Borrowed Time (completed)

23. Meng's hideaway

Meng was enjoying the scenery of the surroundings, feeling the cool breeze brushing against her skin. The sound of the water flowing in the river nearby interspersed with the rustling of leaves as the breeze blew, made her feel relaxed. She closed her eyes to savor the simplicity of everything around her. Growing up in the city didn't offer her this much tranquillity. She didn't notice that Rj had moved away from her until she opened her eyes and found herself alone on the spot where they stopped.

Slight panic crept upon her when she realized that she was 'alone'. Meng looked around but didn't find any people around. She decided to just walk back down to the clearing and the hut. She could still slightly hear some chatter and laughter from the adults. As she took a step, a strum of a guitar broke through the air. She turned and followed the tune and found Rj sitting on a boulder in the river. The water silently flowed through the other rocks around him. Meng approached and sat on boulder next to the one he was sitting on. He smiled at her and continued playing until the song ended. Only then did she realize that he had left his shoes on the bank and his feet were in the water, resting on a rock.

"...ba't di mo pa tinanggal shoes mo?" Rj asked. He smiled at her and pointed at her feet.

"Di...di ko naman alam na nagtanggal ka ng shoes e..."

"Akin na..." Rj said as he stood up and offered to take the shoes to the bank.

But instead of removing her shoes, Meng tried to stand up from the boulder she was on but slipped and fell, sitting in the shallow water. She was stunned by her fall but ended up just laughing at what had happened to her. Rj was still holding on to her hand when she fell. He was balancing his guitar with his other hand although he wore the guitar on his body.

Meng was able to stand up and together they walked to the bank. Rj untied Meng's sneakers and removed them together with her socks.

"Basa na ako..." Meng said, looking down at her body. Her gray shirt dress was now a shade darker up to her mid-section.

"...dala ko yung bag mo..." Rj said as he pointed to a picnic blanket that was spread out under a big tree, a few feet away from the river's edge. On the blanket was a basket and a backpack.

"Huh?" Meng wondered. The backpack was unfamiliar.

"I mean, nasa backpack yung mga extra na damit natin."

"Ahh..."

"...naka-shorts ka naman diba?"

"Hmm...actually, hindi sya shorts talaga...teka, paano mo nalaman? Sinilipan mo ako?" Meng shot him a look of shock, disbelief, and slight disappointment.

"No! Nakita ko yung mga damit mo sa room after Yaya Beth gave you a sponge bath yesterday. She made you wear my t-shirt and boxer shorts."

"Ahh..." Meng sighed a sigh of relief.

"...pinalabas nga ako ni Ninong after I brought you to the guest room...the only long time we stayed together in the room was when we napped after lunch. Nung gabi na, I slept in my room na." Rj said, turning away and sitting on a boulder nearby. He started plucking on the strings of his guitar.

"Ayy...nagtatampo ka?" Meng said. She approached him and sat behind him, resting her chin on his shoulder while embracing him at the waist.

"Ehh...I would never do that to you. Eversince we met and became friends, I was always so thankful that you wore decent outfits kahit na nag-d-drive ka ng shuttle at pumapasok sa school."

"Kahit na medyo mukha akong tomboy madalas kasi naka-pantalon ako?"

"Okay lang na ganun basta di ka nasisilipan at nire-respeto ka ng lahat lalo na nung mga lalake mong passengers."

"...takot lang nila kay Tatay at Kuya..."

"Hmm...I'm sure na-warninangan na yung ibang mga co-drivers mo...ikaw lang ang babaeng driver dun, diba?"

"...hmm...minsan, si Aling Celia andun din..."

"Aling Celia?"

"Yung asawa ni Mang Cesar, yung parang pinaka-leader ng driver's association..."

"Ah okay..."

"So ano, nagtatampo ka pa rin?" Meng said as she rested her ear on Rj's shoulder, he warm breath tickling the side of his neck.

"Hmm...hindi na...come nga here..." Rj said as he moved his arm and Meng lifted her head. She swung her legs around so that she was seated next to Rj. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to kiss her on the head.

"Eh ano yung tinutugtog mo kanina?"

"Ahh..yung ' River flows in You' ni Yiruma." Rj said and started playing again.

"Nakaka-relax..." Meng said, watching Rj intently.

After a few minutes, Rj asked, "...gusto mong mag-swimming muna bago tayo bumalik sa bahay?"

Rj helped Meng off from the boulder. He put down his guitar on the picnic blanket before returning to hold Meng's hand while they waded to a slightly deeper spot in the river. Rj sat down and had Meng sit infront of him, letting the water flow by them.

"...aside from yung kahoy na ginagawang bridge papunta dun sa kabila, dito ako madalas tumambay...nagsswimming..."

"Swimming? Eh ang babaw lang dito..."

"Dun sa may ilalim nung tree, medyo mas malalim yung tubig...dito, pwdeng mag-cross papunta sa kabila na through the water...dun naman sa likod natin, mas malalim na talaga..." Rj said, pointing to the spots he mentioned.

"Hmm...first time ko kasi maka-experience ng ganito..."

"Ahh...eto ha, hindi ito ang last time mong pagpunta dito sa river...babalik tayo dito..."

"Promise?"

"Promise...babalik tayo dito...sa hideaway..."

"Hideaway?"

"Hmm...from this day, I am calling this place MENG'S HIDEAWAY..." Rj said as he kissed the top of Meng's head.