Only Ever After

Kabanata 17

NOTE: Lalaki po ang nagsusulat. Lalaki ako. I really don't know why most readers think I'm a girl. Nga pala, ako po 'yong nasa display picture ng account na ito. Kung ayaw mo maniwala na lalaki ako, stalk me. My accounts are listed at my bio. Kung may tatawag pa rin sa akin ng "Ms. A, di ko na lang alam.

Kabanata 17

That question remained inside my head, hindi ko alam ang isasagot ko. Napaisip agad ako, if Liham and I did not make love that night like what he named to that event of our lives, would I be here? Or would I still be living a normal life?

Nakatulog agad si Liham kaya naman thankful ako, siguro dala ito ng pagod niya sa biyahe. Wala akong ibang ginawa kundi pagmasdan siya habang humihilik, it was really cute. Wala sa sarili kong nilapit ang mukha ko sa kanya para makakuha ng mas malinaw na detalye ng kanyang mukha.

Then there, I saw a small scar located on the corner of his forehead, siguro hindi ko napansin iyon dahil sa natatakpan ito ng buhok niya. I suddenly got curious, saan kaya ito nanggaling? I really don't know but this imperfection of his made him more attractive.

It felt like that imperfection made him even more perfect, more human, more true. He's too good to be true and seeing this flaw of his made me realize that Liham is also a human.

Hindi ko namalayan na dumapo na pala ang hintuturo ko sa peklat na ito, Liham suddenly fumbled which is why I took my hand back, afraid he might catch me doing things I have no idea why I am even doing to begin with.

"Liham, gising ka ba?" Bulong ko sa kanya.

Instead of answering, his eyelids moved, not upwards but sidewards, he was shaking. "D-Dad, no..."

Natigilan ako, was he actually talking in his sleep? He begun shaking, beads of sweat begun to appear on his head until he was fully drenched by it.

"Li-Liham?" Bumangon agad ako at saka tumungo sa gilid niya, lumuhod ako para pantayan siya at saka siya tinangkang gisingin, dahil doon ay naramdaman ko na mainit ang kanyang katawan.

May lagnat ba siya? Nabigla ba siya kanina sa ipis kaya siya nalagnat?

"Liham!" Pagsigaw ko.

In half a second, he opened his teary eyes, nang makita niya ako ay nagbuntong hininga siya, it feels like he left the main detail of the story he told me about his father's death...

Parang may hindi tama sa kanyang kwento.

Binaling ko na lang ang aking iniisip. Why would Liham even leave something out about his dad's death?

"Liham, ayos ka ba? It's only a bad dream."

Umiling si Liham, halata ang pag-alala sa kanyang mukha. "N-No... it's not..." His voice was shaky, tila ba punong puno ng takot at sakit ang kanyang puso, I really can't read Liham right now, hindi siya nasa sarili niya.

Liham was cool, he would never be like this... what could be the reason for him to be this?

"Liham, may lagnat ka..."

"I can manage." Tumingin siya sa akin, when he saw my worried face, he smiled. "You're looking at me like my worried wife, you know that?"

Ramdam ko ang pagpula ng pisngi ko, "sino nga ba ang hindi mag-aalala sa iyo? You have a fever! Nagawa mo pa talagang magsalita ng ganyan?"

Liham chuckled, "ayos lang ako... siguro over fatigue ito, I must have overworked myself."

"Kaya ayaw ko sanang ituloy ang date na ito e, kasi alam kong pagod ka na sa trabaho, tignan mo tuloy nagkasakit ka."