Missing Peace | COMPLETED

Chapter 15

January 6

"So nice!"

Hindi ko mapigilang hindi mapangiti at mapasigaw habang dinadama ang hanging dagat na sumasalubong at yumayakap sa amin.

Dahan dahan kong inalis ang kamay ko mula sa balikat ni Raiker. Inangat ko ang kamay ko at mas dinama ang hangin. We're now riding Raiker's motorcycle sa roadside ng sea. Hindi ko alam kung saan kami pupunta, sumama lang ako dahil nagpasama siya. May kukunin daw siyang importante. Wala rin naman akong ginagawa sa bahay nila Daphnie kaya sumama na ako.

Dahan dahan kong inalis ang kamay ko mula sa balikat ni Raiker. Inangat ko ang kamay ko at mas dinama ang hangin. Isinasayaw niyon ang nakalugay kong buhok na takas mula sa helmet na suot ko.

Itinigil ni Raiker ang motor sa gilid. Akala ko may titingnan lang siya sa cellphone niya since he can't use his phone while driving, pero patalikod niyang in-offer ang kamay sa akin. Nagtataka man, bumaba na rin ako ng motor at agad din siyang sumunod.

I thought may i-che-check siya sa sasakyan at aalis na rin kami agad after, pero hindi iyon ang nangyari. Inayos pa niya sa pagkaka-park sa gilid ng kalsada ang motor, though hindi niya iyon itinaas dito sa bike lane.

Hanggang sa dulo ng kalsada na natatanaw ko, may railings na abot hanggang lagpas waist na nakaharang sa gilid ng kalsada. Mataas ang kalsada at ang ilalim na pader niyon ay hinahampas ng alon.

Raiker removed his helmet at agad na isinayaw ng hangin ang curly hair niya. Ipinatong niya muna ang helmet niya sa may upuan ng motor bago siya umikot at bumaling sa akin. My forehead creased a bit when he start removing my helmet.

"Bakit inaalis mo na?" takang tanong ko.

Bahagya siyang ngumiti while looking at me as he unbuckle my helmet. "Nandito na tayo."

Lumingon ako sa paligid. "Dito? Sa dagat?"

I heard him chuckled while watching how innocent I am. Kung wala lang kami sa gitna ng kawalan, nahampas ko na siya dahil sa panloloko niya sa 'kin. Inilagay niya rin ang helmet ko kanina sa upuan ng motor, katabi ng sa kaniya.

"Sabi mo may pupuntahan ka at may kukunin na importante," I said, still confused habang lumilingon sa paligid. "Anong kukunin mong importante dito?"

Napalingon ako kay Raiker nang hawakan niya ang magkabilang balikat ko, slowly making me turn and face the ocean behind me. "Memories with you," he answered by whispering over my ears.

I couldn't help but to be mesmerized by the unfading beauty of the ocean. The sky is in pretty mixed colors. The sun was about to kiss the ocean, leaving colors in it as the sun started to set. From afar, the ocean is reflecting the sky. It always amazes me when the ocean and sky meet.

"I knew it, you'll love it here."

Lumingon ako kay Raiker and caught him smiling while watching me and how mesmerized I am by the beauty of the view we were facing.

"Dito ba talaga ang punta natin?" mahinang tanong ko.

"Hmmm." He hummed and nodded. "Nabanggit mo dati that you love the place where the ocean meets the sky. So, I brought you here."

I pouted a bit. "I should have worn something na bagay dito sa seaside." And he just chuckled at me.

I'm just wearing denim shorts, cropped top sweater na may circle zipper sa bandang neck to adjust the neckline kung gaano kababa at kataas, and just partnered with white shoes dahil hindi ko alam kung saan kami pupunta kanina at ang alam ko lang ay magmo-motor kami kaya ito ang sinuot ko. I should have wear something cute na top.

"Do you mind if I ask something?" Raiker suddenly asked.

"About what?" I asked back.

