Chasing the Wild Waves (Student Series #1)

Kabanata 26

"D-Dito?" I asked the obvious when manong stopped the car at the place.

Ryder just smiled at me but did not confirm my question. He went out of the car. Si manong naman ay nakatingin sa akin at nakangiti. I awkwardly smile at him. Si manong talaga ang naka-witness ng lahat ng tungkol sa amin ni Ryder. Good thing that he's not talkative. He did not also tell anyone about me and Ryder.

Saksi lahat ni manong kung paano ako naging malupit kay Ryder, kung paano ko ito pinerahan, at kung paano ko ito inuutos-utusan na gawin ang schoolwork ko.

"Sige na po, ma'am, date na kayo ni sir," manong teased me.

I don't know why I suddenly felt shy about it. Date? Ryder and I will date! Are we going to date? As a couple? Nag-aalinlangan pa akong lumabas. I looked at the place from here—inside the car. I am not used to this kind of place. Why has Ryder brought me here? I shook my head because I didn't want to go out. He just chuckled and gave me a hand. Bumaba ang aking tingin doon. Hindi ko alam kung tatanggapin ko ba ang nakaabot niyang kamay sa akin.

"Come on," anyaya niya, may ngiti pa rin sa kanyang labi.

I swallowed hard before placing my hand on his. I thought he would only guide me to step out of the car, but I was taken aback when he intertwined our fingers as I finally stepped out of the car. I blinked twice while staring at our hands. Is this real? Are we real? Is he really holding my hand?

Akala ko ay pandidirihan ko siya habang-buhay pero habang tumatagal.. mas lalo ko siyang nakilala.. mas lalo akong napalapit sa kanya at hindi ko alam kung bakit baliktad ang nararamdaman ko sa iniisip ko.

"Hindi ka pa nakapunta rito, 'no?" he asked huskily. "This is your first time, for sure," he added.

I chewed my lower lip and stared at him. I don't know why my lips automatically formed a smile. I just watched him, couldn't utter a word. Pinauna niya si manong at mayroon pa siyang sinabi kay manong, pero dahil abala ako sa paninitig ko sa kanya ay hindi ko na narinig ang sinasabi niya kay manong. My attention is all on him. He was still holding my hand.. so tight.

I looked around. I used to call this place a cheap place.. but right now.. here I am. Some people are not familiar with me, some of them are looking at us, and some are just busy in their own worlds.

Most of the people here are couples. My eyes darted into my hand. Ryder is still holding it, like he doesn't have a plan for letting me go. Tahimik lamang ako nang hinatak niya ako kung saan may umuusok. I don't know what they were cooking with the charcoal. Tiningnan ko ang mga hilaw na pagkain na naroon at natigilan ako nang nakita kong may mga paa ng manok na niluluto ang tindera.

"Is that.. a chicken's feet?" Nilingon ko si Ryder.

He looked at me before blurting out a laugh. "You haven't tried eating this one?"

Napangiwi ako. "What? Kinakain ba ang paa ng manok? Isn't that dirty? That was the dirtiest part of—"

Humalakhak siya. "Adidas is not dirty, Scarlet. Come on, you have to try it."

I immediately shook my head. "No, I will find another one. I don't want to eat that."

Umiling siya at kumuha pa rin ng paa ng manok at inabot sa tindera. Kumuha rin siya niyong betamax ba 'yon? Kumuha rin siya ng liempo, hotdog, at chicken leg, saka inabot niya rin ang mga kinuha niya sa tindera. I tried to hold his hand, but he didn't let me pull him. Ngumiti lamang siya sa akin. Umirap ako sa kanya at umiwas ng tingin. Lalasunin niya ba ako? Kailan pa ba kinakain ang paa ng manok? Baka hindi iyon maganda sa kalusugan at baka madumi pa iyon!

"Hindi madumi ang mga pagkain dito," he said. "Masasarap ang mga pagkain dito, Scarlet. Tikman mo para malaman mo."

Umiling ako. I just watched how the seller cooked the food. It took minutes before it was finally done. Isa-isang pinasok ng tindera ang mga niluto sa loob ng poyo, saka inabot niya iyon kay Ryder. Ryder still did not let go of my hand. He accepted the poyo from the tindera before handing her five hundred pesos. Hinatak ko si Ryder, pero nagmatigas siya.