“Are you okay? You can tell it to me, Eis. You know that,” he said while we were sitting at the trunk of his car.
I sighed. I lingered in the trunk of his car, enjoying the view in the sky. As like what we always did, we are watching the beautiful moon and absorbing the air that touching our skin.
“Papa descent me,” maikling sabi ko. “Ian, ang unfair pagdating sa akin. Bakit kung sino pa ang nagiging mabuti, sila pa ’yong palaging nasasaktan?” pait ngiti kong dagdag at tinitigan siya.
He turned his head on me. Now our eyes met. “There is nothing wrong for being a kind person, Eis. It is what you are. You just didn't let yourself to have limitations in every people around you— even your own family,” he adviced.
“The world is unfair sometimes but remember your happy memories. Sometimes we used to be alone and stay on the dark place to the point that we already forget how to be happy again. But Eis, if you let yourself on that dark and lonely place, there will be no change in yours,” he said and smiled a bit.
Hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko sa kaniya at nilabanan ang mga tingin niyang akala mo'y ikakahulog. “Thank you, Ian.” tugon ko sa kaniyang sinabi.
“For what?”
“For being here when everything feels like heavy. You know what,” putol ko at inilipat ang tingin sa mga bituin habang nakatukod ang dalawang kamay sa magkabilang gilid ng aking katawan. “Para kang bigay ni Lord at guardian angel ko. Sa t'wing may mangyayari sa bahay, lagi kang pumupunta rito. Spy kita ’no?” pabiro kong sabi at mahinang humagikhik.
He chuckled and looked down but he pointed his eyes at me again. “Oo, spy mo ako,” aniya at pinindot ang ilong ko gamit ang kaniyang hintuturo. “Joke lang.”
Tumayo siya at inalalayan ang kamay kong makatayo rin nang maayos. “Let's have a ride,” he said.
Hindi na ako sumagot at sumama na lamang sa kaniya. Para akong prinsesang pinagbuksan ng pinto at nilagyan ng seatbelt.
“Hindi mo naman kailangan gawin ’to, kaya ko naman,” sabi ko sa kaniya matapos niyang maikabit ang seatbelt sa aking katawan.
“Just relax and enjoy this night,” aniya at isinara ang pinto saka umikot papuntang driver's seat.
Pinaandar niya iyon kahit na hindi ko alam kung saan niya ako balak dalhin.
He opened the glass roof and because of that, I immediately felt the air outside.
“Can I stood up?” tanong ko.
He nod so I happily removed my seatbelt at agad dumungaw roon. Napapikit ako at nilasap ang mapayapang hangin.
“Be careful, baka matumba ka,” aniya.
Masaya lang akong dumudungaw roon ngunit muntik na akong ma-out balanced sa tinutungtungan ko na kaagad niya rin namang nahawakan ang aking kamay.
“Uhh, thank you.” Aalisin ko na sana ngunit hinigpitan niya ang kapit roon.
“Just stay holding my hand so you will not fall,” aniya kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin at napalunok na lamang ng laway.
Matapos ang medyo matagal na pagmamaneho niya ay huminto na kami ngunit napansin kong ito ang parking lot ng kaniyang condo kaya tinignan ko siya at tinanong. “Anong gagawin natin rito?”
