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One day, Hannah Gabrielle Lopez thinks, one day she will be able to resist Charlie's pout, and Charlie's voice, and Charlie's eyes when she says: "Please, Hannah, please, bili ka ng pancit canton doon sa tindahan sa labas? Ayaw na kasi akong pagbentahan nung magandang tindera na matangkad kasi ang dami ko na daw utang. Eh kaya lang naman ako nabili doon para makita siya, kasi ang cute niya. Please, Hannah? Sige naaaa."
One day, Hannah tells herself, as she digs through her bag for her wallet, one day . But that day is not today, because she knows that she'll end up buying a lot more than pancit canton. She'll end up taking care of Charlie's utang, too, and probably buying a lot more than she planned for -- beer for Kit, maybe some candy for Mihan. Maybe, even something for herself. The store has some unique brands of ice cream and Hannah has always had a bit of a sweet tooth.
She hums to herself. Mga ginagawa ko para sa'yo, Charlie, she thinks.
There's no one at the front of the store when she gets there, but this doesn't surprise Hannah. Instead, she goes about her business -- pancit canton for Charlie, a variety of candies for Mihan. She grabs a tub of her favorite ice cream flavor from the fridge outside, before heading back in to look for beer.
She knows that Wan puts them in the refrigerators near the back of the store, and Hannah thinks nothing of it as she walks in, still humming to herself a little. She can't even recognize the song -- probably something Mihan was singing a few days ago.
"Ate Wan? Saan nga 'yung mga beer niyo?" she calls out. She's not looking right in front of her -- Hannah's first mistake. When she turns her head, she stutters to a stop. "Ay," she says.
The voice in her head sounds surprisingly like Kit. Eh 'di tatlo na kayong tibo dito, she thinks.
"Sorry! Sorry," Hannah rushes to say. Her face feels red -- as if she's never seen anyone kiss in front of her before. "Sorry -- may bibilhin lang sana kasi ako --"
"Hannah?" Wan asks, and she also sounds a little surprised. By her side, Maewnam is frowning.
"Yes, sorry, sorry. Alis na lang ako," Hannah says, already walking backwards. Maewnam -- all five-feet and a one-and-a-half inches of her -- is staring at her with daggers in her eyes, as if ready to pounce on her for daring to interrupt their moment. Hannah can't blame her.
"Saglit, may bibilhin ka ba?" Wan asks, already trying to extricate herself from Maewnam's hold. The other woman doesn't let go.
"Oo sana, pero 'wag na!" At this point, Hannah is near the exit. "Balik na lang ako bukas -- or si Charlie na lang pabilhin ko bukas! Okay na, ate, thank you na lang!"
She gives the pair the most awkward wave of her life before turning around. There's only a few meters between the store and Charlie's building, but Hannah feels out of breath by the time she reaches the door.
She's greeted by the sight of her girlfriends her exes her best friends all lounging on Charlie's couch, keeping themselves busy. Mihan has her tablet out and is typing up a storm (probably another story, hopefully not about them), and Kit and Charlie are playing some game. The latter looks at her hopefully when she enters, her entire face lighting up. Hannah pretends the sight of Charlie looking at her like that doesn't send her heart racing, just a little bit.
"Nakabili ka, Han?"
As an answer, Hannah lifts up her hands -- empty. Charlie's face falls, and she pouts.
"Umm, 'yung utang, nabayaran mo?"
At that, Hannah puts her hands on her hips. "'Yung utang mo, Charito Lyn??"
"Oo, 'yung utang ko nga. Eto naman, nagtatanong lang." A beat. "So, nabayaran mo nga?"
"Hindi rin."
At that, Mihan raises her head, looking a little confused. "Ano nangyari, na-distract ka na naman nung pusa ano?"
Hannah sighs. If only . "No," she says, "This was much, much worse."
This time, it's Kit who perks up. "Bakit, may nag-iinuman ba ulit sa labas? Tara, sabayan natin. Lakas nung may-ari ng salon, 'di ko in-expect."
"Nako, 'wag niyo na tangkain pumunta," Hannah says. She flops down on the couch, in between her girlfriends her exes her best friends, and heaves a long-suffering sigh. "Alam niyo 'yun, bibili lang naman ako, magbabayad lang naman dapat ng utang, tapos pagdating ko dun may naglalaplapan? 'Yun lang naman."
Charlie had been slumped against the couch at that point, but at this new information, she sits up straight. "Sino?? 'Wag mong sabihin 'yung maliit --"
Mihan makes a noise of complaint. "Grabe sa maliit --"
Charlie gives her a look, and blows her a kiss. "So 'yung maliit nga? 'Yung mukhang mataray na naka-bike?"
Hannah nods. "Oo. 'Di ba sabi ko naman sa'yo kasi, wala kang pag-asa dun kay Ate Wan? 'Pag nakikita ka niya ang naiisip niya lang eh ang dami mong utang sa kaniya."
Charlie pouts, and Hannah has to stop herself from leaning over and doing something crazy like -- like kiss that lower lip. Fortunately, Kit is there to offer a distraction.
"Alam mo, nakakahalata na ako sa'yo," she says, a playful smirk on her face as she gazes at Charlie. "Type mo ata talaga mas matangkad sa'yo, ano?"
Charlie's response is to roll her eyes at Kit. "Assuming ka," she says, but there's no heat in her voice and all of them decide to ignore the flush in her cheeks. "Anyway, paano 'yan? Wala akong food dito."
"Lagi ka namang walang food dito," Mihan says.
All of them are silent for a couple of seconds. And then --
"Tara na nga," Hannah says, standing up. "Doon na lang tayo sa akin. Ipagluluto ko kayo."
"Yown!" Kit says, jumping up as well. She presses a quick kiss on Hannah's cheek -- again, Hannah has to pretend that this doesn't send her heart racing -- before grabbing her bag from the floor. "Alam ko namang doon din tayo pupunta eh."
Mihan, too, is already fixing her things. "Tinola, please, Han?"
"You know it." She smiles when Mihan deliberately bumps her shoulder -- and again her heart races, surely this can't be healthy? -- before shifting her gaze to a still pouting Charlie. "Uy, let's go?"
Charlie nods. "So ano, sila na? Si Ate Wan at 'yung aling maliit?"
Hannah laughs. "I'm pretty sure may name siya."
"Ang taray lagi sa akin noon eh," Charlie says.
"Kasi nakikipag-flirt ka kay Ate Wan! As if may pag-asa ka," Hannah tells her. She puts a hand on Charlie's back and guides her out the door, locking it behind her. Already, Kit and Mihan are waiting for them near her car. "Kahit ilang beses mo siya i-offer na i-kiss, hindi pa rin niya ika-cancel mga utang mo."
"Hmf," Charlie says. And then, she grins at Hannah. "Alam ko naman 'yun," she tells her. "At saka … Kayo lang naman talaga ang gusto ko i-kiss." She winks and slips past Hannah, joining Kit and Mihan near the vehicle.
Hannah is still frozen near the door, Charlie's last words bouncing around in her head. Kayo lang naman talaga ang gusto ko i-kiss .
"Han, tara na! Gutom na ako!" Kit yells, and Hannah shakes her head.
She pulls out her keys and looks at Charlie, who is staring back at her with a knowing expression on her face.
Fuck you, Charito Lyn, Hannah thinks. You'll be the death of me.