A Ghostly Kiss (A Short Story)

Enchanted

"LELIOT!!!! WAKE UP!!!!! It's No-Detox-Day and I need you to take me to a good place!" sigaw ni Shani habang niyu-yugyog ako sa kama.

I answer her with a moan and bury myself on my pillow.

She's here... Akala ko isa ng apparition iyong panaginip ko. I feel like my heart is floating on a cloud of relief at the sight of her here in my room, annoying as ever, as naughty as ever, as loud as ever and as beautiful as ever. I must not think about the dream, because I know she'll stay.

"Come on, lazy-ass! Get up! I want to eat bibimbap today and a chocolate mousse cake! Get up! Get up-mmmmmm" she said tickling me with her nose on my neck.

"Okay-okay! Geeesh, Shani. Ang hilig mo talaga sa maasim, pati akong 'di pa naliligo at maasim-asim pa sa tulog ay pinapapak mo." sabi ko habang nilalayo ang mukha niya sa leeg ko.

"Hindi kaya maasim! Ang bango-bango mo nga, eh! Tingnan mo, oh-hmmm! Hmmm!" tuloy siya sa pagsinghot sakit at ako naman ay tuloy sa pag-sangga sa mukha niya habang tumatawa. "Bango-bango ng best friend ko!"

Natigilan ako sa pagtawa at pagsangga sa ginamit niyang pangalan sa akin.

Best friend.... of course I'm his best friend. At hanggang doon lang ako para sa kanya and I will never get to go beyond that. Ako lang si Elliot ang best friend niya, iyon lang. Samantalang siya si Shantay Ingrid... ang buong buhay ko, ang babaeng hindi ko kayang mawala.

Hindi ko namalayang tumigil na din pala siya sa pag-kiliti sa'kin at kasalukuyang nakikipag-titigan sakin. Sobrang lapit ng mukha niya, ang mata niya ay sinserong nakatingin sakin, malungkot ito at nanghihinayang.

I mirrored the expression in her eyes.

Best friend...yes, I will accept it, I will accept the role, kahit iyon na lang... basta kasali pa rin ako sa mga tauhan sa buhay niya.

"Ugh! You're so heavy, Shani. Get off." reklamo ko sabay hila sa kanya patabi sakin and place myself on top of her.

She was shocked and red. I grinned on my effect on her then rubbed my nose against hers "Where do you wanna go, best friend?" I asked and get off of her.

I grab my towel and yawn while stretching my arms. I can see her reflection on the mirror getting up from my bed. She sits there and meet my gaze on the mirror.

Malungkot pa rin ang mata niya na para bang gusto niyang umiyak but she can't cause it will hurt me. Lalapitan ko na sana siya para itanong kung anong problema niya pero bigla niyang binato ang unan sakin at humagalpak siya ng tawa!

"Leliot, kadiri ka! Takpan mo naman iyang junior mo! Bumabakat sa boxers mo, eh! 'Di ka na nahiya sa'kin!" sigaw niya habang patakbong umalis ng kwarto ko.

At noon ko lang napagtantong naka-topless nga pala ako at boxers lang and I'm having my morning wood. Agad kong tinakpan ang nakabukol sa boxers ko kahit na nasarado na niya ang pinto.

Pagkatapos kong maligo ay bumaba ako sa kitchen kung nasaan si Shani. She is having a coffee while reading a newspaper and banging her head in background music my Nanny play in the stereo.

"Nakakpagbasa ka ba ng ganyang hine-head bang mo iyang ulo mo? Akin na nga yang dyaryo." sabi ko sabay hablot ng dyaryo sa kanya. "Tsaka kailan ka pa nagkaroon ng interes sa nangyayari sa bansa natin, ha?"

"I'm looking at Daniel Padilla's article in there...you know I love that guy. Siya lang ata ang Pilipinong artista na nagustuhan ko. Hehe. And I don't give a fuck about the economy." sabi niya sabay simsim sa kape niya.

Sumimsim din ako sa kapeng nasa harap habang tiningnan ang kabuoan niya. She's all dressed up. White plain spaghetti dress just above her knees and a rubber shoes. Her brown hair is curled, her lips have a light touch of pink lipstick and she got my heart necklace around her neck.

"Are you sure you're fine today?" I asked. Concerned about her health.

"Yep! Totally fine! No, detox, today!" she answered cheerfully raising her right arm.

'No-Detox-Day' is a day where her doctor remove her dextrose after being confined on the hospital for a long time. She called it 'detox' because bulol siya sa R at sa S that makes it hard for her to pronounce it.

I eyed her suspiciously if she's saying the truth. I'm really concerned about her health. Shani have this hypertensive heart disease: CHD or coronary heart disease that makes it difficult for her heart to function and supply the rest of her organs with blood. Ayon sa mga specialista: when high blood pressure causes the blood vessels to become narrow, blood flow to the heart can slow or stop. Kaya maraming bagay ang bawal sa kanya even extreme emotions.

So her parents really spoiled her. Giving her everything as long as it was best for her. And I too did spoiled her, sa ilang taon naming magkaibigan ay hindi ko hindi binigay ang kung ano mang gusto niya, basta ikakasaya niya at ikabubuti.

"So, where are we going? Doon lang sa hindi ka masyadong mapapagod, ha. You know, you can't move around much. Kagagaling mo lang sa hospital, missy." I remind her.

"But I wanna go on an amusement park, Leliot. Sa Enchanted Kingdom! Let's go there! Let's go!" she said enthusiastically.

Tiningnan ko siya ng masama. "Going to an amusement park makes you move around and it will tire you. Remember, missy, kagagaling mo lang sa hospital."

"But....But...Elliot....I'm fine today. Totally fine. I'm strong as a horse today, Leliot. Please, let's go to Enchanted Kingdom, the park is calling me, ya'know? Since we're both 'enchanted'." she said pouting her lips.

Naguluhan ako sa sinabi niya na parehong 'enchanted'. Then I remember her name, Shantay is a French word for 'enchanted' and Ingrid is German for beauty. I chuckled cause she is so adorable in her pouting lips. Damn! She's hitting me on my weak spot.

"Besides, you promise me before na pupunta tayo don. And we'll ride the ferris wheel and you're gonna buy me a cotton candy, and an ice cream, and you'll get me a stuff toy sa shooting game don." I raised an eyebrow resisting not to kiss her. "And I want you with me today, Elliot. Iyong ikaw at ako lang sa lugar na iyon, because this... "

I didn't heard the last sentence she said. Kumunot ang noo ko doon pero nagkibit balikat na lang ako at bumuntong hininga.

"Okay, we will go...but you'll tell me kapag pagod ka na and hindi mo na kaya, okay?" I said defeated.

She immediately come up to me and clung herself on my neck. She's very thrilled on my approval. Iyong mukha niya ay animong clown sa sobrang stretch ng mga labi niya.

Oh! What I'd give for this woman. If she asks me to swim the deepest ocean just to have the most precious and shiny pearl in the whole world... I would gladly do that.

"Easy, missy. Don't get to hasty, pupunta muna tayo sa school ko para makapag-enroll ako, okay?" I said while holding her waist, putting her down.

"Aye! Aye, sire!" she answered with a funny British accent and fake a salute.

I laugh as she dashed to our garage and wait for me eagerly.

"Come on! Come on! You're so slow, gramps!"

"Gramps?! Were on the same age, Shani. Please, wait I'm still having my breakfast." I said and sip my now cold coffee.