Just the Ticket

Chapter 17

Chapter 17 #jttwbs

Suminghot ako at nanatiling nakaiwas ng tingin. I couldn't reply to his litanies. I just mopped the remnant of my tears with the back of my hand before I lent him my eyes.

"Sorry," mahinang sabi ko.

Naguguluhan niya akong tiningnan. "Para saan?"

"I didn't mean it, too. Na ibuhos sa'yo lahat ng narinig mo."

I looked away as soon as I finished my sentence. Nahihiya na ako ngayong nahimasmasan. I just dumped him my emotions out of the blue, didn't I? 

"Kung hindi sa'kin, kanino? Sa'kin na lang..." maagap niyang giit. "Naririnig naman kita. Makikinig ako. Lagi akong makikinig."

I scrunched my nose, wanting to stray from the current subject. "Wala ka bang panyo? Magpunas ka ng pawis mo."

Bigla siyang nairita. "Tang ina, naalala ko na naman." He scratched the back of his head. "Nawala ko sa daan ata o sa school. Armando Caruso pa man din."

"May tissue ako," I responded immediately. Dinukot ko ang box sa paper bag na bitbit at inabot sa kaniya saka iminuwestra ang mukha ko. "Mag-restroom lang din ako."

His nod was the last I saw before I turned my heels and went to the nearest restroom. Kalalapag ko lang ng bitbit sa lababo nang may kumatok sa bukas namang pinto. Si Fern ang namataan ko roon.

"Hi. May tao?" he asked aloud with eyes set outside like he's afraid he'd see something he shouldn't. His voice just echoed in the room.

"H-Huy?" nagtatanong kong tawag nang dumiretso siya sa loob ng banyo. Ng banyo na para sa mga babae.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Wala naman ibang tao."

He took off his backpack and dropped it on the sink beside my stuff. Kasunod ay inangat niya ang sarili upang makaupo sa lababo bago dalawang beses na humugot sa tissue box kong hawak niya.

But I was still startled so I remained staring at him. "Fern, baka may dumaang teachers o sina Sister at makita ka. Hintayin mo na lang ako sa... labas."

I nervously glanced at the doorway that fully revealed our current state to all the passerby. Pero gamit ang mahaba niyang binti, inabot niya lang ang pinto at itinulak ito pasara gamit ang kaniyang paa.

"Relax," he shushed me. Inginuso niya ang mga gamit ko. "Do your thing."

My stare lingered but he didn't budge a bit. In fact, he already started pulling more tissue papers from my box. 

Kahit kabado, hinarap ko na lang ang malaking salamin. Iniwas ko agad ang tingin ko sa sariling mukha sa salamin at yumuko na lang sa lababo. I turned on the faucet and scooped the streaming water with my hands for a while.

"Lift your head... Baby, don't be scared..."

Bahagya akong nanigas sa narinig. Mahina ang boses ngunit alam ko ang balak niyang gawin. If he continues, this would be the first time that I'm the... only audience. And the thoughts makes me feel something special.

"Of the things that could go wrong along the way... You'll get by with a smile... You can't win at everything, but you can try..."

Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala pero nanahimik lang ako habang pareho kaming abala sa ginagawa. I'm washing off all the chemicals I dabbed on my face while he's drying his temples, neck, and nape... and singing.

His quiet crooning served as a background music while I recalled my breakdown. I know that his words meant well. Pero nadala talaga ako ng emosyon ko. Pakiramdam ko nga hindi lang iyon tungkol sa pageant. Pent-up thoughts na rin siguro.