The one he loves to hate

7. Ceasefire

"Lex... Lex... Lex..."

Lex felt someone was poking his face. He was in deep slumber when he suddenly heard his name being called by someone. Hindi niya iyon pinansin. He tried going back to sleep but now, that someone was poking him on his shoulders and it bugs him. 

"Lex... Lex..." 

Agad siyang nagmulat ng mata at saka bumangon. He was disoriented. He looked around that unfamiliar room. Then he looked at the woman kneeling in front of him. 

"What? What?" pupungas-pungas na wika niya. Kinusot niya ang kanyang mata at saka tinitigang muli si Keith. Nakanguso ito at tila hirap na hirap sa mundo. "What's wrong? May masakit ba?" nag-aalalang tanong niya. 

"Gusto ko ng avocado ice cream." nakangusong sabi nito. Napamulagat siya. PInakatitigan niya si Keith. 

"You want avocado ice cream? Really? In the middle of the night? You want ice cream?" binibiro ba siya nito? He looked at the clock on the wall. It was 3:00 in the morning. Kalagitnaan ng madaling araw kung kailan natutulog ang mga tao tapos gigisingin siya nito para sabihin na gusto nito ng avocado ice cream.

"Sige na..." muling ungot nito. He made a face. He was trying ti weigh if Keith was really serious. But then... 

"You want me to buy you ice cream. Fine..." hinatak niya ang kanyang t-shirt na nakasabit sa dulo ng couch na tinutulugan niya. Keith didn't want him to sleep beside her. Kaya nauwi siya sa pagtulog sa couch sa loob ng kwarto nito. He put in his shirt andhis pants. 

"I don't want you to buy me ice cream." kunot noong napatingin siya rito. 

"Can you make uo your mind and tell me what you really want?" hindi niya mapigilang mainis. Keith looked up at him. She sighed. 

"I want you to drive me to get some ice cream." 

"Drive you?" naihilamos niya ang kamay sa mukha. "Where?" 

"T-tagaytay..." wika ni Keith sa isang maliit na tinig. Napanganga siya. 

"Are you freaking serious?! It's 3 am and Tagaytay is an hour and a half drive!" sigaw niya dito. Tumayo si Keith at saka nagpapapadyak. 

"Gusto ko ng ice cream eh!"

"We could just buy from the convience store outside the village!"

"Ayoko noon! Iba lasa noon! Gusto ko iyong ice cream, sa cliffhouse." nakangusong wika nito. Nagyuko ng ulo si Keith. Napabuntong hininga naman siya. He should've been prepared for Keith's crazy cravings. Mukhang nagsisimula na talaga ang paglilihi nito. Napailing siya. 

"Fine. Go grab your jacket. I'll wait for you outside." kalmadong wika niya. He was still staring at Keith, suddenly her face lit up upon hearing what he said. Mukhang natuwa naman ito. Sa sobrang tuwa nito ay niyakap siya nito at saka binigyan ng mabilis na halik sa labi. He was startled. Their lips met very quickly and yet the intensity of that action shook him. Napatulala siyang tumingin ka Keith. 

"Thank you, Lex!" nakangiting sabi ni Keith. Matapos iyon ay nilagpasan siya nito ay saka lumabas ng silid. Naiwan siyang tulala. He could feel thousands of electrons travelling from his lips down to his toes. Sinundan niya ng tingin ang direskyong tinahak ni Keith. What was that? He asked himself. 

"Lex! Halika na!" sigaw pa nito. Noon lamang bumalik sa huwisyo ang kanyang utak. Mabilis na lumabas siya at bumaba ng hagdan. He fond Keith standing near the main door of the house, patiently waiting for him. She was smiling like she just had a very satisfying meal. "Let's go!" 

Nang makalapit siya dito ay bigka itong yumapos sa kanyang braso. Talo pa niya ang nakuryente. Sumakay sila sa kotse at saka niya in-start ang ignition. Minutes later they were travelling CaviteX and it freaks him out because Keith was so happy.