Chasing Pavements (GXG)

15. Hangover

Beatrix

I couldn't think of anything worse than waking up with hangover. Why? Why did I do this to myself?

"Arghhh." I groaned and tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't do it.

Might as well sleep all day.

Until I felt a hand caressed the side of my face. I tried to open my eyes again, and thankfully, I did it. But I blinked several times, pinched myself too.

Totoo ba 'to or nananaginip pa ako?

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

I closed my eyes again, hoping and praying that I wouldn't wake up. Parang ayaw ko ng magising kung panaginip nga ito. Syete, ang lambing ng boses nya.

"Beatrix?"

"Hmmm?"

"What do you want for breakfast?" She asked. Wow, wife na wife ang datingan ah.

I smiled. "Ikaw."

Naramdaman ko nalang na may dumampi na malambot sa noo ko.

At doon ko lang napagtanto na hindi 'to isang panaginip. Binuksan ko ang aking mga mata at bumungad sakin ang maganda nyang mukha.

This is freakin' real.

"Wah! Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Naitulak ko ang mukha nya sa sobrang lapit nito.

"Ouch!" Reklamo nya sa pagkakatulak ko sa kanya at himas himas ang noo.

"Wha-what are you doing here in my room?"

Tiningnan nya lang ako na at nagsmirk. "Kwarto mo? Or kwarto ko?"

Nilibot ko ang paningin ko sa buong kwarto and nanlaki ang aking mata nang marealize na hindi ko nga ito kwarto.

Napangisi naman ang mokong. "See? Nasa kwarto kita."

Bigla naman akong nahiya. "P-pero paanong?"

Napailing naman sya. "Di mo naaalala?"

Napatingin ako sa kanya at pilit inaalala ang nangyari. Pero bago ko pa maalala ay nagsalita na naman sya.

"Pinuntahan mo ako kagabi dito. Sabi mo miss na miss no na ako at hindi mo na kayang di ako makita. Iyak ka nga iyak sa harapan ko para makita lang ako." Ngingiti ngiti nyang sabi at umupo sa katapat na couch.

Napakunot naman ako ng noo ko sa sinabi nya.

What the heck? Ni hindi ko nga alam kung saan yung kwarto nya. And last time I checked, I was in a bar with my friends last night.

Damn it. I got drunk last night— na first time lang nangyari sa'kin, tapos magigising nalang ako sa kwarto ng iba?

At hindi lang sa kwarto ng iba, sa kwarto nya pa talaga.

Bigla naman syang tumawa ng malakas. "Seryuso? Di mo nga naaalala?"

I sighed and nodded. "I can't remember anything after I punched a guy last night. Were you there?"

Yun ang huli kong naaalala kagabi. Hindi ko alam paano ako umabot dito, pero siguro nandun din sya sa bar kagabi at nakita nya yung pangyayari.

Napangiwi naman ako sa thought na yun. Baka isipin nyang bayolente akong babae at nananapak nalang ng kung sino.

"No, I wasn't there." Kinwento nya kung anong nangyari kagabi at kung paano ako napunta sa kwarto nya.

Bigla naman akong nahiya sa nangyari. Nakita nya pa talaga yung kalasingan ko. Urgh!!! Ilang beses ko ba talaga ipapahiya yung sarili ko sa harap ng bayawak na'to.

"S-salamat." Nahihiya kong sabi.

Nginitian nya lang ako bago sya tumayo.

"I'm not sure what do you like for breakfast, but I made an egg sandwich." Nakangiti nyang sabi at pinakita sa'kin yung food.

Napatingin naman ako duon. Ang cute ng ginawa nyang sandwich. It has a smiley face on it na gawa sa ketchup.

"But first, you have to drink this." She said, offering me glass of water. "You need to drink lots of water to cure your hangover."

Napatingin ako sa kamay nya dala ang isang basong tubig papunta sa mukha nya.

I can't help but bite my lips. She looked so adorable right now.

Who needs water when seeing her is already enough to cure my hangover?

Tinanggap ko yung tubig at ininom ito. Kinikilig ako, Lord. Bakit naman kasi sya ganito ngayon?

Mas nagiging sweet at caring sya, and I'm not complaining.

Parehas lang kaming tahimik na kumakain.

Wala namang big deal dun, except that it was a big deal for me. This is Madison Madrigal we are talking about.

She made a sandwich for me, she let me sleep in her room, she took care of me when I was drunk.

How did I became so lucky?

Mapapakanta ka nalang ng 'sanay wala ng wakas'.

Ah, corny mo Beatrix.

Natapos ko ng kainin yung hinanda nya at alam kong patapos na din yung oras na makakasama ko sya. I don't want to take advantage of the situation at ayoko na ding makaistorbo sa kanya.

Sakto na yung pang-iistorbo kong ginawa kaninang madaling araw.

"T-thank you nga pala." Sabi ko at inayos na yung pinagkainan namin.

Tumayo naman ako para ayosin din yung kama nya. Bigla ko namang naisip kung magkatabi ba kaming natulog kagabi. Pero malamang hindi, may isang bed pa sa loob ng kwarto nya kaya for sure dun sya natulog.

Buti nalang wala din yung roommate nya. Mas nakakahiya yun.

"You're welcome."

Natigilan naman ako sa pag aayos at napatayo ng maayos. Sobrang lapit nya sa'kin, I could feel her warm breath behind me.

"I—umm, I think I-i need to go?" Kinakabahan ako sa nangyayari. Alam kong wala akong karapatan magreklamo kasi gusto ko din namang mapalapit sa kanya.

Pero hindi kinakaya ng puso ko yung kaba. Para akong hihimatayin.

"Can we talk, Beatrix?"

I felt her hands on my arms, gentle as she she ran them down my fingers, and intertwined mine to hers. She pressed her body against my back.

"W-what about?"

I could feel my body tremble, as she kissed my neck, and placed her head on my shoulders.

"About the kiss you stole from me."

"W-what?"

What kiss? Is she telling me that I kissed her last night? I don't know what she's talking about.

"Oh, so you forgot about the kiss, too?"

Bakit ganito sya magsalita, sobrang nakakapanindig-balahibo.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "M-madison, I don't know what you're talking about."

One swift move, nakaharap na ako sa kanya at yung isang kamay nya ay nasa bewang ko, habang yung kabila ay nasa jawline ko.

She's taller than me, kaya nakatingala pa ako sa kanya ngayon.

Damn damn damn.

She looked at me intensely, her gaze fell to my lips and whispered, "Respectfully, I'd like to get back what you stole from me."

She closed the gap with a soft, tender kiss.

Althought this was my first kiss, or at least the first kiss that I was conscious, it was more than I expected it to be.

It was brief, but I know we both felt that there was so much more between us.