Winter Hearts in Colorado (Vegas Spin-Off)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Nang makasama namin muli si Eyal ay panay ang sorry ko sa kanya dahil sa nangyari. Paulit-ulit din naman siya sa pagpapaintindi sa akin na hindi ko dapat iyon problemahin, pero tinatamaan naman ako ng ka-guilt-ihan dahil sa ginawa ko. I knew it was only for fun, but him getting wet in this cold weather was torture. 

Makapal naman ang jacket na suot ni Eyal kaya hindi rin nito masyadong ramdam ang lamig. Kung siya ay sanay na sa ganitong klaseng lamig ay paniguradong magkakasakit lang ako kapag nagkataon. Kung sa Pilipinas nga lang na halos paiba-iba na ang klima ay tinatamaan na kaagad ako ng sipon o kaya ng sinat. Kailangan ko lamang labanan ang resistensya ko para ma-enjoy ang bakasyon ko sa Colorado.

Hindi pa gaanong umuulan ng snow na nakikita ko lang sa mga video no'n. Eyal mentioned it would be falling snow hard in the next few days. Wala pa raw ito na halos parang ambon-ambon lamang na pagbagsak. It was already cold as hell. Sumubok pa kami sa ilang booth, pero hinayaan ko na sila na maglaro at nanonood na lang ako. Active sa paglalaro sina Berry, Nolan, at Craig at ilang beses na rin sila nakakuha sa lang booths na napuntahan namin. 

"Why aren't you playing?" tanong ni Eyal sa akin. Nakatayo lang din kasi ako sa tabi niya.

Napakibit balikat naman ako. "I think I'm good. I also don't have money to spare."

"I've still got a few bucks, let's find something for you to play."

Umiling naman ako sa kanya. "Hala. No. You don't need to. I'm fine."

"No, it's not," salungat pa nito sa akin. Kanyang hinawakan ang kamay ko at hinigit ako sa kabilang direksyon. Nag-aalinlangan pa akong sumama dahil iniwan namin ang mga kaibigan niya. I was poiting at them kasi baka magtampo naman sila na hindi sila sinama. "They'll be fine. They're old enough to go home if ever they lost themselves."

"Oh, okay. . . What are we going to do?"

"I saw an interesting booth here yesterday. I hope it's not as packed as yesterday."

"Okay, sure. . . I will pay later when I get home."

He looked at me, shaking his head. "No, Celyna. Don't worry about it."

Narating namin ang isang game booth at napapaligiran pa rin iyon ng ibang tao kaya naghintay pa kami hanggang sa makasingit kami sa unahan. When I found that the booth was like a small pond with artificial or fish toys with magnets in their mouths. Eyal explained to me na mamimingwit lang daw kami ng isa within ten seconds at kung malagay sa basket within the counted time ay makakakuha kami ng prizes depende sa type of fish na makukuha namin. I thought it was easy. 

I think I've done the same thing before when I was little. May inuwing laruan si mama noon na may maliit na rod na may magnet din ang dulong lubid at kailangan huliin ang mga isda na bumubuka ang bibig habang umiikot sa maliit na automatic lake nila. It was fun, pero madalas din ako mainis dahil bumibitaw ang mga laruang isda mula sa magnet.

"Do you think you could get us some prizes?" tanong pa ni Eyal sa akin na para bang sigurado na makakahuli talaga ko.

I winced as I nodded to him. "Sure. . . I'll pay you later if I didn't win."

He smirked. "I told you not to worry about it. I want you to try this. I think this is one of the new booths they had this year so this would be fun. You should try it first before I could master it."

"Oh, so you bring me here to make fun of me?" I questioned.

He chuckled. "Well, let's see about that."

Nagbayad si Eyal sa game master at inabutan kami ng isang fishing rod at basket na paglalagyan ng laruang isda. We only have two tries to win a prize and that cost Eyal three bucks already. It's more expensive than the other booths we tried, but we're sure they wouldn't make it too easy since all the prizes they displayed on their booth were amazing. Hindi lang stuff toy kung hindi ay may iba pa na nakapag-attract ng attention ko—fast food voucher, customized tumblers, and more than I think was more than expensive than three dollars.