A Shot for Love

Twenty-ninth Shot

Twenty-ninth Shot

When I admitted to myself that I liked River, I honestly thought that maybe..

I was just longing for love that my Dad forgot to give me since Mom died.

A fatherly love. At first I thought I lacked of that that's why I'm suddenly overwhelmed by River's sudden existence.

But no..

I realized na.. hindi naman ganoon. River's giving me a different kind of warmth. Far from a father could give.

His.. was something hard to interpret by words. It's beyond words. It's a mixture of all things I could ever ask for.

It's the perfect kind of warmth I always ask for. From the moment I met him.. I knew that the dullness in my life has finally grown to colors.

To put it simply..

River is.. River.

He brought colors to my life.

A shot that I thought that wasn't worth it..

Wasn't worthless at all.

At itaga niyo man sa buwan at bato, hindi ko na pakakawalan ang ilog na 'yon.

*****

“Anong nangyari? Ayos na kayo ni Tito?”

Pupungas pungas akong naglakad patungo sa CR habang natatanaw si Cela'ng nagpipipindot sa phone niya.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa wristwatch na suot at nakitang ang aga pa. Ibig sabihin 'di pa gising sina Eren?

'Di bale. Malalaki naman na sila. Kumain sila kung kailan at saan nila gusto. Tatanungin ko nalang mamaya si Cela. Hindi ko kasi sigurado kung makakasabay ako sa kanila, baka biglang magyaya si Dad hindi naman ako tatanggi do'n.

Tinatamad akong tumango at dumiretso na sa CR.

I saw Cela beamed before I closed the bathroom door. Rinig ko pa sa loob ang ingay niya. “Really?! Then it's a success, Cady! Makakauwi na tayo bukas?!”

Umirap ako.

For Pete's sake! Tatlong araw palang kami rito! At kung 'di ako nagkakamali, dahil lang sa syota niya! It's not like hindi naman sila araw-araw na magkausap ng boyfriend niya!

I fixed my self quickly and got out of the bathroom only to see Cela smiling widely. Akala niya talaga siguro'y tapos na ang sadya namin dito porket nakausap ko na si Dad.

Hindi niya ako napansing lumabas kaya't marahan akong napabuntong hininga at napamaywang.

Binasag ko ang pantasya niya.

“Hindi. I told you we're here for a whole week, Cela. Whole week.”

Cela's head turned faster than a second. Lukot ang mukha at padabog pang napatayo sa kama. Nakatingin sa'kin na parang 'di makapaniwala.

I nodded at her mockingly.

“What?! Why?!”

I sat on my bed and sighed. “It's not just Dad I need to talk to, Cela. Candice, Aislyn and Dorothea.. I saw them here too.” Her eyes rolled with the latter's name. “Sayang naman kung hindi ko na tatapusin 'diba? Chance na 'to oh. Para na rin pag-alis natin dito, tapos na. For everyone's peace of mind?”

Tinitigan niya lang ako na parang may bulang lumalabas sa bibig ko.

Hindi siya tumango. Hindi rin naman umiling. I was confused for secs.