Behind Closed Doors

twenty seven

We finished our breakfast already at inaayos ko na yung mga gamit na dadalhin ni Aliah. Ibinaba ko na ang back door ng kotse ko.

"Hindi mo kukunin mga gamit mo sa condo mo? Malapit lang naman yun diba?Daanan na natin."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi ni Aliah.

Jusko. Anong sasabihin ko dito e malayo yung condo ko?

"Ah hindi na, sure naman akong may mga gamit pa ako kila lola e. Hassle pa kung magdadala ko."

Sana lumusot, sige na. Napahinga naman ako ng maluwag ng tumango siya sakin at lumakad papalit.

"Sige, wala naman na akong nalilimutan. Ready ka na?" She smiled at me kaya ngumiti din ako sa kanya.

"O edi tara na? Ikaw na lang hinihintay ko." Sabi ko at pinagbuksan siya ng pinto. She went inside the car and I closed the door. I walked to the other side at sumakay na din.

"Seatbelt mo Ma'am." I remind her.

"Oh! Right." She quickly put on her seatbelt. I smiled at her.

"Sure kang sasama ka ah. Maluwag sa loob mo yan, I didn't kidnap you." Pabirong sabi ko at natawa lang siya sakin.

"Gusto mo bang bumaba na lang ako?" Pang hahamon niyang tanong at tinaas ang kilay niya.

"Huwag naman." She laughed as she leaned her head against her seat.

I started the engine and drove away. On our way out, someone caught my eyes.

"Ma'am Sam." I whispered.

"Hmm?" Aliah turned to me with confused looks on her face. I just shook my head as I focused my eyes on the road.

Suddenly, my phone rings. I pulled it out of my pocket.

"Eyes on the road kiddo." Aliah reminds me.

"Of course Ma'am." I playfully rolled my eyes on her.

"Hello?"

"Kasama mo ba si Aliah?"

I heard a very familiar voice on the line. I gulp and subtly glance at Aliah through the rear mirror.

"Miro? Are you still there?"

"Ah yes Miss." I simply replied.

"Put me on speaker." She demands so I did.

"Aliah..." She said, Aliah jolted up on her seat as she furrowed her brows at me.

"Why?" She mouthed at me. I just shrugged off my shoulder and turned my attention to the road.

"Alam kong nandyan ka. Bakit hindi ka manlang nagsabi sakin." I can sense the annoyance of her voice.

"I'm a grown up woman, Sam. I know what I am doing." Aliah replied, emotionless.

She put the phone down.

I tried not to look at her. Baka madamay na naman ako sa galit e.

I distracted myself.

"Tulog ka muna medyo matagal pa yung byahe and traffic din." Tumungin ako sa kanya sandali pero ibinalik ko agad nag tingin ko sa kalsada.

"Hmm." She hummed.

I glanced at Aliah. She was staring at the landscape, her usually vibrant face thoughtful, almost melancholic. I noticed her quietness, a subtle shift from the light mood to unreadable expression.

I resisted the urge to break the silence, sensing she was lost in her own world, perhaps reflecting on something.

Medyo mainit yung panahon ngayon. Kahit nga nakabukas ang aircon ay tumatagos ang init ng araw sa loob.

I reached for my water bottle and took a sip, offering it to Aliah. She accepted it with a small, grateful smile, her eyes meeting mine for a brief, unspoken moment. In that glance, I saw a flicker of vulnerability beneath the surface, a confirmation of the quiet sorrow she was carrying.

"Alam mo naman na open ako sa mga usapan no?" I asked her. May pagtataka naman siyang tumingin sakin.

"Baka kasi may problema ka, pwede ka naman magsabi sakin. Tulad lang ng dati." I explained to her as I show her my toothy smile.

"Thank you.." she replied quietly.

Hindi ko na nga lang pipilitin.

Akala ko hindi na siya magsasalita pero nagulat ako dahil nagsalita siya.

"I think, Sam loves me." She sighed heavily.

"I mean everyone does." I replied.

"No, not that. I think she's romantically in love with me no? I can feel it." Her eyes seems lost in the distance.

"I mean, I love her. She's my best friend but not that kind of love. Hindi ko kayang ibigay yung mas higit pa sa kaibigan. Gets mo ba?" She asked me. She looks at me with vulnerability.

"Of course." I nodded.

Makalipas pa ang ilang oras ay natanaw ko ang bahay namin. Bumaling ako kay Aliah, nakatulog na pala.

I parked my car outside the house.

Unahin mo mung i-aakyat yung mga gamit niya.

"O apo, nandito ka na pala! Hindi ka manlang nagpasabi malapit ka na." Salubong sakin ni Lolo.

"Hindi na Lo, kumusta ka?" Tanong ko habang ibinababa ang gamit ni Aliah.

"Matikas pa rin." May pagbibiro niyang tugon sakin.

Natawa na lang ako at umiling.

"Si Lola po?" Pag-iiba ko sa usapan.

"Ah, nandoon sa kusina. Alam mo naman ang Lola mo puro luto lang ang hilig." Natawa naman ako sa sabi niya. Tumango na lang din ako.

"O saan ka pa pupunta? Iha, magpahinga ka, hindi biro ang byahe." Sabi niya nang makitang lalabas ako ulit.

"May naiwan pa ako sa kotse, Lo." Napakamot ako batok ko at natawa.

"O siya sige. Mamaya magpahinga ka muna ah." Sabi niya at tinapik ako sa balikat.

I went back to my car. I slowly open the door on passenger seat.

Tulog pa din si Ma'am.

"Hey." I gently tap her shoulder to wake her up.

"Ali... we're here na." I tap her again, she finally opened her eyes.

Nagsisisi akong lumapit ako ng ganito. Sobrang lapit naman jusko.

Her eyes locked with my eyes. I saw her gulp as her eyes went down to my lips.

"Masama yan." Biro ko. She shove me away. I laughed.

"Pangit mo, alis." Masungit na sabi niya at bumaba sa kotse.

"Sa kwarto ka na matulog. Sasakit likod mo dyan." Sabi ko sabay turo sa bahay.

I can sense a hesitation from her eyes. I walked slowly towards her. I gently take her hands in mine.

"Nandito tayo para sa Christmas vacation okay? Set aside all those worries and focus on me, pwede ba yun?" I smiled at her, trying to comfort her.

I can feel her squeezed my hands and nodded.

"Yeah, sorry." She looks down on the ground, anxious.

I lift her face using my right hand.

"Look at me babi. We'll enjoy this vacation together yeah? Lahat ng ingay sa paligid, shut down muna natin." I press my lips on her forehead. I can feel her melting beneath my touch. I pulled her in my embrace.

"Thank you.." She whispered but enough to make me smile.

"Tara na?" I asked her with a smile.

"Okay." I held her hand in mine as we walked inside.