The Stranger I Met in Baguio [PUBLISHED]

Day 5

"Oo na nga, kumalma ka lang palabas na!" Masungit kong saad kay Paulo sa kabilang linya ng telepono.

Masyado kasi siyang nagmamadali. Babyahe kami papuntang La Trinidad ngayon para mamitas ng strawberries. Excited din ako pero nasobrahan naman ang isang ito at minamadali ako.

"Bilis na! Kanina ka pa jan Kelai, ang bagal mo." Pag rereklamo niya pa sa akin na parang bata.

I packed my things inside my bag and headed straight outside to see Pau, smiling wildly while standing right outside my door. Pinatay niya muna ang tawag bago siya nagsalita.

"Let's go!" Masaya niyang saad saka ko hinila palabas ng room ko.

Napa iling na lang ako habang lihim na natutuwa sa kaniya. He's so cute.

"Pau, kumalma ka nga! Hindi naman aalis 'yung strawberry farm!" Pangangaral ko sa kaniya habang inaayos ang pagkakasabit ng strap ng bag ko sa balikat kong halos malaglag na sa pagkaka-kaladkad niya sa akin.

He's too excited. I can see it, and I can tell.

Pau looks so damn happy. And it somehow, makes my heart happy, too. Nakakahawa 'yung saya niya. Ang aliwalas pag masdan ng mukha niyang palaging nakangiti.

He's not someone that I knew completely but one thing is for sure— he's a good person. He's too happy to be a bad guy and besides, the tittle doesn't suit him.

"I know. But, Kelai. Dapat hindi sinasayang 'yung pagkakataon. Who knows? Baka ito na ang huli?" He said, smiling yet seriously.

Natahimik naman ako doon.

Alam siguro niyang hindi na ako tatagal? Ewan ko. Pero alam ko para sa akin ang sinabi niyang iyon. He wants me to have the best while I still can.

"Oo na," Sambit ko saka mas binilisan ang lakad para sumabay sa kaniya.

I felt how his hands slid down from my wrist down to my palm. He looked at me as I froze for a moment and gave me the sweetest and most beautiful smile he could ever give.

Gulat man ay hindi ko itinigil ang paglalakad. It feels weird, yet good.

I've never held a hand like this before. I sure have held Devi's but Pau's hand feels different. It was the kind of hold that I never wish to let go. It feels so good and comfortable to feel awkward about. He's no one in my life pero I feel like, gusto kong hawakan ang kamay niya na kagaya nito palagi.

I can consider him as a friend, right? And friends can hold each other's hands. Hindi naman siguro masama?

I held his hand the way he's holding mine. His smile widened as he looked at our hands. Napangiti na din ako kagaya niya.

Hindi naman nagtagal ang pag hawak niya sa kamay ko, dahil agad din kaming pumara ng taxi para mag-hatid sa amin sa La Trinidad. It's 30 minutes away from here.

"Have you tasted strawberries from La Trinidad before?" Saad niya nang maka pasok kami sa loob at magsimulang umandar ang taxi.

Sasagot pa lang ako nang muli siyang nag salita.

"Oh right, strawberries from all over the country comes from La Trinidad. Ang bobo ko naman!" Sambit niya habang nag kakamot ng batok.

I chuckled as I looked at him and answered his question.

"I've never tasted srawberries before," Sambit ko.

Well, mukha ba akong tanga dahil sa 27 years ng buhay ko ay may isang nilalang na hindi pa nakakatikim ng strawberry?

He looked at me in disbelief na naiintindihan ko kung bakit.

"You mean, never?" Pag kumpirma niya habang naka kunot ang noo.