Crossing Borders

13

Angelica Tolentino

"Why did you not wait for me?" Halos maging isa na ang kilay ni kuya nang makalapit siya sa akin. He stood beside me with his warm, hard-like body sticking so close to mine.

Look at this huge man. Kahit nakaupo na ako sa mahabang stool hanggang balikat pa rin niya ako. One wrong move and this man will seriously crush me.

"Mauna na ako sa inyo." Nawala ang atensyon ko kay kuya nang magsalita si James.

I nodded at him at pinanood siyang maglakad palabas ng kusina hanggang sa mawala siya sa paningin ko. Sunod ko namang binalingan ng tingin si kuya nang maalala ko ang tanong niya kanina. My head slightly tilted to the side and tried to decipher what he's currently feeling dahil ang sama pa rin ng tingin niya. Not on me but on the kitchen's doorway.

He snapped his head back to me when he noticed my stares at walang pasabing kinulong na naman ako sa pagitan ng malalaki at mauugat niyang braso. His jaw clenched tightly and his eyes were looking at me with fire on it.

"I told you to wait, didn't I? You just can't walk around at this time without me, Angelica," he said through gritted teeth.

My brows furrowed. "Why? I can handle myself, kuya. Matanda na ako."

"The more you have to stick with me then," aniya.

I sighed and cupped his cheeks. Alam kong may nagbago sa pakikitungo ni kuya sa akin simula noong una akong tumuntung sa bahay niya. Siguro ay mas tinuturing na niya akong nakababatang kapatid kumpara dati. Pero hindi ganoon ang nagiging interpretasyon ko at hindi ito kasalanan ni kuya.

"I have a life, kuya, and you have yours. I just can't stick to you forever."

Totoo naman ito. Hindi ako pwedeng habang buhay na nakabuntot sa kanya dahil may kanya-kanya kaming buhay.  I have my own life to fix at ganoon din siya.

His brows furrowed even more. "You will have to stick with me until I get rid of you. That's not something you can decide."

Napabuntong hininga ako at napahilot ng noo. I think I'm going to have a headache. This man is too difficult to deal with! Ganiyan din ang sinabi niya sa akin kahapon.

"Matutulog na po ako. I think I'm going to have a headache." Akala ko ay aalis na siya pero nanatili siya sa ganoong posisyon at pinakatitigan ang mukha ko. Tila sinusuri niya iyon at naghahanap ng mapipintas. It put me in an awkward and uncomfortable situation.

"May...problema ba, kuya?" I asked, unsure of what he was doing.

He looked at me straight in the eye and dipped his nose on my neck. Sinubukan kong iatras ang katawan ko ngunit nakaharang sa likuran ko ang kitched island na gawa sa marmol. Dahan-dahan ring pumulupot ang malalaki niyang braso sa bewang ko.

Did he want a hug? Dahil ba iyon sa nangyari kanina sa kwarto? Hindi man sigurado ay niyakap ko pa rin ang kaniyang leeg. Naramdaman kong natigilan siya sa ginawa ko pero kaagad din namang nag-relax ang katawan niya.

I inhaled his scent and sigh in bliss. He smells so good. Kahit tinotopak si kuya kahit papaano nitong nagdaang weeks inaalagaan na niya ang sarili niya. He's taking baths two times a day at hindi na kung kailan niya feel. He doesn't walk around smelling like booze anymore.