Lay A Glance On Me 1 (Lost and Retained #2)

Kabanata 23

Kabanata 23

Bullet

Nagising ako nang maramdaman na humigpit ang yakap ni Jarrell sa akin mula sa likuran. I flinched a bit when I felt his hot breath on the sensitive part of my breath. Lumayo ako nang kaunti ngunit niyakap niya lamang ako lalo para hindi ako makalayo sa kaniya. I smiled.

''Are you awake?'' I heard him asked. His voice was rough and hoarse because he just woke up. 

''Yeah. Kagigising ko lang..'' sagot ko. ''How about you? I'm sure you're tired,'' I said with an emphasis on the last word. We did it all night. Sigurado akong napagod ko siya lalo na't bago namin iyon ginawa ay galing pa siya sa basketball game.

''A little,'' sagot niya. Pinatakan niya ng mabababaw na halik ang balikat ko. ''Gano'n ka pala mag-comfort. Hmm.. Magpatalo na ba kami palagi?'' Humalakhak siya.

''Ewan ko sa 'yo! First time ko kayang gawin 'yon!'' Tumalikod ako upang harapin siya. Agad ko siyang niyakap upang itago ang mukha sa dibdib niya. Nag-iinit ang mukha ko! Because now that I think about it, nakakahiya pala!

Was I thirsty?!

''Really?'' tanong niya, hindi makapaniwala. Sinubukan niyang tignan ang mukha ko pero mas siniksik ko lamang ang mukha ko sa dibdib niya. Humalakhak siya. ''You were good. How come it was your first time?''

''Duh! Gano'n talaga kapag competitive!'' Umirap ako. 

''A-huh,'' he answered. He started to trace circles on my arms. ''Ang where you did learn that?''

Napakurap ako at unti-unting lumuwag ang pagyakap ko sa kaniya. ''W-well..'' Napakagat-labi ako. ''I k-kind of.. searched?'' hindi ko siguradong sagot. 

''You.. what?'' he hissed. He started to laugh when he realized what I have said. ''Lucy!''

''What?! Natural lang mag-search, 'no!'' sagot ko, defensive. ''Mas mabuti nang prepared!''

Humalakhak siya at hinalikan ang ulo ko. ''You did a good job, then. To more, please.''

''Gago!'' I rolled my eyes, kinikilig. ''Malungkot ka pa rin ba? I know you really want to win that game.''

''Kaunti na lang. I expected that we would win the game. Wala ang coach nila, e. But they came ready.'' Bumuntong hininga siya. ''Kung pumasok lang ang dalawa kong freethrow, the game would have ended the other way around.''

''You still did great, ano ka ba!'' Hinampas ko siya. ''Pero.. bakit nga ba hindi pumasok 'yon? E', ang galing-galing mo kayang mag freethrow!''

He chuckled. ''Your little naughty stunt shocked me that I wasn't able to think after seeing the banner.''

''Sinisi mo pa talaga ako, ha?''

Tumawa siya. ''No. But seriously, you really shocked me.'' He caressed my shoulder. ''I somehow felt pressured, too. You were watching me.. Tapos nando'n din si Papa kanina. Kinabahan ako.''

Nanlaki ang mata ko. ''Nanood ang Papa mo?!''

Tumango siya. ''Yeah. Baka hindi mo napansin kasi nasa kabilang side ka.''

Napatakip ako ng bibig, gulat. ''Oh my God. Baka nakita niya 'yung banner ko!''

Naramdaman ko ang pamumula ng aking pisngi. Nakakahiya! It is supposedly about the animals that represent our school, but I also purposely made it na double meaning! Bakit ko pa kasi ginawa 'yon!

''He surely did.'' Muli siyang tumawa at hinalikan ang ulo ko. ''Hayaan mo na 'yun.''

Iniwas niya ang tingin na para bang bigla siyang nawalan ng interes.