NIGHTS.
Hinatid ako ni Jepp sa kabilang eskinita malapit lang sa eskinita kung saan naroon ang bahay namin.
Ilang minuto pa namin iyong pinagtalunan dahil ayaw ko ngang ihatid niya ako at baka may makakita pa sa amin.
He insisted to take me home because he's proudly saying that chivalry is not dead.
Ano ba ang pake ko sa chivalry, eh kaya ko naman umuwi ng mag-isa.
Nakayanan kong pumunta roon ng mag-isa, kakayanin ko rin bumalik sa bahay ng mag-isa.
He doesn't have to be the typical gentleman to me, because he's not even a typical suitor.
This whole thing going on is like an underground business made by us two.
Fear of being caught in act is always present whenever he's near, or even when he's inches away.
"Sige na, umuwi ka na," agaran kong sabi sa kanya pagkababa ko ng motor niya.
Takot na makita ng iba. Takot na mayroong makaalam. Wala namang masama sa ginagawa namin kung tutuusin, pero bakit ganito nalang palagi ang nararamdaman ko?
Can't the universe allow us to love without having to worry about anyone, or anything?
"Are you okay?" tanong niya sa nag-aalalang mukha.
Tumango ako bilang sagot.
He nodded back.
Dahan-dahan akong tumalikod at naglakad papunta sa eskinita namin.
Do I have to ask for permission? Like... a formal bidding of goodbye?
Gets niya naman siguro iyon 'no?
I don't want to go back to where he is but I felt the need to at least say something as goodbye.
I turned around... and he's still there.
"Uh... goodbye." mahina kong sabi sa kanya.
He smiled. And his perfect teeth was shown. Fuck. Why do you have to be this, handsome?
Why do you have to act so kind? Why did you to insisted to court me? What in the world?
"Ingat ka," sagot niya pabalik.
Tumango ako sa kanya.
"Antayin muna kitang makapasok sa eskinita niyo, bago ako umalis." dagdag niyang sabi nang mapansin ang pagtango ko.
He knew I will no longer answer in words.
Let's be real. That's the bare minimum. I did not asked for it but he went through that in his own will, and I am beyond overwhelmed.
Butterflies fluttered inside my belly. Like I am in some kind of puppy love.
Nakarating ako sa bahay na malakas ang tibok ng puso.
I don't know. There's something with the aura of the house that makes it so unusual.
Or is it only because I was with him so all along, what I felt was only pure excitement?
Tatawagan ko na sana si Milleth kaso hindi siya sumasagot.
Nakapikit si Mama na... natutulog ba siya? Ang ulo niya ang nakapatong sa siko niyang nasa lamesa habang nakaupo siya sa silya.
Hindi naman siya nagpapahinga rito kapag pagod siya. She usually sleeps in their room or in the living room... not here in the kitchen.
Wala rin naman si papa kaya baka nga hindi siya makakauwi. Maggagabi na rin pala, hindi ko namalayan.
It's really true that when you're with someone you love, time ticks so fast.
To know that my father is not around, I was relieved.
Busog pa naman ako kaya naisipan ko na pumasok na sa kwarto.
I think I will not eat dinner. I'm already full. Sa dami ba naman ng kinain namin ni Jepp kanina, hindi ka maniniwala kapag sasabihin kong gutom ako.
I was scrolling through my phone when Jepp texted.
From: Jepp
Did you have fun?
Kung alam niya lang siguro kung gaano ako kasaya! I may not show it in my face, but my happiness is beyond my usual indicator. I am in so much blithe.
To: Jepp.
Oo naman. Salamat.
Is it too bland?
He's putting on some efforts to make this work. Should I take a part on it, too?
A part where you know... I put on a little sugar and spice...
Jepp calling...
"Hello," he said first after I answered the call.
"Hi," mahinang sabi ko.
I'm not really fond of these stuffs... but there is something in him that makes me do more of what I am usually doing. He'd let me do extremes without having to say it. No words, just pure connection.
"Okay ka lang ba?" Tanong niya mula sa kabilang linya.
Siguro sa bawat pag-uusap namin, hindi na nawawala sa kanya ang tanungin ako kung okay lang ba ako.
"Oo naman. Bakit?" I put on a little energy to my response so he'd stop thinking that I'm not okay.
"Sure ka?" paninigurado niya.
"Oo nga!"
"I think I wasn't able to tell you this, but you can be you when you're with me."
I can be me when I'm with him. Lintik kung sasabihin kung tama siya. Kasi hindi... nawawala ako sarili ko kapag nandiyan siya. Pakiramdam ko ibang tao ako kapag kasama ko siya.
My heart literally skipped a beat that I have to actaully hold it through the surface of my skin to stop it from collapsing.
I released an lung-full of air. And he heard it.
"Are you crying? Are you okay? May mali ba sa sinabi ko?" tanong niya, halata sa boses niya ang pag-alalala.
"I'm okay. Anyways, thank you nga pala... kanina." Ugh! Even through the phone, I can't finish my sentence without a single stutter.
He ended the call minutes after. May gagawin daw siya. I did not ask him about it, but he said, he'll wash his motorcycle for tomorrow.
Matutulog na sana ako pero nakaramdam ako ng uhaw. Wala akong dispenser ng tubig dito sa kwarto dahil tanging higaan at dalawang cabinet lang ang nandito.
Bumangon ako at nagsuot ng tsinelas para magtungong kusina. Maybe we talked too much that my mouth ran dry.
Kaming dalawa lang ni Mama rito sa bahay. Wala si Papa. Napakunot ang noo ko. May umiiyak sa kwarto nina Mama.
Napaawang ang bibig ko nang makitang nakaupo sa sahig si Mama habang umiiyak. Nakapatong ang ulo niya sa kama.
"Bakit ma?"Tanong ko sa kanya.
Nakita kong gulat siya na nakita akong nasa harapan niya. Dali-dali naman siyang tumayo at nagpapanggap na tinutupi ang bedsheet, kahit na nakatupi na naman ito.
"Wala anak. Sige na matulog na ka." Sabi niya at sumenyas pa na umalis ako.
Weird.
Word of the chapter: blithe
adj. happy or joyous
BINABASA MO ANG
Belonging Season (COMPLETED)
Novela Juvenilstarted: June 13, 2021 Ezra lived a life of hatred, disgust and loneliness. She lived with the shadows of her biological mother, in which is already encrypted in the minds of the people who knows her. Ever since she was young up to the present she c...
