Through Unparalleled Seals

069

We did go back home and get my art suplies, natatawa pa kami kung paano  ko dadalhin ang mga iyon pero dahil maliliit lang ang mga dinala ay kasya naman sa totebag ko.  

rick drove us to the beach we always go to, but this time ay hindi kami sa dalampasigan dumiretso kundi sa madamong bahagi kung saan sagana sa puno at malilim. marami akong gustong itanong  but i want to enjoy my time with him. 

rick set up my painting materials including my portable easel and brushes. 

"Does your dad out with your stepmother?" iyon ang hindi ko alam. 

hindi ako nakasagot sa mga tanong niya at ipinagpatuloy ko lang ang pagpipinta, i'm painting his side profile. nuong una ay sketches lang iyon at ngayon naman ay parang sang ayon ang mga kamay ko sa mga kulay na inilalagay. 

 the hues of his tanned skin made me blush, from his neck to his bare arms. 

i thought of painting his hair with darker color, sa bawat paglapat ng paintbrush sa pintura na napili ay papalit-palit ang tingin ko kay rick at sa dagat. 

He is now arranging our food, smiled seeing my favorite pastries. 

"Love, remember the bakery near our school? may Bago Silang recipe ng Pande-coco, I think you should try it, you will love this one. not too sweet but tasty." I stopped painting when he put the bread near my lips. 

i took a small bite, oo nga. ibang-iba na iyon sa nakasanayang kong lasa ng tinapay nila. i shrug off he laughed seeing my reaction, mabilis kong tinandaan ang mga singkit niyang mga mata. at ginuhit ulit iyon. 

mabilis akong natapos sa ginagawa at sa huli ay napagod narin, rick is just enjoying staring at the sea with his longer hari flying around his forehead and his smile never faltering. 

I slowly sat beside him with my dress hiking up, he put his jacket on my thighs. Naka kunot ang nuo at galit nanaman. what's up with him being grumpy? 

"Tsk, your dress is distracting me." my laugh drown inside my mouth when he kissed me on my lips. my eyes are wide and my cheeks heating this time I'm the one who is distracted! 

instead of glaring at him or pinching his forearm, I lean my head on his chest and tried to find his heartbeat. I smiled when I heard it louder than I imagined. 

I felt him kiss my hair. 

"Ako pa ang clingy huh? e halos ilapit mo na ang ilong mo sa balat ko." 

"E ano ngayon?gusto kong maamoy ang pabango mo. may masama ba? " 

napaahon ako na ikinatawa niya, he hides his smile and bit his lips. namumula na ang kanyang tenga at leeg. ang sarap pitikin at haplusin. 

"Sabi ko nga po, wala." ilang siyang nagiwas ng pangin at kumagat sa tinapay na paborito. 

"What if you give me a bottle of your perfume?"  muntik siyang masamid dahil doon, nataranta ako na bigyan siya ng tubig na mabilis naman niyang ininom. 

"No, Kung bibigyan kita edi hindi mo na ako inamoy. kaya nga halos ipaligo ko na 'to araw-araw dahil gusto mo e." i glared at him and leaned back. 

I love hearing his healthy chuckles and Laughter every time we argue about small things, we stayed there until sundown, and we lie by each other side just staring into the sky full of night light and shade of orange.  

"I-i should call papa first, Rick. baka hanapin niya ako at pagalitan ka!" i was panicking for a second but he comforted me na Bago kami dumiretso rito ay nakapag paalam na siya kay papa.

"And he knows I always go with you to your therapy, kaya hindi iyon magagalit." napabalik ako sa paghiga sa kanyang tabi at dinama ang paunti-unting paglamig ng hangin. 

stars are slowly becoming visible, and sky are getting darker and daker each minute passed by. para akong hinihele ng tunong ng mga alon at hampas n'on sa dalampasiga. 

"The stars are shinier tonight, ano kayang nangyayari sa kalawakan?" 

out of no where rick started hummings an unfamilaiar melody. 

"Is that your new song?" marahan akong bumaliktad ng higa at inilapit ang sarili sa kanya, why does it feel like he is far when he is just laying beside me? 

tinukod ko ang palad sa baba at hindi na naitago ang ngiti ng makita ko ang ngiti sa kanyang mga labi, he nods and hummed more. until my head spin, i listned to him. 

"You know... stars are everywhere, right?" 

"Uhuh, stars are everywhere..." I mumbled. my smile didn't even falter despite my head spinning and being sleepy, this day exhausted me. too much to think and do. 

"We both are laying under the same stars, Kahit Nasan ka ay nandoon ako... stars represent life in another dimension kaya tuwing titingin ka sa mga tala ay kumikinang sila. stars are alive, sam.  i haven't confessed to you what i think of stars yet..." marahan siyang bumuga ng hangin at inalalayan ang braso na parang inaabot ang mga bituin. 

"What is it then?" I mumbled again, this time closer to his ears. I felt him still for a second but immediately regained himself. 

inaantok na talaga ako kaya nama marahan kong ipinikit ang mga mata. 

my ears and skin are aware of what is happening kaya kampante ako. 

"That stars are me and you, we shine bright in our way. big, small. blue and red. what I think about is you're my star. you guide me when I'm lost. you light my way while I sail through the vast ocean. I was the pirate with the sinking boat, my star stayed by my side while I wait for other pirates to rescue me. but just like the moon, stars have to leave when the sun comes up... stars will leave you only when darkness isn't around anymore. Do You get my point, love?"

marahan akong tumango, I understand that stars are made to light up the sky at night, however logically. stars don't leave when the sun comes up. the sun is just brighter than the stars kaya nasasapawan ang kininang sa umaga at hindi nakikta. but stars are there lingering around. 

"Inaantok ka na yata, Tara na. ihahatid na kita." napa nguso ako, ayaw ko pang umuwi pero tama siya. pakiramdam ko ay hindi kakayanin ng katawan kong hindi humiga sa malambot na kama. 

the ride home is quiet, marahan lang ang kapit ko bewang ni rick at ang hampas ng hangin sa aking pisngi ay mas lumamig na.  

pagdating sa harapan ng bahay ay nanlamig ako nang makita si papa na naka tayo at naka hilig sa hamba ng gate kasama ang aso na kasama niya lagi sa pag-papatrol. 

nanlaki ang mga mata ko at pipigilan na sana si rick na lumapit kay papa pero naunahan pa ako nitong magmano. 

"Sorry po chief, medyo nagatalan po kami sa labas kasi ilang araw din po akong nawala . uh... i wanted to take sam out after our clinic session kaya medyo ginabi." my father was about to ask him again when he panicly raised his hands in the air.  "wala po kaming ginawang masama chief a-ano, painting lang sa tabing dagat at kumain lang. promise! cross my heart po." 

halos matawa ako ng makitang lumapit sa kanya ang aso ni papa. he nervously went back to his motocycle. wala namang imik ang ama at tumango saakin. 

I went inside our yard along the way, I turned my back and rick is still there smiling like an idiot at me and winked before wearing his helmet. I saw his taillights blink twice before he drove off. hindi ko napigilang matawa. 

that night, hindi ko pinansin ang masamang paningin ng lahat. even Samuel's mom. 

I immediately went to my room and changed, I lay on my bed with the thought of rick's smile, his words, and his warmth. for the first time after months of fighting alone I feel safer all in longing for someone I knew.