I'd Rather Lie (Watty Awards 2015)

PRAEVARICATUS 27

Because the adhesion could only hold enough.

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
And I have 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 ~

Napasulyap siya sa katabi at agad na napangiti. Kanina lang ay excited ito nang kanyang banggitin ang out-of-town. She was jumping like a child. "We're going to Laguna!" she kept on chanting. Hayun tuloy, napagod. Nakatulog.

Tiebes drove easily along the expressway. Walang hassle dahil nga weekend. Pero nang makalagpas na ng ilang kilometro. D*mn.

He leaned back as he waited the wide array of vehicles to move forward. Habang naghihintay ay sinulyapan niyang muli ang dalaga. Her hair, a little disarranged from sleeping was covering parts of her face. Umisod siya palapit para hawiin iyon. And, wrong move.

They were so close together, and since her lips were slightly parted, he could clearly smell the strawberry sandwich she ate. Parang nagutom siya bigla. He wanted to taste it, too.

Sh*t, Tiebes. Kontrol naman!

Napapikit tuloy siya at napahinga ng malalim. Umayos ng upo, natawa nang marealize kung anong pwesto niya sa puso ng dalaga.

"Na-miss ko ang best guy friend ko," tugon nito nang tanungin niya kanina kung bakit siya ngiting-ngiting.

Narinig, Tiebes? Best guy friend daw. Friend. Friend lang, okay?

He blew out an air in frustration. Ang kumplikado naman ng lovelife niya o. Dagdag pa sa inis 'tong trapik.

Hay. Minsan, nakakatanga din ang sitwasyon niya. Siya ang palaging nandiyan pero siya ang binabalewala. Kumusta namang tumira (almost) kasama ng babaeng mahal niya habang may mahal itong iba? And d*mn, she was hurting because of that guy! Son of a gun.

Napailing siya. Siguro si Sham na nga ang almost had but never will be niya.

Ah sh*t, ang drama.

"Malapit na ba tayo?" tanong ng dalaga habang nag-iinat. Pakurap-kurap pa ito, adjusting from the light, dahil nakatulog nga.

"Still a hundred meters away," tugon niya at pagkatapos ay iniabot ang paper bag na laman ang mga pinamili nila kanina. "Kung nagugutom ka, kain ka muna."

Pumaling paharap sa kanya ang babae. "Fries," usal nito nang nakanguso.

Napatanga na naman tuloy siya. Samantha kasi, napakasadista. "Wa-wala pang madadaanang convenience store."

Hindi man sumagot ang kausap ay ngumuso pa rin. Pumaling ito paharap at saka humalukipkip.

Napailing tuloy si Tiebes, natatawa na lamang sa pagiging spoiled ng dalaga. He threw a hand, as if in surrender. "Oo na. Bibili na."

A smirk from Samantha. "Thanks."

My sly little sweetheart, Tiebes can't help but note. Kinailangan pa tuloy niyang umikot para lang makahanap ng convenience store o fast food. With luck, they saw a McDonald's. He bought burgers and fries for the two of them.

"Is this how I'm going to re-celebrate my debut?" tanong ni Sham, in between munching. "Eating fast food?"

Tatawa-tawa naman siyang sinulyapan ng lalaki. "Pretty much," pang-aasar pa nito.