Chapter 29
Nasa loob na kami ng bangka na malaki at high class, si Travis ay nakapang vacation pants at pawad kaya kitang kita ang matitibay na muscles ng kanyang braso.
"Hi, I'm Vivien Cruize." Pakilala ni Vivien kay Travis na nagpa-andar na sa makina ng ship.
"I'm Trisha Macario, and this is my husband Ethan Macario." Saad naman ni Trish sabay hatak kay Ethan at halik sa pisngi.
"I'm Blue. Blue Sky Lee."
"Jam Maj Chaves. Cousin of Kai." Simpleng pakilala ni JM.
"Travis Javierres." Sagot naman ni Travis, "and this is my brother, Grey." Turo niya sa lalakeng nagmamaneho.
"Ilang oras ang biyahe, bro?" Tanong ni Blue kay Travis.
"Just half an hour." Sagot naman niya, nasa gitna na kami ng dagat, mabuti na lang at classy ang maliit na cruise ship ni Travis at may shaded part, syempre medyo malaki ang bangka niya, sina Ethan at Trisha ay nasa gilid at kumukuha ng pictures sa mga sarili nila habang sina JM at Vivien naman ay nakatingin lang sa tanawin.
"Kai..." Napatingin ako kay Travis nang tawagin niya ako, bago pa man ako maka-react ay nalaman ko na lang na nakuhan na naman niya ako ng stolen picture gamit ang phone niya.
Ngumisi siya.
After an eternity, nakita rin namin sa wakas ang kabuuan ng isla mula sa kalayuan. It was beautiful.
"Naks naman! Ang ganda!" Manghang sabi ni Vivien. Of course, sino ang hindi mamamangha? Kita ko na bulubundukin ang vacation island ng pamilya ni Travis, may waterfall pa na matatanaw.
Kahit na medyo malayo ay alam ko na white sand ang isla, ang dagat rin ay kumikinang dahil sa araw, ang mas kumuha ng atensyon ko ay ang napakalaking resthouse kung saan kami tutuloy, sa hindi kalayuan ay may mga planks na nagsisilbing parking area ng boat.
Mas binilisan ni Grey ang pagpapatakbo ng bangka.
"Just a little reminders, there's no reception or any signal in this island, I'm still working on it but there's electricity source so don't worry." Sabi ni Travis.
"Sounds good." JM said, bakit parang may bahid ng pagkasarkastik ang tono niya?
Binaling ko na lang ito.
"We're finally here!" Sabi ni Grey sabay tali ng ship rope sa wooden pole na nakakonekta sa planks para hindi maalon palayo ang bangka.
Binaba na namin ang mga gamit namin, "there are four rooms in the resthouse, each have two beds." Sabi ni Grey habang naglalakad kami sa buhangin, I can smell the salt of the seawater with the refreshing air swirling before me, "Travis and I will share the same room, JM and Blue for the second, Ethan and Trisha for the third since they're already married, and Kaira and Vivien for the last one."
Tumango kaming lahat. "And please, don't wander around too much lalo na sa kalayuan dito especially when alone, maraming panganib ang maaaring mangyari sa kagubatan. After all, this island is full of wild animals." Sabi niya sabay turo sa may gubat.
"May swimming pool ba?" Excited na tanong ni Trisha.
"Yep, it's at the resthouse's back." Sagot naman ni Grey. "Bago iyon, punta muna tayo sa mga kwarto natin para makapagpahinga ng ilang oras."
~*~
"Wala talagang signal." Vivien sighed, tanaw naming dalawa ang kumikinang na dagat dahil sa sliding glass door ng veranda ng kwarto namin. Kakatapos lang namin mag-unpack.
Nagulat kaming dalawa nang may biglang kumatok ng dalawang beses, "sino iyan?" Tanong ko.
"Me."
"Me who?" I joked.
"Your husband, tsk."
Namula ako. Vivien giggled upon seeing my face and I glared at her. Tumayo na ako at pinagbuksan si Travis, "problema mo?"
Tumingin siya sa akin tapos kay Vivien, "nanakawin ko lang si Kai."
"Sure." Sagot naman ni Vivien.
With that, lumuhod si Travis, tatanungin ko sana kung ano ang pakulo niya pero bigla niya akong binuhat at tumayo, nagsimula rin siyang maglakad. "Ano ba, hoy! Ibaba mo ako!"
"Ang bigat mo..." Iling ni Travis.
"Aysh! Sino ba kasi ang nagsabing buhatin mo ako! Put me down! Stahp!"
"Tsk. Calm down and be quiet, the others are sleeping. I'm not going to do anything bad to you." Travis smirked as we pass the rooms of the others, "I'm just going to take you to the kitchen, the two of us will cook together for lunch."
I rolled my eyes, "wala ka bang balak? Ibaba mo na ako please! May paa ako!"
"But I want you to ride on me." Travis pouted.
Namula ako. "Travis Javierres!"
"Yes, Kaira Chaves?" He grinned.
"Put. Me. Down!"
He laughed.
~*~
In the end, Travis and I ended up cooking seperate dishes. Ang niluluto ko ay pinakbet habang si Travis naman ay adobo. "Marunong ka palang magluto. Naks naman." Sabi ko nang maamoy ko ang nakakagutom na aroma ng niluluto ni Travis.
"Not really. I'm only following the steps in here." Sabi ni Travis sabay turo sa hawak niyang notebook. "This notebook was my Mom's, she used to put the steps she does in making my favorite dishes here and the things needed."
Napatango na lang ako. I suddenly remembered Mom, she was the one who taught me how to cook.
"You know Kai..." Travis said out of nowhere, "I wonder if you might have... uhm... you know... have... memories of your childhood?"
"A-Ano..." I gulped.
"Wow naman! Ano ang naaamoy kong masarap?" Naputol ang pagsasalita ko dahil biglang sumulpot sina Blue at JM. Somehow, I'm thankful because I don't know what to say to Travis, I didn't want to lie but I also didn't want to let him know the truth that I remember him being in my past... I'm not yet sure, maybe my memories are playing with me.
But I know he deserves to know it... that I always have dreams of the younger me with a boy who looked a lot like him. But why did he suddenly ask out of nowhere? Travis really knows something I don't.
"Luto na ba iyan?" JM asked me, ignoring Travis.
"Asa. As if naman kumakain ka ng gulay!" I laughed, which was true. Somehow, I'm happy to avert the topic, I sighed in relief because I just dodged Travis' question, but I know...
Someday, I'll have to answer that...
Someday, I'll have to answer him...
But... not now.
