Controlled Hearts

Chapter Twenty Two

Song for this chapter: Passenger Seat by Stephen Speaks

Chapter Twenty Two

In-Love

NAGISING KAMING LAHAT ala una ng umaga. May biyahe pa kasi kami patungong El Nido. Nais naming makarating 'don ng maaga.

Kumain kami ng breakfast at nag-kape. Matapos 'non, nag-empake kami at nilagay ang mga bagay namin sa mga sasakyan. May apat palang kotse.

"Pano ba umabot yan dito?"

"Pinadala namin," ani Rain. "You know, mas gusto namin magbyahe sa sari-sarili naming kotse."

"Nag-van nalang sana tayo para di na hassle," sabi ni Olivia.

"That was what I suggested," kibit-balikat na sagot ni Rain, "but some boys want alone time with their girls." Binigyan niya ng makahulugang tingin sila Ezra at Rick.

"Oh shut it, Rain!" suway ni Ezra. "You agreed to this anyway. It was Caleb the asshole torpe who suggested it!"

"Huy anong torpe?!"

At nag-away na naman sila. Caleb the torpe? Kanino siya torpe? Malamang kay Olivia. Kahit hindi siya aminado, may pagtingin naman siya sa best friend ko. Yun nga lang hindi naniniwala si Olivia at ma-pride siya kaya't kinokonsidera niyang mixed signals lahat ng pinaggagawa ni Caleb.

Kami ni Rick ang magkasabay. He seemed energized. He slept well. Tinignan ko ang mapa. Aabot ng apat na oras ang biyahe papuntang El Nido.

Nagsimula ang biyahe. Hindi ako makatulog. Napagdesisyunan ko nan kausapin nalang si Rick. "Ilang beses ka na bang nakapunta dito sa Palawan?"

"Thrice," aniya. "First time with my cousins and brothers. I was fifteen at that time. Second time was with the band. Now's the third time."

Nagpatuloy lang kami sa pag-uusap. He told me about his travels with his family. Napag-alaman ko na hindi pala talaga siya bumabiyahe pag hindi niya kasama ang pamilya niya.

"How was Disney land?" tanong ko.

"It was nice. Even if I wasn't able to go there as a kid, I still appreciated the place. Pero mas maganda talaga kung bata ang pumunta 'don." He kept talking and I just listened. "When I was seventeen, kuya Nick wanted us to try skinny-dipping in Boracay. Sumali ang pinsan kong si kuya Elliot. And even my responsible older brother did it." Humalakhak siya. "Many girls saw us, and it was crazy. No one even reported us!"

I laughed. "Ang baliw naman ng kuya mo."

"He also went to a costume party once. He wasn't even invited pero nag gatecrash siya. He dressed up as Maleficient and it was crazy!"

Natatawa ako habang naiisip 'yon. They were all grown-ups yet they were YOLO-ing. Kahit kailan, wala akong nagawang kabaliwan sa buhay ko. Naisip ko bigla na baka sobrang uptight na ako.

Ang mga bucket list ko ay puno ng seryosong bagay. Walang mga 'YOLO' doon. Gaya ng pagtatapos ng pag-aaral at pagkuha ng latin honors, pagkukuha ng masteral, at pag-to-top sa bar exams.

Natahimik kami bigla. In-on niya ang stereo ng kanyang kotse at pinatugtog ang playlist niya. Matapos 'non, kinuha niya ang kamay ko at pinagsalikop ang daliri namin.

"I look at her and have to smile
As we go driving for a while
Her hair blowing in the open window of my car
And as we go the traffic lights
Watch them glimmer in her eyes
In the darkness of the evening,

Tinignan niya ako. Sinabayan niya ang kanta sa chorus.

"And I've got all that I need
Right here in the passenger seat
Oh, and I can't keep my eyes on the road
Knowing that she's inches from me