"I'm just really curious, kahit noon pa. I just couldn't ask." Patalikod siyang sumandal sa railings habang nakatingin sa akin. "Your eye color. Ellwood ka, 'di ba? I've seen one of your pamangkin's eyes and it's ocean blue."

"It took you so long bago mo tinanong 'yan." I chuckled bago naglakad palapit sa railings at paharap na sumandal doon. "Usually kasi the moment people find out that my surname is not a Filipino surname, tatanungin na agad nila ako tungkol diyan."

"About my eyes, kakaunti lang sa amin ang nakakakuha ng mata ni Grandpa," panimula ko. "Halos lahat kami, including my dad and Daphnie's dad ay kay Grandma nagmana, brown eyes. Filipino eyes. Rare na nga sa line namin ang makamana ng mata ni Grandpa kahit lahat naman kami ay dala ang apelyido niya."

"Pero ang ganda ng mata ng pamangkin ko, 'no?" I giggled as I looked at him. "Sabi ni Uncle, ganoon daw ang mata ni Grandpa. Sayang nga hindi namin siya naabutan ni Daphnie. Sa picture ko na lang din nakita ang mga naunang angkan ng Ellwoods. Ang ganda ng mga mata nila, ocean blue eyes."

"Kaya ba you're into ocean?" he asked while facing me kahit patalikod siyang nakasandal sa railings.

"Nope." I shook my head at muling tumingin sa harapan ko. "I like the ocean because I like the sound of the waves when it reaches the shore." I chuckled lightly. "Siguro additional na lang ang family eye color namin."

Raiker moved and totally faced me while his left elbow stayed at the railings. "Do you hate not having their eyes?"

"To be honest, when I was kid I used to cry a lot, thinking that if I cried enough, mamumutla ang mata ko, the brown color will fade away and it will turn blue." I chuckled in embarrassment. "But eventually, nagustuhan ko na rin ang brown eyes ko dahil pag pumupunta kami sa States, namamangha ang mga pinsan ko doon."

I shrugged. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with not having foreign eye color."

Like what we usually do when we're together, we laughed at his jokes and silly banats, talked about random topics, and just spent our time together at the place where the sky meets the ocean.

I'm enjoying the sound of the waves as the sea breeze keeps dancing with every single strand of my hair. I can't stop smiling while feeling the warmth of the setting sun while the pretty colors of the sky keep on amazing my eyes through their beauty.

I looked at Raiker behind me when a familiar song suddenly played. He smiled at me and wiggled his eyebrows at me bago niya ipinatong sa motor na nasa tapat namin ang cellphone niya where the music comes from.

"What's this, Raiker?" bahagyang natatawa ngunit naguguluhang tanong ko.

The side of his lips lifted. He bowed and offered his hand. "Let's dance, shall we?"

Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ko as I look at his phone, iniisip kung ano ang pamilyar na kantang tumutugtog. Intro pa lang ang naririnig ko but I know napakinggan ko na 'to nang ilang beses.

"This moment will be our last... After this I'm an outcast..."

"Dancing in the dark?" patanong na baling ko kay Raiker.

Raiker smiled and nodded. "I know it's not yet dark, but I know that this is your most favorite part of the day."

His eyes went down to his hand who's waiting for my hand bago muling tumingin sa akin. Hindi ko na pinigil ang ngiti ko as I gave him my hand. He smiled as he lifted our hands and make me turn before we start dancing.

"Let's just move real slow more than we both know... We'll go dancing in the dark... Take my hand as we get away... How 'bout we freeze time?"

Raiker gently put my hands to his shoulder before he held onto my waist. I slowly encircled my arms around his nape. Ramdam kong lalo kaming napalapit sa isa't isa.

Hindi ko maalis ang tingin sa kaniya as we dance slowly under the changing hues of sky at the place where my heart belongs with the person my heart beats for.

I would trade anything I have to make and feel this moment happen again for the first time.