Walk on memories

Chapter 3

“I felt like... I’m at peace when I’m with you… and I want it to stay that way.”

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. I didn’t expect it to come that way… and at the same time, naguguluhan din ako sa kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin.

“Is that a compliment or… an insult?” I asked nang medyo naka-recover na.

“More of… a confession.” He replied in a low voice.

“A what?” I clearly heard what he said, but couldn’t process it.

But instead of answering my question, he just smiled and shrugged his shoulder. I was about to ask him another question when the bell rang. Panira talaga ng moment. Kainis.

“I think we should continue this later.” Aniya, reffering to our report.

Agad akong umiling. “Nah, Pahiram na lang ng laptop mo. Ako na ang tatapos.”

He looked at me with disagreement in his eyes. “No.” He firmly said. “It’s already a lunchbreak. We should take our lunch first before finishing this fucking report.”

I shook my head.

“You can take yours first. Mamaya na ako.” Pagmamatigas ko at inagaw sa kaniya ang laptop. Nagtagumpay naman akong maagaw ito. I was about to open it when I heard him speak again, this time in a baritone voice.

“H’wag matigas ang ulo, Allyza Kerstine!”

Natigilan ako. Hindi dahil sa boses niya, kundi dahil sa pagbanggit niya sa pangalan ko. I can’t believe it. How can he make my name sounds so good? It was my first time hearing him calls me with my name… and yet it felt like a music to my ears. I think I could listen to it over and over again without getting tired. I never thought I could love my name this much.

Dahil sa mga iniisip ko, hindi ko napansing nakuha na niya pabalik ang laptop. Nailagay na niya ito sa bag nang maka-recover ako.

“Ano bang pinaglalaban mo, Patrick? Why don’t you just let me finish our report so that we can both move on?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he just turned his back and walk away from me. Naiwan akong tulala at inis na napahilamos sa mukha. He’s too complicated. Kung sana iniwan niya sa akin ang laptop, edi sana matapos ko ang report namin bago matapos ang lunchbreak. Kainis. Sana kasi hiniram ko na lang ang laptop ni ate para may magamit ako ngayon.

Sa sobrang inis ko, hindi ako umalis do’n. Tulala lang akong nakaupo habang kinukuha ang bawat dahong nalalaglag sa lamesang inuupuan ko na nagmula sa puno ng mahogany. Bawat minuto yata may nalalaglag na isa or dalawa, kinukuha ko ito at sinusulatan ng kung ano, dito ko binuhos ang inis na nararamdaman ko… and somehow, it was effective, because after about ten minutes naramdaman kong medyo kalmado na ako.

Natigilan ako sa  ginagawa nang may maglapag ng dalawang packlunch at bottled water. Nag-angat ako ng tingin at agad na nagtama ang mga mata namin. Without saying a word, he sat down in front of me where he was sitting earlier.

I didn’t move. Tulala lang ako habang pinagmamasdan ang bawat galaw niya. Binuksan niya ang isang pack lunch at nilagay ito sa harapan ko, gano’n din ang ginwa niya sa bottled water.

“Eat.” He simply said and started to unpack the other one for himself.

I was about to decline his offer when I suddenly heard my stomach churn. Napahawak ako dito at saka tiningnan siya. I expected him to laugh but he just smiled and motioned the food.

“Kumain ka na. H’wag na matigas ang ulo.” Ngayon mas malambing na ang boses niya. Kaya wala na akong nagawa kundi gawin ang sinabi niya.

That was our first lunch together… at ang una ay nasundan pa ng pangalawa, pangatlo, pang-apat, panglima… Hanggang sa hindi ko na namalayang siya na pala ang palagi kong kasama tuwing lunchbreak. At sa tuwing naglalabas ako ng pera for my lunch, hindi niya ako pinapayagan. Laging siya ang nagbabayad sa pagkain namin.