It took her a little while to recover. Kalmado ngunit hindi sumang ayon sa sinabi niya ang kanyang nga mata.
"Akyat na tayo." Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko. "Okay na ako." She breathed out.
Nakahawak lang siya sa baywang ko magdamag. I felt her grip tightened and it went up to my under boob. Walang imikan kahit noong nasa elevator na kami. May isang lakaking pumasok at tiningnan ang ayos namin.
6th floor, may pumasok na isa pang lalaki, pero hindi katulad nung pumasok kanina, nakasuot ito ng khaki shorts at white v-neck shirt.
The first guy looked at me and smiled. Napatagal pa ang titig nito sakin kaya ngumiti ako pabalik.
Kasabay ng pag ngiti ko, naramdaman ko yung pagbaba ng hawak ni Althea sa akin. Bahagya siyang lumayo looking so pissed.
Dumikit ako sa kanya at kinuha ang kamay niya para muling ilagay sa tagiliran ko.
Nakababa na yung dalawang kasabay namin pero si Althea, wala pa ring imik. Sabay kaming lumabas sa elevator pero hinahatak niya ako ng marahan.
We entered and I noticed that she has a gloomy atmosphere room. Grey thick curtains, big TV in her sala, black carpet and above it is a small table and a grey sofa. Her sofa is large enough for two person to lay down.
"I have two bedrooms. Sa kwarto ka matutulog." She said as she gave me a glass of water.
"Saang kwarto?"
"Kwarto ko."
I didn't ask any questions about that. Iyon ang desisyon niya. Gusto ko rin naman matulog katabi siya.
"Gusto mo bang mag linis muna ng katawan?" She looked at me.
"Wala akong dalang damit." Medyo mahina kong saad.
"I have a lot of unused clothes inside my dresser. We have the same size, Mariz." She then scanned me from my foot up to my eyes.
Binasa niya ang labi niya gamit ang dila at ang bahagyang pag kagat niya rito. I looked away.
"Okay," I said.
Umupo ako sa tabi niya at kalaunan, humiga at ginawang unan ang mga hita niya.
"Tired?" She asked.
"Hindi nanan." Napapaisip lang. Idadagdag ko sana.
"You want to eat? Marami akong stocks kasi nag grocery kami ni Mabel nung isang araw."
"Mamaya na siguro. Hindi naman ako gutom."
Napapikit ako nang maramdaman ko yung magaan na kamay niyang pabalik balik sa pag hawak sa buhok ko.
I opened my eyes. Her beautiful face is facing the television but when she noticed my stare, she stared back at me.
Umupo ako at idinikit ang sarili sa kanya. Nanood din katulad ng ginagawa niya.
When I felt her hand playing with my waist, tuluyan akong nawala sa wisyo. Damn.
"Althea," I've been dying to ask this.
"Hmm,"
"What are we?" Halos pabulong kong saad. "Friends don't do these things that we does."
"We're not friends, Mariz." She turned the television off. "Friends don't kiss." She said.
"I know," I looked down. "Naguguluhan lang ako." I honestly stated.
"We are what you think we are, Mariz." She held my hand.
"Hindi ko nga alam kung ano tayo..." tinignan ko siya.
"Mariz, hindi ko alam kung trap ba to o ano," she slightly laughed. "Gusto kong fully recovered ka na kapag nagkaron ng 'tayo', gets mo ba?"
"Yeah,"
"Siguro nga, healed ka na. Pero, kaya mo na ba mag handle ng relationship?"
"Siguro, kung ikaw, kakayanin. I really want to know what our label is. You will sometimes say that you're my girlfriend pero ang totoo, hindi naman natin napag uusapan."
Gusto ko sanang sabihin na mahal ko na siya. Natatakot ako. Natatakot ako sa sarili kong desisyon. It's too early for me to enter a new relationship but on the other side, my feelings for her are too strong to stop.
Natatakot ako na baka hindi siya maniwala kapag sinabi ko na mahal ko siya. Baka hindi niya paniwalaan yung nararamdaman ko sa kanya. Baka hindi kami parehas.
"You really want to talk about that?" She gently asked.
"I..." hindi ko yata kayang sabihin,
"You what?" She smiled.
"I think..." I looked away.
"You think what?"
"I love you." Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa kanya.
A sweet smile formed in her lips. With her teary eyes, she kissed my lips.
"Say it again," namamaos niyang saad habang nakayakap pa rin sa akin. "Please, baby."
"I love you..." bulong ko.
"Damn." Humigpit yung yakap niya. "Isa pa ulit," she kissed my right cheek.
"I love you, Althea. Mahal kita." I sincerely said.
Nang kumalas ako sa yakap, nakita ko ang namumula niyang mga mata. Namamasang pilik mata, namamasang pisngi at labi.
"I've been inlove with you even before we met." She confessed.
Hindi ako nagsalita. Kinuha ko ang kamay niya at pinag laruan ang mga daliri nito.
"Pinakilala ka ni Luke sa akin before pa maging kayo. I sarted feeling something towards you when I planned your trip to Palawan on your second anniversary."
Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. Luke told me that everything was his idea.
"Hindi naman talaga dapat ako uuwi, eh." She looked down. "I'm sorry for lying." Her lips formed a thin line. "Bago pa ako umuwi, malinis at maayos na 'tong unit ko. I just wanted to stay with you. Gift ko na sa sarili ko 'yon since matagal naman na akong nagtatago."
"You should've told me sooner." Mahina kong saad.
"No. Mas okay yung ngayon ko sinabi." Hinihpitan niya ang kapit sa kamay ko. "I didn't tend to make you fall for me. I just really wanna stay with you for days. Gusto ko yung naramdaman mo, of course. Pero syempre, gusto ko rin na sasabihin mo yan hindi dahil alam mong mahal kita."
I hugged her.
When she let go from our tight hug, she told me the words that I wont forget.
"I've been so in love with you. Deeply inlove to the point that I'm willing to sacrifice my friendship with Luke."
"Are you my girlfriend now?" I asked. Slightly laughing.
"Patay na patay ka naman sakin." Natatawa rin na saad niya.
Sumimangot ako at inilagay ang baba sa balikat niya. "Baby," mahina kong saad.
"Tayo na." She said. Mahina pero tama lang para marinig ko. "Mahal kita." Dagdag niya.
