all this before.” Naguguluhan kong sabi. “I don’t care about what happened before, I care about now.” I hugged my mom.

            “So what’s your plan about how you feel for Percy?”

            “I’ll tell him that I like him, or maybe that I love him already.” I said full of determination. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰₰

            “Can I have a minute with you?” I look at him, and to the chief barista. And they both nodded.

            “Sa rooftop na lang tayo para tahimik.” Sabi ko pa while walking towards the elevator.

            Okay Allison, wag ka magpaligoy-ligoy. Sabihin mo na agad, ok? Accept everything that he’ll say, you deserve every bit of it.

            “So, what do you want to talk about?” tanong nya agad sa akin pagdating namin sa rooftop.

            “I just wanna say something.” Then I let out a deep sigh. “I love you!”

            I look straight to his eyes when I tell him those words. He didn’t seem surprise, poker face pa nya sya. Parang wala lang sa kanya yung sinabi ko, hindi man lang natuwa or naawa sa akin. But hey, ayoko na kaawaan nya ako.

            “Seriously Allison? Grabe, ang galing mo talagang umarte. Stop acting like you really don’t know me. We even share a kiss before, we hugged each other before. Stop acting like that, damn it!”

            Why is he acting like this, ano bang kasalanan ko? And me, acting like I really don’t know him?

            “Allison, I’m          Alvin Percy and you used to call me Al. You’re the only one who calls me that way. Ikaw lang ang binigyan ko ng karapatan na tawagin akong Al. But what did you do Allison, pinaasa mo lang ako!” galit na sabi nya, and I can see it in his eyes. “Sasabihin ko na sayo that day na mahal kita, and I’m willing to do everything para matanggap ako ng parents mo because I am no good for you. Mayaman ka, mahirap lang kami, pero hindi non mapipigilan yung nararamdaman ko para sa’yo. Pero anong ginawa mo Allison, you never showed up! Mas matatanggap ko pa na nagpakita ka at sinabi sa akin na hindi mo ako mahal, at hindi mo ipagpapalit lahat ng meron ka para lang sa akin, but leaving me hanging without any goddamned word, that’s really bullshit Allison.”

            I’m crying. Eto ba yung sinasabi ni mommy na nagyari noon? Meaning, si Al at si Percy iisa lang? Iisa lang ang taong minahal ko noon at ngayon?

            “Believe me Percy, my mom told me na tumakas pa ako that day to see you, but I met a car accident while I’m on my way to you. They need to rush me in a hospital, and bring me to the US for an operation. I’ve been to coma, and when I woke up, everything that I knew, I forgot all of it.”

            “You think I would buy that bullshit crap? Grabe Allison, may future ka bilang artista dahil ang galling mong umarte. Try mo din making writer para mas sumikat ka pa!”

            Bakit ganon, bakit hindi ako pwedeng sumaya? Bakit lahat na lang ng taong mahalin ko, nawawala sa akin. I lost him once, and I don’t want that to happen again. “Believe me Percy, I love you. I love you not knowing that you’re my first love, that you’re the only guy that I love since then.” I said to him while tears are streaming down my face.

            “I’m so sorry Percy, hindi ko sinasadya na saktan at iwan ka before. Please Percy, forgive me. I really love you. Si Al ka man o si Percy, mahal kita.”

            “No Allison, I can’t love you back. You’ve cause so much hurt already, and I;m not willing to feel that again. Siguro nga mahal ko pa rin yung Allison na minahal ko before, but I don’t think that’s enough para makalimutan at mawala lahat ng sakit na ginawa noon sa puso ko.”

            He step back, and for the last time before he leaves the rooftop, he look at me with love…and anger. As he walk away from me, mas marami pang luha ang lumabas sa mga mata ko, mas masakit ang nararamdaman ng puso ko. The only guy that I love turns his back on me.

            Ilang oras na rin akong nandito sa rooftop, and hindi ko magawang bumaba. I’ve been crying for hours now, and I know how swollen my eyes now. Hindi naman ako ganito, hindi naman ako medaling paiyakin, pero bakit when it comes to him ang hina ko.

            Tama Allison, hindi ka medaling paiyakin, and you don’t give up easily. Bakit ako susuko, bakit ko isusuko si Al or Percy kung pwede ko pa rin syang ipaglaban? Right, I will show him how I love him! That would take a lot of time, but I’m willing to wait. Willing ako na maghintay na mapatawad nya ako, at mahalin nya ulit ako!

            Hindi basta-basta sumusuko si Allison Jacobs sa kahit na anong laban! AJA!