And I can't lie
From you I cannot hide
--Breathless by The Corrs
--
Ever since his birthday surprise, Cyrus became a lot sweeter towards Lena. Halos doon na ito nakatira sa bahay niya, katulong niya sa paglilinis, tagagising niya ito sa umaga at tagaluto sa gabi. Then on weekends, they will go out of town, just the two of them and experience life the way it needs to be experienced.
The best one so far was when they went up north just to stargaze. Cyrus borrowed a pickup truck from his uncle, filled it with pillows, blankets and food and they rode to somewhere in Tarlac. Pagabi na nang magbyahe sila kaya saktong wala ng araw nang makarating sila sa lugar. Hindi niya alam 'yong mismong lugar pero may pagka-probinsya iyon, walang matataas na building kaya kitang-kita ang langit. Cyrus parked the truck on an empty land near the road.
They settled at the back, with the pillows behind their heads and potato chips in hand.
"Do you know any constellation?" he asked.
"Big dipper," she replied, while munching on a potato chip. "Little dipper. Then big dipper. And little dipper again."
He laughed. "'Yon lang?"
She shrugged. "I don't bother knowing the constellations. I just like looking at the stars."
"Makakatulong sa 'yo na alamin sila. Minsan, kapag naliligaw ka, you can find your way back home by looking at certain stars and constellations."
"Bakit naman ako maliligaw?"
"Halimbawa, kapag nag-hike ka."
She frowned. "Why would I go hiking? I don't like hiking. It's exhausting."
"But I like hiking," he told her, drowning too.
"Dapat kasama ako?"
"Should I go with someone else then? Alexa, perhaps?"
She scowled at the mention of the name. Naaalala pa rin niya kung gaano kasama ang tingin nito sa kanya noong kasal ni Julie. Why would Cyrus want to hike with that woman? Mukha naming hindi pa ito nakakaranas na magsuot ng hiking shoes. Alexa looks like the type of woman who only wears heels and pretty dresses.
"Maybe you should have brought her here, as well, instead of me," she retorted.
He squished her cheeks and smiled. "I like it when you get jealous." Then he kissed the tip of her nose after saying that.
The blush on her cheeks was automatic. Sa dalas niyang mamula kapag kasama si Cyrus, parang hindi na bumababa mula sa mukha ang dugo niya sa katawan. Unfortunately for her, she's too transparent when jealous. That's why it's so easy for him to know when to tease her.
"She likes you," she told him.
"Uh-huh."
"So you knew?"
"Yep. She told me."
"Kelan?"
"Before," he answered. "When I came back from my 'soul-searching', Alexa asked me if we could meet, then she kind of hinted that she likes me. Naulit pa 'yon. Tapos umamin sya eventually. She told me that she can be Joanna's replacement."
"What did you do?"
"I got angry, actually. I still wasn't over Joanna at that time, and she had the nerve to tell me that. No one can replace Joanna. She has a special place here," he pointed to his chest, "that no one else can ever occupy."
Which kinda hurt, she had to admit.
"The rest of my heart is available for the taking, though," he added with a smile.
