Like Strangers Do

Chapter 16

Huminga ako ng malalim at tumingin muli sa salamin na nasa harap ko. Nakita ko agad ang refleksyon ko doon, nakasuot ako ng isang puting button down shirt at denim short, ngayong gabi naisipan ni Fabian na gawin ang date namin at wala akong idea kung ano ang gimmick nya ngayon. Nakalugay lang ang maalon kong buhok. Bumaba ako para mag paalam na aalis na nang si papa lang ang maabutan ko na nakaupo sa sala habang nanonood ng balita. Napatingin ito sa pwesto ko. 

Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa din kami nag uusap ng maayos ni papa at hindi pa din namin napag uusapan ang nangyari noong birthday ko. Tumikhim ako bago ibuka ang bibig ko nang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Fabian. Napaawang ang labi ko nang makita kong may hawak itong bouquet ng bulaklak, sumunod na pumasok si mama na may hawak din na bouquet ng bulaklak. 

"Good evening, Tito. I'm her to invite Titania for a date." nakita ko ang pag galaw ng adam's apple nito pag katapos nya iyong sabihin, halos itago ko ang ngiti ko dahil doon. 

"Anong oras ba kayo uuwi?" napatingin naman ako kay papa nang itanong nya iyon at bumalik ang tingin kay Fabian na nakatingin saakin. Tumango ako bilang senyales na sagutin nya na. Tumikhim ito bago ibuka ang bibig bago sumagot kay papa.

"Mga midnight po." sagot nito. Tumango si papa at tumabi dito si mama na inaamoy pa din ang mga bulaklak na dala ni Fabian para sakanya, lumapit ako sa pwesto ni Fabian habang may ngiti sa labi ko. Inabot nito saakin ang bulaklak na dala nito, napangiti nang makita kong sunflower pala ang dala nito. 

Nag paalam na kami kay mama at papa na aalis na kami, habang nasa byahe ay nakatingin lang ako sa bulaklak na nasa kandungan ko. Nang makarating kami sa lugar kung saan kami papunta ay agad kaming bumaba at nilibot ko ang tingin ko sa buong paligid. Napangiti ako nang makita kong nasa beach kami. Libre lang ang entrance fee nito dahil wala naman nag mamay-ari dito bukod sa gobyerno ng probinsya namin. 

Hinawakan ni Fabian ang kamay ko at inalalayan ako sa pag lalakad sa buhangin. Huminto kami sa parte kung saan may bonfire at may nakalatag na mattress na may picnic basket. Umupo doon at napatingin ako sa payapang pag hampas ng alon sa dagat. Hindi gaanong malamig dahil may bondire sa harap namin. 

"Binilhan mo din si mama ng bouquet, nag paparamdam ka na." natatawang sabi ko habang kumakain kami ng hinanda nito. Ngumiti ito saakin. "I saw how kuya Flavio got Aprina's mother when she also gave him a flower. " casual na sabi nito. Tumango ako sakanya at muling bumalik sa pag kain. Kinuha nito ang champagne na nakalagay sa bucket na may mga yelo. Nilagyan nito ang champagne glass ko at ganun din ang ginawa nito sakanya. 

"Cheers." sabay naming sabi bago uminom. Matapos naming uminom ng isang glass ng champagne ay humiga ako sa mattress at tumingin sa mga bituin na nasa langit, mukhang hindi ngayon uulan. Naramdaman ko ang pag tabi saakin ni Fabian. 

"Do you know that there are many Greek gods and goddesses but my favorite is Apollo's story. It's way more different than the story we used to hear before but somehow this story made me believe about true love." nakangiting sabi ko habang nakatingin pa din sa langit. My college professor told me this story when he learned that I love painting, maybe he said that to me because I love painting or maybe not. 

"I want to hear it." I heard him muttered. HUminga ako ng malalim bago tumagilid paharap sakanya. He's now looking at me too and it made my heart jump. 

"Apollo is know as the god of the sun, isang araw nakita ni APollo ang isang babae, maganda ito kaya agad nya itong nagustuhan. They immediately fell inlove with each other. Kung saan sobra na silang nag mamahalan ay nakalimutan ni Apollo na mortal pala ito at hindi kagaya nyang God. Years past and Apollo notice that the woman he loves slowly getting weak and now on her deathbed. Do you know what Apollo says to the woman?" I asked him. He smiled before shaking his head. 

"The woman is now on her deathbed and Apollo said to the woman 'that they will see each other on her next life, when that life comes, he said to the woman that 'she should looked at the sky every daylight and she will see Apollo. And the woman died. Years, century and decades later, the woman that Apollo gave his whole heart live again but she doesn't remember Apollo because that's her past life but he always look up at the sky and she always see a sun and as Apollo being the sun of God, he never lose his feeling to that woman even though there but together, he's still happy that the woman kept his promise to look at the sky. " I love that version of story because it really tackles true love. Fabian sighs heavily, I felt him tucked the strand of my hair at the back of my ears.

"It's tragic but beautiful. Tragic in a way ka hindi naalala ni girl kung paano sila nag mahalan ni Apollo but beautiful because even centuries past Apollo still wait for the woman he love. " he whispered while caressing my cheeks. I closed my eyes and feel his warm touch.

"Will you wait for me the way Apollo wait for the mortal woman? " I asked him. I don't know why I asked him that kind of question, maybe because I want reassurance. Iminulat ko ang mga mata ko at bumungad saakin ang kulay kayumanggi nitong mga mata.

"I will wait for you no matter how long it is. " napangiti ako sa sinabi nito at tumango. I yawn and I saw him looked at his wrist watch. Umupo ito mula sa pag kakahiga at hinawakan ang kamay ko para makaupo din ako.

"It's almost midnight, I should take you to your house. " sabi nito. Sya na mismo ang nag dala ng mga ginamit namin. Habang nasa byahe ay nakahawak sa kamay ko ang kamay ni Fabian habang nakatingin ito sa daan. The way I feel right Now is way more different than I feel on my first date with Garrett maybe because I consider it as friendly date or maybe not, but either of the two I'm still happy and my heart feels contented.

Nang huminto ang sasakyan nito sa harap ng bahay namin ay agad akong tumingin kay Fabian. I smiled at him and he also smiled at me gently. I gulped hard before leaning towards his direction and kissed his lips. It last only for a seconds but it feels heavenly good. Agad akong bumalik sa pag kakaupo. I can't look at his eyes right now, he has the softest lips I ever kissed. I heard him chuckled that's the reason why I looked at him.

"You startled me! " sabi nito. I rolled my eyes at him. Bababa na sana ako sa kotse nito nang hawakan nito ang kamay ko dahilan kung bakit bumalik ang tingin ko sakanya. He smiled at me before caressing my cheeks and leaning forward and our lips touched. It's not the same how I kissed him earlier. I felt his lips move against my mouth. I closed my eyes and feel the tingling sensation on my stomach.

The way he kissed me gives warmth to my body and soul, the way his lips move is gentle and soft like my lips are a fragile glass. Our forehead touched and his smiling widely at me.

"Good night. " he whispered.

"Good night, Fabian. " I said.