Mary Grace

Seven

Seven

He hugged me again tightly. Nakita kong nakatingin na sa aming dalawa si Grand Ida, kaya bahagya ko siyang itinulak. He gave me a questioning look.

"Ah, ano..." I trailed off. Bigla akong kinabahan sa presensiya ni Harry. I wanted to talk to him badly when I saw him in Davao. Pero hindi ko nagawa. Naduwag ako. At ngayong nandito na siya sa harapan ko, I'm acting like a young and lost puppy. Naduduwag pa rin ako. Hindi ko alam kung paano magsisimula o kung may masisimulan ba ako.

"Kath?" Napalingon kaming dalawa ni Harry nang tuluyang lumapit na si AJ sa amin. Nakakunot ang noo niya. Harry's lips went into a thin line as he stared back at AJ with an equal frown on his face. "Sino siya?"

"Si Harry." Tahimik kong sagot. Mukhang nakuha niya naman ang gusto kong ipahiwatig dahil tumango siya. Binalingan ko si Harry na seryoso pa ring nakatingin kay AJ. "Harry, si AJ. He saved my life."

He hissed and grabbed my right hand. "We need to talk." Deklara niya.

"Teka nga lang, nasasaktan si Kath!" awat ni AJ, at inagaw din ang kaliwang kamay ko. Napapikit ako. This seems like a cheap melodrama. Parang gusto kong matawa sa tadhana. Gino-goodtime ata ako.

"Her name is Mary Grace, not Kath." Harry growled in a low voice. Kinilabutan ako. Sobrang lalim nito. He moved closer to AJ, since he's a few inches taller than both of us, he towered us without difficulty. His brooding eyes pierced AJ. I chewed on my lips and shot my friend a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, AJ. May pag-uusapan lang kami ni Harry... magiging okay ako. Okay lang ako." Alanganin kong sagot.

Ilang segundo niya akong tinitigan, para bang pinag-aaralan kung totoo ang sinasabi ko o hindi bago niya dahan-dahang binitawan ang kamay ko. Tahimik akong nagpasalamat sa kanya bago ako sumunod kay Harry. I can see that it's his first time in the place, because he didn't know where to go. I think he just wanted to get off from the crowd and from AJ's suspicious looks.

I sighed. "Why don't we go to my room?" I asked silently, tugging his shirt.

Tiningnan niya ako saglit bago siya tumango. Tahimik kaming naglakad pabalik sa cape. Nilagpasan namin ang function hall at nagtuloy-tuloy sa mga kwartong nakahilera para sa mga turista. Nasa pinakadulo ang kwarto ko. I was blessed with a terrace that provides a magnificent view of the Pacific ocean every morning. I fumbled with my keys and open the door to my room. I let him step inside first. I click the lights on and finally shut the door, drowning the voice and noise of the crowd from the outside.

Sobrang tahimik. Walang nagsasalita ni isa sa amin. Nakatayo lang ako sa may pintuan. Si Harry naman ay nakatayo isang pulgada mula sa akin. He tightened the grip on his backpack before he let out a frustrated sigh and dropped it to the floor.

"So, you really went here, huh?" he mused out loud.

I licked my lower lips. Harry's eyes never left my face. I suddenly feel anxious. He must think that I've turned into a complete weirdo, with a green hair and lots of tattoos. Hindi ko pa naipapaliwanag sa kanya kung bakit Kath ang tawag sa akin ni AJ.

Pinilit kong pakalmahin ang sarili. Nagtungo ako sa kama at naupo sa dulo. Sinundan ako ng tingin ni Harry. I smiled weakly at him. "I never thought someone would find me here."

Marahas niyang binuksan ang bag at inilabas ang isang copy ng The Great Escape. Pagalit niya itong ibinagsak sa kama. Napapitlag ako.

"Who are you kidding, Mary Grace? I knew from the moment I've read the book that it's you. Ikaw si Katherine Lagmadeo, diba?" he demanded.