Chapter 26
Travis was standing right before my eyes, hinihingal siya at pawisan siguro dahil sa mabilis na pagtakbo. Agad naman akong lumabas sa kinakataguan ko at niyakap siya, I felt my tears escape since I can no longer contain it anymore.
"K-Kai..." Travis sighed in relief, "did he hurt you?"
I sobbed. "It doesn't matter anymore..." Mahinang usal ko, "all that matters is that you're here."
Wala akong pake sa mga tao at bata sa loob ng toy shop na nakatingin sa amin ni Travis, "it's ok now, I already called the police, Jad is already with them and this time, I'll make sure he won't get out anymore."
I nodded.
I'm so glad he was here... for this moment, I'll just think that he's mine even if I know he isn't and will never be.
~*~
"Now Kai, you need to learn your lessons." Pagsermon sa akin ni Travis, hays. Akala ko pa naman ayos na. Magpari na lang kaya siya?
I rolled my eyes.
"Kai! Are you listening?" Tinaasan niya ako ng boses.
"Aye sir."
"Tsk, I think I'll hire you a bodyguard. But... maybe no since I don't want some other guys guarding you unless it was me, so my last choice is Grey." He planned.
"No! No! No! Don't plan my life!"
"I'm not planning your life, it's for your safety." Travis said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I can't always be there to protect you, Kai."
I felt my heart pound.
Kaming dalawa ni Travis ay nasa kwarto ko ngayon, "hmm... bumalik ka na lang sa trabaho mo, you're getting on my nerves." I said, flatly.
"Tinataboy mo ba ako, Kai?" Halata ang biglang pagkalungkot sa boses ni Travis.
I was silent.
He sighed. I guess he took my silence as a yes so he stood up on my bed and went straight to the door for exit before I could even disagree, "bye..."
Bigla akong nakaramdam ng lungkot. Ang tanga mo, Kai! Travis was only concerned! Wala ka nang ibang ginawa kundi saktan ang lalakeng nage-effort para sa iyo! That's why you don't deserve him! He is too perfect for your level!
Nagalit ako sa sarili ko, I wanted to run after Travis but I didn't know what to say or do when I'll catch him.
I closed my eyes and hugged the human-sized bear beside me. "I'm so stupid, Boo..."
~*~
Isang linggo na at hindi pa rin kami nag-uusap ni Travis at nagkikita, nakakadismaya lang at nakakapanibago. My room was silent, everytime I glance at a corner somewhere in my unit, I see the fading figure of Travis as if saying I am slowly losing the guy who is almost making me fall again...
Maybe, just maybe... I am falling.
And it hurts.
Tinawagan ko si Marcus at nagtanong ng advice since wala naman na akong ibang maisip pa tsaka gusto kong malaman ang side niya as my friend and not as an ex, syempre kinwento ko sa kanya ang nangyari, "simple Kai, you have to do to him what he had been doing to you. Make an effort."
Napaisip ako. "How?"
"Only you can answer that, Kai." Marcus laughed. "Ok. I have tah go. Bye!"
He hang up.
Make an effort..
Pinikit ko ang aking mga mata at nagbuntong-hininga, now how can I make an effort?
Suddenly, a bright idea covered my whole world and I just found myself calling Grey, "Grey, I need your help."
"Huh?"
"Huwag nang maraming tanong! I'll just interview you."
"Sure." Grey answered.
"Ano ang favorite food ni Travis?" Tanong ko.
"Strawberry cake." Sagot ni Grey. "Bakit mo natanong?"
I paused. "No need to know, uhm... you know his schedule right?"
"Yup."
"What's his schedule tomorrow?" Nag-alinlangan pa ako kung tatanungin ko iyan pero ginawa ko pa rin.
"None. He's free for the whole day tomorrow."
"Ok. Thanks, bye!" Binabaan ko na siya.
"Strawberry cake..." I sighed.
I am a good cook but cakes are an exception. In short, hindi ako magaling mag-bake! Let me cook anything, huwag lang cake!
Make an effort Kai, for Travis...
I sighed and just found myself looking for a cook book for cakes.
~*~
I stayed up for the whole night in the kitchen baking, my first five batch was a disaster. Ang una ay sunog, ang pangalawa ay hindi masyadong luto, ang pangatlo ay walang lasa, ang pang-apat naman ay hindi lasang cake, ang pang-lima naman ay masarap pero hindi maganda ang pagkakadisenyo at ang loob ng cake ay medyo hindi naluto.
I looked at the wallclock, it was already 3PM. Hindi ko namalayan na ang tagal ko na pala at bigla akong tinamaan ng antok.
I was silently waiting for the sound of the oven, it was my sixth batch of cake at sana maayos na ito.
I yawned. Medyo marumi na ang apron ko pati na rin ang kusina. Biglang tumunog ang oven kaya naman dali ko itong binuksan, I gently took the circle-shaped cake. Inamoy ko ito, the aroma was perfect and it was different from the first five.
Dali kong kinuha ang toppings ko, but first naglagay ako ng strawberry cover at slices ng strawberry sa gilid ng cake. I looked at my masterpiece...
Sana magustuhan niya ito...
"All that is left to do is let Travis taste it..." Nakaramdam ako ng pagbigat ng mata ko at hindi ko namalayang unti-unti akong nawawalan ng malay, I was too tired and sleepy...
