If I See You Again

Chapter 3 Stiffened

Lance' Pov

Napatayo ako nang bigla nalang nagtago si Channel sa ilalim ng mesa. When I bent down to check on her, I've got alarmed when I saw her shaking.

I tried talking to her and asked if she's okay. Well of course she's not, how stupid a question that was.

Parang may sariling pag-iisip ang aking mga braso at hinila siya patayo. I scooped her in my arms. Her small frame fits perfectly in my grasp. I felt her stiffened and so did I for a fleeting moment.

"I won't let you go until the thunder claps stop." I assured her. She just nodded in response.

We stayed in that position for a few minutes and how did I manage to stop any manly urge I had, I don't really know. It's a miracle I got passed it.

We sat down at the sofa when finally the thunder stopped.

"What made you be afraid with thunder?" I ask, I know most of the people are or some might be annoyed like me.

"It's not just really the thunder that I am afraid of. It's also the lightning that comes after it." Matamang sagot ni Channel habang nakatingin sa kawalan.

My forehead creased in added curiousity. "Bakit?"

I saw her shifted from her seat. So I tried to stop her from answering but her eyes welled with tears as she narrates how a dear cousin of hers died when hit by lightning strike.

I went by her side immediately and hugged her for the second time. Now this is really testing me.

Kaninang pinagmamasdan ko siya habang natutulog, I appreciated her beauty. Now that I've got to hug and feel her mas lalo pa yata akong nabibighani. I can feel her curves, and all. I'm not really into physical appearance but I just can't help but notice hers.

"I was too late, when I arrived at the place halos wala na siyang buhay. She died in my hands you know." Her shoulders are still shaking.

"Hush, I'm sure you did your best. Sometimes things are just out of our control." I tried pacifying her.

She sniffed bago kumalas sa pagkakayakap ko. "Nakakahiya naman." Aniya at mahinang tumawa. "Ang iyakin ko talaga." Aniya at nagpatuloy sa payak na pagtawa.

Nahawa naman ako. "At matatakutin din."

"Naku! Hindi ah, tanging sa kulog at kidlat lang. Pero time will come that I will get over it." She said seriously and I smiled at her.

"Of course you will." I said and I mean it.

Tumayo ako sandali at kumuha ng tubig at iba pang maiinum. "Do you want to drink anything? Juice, coffee, beer, wine?" I asked her.

"Let me get it myself na. Subra-sobra na ang ginawa mo para sa akin tonight. Nakaabala pa ako nang husto sayo." Tumayo siya't sumunod sa akin.

Nagkwentuhan kami ng kung anu-ano. Things that we love doing. I somehow feel like we became closer in just a short time. We talked about the places we've been to and those that we want to visit someday. We talked about other random things but never about our private lives. Never about our family backgrounds and I didn't even get to know her full name. But its okay, siguro naman this will not be the last time we'll see each other.

Masayang kakwentuhan si Channel. She's so simple, ang daling patawanin. Ang gaan ng feeling habang kausap ko siya.

Now this is new to me. I don't do chitchats especially with the opposite sex. It's either I go straight and bed women or dispose them like some commodities.

I started doing so when my latest girlfriend, I don't even want to mention her name, left me for my close friend. Diba ang tanga ko. They were already having an affair while kami. At ni konti hindi man lang ako nagduda when my buddy and ex would go missing at the same time back then. Kaya naman I lost the trust. I treated women like they're just random people I meet each day and they are bound to disappear.

But this person I'm talking to right now is just another random woman I picked from the street. I just can't find it in myself to treat her like how I treated the others. 'Eh kinaladkad mo nga papunta sa pad!' I almost got choked with my own saliva when I remember my stupidity.

********** 

Luisa's Pov

Nagtaka ako nang biglang tumahimik si Lance habang mataman akong tinitignan.

Ano kaya ang iniisip niya? Is he still thinking that I may be lying about everything that I am telling him. Iniisip niya parin kaya na isa talaga akong bayarang babae? O baka naman may dumi ako sa mukha?

