A CATena of Kisses

13 Night

13 NIGHT

Now Playing: Please Don't Stop the Rain by James Morrisson
🎼I don't know where I crossed the line
Was it something that I said or didn't say this time?
And I don't know if it's me or you
But I can see the skies are changing
No longer shades of blue
I don't know which way it's gonna go🎶

Nakahiga lang sa kama si Cat. Medyo bad trip na hindi maintindihan. Nasabunutan nya ang sarili nya, "Reflex!? Reflex lang talaga!? Argh!"

Naputol ang pagse-self-pity nya nung mag-ring ang phone nya.
<<Hello.
>>Good evening, love. How are you? Bahay ka na?
<<Yeah. Kanina pa. Ok naman. Musta ka? What happened?
>>I'm still at the hospital. Mamá fell down the stairs. Pero everything's ok now.
<<Buti naman ok na pala lahat.
>>Yeah. Sorry iniwan ko kayo.
<<Ok lang. Di naman kami nagsuntukan ni Gael. Haha.
>>Haha. Anyway, I'll be leaving in a few minutes. I'll send you a message when I get home.
<<Yup. Ingat.
>>Thanks, love. If ever you fall asleep, good night. Sleep well.
<<Good night.

---

Sa mansyon nila Gael, nakahiga na sya sa kama ng tumawag si Sebastian.
<<What now, Seb?
>>Thank you for taking her home.
<<Ok. How's tía?
>>Markus?
<<Jefferson told him.
>>She's fine now. Papá says she'll be going out of the hospital in a few days.
<<Good.
>>How about Cat?
<<What about her?
>>How was she?
<<She was worried about your sudden disappearance. Did you call her already?
>>Yes. Did she talk about me while I was gone?
<<You sound like a high school girl.
>>Come on, Gael.
<<She's not yet ready for a relationship. But I think you know that already. You are still in the friend zone.
>>That's ok. I'll make her fall in love with me soon.
<<Seb, are you sure about her?
>>Yes.
<<I see. Just keep in mind that she's still young.
>>I will. Thanks for the reminder, Gael.
<<Ok.

In-end na ni Gael ang tawag. Nakatitig lang sya sa kisame. {What's wrong with me? Why am I even bothering myself with Seb's love life?} Pumikit sya. Nag-replay sa kanya ang mga pangyayari for the past few weeks -- ang usapan nila ni Cat sa loob ng kotse, ang pagkanta ni Cat, ang pagtugtog nya ng piano sa party, ang usapan nila sa may fountain, ang kiss nila sa harap ng bookstore. Nagmulat sya ng mata. {I think I need a shower}

---

After ng phone call nila, bumalik si Sebastian sa suite ng mamá nya. Ngiting-ngiti si Sebastian pagpasok ng kwarto kaya naman di maiwasan ng mamá nyang magtanong.

"¿Qué pasa con ustedes estos días, hijo? Pareces feliz" (What's up with you these days, son? You seem happy.) tanong ng mamá nya.

"Creo que estoy en el amor, mamá" (I think I'm in love, mamá) nakangiting sagot ni Sebastian.

"¿Quién es la afortunada? ¿Tenemos la conocemos?" (Who's the lucky lady? Do we know her?)

"No, pero usted va a encontrarse con ella pronto." (No, but you're going to meet her soon.)

"Great. I can't wait to meet her." excited na sabi ng mamá nya.

"Soon, ma. Rest for now. Regain your strength. I have to go. I'll visit you again tomorrow. Take care. Good night. Sleep well." hinalikan ni Sebastian ang mamá nya sa pisngi.

"Take care, Sebastian." at umalis na si Sebastian.

---

Sa bahay nila Cat, ka-text nya si Van.

VAN
#Cat! Musta ang date nyo ni prince charming?

CAT
#Ok naman. Kasama namin ang pinsan nya.

VAN
#Si first kiss??

CAT
#His name is Gael.

VAN
#Ay may pangalan na si mysterious first kiss. Haha. So musta naman? Sino ang mas gwapo sa kanila?

CAT
#Ok lang. Medyo may pagkasuplado sya pero di naman kami nag-away.
#Hmm...pareho naman silang gwapo. Mas charming si Sebastian. Tahimik lang si Gael.

VAN
#Sino ang mas type mo?

CAT
#Ngek ano ba namang tanong yan, Van?

VAN
#Don't tell me di ka nagkaka-crush sa lalaki. Tibo ka ba?

CAT
#Hindi. Wala pa lang talaga sa isip ko ang mga bagay na yan.

VAN
#Hmph. Ganito na lang, ano ang feeling mo pag nakikita mo sila?

CAT
#Haha. ayaw mo talagang sumuko a. Hmm...pag nakikita ko si Sebastian, ok naman. Masaya kasi syang kasama at feeling ko ang ganda-ganda ko pag magkasama kmi. Pag si Gael naman, kinakabahan. Ewan ko. Parang nai-intimidate ata ako. Iba kasing tumingin. Ok na ba yan?

VAN
#Good enough. Haha. So ano pang nangyari?

CAT
#Anyway, umalis din si Sebastian before matapos ang dinner. Family emergency.

VAN
#Ay bongga. So naiwan kayo ni first kiss. Anong nangyari?

CAT
#Ok naman. Tinapos namin ang dinner tas hinatid nya ko.

VAN
#And then? Pabitin ka naman e. Anong pinag-usapan nyo?

CAT
#Si Sebastian. Mahal daw nya ako. Pero sabi ko kay Gael, friends lang talaga muna kmi ni Sebastian.

VAN
#Ang haba ng hair mo, Cat! Tapos ano pa?

CAT
#Nag-usap lang kmi tungkol sa personal life like family.

VAN
#Yun lang? E yung alam mo na?

CAT
#Kulit ha. Nag-ty ako tungkol dun. Sabi nya, reflex lang daw ang lahat.

VAN
#Yun lang? Reflex lang!? Tapos?

CAT
#Yun lang. Tapos wala na.

VAN
#Yun lang!?

CAT
#Oo.

VAN
#Bad trip naman yun!

CAT
#Imaginin mo na lang ang feeling ko after nyang sabihin yun. Hay...

VAN
#Sorry, Cat.

CAT
#Ok lng. Yaan mo na un.

VAN
#Bat di na lang kasi si prince charming ang nakakiss sa yo e no?

Napaisip si Cat sa sinabi ni Van.

CAT
#Actually Van, hindi ko ma-imagine na mag-kiss kami ni Sebastian. Parang weird.

VAN
#Seryoso ba yan?

CAT
#Yeah.

VAN
#Mas weird ka. Haha. Ang gwapo kaya nun.

CAT
#Ewan. Anyway, sleep na muna ko a. 7:30 ang first class ko.

VAN
#Kk. Good night, Cat.

CAT
#Good night, Van.