Crown Of Dancing Starlight (Maite Katha #2) ✔️

ika-12

Ikalabing-dalawa

Portrait

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Inimbita ako nina Annie at Blakely sa isang trip sa Palawan sa mga susunod na araw bago pa man kami nagtagpo ni Nate. 

   I said no, dahil may pananagutan ako kay Nate. At parang alam kong magandang desisyon iyon ngayong nakatuntong na kami sa maliit na arena na pinaggaganapan ng sabong. 

   Nate was smiling the whole time when we traveled by speed boat, and now he was laughing with delight as I realized he was really serious and we actually watched chickens fight each other.

   "It's not just a bunch of bitchy chickens!" sigaw niya sa gitna ng init, pawis, at ingay na nararamdaman namin dito sa loob. "They're trained to be fighters! And it's either we find surrender, they find surrender, or one loses their head to know they have lost!"

   "Parang kayo lang ni Marshal!" sigaw ko pabalik ngayong alam kong hindi siya asar tungkol doon, at natanggap ang marahan niyang tawa bago niya tinuro ang nangyayari sa harap. 

   It wasn't illegal, though. At walang namamatay na manok. Namangha lang ako dahil nanalo ang bet ni Nate, at tumawa ulit ng malakas sa sunod niyang tinaya na hindi naman nanalo. It was so bizarre that by the end of it, there were tears in my eyes from too much laughter. Nate dragged me through the light of day, to a zoo where he had fun with monkeys by mimicking their movements, tapos nang nagutom ako ay kumain kami sa kainan ng batchoy. I teased him about seeing normal people doing normal stuff in Tiemblo Samperio, and Nate said he liked it. It wasn't long when we were on the road again, buying a small box of hopia, bumili ng dalawang lana sa simbahan sa bay area na pinandilatan ko ngunit kinindatan lang ni Nate at sinabing, "Para sa luck namin 'yon dalawa."

   We wore the small enchanted thing around the chain of our necks as we found out na may live band pala na nagaganap sa public grounds, kaya napunta na kami doon sa pagsapit ng gabi. Halos isang tricycle lang ang sinakyan namin at hapong-hapo kami ni Nate sa kaka-takbo maabutan lang ang kasiyahang ito at nakisiksik hanggang sa makarating kami sa harap na dinadaya ang aktwal na mga taong nakabili ng ticket, tumawa pa rin kami nang tumingin kami sa mukha ng isa't-isa. 

   Sweat was starting to build around my forehead, but I just wiped it with my palm. Nilapat ni Nate ang binili niyang panyo para sa'kin sa gilid ng noo ko kaya tinanggap ko 'yon, the other one being hanged around his shoulders while he bobbed his head to the music. 

   He nodded his head to the music, at tumingin sa'kin na naghahanap ng karamay na tila ba alam niya ang kantang pinakikinggan niya. 

   I played along and laughed at his face. 

   This was the stage that first started it all. The stage where I first danced, brought full meaning to the name I own now. 

   Dumikit ako kay Nate habang nag-iiba na ng kanta ang banda. "Ito ang stage na sinampa namin bago kami pumunta sa Punta Arena noong unang araw ng selebrasyon."

   Napalingon sa'kin si Nate, his hair darker with the sweat. "No way."

   Napangiti ako. I just grinned and actually thought it didn't matter anymore, now that I'm a future millionaire kung papalarin or a future sinner and detainee. However it will be. 

   Nate just shook his head and said it was okay habang kinakabig niya ako palapit sa kanya upang damhin ang kanta. Hindi ko masyadong gusto ang malakas na tugtog, nahihilo sa dami ng taong nakadikit sa amin. But I distracted myself by looking up at him, found interest in staring at his glasses.