Eyes of a Stranger (Season Series #2)

Summer 23 : Tense

I immediately left the coffee shop and grabbed a taxi as soon as he sent me their location. I told the driver the location and asked him to make it faster. Ano naman kayang problema ng dalawang 'to at naisipan nilang mag-bar? At bakit kailangan pa ako ni Farrel doon? 'Di niya ba kayang buhatin ang kaibigan niya.

I paid the driver and got out of the car. I stared at the big building that was in front of me. There's a huge sign above the door entrance that has its name. Labas palang nito ay halata ng bar talaga ang building na 'to. Naglakad na ako palapit sa entrance. Pinagbuksan ako ng bouncer saka ako pumasok sa loob.

The loud music and the smell of different types of liquor welcomed me. I was stunned and stocked to where I was standing while looking at a bunch of people. Huminga ako nang malalim at nagsimulang maglakad palapit doon. Natigilan pa ako nang bigla nalang may humila sa braso ko.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang makitang si Farrel lang ito. Hinila niya ako sa isang direksyon. Dumaan pa kami sa dance floor at nakipag-siksikan sa mga taong nagsasayaw doon. Saka ko lang napansin na hindi ako humihinga hanggang sa makaalis kami doon. Muli akong huminga nang malalim at napailing.

We stopped in front of a table where there was a round chair. My gaze landed on someone who was sitting on the side. He was resting his back and head on the chair. He doesn't even look drunk while resting there. Tinatamaan ng iba't ibang kulay ng ilaw ang katawan niya.

My eyes examined him. He was wearing a black longsleeve polo with black trousers. Nakatupi ang dulo ng polo niya hanggang sa kaniyang siko. I can clearly see how his adam's apple goes up and down as if he just swallowed. I was caught off guard when he suddenly raised his head, which was resting, and met my eyes.

His hair was kind of messy from laying it on the chair. My eyes focused on his eyes. The intensity that his eyes have sends a shiver down my spine. The dazzling eyes that he once gave me turned into an intense stare, as if I were the only one he could see right now. For a sudden moment, I felt hot. The coldness I was feeling earlier vanished because of his stare. How can someone be this hot?

He tilted his head to the side, still looking into my eyes like he would never look away. The side of his lips slowly rose up when his head was finally tilted to the side. Because of that, I wasn't able to maintain our eye-to-eye contact anymore and immediately looked away, then cleared my throat.

Luckily, Farrel approached him and said something to him. But even though Farrel was talking to him, his eyes never left me. Feel ko anytime ay matutunaw na ako sa kinatatayuan ko dahil sa tinging binibigay niya. Kung kanina ay kayang-kaya kong salubungin ang tingin niya ngayon naman ay halos hindi ko siya tignan.

"Miccenji, you need to go home now." Dinig kong sabi ni Farrel sa kaniya.

"H-hmm? S-sino?" Wala sa sariling sagot naman ni Akomi.

"My cousin will take you." Pagpapaliwanag ulit ni Farrel.

"C-cousin?" Bahagya pa itong natawa na akala mo may naisip. "S-si Sol ba?"

"Yeah," tumatangong sagot ng pinsan ko at bakas ang pagtataka dahil sa pagtawa ng lasing niyang kaibigan.

"S-sus! Wala naman s-siya dito eh. Ni-niloloko mo nanaman ako, fafarrel." Iniwasan kong matawa dahil sa tawag niya kay Farrel.

"She's literally standing in front of you, dumbass! Halos tunawin mo na nga ang pinsan ko sa titig mo. Kung 'di lang kita kaibigan ay baka kanina ko pa dinukot 'yang mga mata mo." Nanlaki ang aking mga mata sa sinabi niya.

Nagulat ako at mukhang pati si Farrel nang bigla siyang hawakan nito sa magkabilaang balikat niya at hilain ito palapit pa sa kaniya. Sinusubukan siyang ilayo ng pinsan ko pero ayaw namang bumitaw ni Akomi. Nanlalaki pa nang mga mata nito habang nakatingin may Farrel.

"G-gago? T-totoo?"

"Tinatarantado mo ba 'ko, ha? Kanina ka pa nakatitig sa kaniya tapos 'di mo alam?"

"A-akala ko nama-malikmata lang ako," tumatawang sagot naman nito at tinuro pa ang sarili niya.

Napailing nalang ako dahil sa pag-uusap nila. Saka ko lang din napansin si Kyzane na nakaupo rin sa gilid pero nasa cellphone na hawak niya ang kaniyang tingin. Napansin kong nagta-type siya doon at mukhang may ka-chat. Mukha rin namang hindi siya lasing tulad ni Farrel. Muli kong binalik ang aking pansin sa kanila nang lumapit si Farrel sa akin.

"Just use his car and bring him to his condo. Don't worry, even though he's wasted, I know he won't do anything to you," he handed me a car key and smiled at me. Ngumiti rin ako pabalik sa kaniya at tumango. I'm not worried, I trust Akomi for the man that he is.

Sinabihan niya si Kyzane na ihahatid si Akomi sa sasakyan at babalik din agad. Tumango lang naman ito dahil busy ang phone niya. Napansin kong nakangiti ito habang nakatingin doon. Sigurado bang 'di pa siya lasing? Parang binabawi ko na ang sinabi kong 'di siya lasing. Pero binulong naman sa akin ni Farrel ang pangalan ni Aryzonea at nakuha ko kaagad ang ibig niyang sabihin. Kaya naman pala.

Sinakay ni Farrel si Akomi sa passenger seat at inayos ang pagkakaupo nito. Humarap siya sa akin matapos niyang ayusin si Akomi.

"Nakatulog din naman siya kahit papaano, I'm sure he will come to his senses."

"'Kay, I'll take care of him. 'Wag kayong uuwi nang sobrang late." Paalala ko na tinanguan niya lang at nagpaalam na.

Pumasok na ako sa loob ng sasakyan at pumwesto sa driver seat nang makapasok na siya sa loob. I started the engine and looked at Akomi again. Lumapit ako sa kaniya at inabot ang seatbelt at sinuot ito sa kaniya. I was stunned when he had his eyes open and was looking at me. His eyes slowly traced my whole face, then ended on my eyes again.

Agad akong lumayo sa kaniya at umayos ng pagkakaupo sa driver seat. Tumikhim ako at sinuot na rin ang aking seatbelt saka pinaandar ang sasakyan. Sinend sa akin ni Farrel ang location ng condo niya. Silence filled the whole car, and we didn't bother to say a word. The hot feeling has never left my body since the time I felt it when I saw him. Kahit na pinalakasan ko ang aircon ay feel ko walang talab ito.

Ilang beses akong huminga nang malalim para lang pakalmahin ang aking sarili. Nakahawak ang isa kong kamay sa manibela habang ang isa naman ay nakapatong sa pintuan habang pinaglalaruan ko ang aking daliri. This is my only way to calm myself from the intensity of the atmosphere between the two of us.

I feel like napakalayo ng condo niya sa bar na 'yon at napakahaba ng byahe namin. Kanina ko pa gustong makalabas sa sasakyan na ito pero parang ang bagal-bagal ng andar ng sasakyan. I feel like I've been here for an hour or more, but in reality, I've been here for almost 15 minutes. 15 minutes doesn't feel like 15 minutes.

Bakit nga ba kasi ako pumayag na tulungan ang mga lalaking 'to? I don't understand why, the moment I heard his name, my body had its own mind and I immediately dragged myself here. Just, wow. I tried to glance at him. He has his eyes closed.

"I can't believe you have such an effect on me, Mr. Akomi."

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