Agad akong napabangon sa kama ko nang magpop-up ang message ni Calian sa screen nang hawak kong cellphone. Bumilis pa rin ang tibok ng puso ko kahit pa kanina ko pa naman hinihintay ang reply niya. I breathe in and out before finally standing up and making my way to the bathroom to check my face.
Matapos makitang maayos na ang itsura ko ay mabilis akong sumilip sa bintana kung saan agad kong namataan si Calian na nakatingin din sa kuwarto ko habang hawak ang cellphone at nakasandal sa sasakyan niya. Sumilay agad ang ngiti sa labi niya nang magtama ang mga mata namin.
Umalis ako roon at agad tumakbo palabas ng kuwarto upang makababa na. Sinuklay ko pa ulit ang buhok ko bago tuluyang binuksan ang pinto na mukha niya agad ang siyang sumalubong sa akin.
Binagalan ko ang lakad papunta sa gate para hindi niya mahalata na excited na ako. Tumaas ang isang kilay niya habang patuloy ang pagngisi.
I smiled at him and waved my right hand awkwardly when I finally reached him.
"How are you?" Bungad niya.
"I'm sorry... " Nakagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko nang sabay kaming magsalita.
He chuckled, then immediately held my wrist and pulled me for a warm and tight hug. Halos hindi ako nakagalaw dahil sa ginawa niya. It's the third time that he hugged me but this one feels different. His hug seems to say how much he wants to hold me in his arms like this, how much he longs for my warmth, how much he... want to feel my heart next to him. It's nostalgic yet new.
I closed my eyes, letting him feel my warmth and my profound longing for him. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around his waist, mirroring the embrace he was giving me. His smell further emphasized how he could be my haven of rest and comfort in the darkest days.
"I'm so sorry about all the things that I've said to you." Saad ko nang humiwalay na siya, now holding my right hand and squeezing it.
He slowly lift his head up and meet ny my gaze, eyes soft and gentle.
"Alin doon?" He chuckled.
Binawi ko ang kamay ko at ngumuso.
"Lahat. Mula no'ng nasaktan kita." Sagot ko, umiiwas ng tingin.
"I'm just kidding. It's okay, Ghali. I understand you. I'm the one who should be saying sorry to you. I think you didn't had the chance to hear my apology about our kiss." Saad niya habang muling inaabot ang kanang kamay ko.
"I'm sorry. It's my fault, you have a lot of time to say sorry to me but I didn't give you a chance." I pouted.
"Actually, I think I only need to say sorry because I didn't ask for your permission before I kissed you." Akala ko ay tapos na siya pero muli siyang nagsalita. "I realized that I kissed you not because Tiffany's friends were there, but because I'm already feeling something for you since then and I don't want to see you hurt upon seeing your ex."
We looked at each other's eyes for a brief moment before I nod my head at him with a ghost of smile on my lips.
He nodded too and smiled widely. He let go of my hand, turned around, then opened his car door.
Nang humarap siya sa akin ay hawak na niya ang kumpol ng mga white roses. He handed it to me and smiled weakly, asking for something.
"Can we give it a try?" He asked with a soft and gentle voice.
BINABASA MO ANG
Finders, Keepers
JugendliteraturIt took one sudden encounter, a series of unexpected messages, and random get-togethers, that they may have realized there was something more than just experiences they had in common. And perhaps their past that brought them so much pain ironically...
