Hope ur ok (Sour Hour Series #4)

Kabanata 26

It was almost Sunday afternoon but the sun is still out of sight. I can still feel the storm from the last night as the wind kissed my skin with a bit mist in it.

Mula sa aking kinatatayuan, sa labas ng aming mansyon ay nasa harapan ko ang mansyon na tinutuluyan nila Maverick. I don't know who's living here but as far as I can remember, Maverick's mother and his step father isn't here. Sa pagkakaalam ko ay lumipat na ang mga ito sa probinsya. I don't know where, hindi ko naman naitanong kay Maverick at wala rin naman siyang nabanggit sa akin.

Ang alam ko rin ay ibinenta na ang mansyong ito, hindi ko lang alam kung natuloy. Ngunit siguro ay oo dahil ilang beses ko ring nakitang bukas ang ilaw ng mansyon.

Inalis ko roon ang aking mga mata at tinuunan ang aking phone. I searched for Maverick's number and pressed it to call him. My eyes set on my feet while waiting for him to answer.

"Rylli, babe."

Napaangat ako ng tingin nang marinig siya mula sa kabilang linya. "Mav!" I called and nibbled my lower lip as my voice raised a bit.

I heard a low chuckle from him. "Yes, Rylli. How are you?"

"Doing good! Are you busy? May gagawin ka ngayon?" sunod-sunod na tanong ko dahilan kung bakit mariin akong napapikit. Tila may sariling bibig ang aking isip at hindi ito masupil.

"Still not sure if..." marahang sambit niya ngunit hindi itinuloy ang sasabihin. "Why? You busy?"

"No, uhmm. Magpapasama sana 'ko. But if you have commitments for today, it's alright. Sa ibang araw na lang siguro."

This can wait. Besides, I'm still not sure if I can tell it to Mav already or... not. Ni hindi ko alam kung paano ko sisimulan ang mga balak sabihin.

Mula sa mansyon ay nag-iwas ako ng tingin. Sa pag-iwas ay nahagip ko ang pamilyar na kotse papalapit sa akin kasabay noon ang muling pagsagot ni Maverick mula sa kabilang linya.

"I'm actually here already. I'm planning to fetch you and we'll go out if you're not busy."

I gasped in excitement. Ngunit agad ko ring tinutop ang mga labi. "I'm not. I'm free for the whole day." Napako sa paparating na kotse ang aking nga mata.

He silently hummed. "You have a place in mind?"

"Meron sana. Ikaw? May... iba ka bang planong puntahan?"

"I have but we can compromise."

Bago pa ako makasagot ay huminto na sa aking harapan ang kotse na kaninang tinititigan. The engine of the car died and Maverick went out of it.

I glanced at my phone and ended the call before turning to him who's now standing in front of me with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

Bahagya pa akong natigilan at napakurap ng may ngiti sa mga labi.

"For the woman named Hermione Amaryllis," he muttered as he handed me the bouquet that I immediately accepted. Nahuli ko ang nakakalokong ngiti sa kanyang mga labi.

Nahihiwagaan ko siyang sinulyapan. I tried suppressing the smile forming in my lip but I failed. "A bouquet? For what?"

My mind even started thinking of the date today, remembering if there's an occasion but I found none. Bahagya pang kumunot ang aking noo nang walang maalala ngunit hindi pa rin nawala ang bakas ng ngiti sa aking mga labi.

"What? Can't I buy a bouquet for my girlfriend? I just want to thank her."

"Huh? Why? For what?"

"For being strong. For not giving up, Rylli."