I'll Hold On To You

Choice Of Song

Even though you don't know how my heart had to turn away, I'm just hiding in my heart like this... ~ Can You Hear Me?, Ben

xxxxxx

[Relaina]

HIM on top of ME.

Yup... Just like the first time we've met. Only this time, hindi na masakit ang naging pagkakabagsak ko. But even still, compromising pa rin ang sitwasyon naming iyon. Dahil heto ako, dumadagundong ang tibok ng puso ko sa tainga ko. Our faces were inches close to each other as our breaths brushed our skin.

Hindi pa rin ba compromising at suggestive ang mga eksenang iyon?

"Y-you're okay, right?" concerned na tanong nito sa akin. "H-hindi ka naman gaanong n-nasaktan?"

But then I noticed something. Was it me or did he just stutter?

Wow lang, ha? The infamous Brent Allen Montreal stuttered? At sa harap pa ng babaeng kinaiinisan/dance partner nito?

Surely a moment to remember but... this wasn't the time for me to dwell on that thought. "I'm fine. At least walang batong tumusok sa ulo ko para sugatan ako this time." And I even laughed at that.

Pero si Brent, hindi man lang natawa sa sinabi kong iyon. He had this guilty look on his face. "I'm sorry... that I became the reason for you to get hurt that day."

Well... speechless ako roon, to be honest. It even looked like he was sincere. And I really needed to do something to break this awkward feeling between us. I'd rather deal with the weirdness I had in my mind because of him than this awkwardness surrounding the two of us.

"Ano ka ba naman? Tapos na iyon, 'no? And..." I paused dahil kailangan kong huminga nang malalim. Feeling ko kasi, magkakaroon ako ng heart attack sa sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko, eh. "...would you mind getting off of me? Ang bigat mo kasi, eh. Ilang kilo ba ng bigas ang nilalantakan mo sa isang araw, ha?"

The way I said those words had somehow helped, considering the fact na napangiti at napahalakhak ko si Brent kahit ang weird na ng puwesto naming dalawa. Feeling ko pa nga, nag-uumpisang mag-init ang katawan ko dahil sa puwesto namin.

Waah! Don't pester my mind, you damn hormones! Focus tayo! Focus!

Akala ko mang-aasar pa 'tong mokong na 'to at kalilimutan ang mga pinagsasasabi ko. Mabuti na lang at naisipan na nitong umalis sa ibabaw ko. And he even helped me stand up, without knowing that doing so would make me feel a jolt of electrifying sensation that coursed throughout my body.

My gosh naman! Bakit kailangan ko pa talagang maramdaman ito from him, of all guys?

Hindi ako ignorante pagdating sa kahulugan ng nararamdaman ko. But this was seriously crazy! Nonsense!

"Sigurado ka bang okay ka lang? Walang masakit sa iyo?" tanong ni Brent sa akin, in which I answered with a reassuring smile – na noon ay bihira ko lang talagang ipakita rito dahil sa matinding pang-aasar nito sa akin.

Naku naman! Umiral na naman ang speechlessness ko. Ano ba namang klaseng araw 'to?

"Sigurado ka?"

Doon na nawala ang speechlessness ko. I faced Brent with narrowed eyes and annoyance. "Ilang beses ka bang inire ng nanay mo at saksakan ka ng kulit, ha?"

"Ito naman, parang concerned lang iyong tao sa iyo, eh."

At ang bugok na 'to, sumimangot lang talaga? Ano 'yon, paawa effect o pa-baby effect?

'Puwede ring both.'

Eww!

And didn't I tell you to shut up, brain?