Clarity (A SANDRO MARCOS FANFICTION)

47. Drown

AIRI

I sigh and don't know why

I sigh is it that I'm lonely for you,

Are you lonely for me too

We must be in love

I was singing while I cooked lunch for Vinny and I. I got hooked on the song. I heard it from Vinny's playlist when we went up to Tagaytay to drink coffee as planned. I told their maid to let me be and pumayag naman kahit mukhang labag sa loob niya na yung bisita yung nagluluto ng lunch.

But if I think about it, I think I'm no longer a visitor here. I have been staying here for a month now. Simon comes home often. Tita and tito does too since they go travel a lot, meeting people and campaigning as to what my fake boyfriend has told me. Vinny and I are so legal that they don't mind me staying with Vinny kaya minsan nakokonsensya ako na this act is only a farce.

Nasanay na din ako na si Vinny ang katabi ko matulog. Sometimes he sleeps in his study, sometimes he checks me up if I was waiting for him or not. Minsan kasi inaantay ko siya. We'd talk about something else and fall asleep after. Kapag hindi ko na kaya, I'd pass by his study and give him a drink then bid him goodnight.

It became a routine for me and for the first time in my life the past few years, I'm doing something different. On his off, we'd go to church or if tita and tito were here then we'd eat out for lunch and spend dinner roasting chicken. Simon would come by. He has been showing support towards our relationship while I'm feeling guilt.

"You look passionate." Vinny spoke. I looked around and saw him getting a drink from the fridge.

"You look tired. Hindi ka pa ba tapos?" I asked him.

He laughed. "It's a huge project."

I sighed. "Do you want to go out later? I'll drive." I offered.

Binaba niya yung iniinom niyang soda at tumingin sa akin. "You drive?"

I nodded. "Natuto naman ako. I had a part time before that requires driving so I learned."

"What about your license?" He asked.

"Oh. Sa London yung license ko."

Vinny laughed. "Maybe you can drive me around once you get your license here. I don't want us to get caught for driving without a license. Pops would go mad."

"Give me a week. I'll secure one." I promised him.

He smiled and walked closer. Tumingin siya sa niluluto ko. I was just cooking adobo. "Is it done?" He asked.

"Hindi ko sure. Tikman ko na lang." I told him. He nodded, looking at me. It felt awkward. He was watching me as I took a piece of the chicken.

"How was it?" He asked, seconds later.

"Luto na." I managed to say. It was hard to respond. I did not know if he was looking at me or at my lips in particular. Ayokong mag-assume but my peripheral vision told me to do so.

"Let's prepare the table then?" He asked, smiling. I nodded and looked away. Looking at him for a while made me think of things I shouldn't be doing.

---

"We might leave for Davao on Friday." Vinny told me as we ate our lunch.

I looked at him and decided to add rice on his plate. "Final na ba yan? Baka naman ma-delay ulit?"

Our Davao trip has been put on hold since his new project. He only has a day off every week and it's not enough for us to make a trip and campaign around.