Falling for the Masterpiece

Chapter 19: Akyat-bahay

YUKI

Several months have passed at ang dami ko nang nakasanayan. Una, ang pag-aaral ni Kite. He has been excelling at school. His grades have been shooting up because I see to it that I spend a few hours of my day tutoring him. Sabik sa karunungan ang kapatid ko. He's been wanting to go to school ever since he was younger, and when Ivan offered that opportunity, he was looking forward to waking me up early in the morning and getting him ready for class.

Ikalawa, itong si Ivan Boselli. Nasasanay na ako sa kapilyuhan niya. Hindi siya ganito mula noong una ko siyang nakilala but when he confessed his feelings for me , I started to get to know him more. Rather, I got to know the real him instead.

Ito siya ngayon. Ang pasaway na si Ivan. Nakatitig ako sa kanya na tila isa siyang akyat-bahay na palihim na pumapasok sa bahay namin dito sa squatters area. He is wearing his pajama, which is beautifully adorned with purple embroidery and entirely made of expensive silk. Bakas ko ang putik sa dulo ng pants niya na halatang nadulas na naman sa kanal sa labas dahil sa sobrang dilim.

As he entered my small house from the window, I heard his familiar soft laugh.

"Sabi naman kasing sa pinto na lang dumaan at nang hindi sumabit ang damit sa bintana, e." Palaging ganito ang sermon na natatangap niya sa akin. Ang hilig niya kasing pumasok sa bahay ko ng walang abiso.

"Naka-lock nga kasi lagi ang pintuan mo."

"Bakit kasi ayaw mong tumanggap ng susi ko?"

"I told you several times—" Now he is stuck halfway into my window. He is tugging himself in, pero panay pa rin siya sa pagpapaliwanag. "I can't have a key to your house at baka malaman pa ni Tatay ang tungkol sa inyo."

I am now reaching for him to slide him inside. Ewan ko ba sa kanya at ang hilig niya roon dumaan. Kahit kasi naman ako hindi kasya sa bintana. "Then don't come here, silly."

"Hindi puwede. Nandito ang favorite person ko."

I felt a surge of adrenaline because of what he said. It gave me enough strength to pull him in abruptly, making us both fall to the floor. Ivan landed on top of me. Our eyes met. The full moon eclipsed behind my underwear that has been hanging in the window. The darkness made his eyes shine brighter. I averted my gaze thanking the night for not showing him how red my face is right now.

"Hello, favorite person," Ivan said, then he laid his head on my chest. "Grabe, amoy construction. I love it," he teased.

Hindi pa rin ako umaamin sa kanya tungkol sa nararamdaman ko. But Ivan has been vocal about his feeling for me mula nang bumalik siya sa Eastampton. I've been doing construction work whenever he is not in the city dahil ayaw kong sumama sa kanya sa ibang lugar dahil walang bantay ang kapatid ko, and Ivan understands that.

"Oy, ano ba. Wala pa akong ligo." I'm trying to stand up but he won't let me.

"Ayos lang, ako nga amoy kanal, e."

Natatawa kaming pareho.

"Did you know that Andi moved to New Jersey last month?"

"Seryoso?"

"Oo. Iyong bestie kong iyon, may jinojowa na pa lang American at hindi ko alam." He started laughing.

"So bakit ang saya mo, Ivan?"

"Kasi hindi na ko magdra-drawing ng mga bastos." He made a dopey smile. "Yayakapin ko na lang 'yong bastos."

He started hugging me. Hinihinaan ko ang pagpupumiglas ko because deep down I like it when he hugs me tight.

"Bastos ba ko?"

"Oo kaya, exhibitionist remember? Ang hilig mo mag-pose ng hubad sa art class dati."