Tease Me, Bella Beatrice

29:

The travel is smooth. Hindi ko inaasahang magaan lang ang biyahe since the last time I travelled the same way, it was so messy I even told myself I won't be coming back and that is because there was a lot of passengers before when I travelled. That was a peak season. Lenten season, to be exact. Sobrang daming tao lalo na ang mga taga-probinsya talaga na taunang umuuwi para lang magcelebrate. And now that it is far from the Lenten season, average lamang ang biyahe at magaan.

"Fresh air. Sa wakas ay makakaranas tayo ng fresh air for weeks!"

Hindi maitago ang saya ni Gigi. Parehas kaming nakadungaw sa dagat habang inililipad ng hangin ang buhok niya. I am smiling while trying to tuck her hair behind her ears. Pumapasok kasi ang ilan sa hibla ng buhok niya sa bibig niya at hindi iyon maganda. Sinisiguro ko rin na safe siya sapagkat basa ang sahig.

"Hmm ang sarap ng hangin!" She continued as she looks around.

We are already halfway through. Siguro ay 45 minutes na lamang ay dadaong na kami. Hindi na namin tanaw ang syudad at medyo nagiging malinaw na rin ang islang nakikita namin. Mabuti nga at medyo maaga pa. It's just four in the afternoon. Meaning we will surely look at the sun setting on shore hours later. Nang tingnan ko ang mga kasama ko sa kabilang bahagi ay nagpapahinga sila. Nakahiga lang sa mga kama at nagrerelax.

"Ang ganda mo, Gigi Zurita." That's the reply I said to her.

Hindi nawala ang ngiti niya kahit na nga medyo napatigil siya sa sinabi ko. It's maybe because I was too serious, and she wasn't expecting the random compliment I gave her.

"Do you want something with me?" Nagdududa niyang tanong sa akin na ikinangiti ko nang marahan.

Grabe talaga. You cannot give a woman a genuine compliment na hindi siya magcoconclude na may ginagawa kang mali behind her back. It's like it's always too good to be true for them and that is weird.

"May ginawa ka ba?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"I just complimented my future wife. Is that wrong?"

Nanlalaki ang mga mata niya habang naiiling. Napatabon siya sa bibig niya na nagresulta nang muntik niyang pagtumba dahil biglaang nawala ang pagkakakapit niya sa bakal. The ones sustaining her balance while standing up on the ship. Mabuti na lamang talaga at mabilis ako kung hindi ay matutumba talaga siya.

"Be careful, baby. Napakacareless naman e nakakainis."

I cannot help but to get annoyed a little because of that even though she is safe now. Ewan ko ba. I am very possessive these days. It's like ayaw kong bitawan at alisin sa mata ko si Gigi. Maybe because I know she really is a little careless sometimes.

"Are you mad?"

"No." I hissed and calmed down a little bit after that. She just gave me a mini-heart attack. I held her waist after that. "Stop jumping around and doing that."