Kung anu-ano na ang naiisip ko habang panakapanakang sumusulyap kay Lance na hindi parin bumabitaw sa pagtitig sa akin. Kaya I stared back and studied his features. Chiseled jawlines, defined chick bones, soulful eyes, saktong haba ng ilong, and lips that as red as cherries. But there's something about his eyes. Lungkot, pait, puot? Ewan...

Natigil ako sa aking paninitig at pag-iisip ng kung anu-ano when I heard him coughed.

"Ayos ka lang?" Tanong ko at agad siyang inabutan ng tubig na inabot naman niya kaagad at tinungga.

"I'm fine, thanks." He said and looked at his wrist watch. "Naku, it's almost 3am na pala. Hindi kapa ba inaantok Chan?"

Whoa it's my first time someone call me that. And I find it special na galing sa kanya at sana siya lang ang tumawag sa akin ng ganoon.

"Ah... Siguro, dapat na akong umuwi. I guess pupwed na naman akong mag taxi from here. Malapit narin namang mag-umaga." I said while keeping the cups we used.

"Dito kana matulog, ako na maghahatid sa'yo bukas. Baka makatulog kapa sa taxi at kung anong gawin ng driver sa'yo." Agap niya.

"Hindi naman na siguro ako makakatulog, pinatulog mo ako kanina eh." Palusot ko. Hindi ako sanay makitulog sa ibang bahay. Nuon oo pero tanging kina Steve lang and we're close friends pati parents namin kaya okay lang.

"No, I insist!" He said with finality at tumayo na.

"Pero..." I rebutted nang biglang tumunog ang napakalas na kulog na nagpatili na naman sa akin. Kasabay pa ang pagkapatay ng ilaw.

"Oh sh*t!" Agad akong dinaluhan ni Lance. Iginiya niya uli ako sa sofa. Ang akala koy tumila na ang ulan. Hindi kasi namin napansin masyado dahil naaliw kami sa pagkukuwentuhan.

"Dito ka muna at kukunin ko lang ang emergency lights ko sa kwarto at emergency fan na rin." Pagpapaalam nito.

Tanging sunod-sunod na tango nalang ang ginawad ko sa kanya. Nakatalungko ako sa sofa at hawak-hawak ang dalawang tuhod habang subsob naman ang mukha ko in between.

Mabilis namang nakabalik si Lance at bitbit nito ang emergency lights and fan sa magkabilang kamay.

"Tatawagan ko muna ang maintenance team and ask for update." At dinukot nito ang cellphone sa bulsa ng khaki shorts nito. Bahagya siyang lumayo, mga isang dipa when he started talking.

"Alright, do you need me to go there and check it myself? Nakakahiya sa mga nakatira dito sa tower." I heard him say. So he owns this tower? "How long this will take ba? Can you give me specific time frame?" Seryosong seryoso ang tinig nito.

Nangunot ang noo ko nang bahagya pa siyang lumayo and I can hear him sigh heavily. "I will go there now. Thirty minutes is ridiculous. Prepare the equipment for me. I'll be there in a few." At agad niyang pinutol ang linya.

He then turned to me. And the thought of being left alone in this spacious pad and with thunders and lightning strokes from time to time terrifies.

"Please don't leave me alone. Let me go with you. Pwede?" I pleaded more.

"Okay, we'll be fast. Come." He held out his hand to me.

Nagmamadali akong tumayo kaya hindi ko namataan na may kung anong nakaharang sa inapakan ko plus my sprain.

'Oh no! This is really going to be bad!' sigaw ng utak ko. Napapikit ako sa isiping matutumba na talaga ako.

The next thing I felt is his soft lips brushing mine. I forgot that I took his hand while getting up.

With all my might I pushed him away from me. Nahirapan ako sa bigat niya ngunit naitulak ko naman.

"I'm sorry!" Sabay naming bulalas. But...

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