Midnight Pleasure

30

"So, what's your favorite color?"

Kumunot ang noo ko sa tanong na iyon ni Nate sa akin. Hindi ko rin napigilan na matawa habang nakatingin dito dahil mukhang seryosong-seryoso ito sa tanong na iyon sa akin.

We're out on the shore right now and Canlas and Tamayo decided to make a bonfire. Ang iba naman ay naglagay ng lamesa sa may hindi kalayuan kung saan naroon ang mga pagkain namin at mga beers na binili rin ng mga ito kanina dahil na rin sinabi ni Nate na puwede namang uminom ang mga ito.

Knowing Conrad, they will drink but they will not get drunk. Hindi naman kasi ugali ng mga ito na talagang umiinom kapag nasa mission. Kahit ang kuya ko ay gano'n din, e.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" I snorted and looked at him. Ito naman ang kumunot ang noo bago uminom sa hawak na bote ng beer at tumango sa akin.

"I am. I want to know," he replied.

Pinagmasdan ko ang mukha ni Nate habang ang liwanag mula sa apoy ng bonfire ang nagmimistulang ilaw para mapagmasdan ko ito. I couldn't stop smiling while staring at his face right now.

I just turned towards the bonfire near us. The dry twigs crept as the fire took them, burning them, helping to give us a warmth feeling during that cold night. It was really a relaxing feeling hearing the waves make their way to meet the shore and how the twigs and leaves make a crackling sound as they continue to burn in front of us.

"What's your favorite color?" he asked me again when I didn't answer. Muli ko siyang nilingon at tinaasan ng kilay.

"What's this? Getting to know you phase?" pang-aasar ko sa kaniya at sa halip na sumimangot ito kapag inaasar ko ito, tumango siya sa akin at ngumiti.

"I want to know everything about you," he uttered and smiled at me. Napatitig ako sa mukha nitong nasisinagan ng liwanag na nagmumula sa apoy ng bonfire. He looked so sincere saying those words to me, actually. Like he really meant every word.

"Gray," I replied and he creased his forehead. "Why?"

"Not pink?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Why do you always think that a woman likes pink? Sa dami ng color, gusto niyo lahat kami, pink ang favorite?" tanong ko rito. Napangiti naman ito sa akin at saka umiling.

"No, I am sorry. I just heard that it's the most popular among women," depensa naman nitong sagot sa akin.

"Baka 'yong mga ex mo, panay pink ang gusto," sabi ko naman dito bago muling inirapan ito at tinignan na ang marshmallow na itinapat ko sa may apoy.

"Silly," he chuckled before getting it from me. Inalis nito ang nasunog na part bago kumuha ng graham crackers para ibigay sa akin iyon. "Here," he said and smiled at me.

"Ginagawa mo rin ito sa mga ex mo, ano?" tanong ko sa kaniya at natawa naman itong muli sa akin.

"No, this is the first time I did this for someone," sagot naman nito sa akin. I raised my brow as I took the crackers from him and bit on it.

Ang mga kasama namin ay nasa kabilang side naman at nagkukuwentuhan din ang mga ito. Kaming dalawa lang ni Nate ang naroon dahil na rin mukhang hindi komportable ang mga ito na malapit kay Nate.

"Are you having fun?" he asked me after a while.

"Not much, maybe tomorrow once I get to swim in the sea," I replied and smiled. He chuckled and nodded. Hindi naman na rin kami naligo ngayong gabi at nagdesisyon na lang kami na kumain at ang iba naman ay iinom.

Even Nate is drinking right now. Tumanggi lang ako dahil wala naman talaga akong plano na uminom ngayong gabi.

"The last time I was here was almost ten years ago," ani Nate sa akin habang pareho kaming nakaharap sa may dagat. Nilingon ko siya at nakita ko ang lungkot sa mga mata niya nang sabihin niya ang bagay na iyon. "As much as I like being here, this place has lots of memories that I don't want to reminisce about..." he said before looking at me. "But now, maybe I can have new memories that will make me smile when I think about it."