The Flower's Sunshine (Fitzmael 4)

01: Blanket

"ELI, WAKE UP." Marahang tinapik ni Zius ang aking mukha. Dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang aking mata at nakita si Zius na bagong ligo. "You slept in the theatre room last night and I carried you here."

Agad akong tumayo at naligo. It took me more than thirty minutes to prep myself up. Zius was patiently waiting for me. I smiled and hugged him. "Thanks for waiting, Zius."

"No worries. You're my twin."

"You're so sweet..." I replied then I smirked when I remembered yesterday. "So, you like Lilac, huh?"

"Yes, but I don't know it yet. Ayokong magmadali."

ONCE WE WERE done prepping up, we immediately went to Imil's van. Pagkapasok ko ay agad akong tumabi kay Ren. Nagulat ako nang tumabi rin sa akin si Cedar. Nakadungaw lang ako sa window dahil gusto kong nakatingin sa labas.

"Do you want to sit here?" ani Ren.

"Is it okay?" takang tanong ko.

"Of course."

Nag-switch kami ng upuan ni Ren. Isang oras pa kaming nag-uusap nang nakaramdam ako ng antok.

"Are you sleepy?" mahinahong tanong ni Ren.

"Yes."

"Sleep here," tinapik niya ang kanyang balikat.

Malawak akong ngumiti saka ko hinilig ang aking ulo sa kanyang balikat. "Thank you."

Hindi ko alam kung tadhana ba ito pero lagi kaming magkatabi ni Ren hanggang sa makarating kami sa Bloom Hotel na pagmamay-ari nila. Kumain muna kami saka nag-ikot ikot.

KINABUKASAN AY NAG-HIKING kami para makapunta sa isang kilalang falls dito sa Cebu. "You're wearing that?" seryosong tanong ni Cedar habang nakakrus ang kanyang mga braso.

Napatingin ako sa aking sarili. Bikini ang suot ko pero meron namang see-through white pants at top. Hindi na ako nag-make up dahil hindi naman iyon akma sa activity na gagawin namin ngayong araw. "Yes. What do you want? Should I wear a skirt and boots?" I sarcastically asked.

"Whatever," aniya.

"You're so masungit. Are you really like that?"

"I'm not masungit," seryoso niyang sabi.

"You always look pissed while looking at me, Broom. I'm not stupid. If you don't like me, I don't like you too."

"Eli..."

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes then walked away.

AGAD KONG HINUBAD ang see-through pants at top na suot ko nang makarating kami sa falls. Color black ang suot kong bikini. Napansin kong masinsinang nag-uusap sina Ren at Cedar. Hindi ko sinasadyang marinig ang kanilang pag uusap nang makadaan ako. "I don't want us to be Franco and Marcus. I have a crush on her. But if you like her too then I'll take a step back. I'm planning to leave. Don't tell anyone yet," it was Ren's voice.

My chest hurts. Ren likes someone else, and it's not me. Are they talking about Cedar's ex-girlfriend? If not, who's the lucky girl, then? Suddenly, I recall that day Ren and I were having ice cream and Cedar was really mad. Those lethal looks, I believe, were directed at Ren rather than at me.

I had to shrugged it off. Tumalon ako sa falls saka lumangoy sa malayo. Agad akong umahon nang bumungad sa akin ang tatlong matitipunong lalaki sa aking harapan. Tiningnan ko ang paligid. Sobrang layo pala nang nalangoy ko.