In Between (SC, #4)

Kabanata 16

Kabanata 16

Preparation

As my eyes roamed inside the Jeep, everyone is busy getting the comfort on their own space. Halos lahat ay pagod at gustong makatulog. Sa gilid ko'y sina Mai at Julia nakapatong ang ulo sa isa't isa, parehas tulog na. Across them is kuya Hunter, busy with his phone. His eyes almost shutting down. Sina kuya Kit at Tripp parehas nakasandal ang ulo habang nakakabit ang neck pillow sa kanila, parehas na may mahinang hilik.

Napairap ako at napausad ang tingin sa kabilang gilid ng sasakyan. Si Jayden naman kasama ang kanyang plus one na si Xander. Tila may sariling mundo ang dalawa habang parehas na tumitingin sa isang telepono. Bulungan lamang ang ginagawa nila at ilang hagigikan. Katapat nila si kuya Landon. Nakita 'ko ang malalim tingin nito sa dalawa. He sensed that I am looking. He looked away immediately and crossed his arms. Kinabit ang earplug at pumikit ng mariin. I bit my lip from grinning widely.

I shook my head. Everyone is all busy with their own business. Here I am pretending that someone is not staring right at my face. I could almost sense a bad dark atmosphere across of me. A dagger look is plastered on my face whenever a traitor feeling of sneaking happened. Dahil alam 'kong sisilip ang ngisi sa labi niya na kunwari abala siya sa pagtingin sa kanyang telepono.

Huh, Satan won't win this time.

Inismiran 'ko siya at inabala ang sarili sa pag-Facebook or pagtanong kay Cassie kung may nakalimutan ba 'kong tapusin sa messenger. I don't know if I really miss something on UNI because of this damn trip. Ako nakiusap sa organizer dahil lahat ng pinsan 'ko abala raw. I am busy, too but I want this to push through. Ayoko ng drawing!

And I am so glad we made it. Ang view mula sa taas ng Mt. Manalmon ay iba sa pakiramdam. Gusto ko tuloy maulit ang pag-akyat namin. The view from the moutain is-I don't know how could I put it into words. It is...really refreshing. Isa-isahin siguro namin ang pwedeng maakyat dito sa Region III bago kami lumipat sa iba rehiyon. Nagpaplano na kami ni Jayden ng susunod. Ha! Kahit na hindi kami totoong nagsabi sa mga magulang namin na dito kami paroroon. Madami kasing sabi-sabi na h'wag na h'wag na mag-ha-hike hanggang wala pang nalulunod daw dahil baka may trahedyang mangyari. We crossed the Madlum River, too, but our guide really did a good job.

Look at us now...we're going home. Hindi 'ko lang alam kung nagsalita si Jere kina Mama dahil narinig niya ang usapan namin ni kuya Kit.

Kahit na puros reklamo ang natanggap 'ko kay Mai at Tripp sa hirap daw ng dinanas nila. Pero nang makita 'ko ang Instagram ng post ng dalawa parang...gusto pang maulit kasi nakuha ang gustong kuha sa litrato.

I rolled my eyes at that.

Hay naku! Ewan 'ko ba sa dalawang 'to!

The Messenger's notif popped on my phone. I am about to read Cassie's message but a familiar strum of guitar ringed on my ears. Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa katapat 'ko at kasalukuyan niyang ginagalaw ang Ukulele niya.

Genesis is taking it seriously. Hindi 'ko maiwasang pagmasdan siya kahit hindi dapat. That I don't want to really graze his features by my very eyes. Even the minor one...katulad nang malapit na pagtama ng pilikmata sa mataas na cheekbones. How his lips are slightly pouted, mouthing something...something familiar. Goodness, his fingers are long and comfortable enough to his instrument.

Napasinghap ako ng tahimik. Hirap akong alisan siya ng tingin lalo na ng pamilyar ang tinutugtog. And then someone thumped an improvise drum-the empty mineral water. It is no other than Jayden's plus one, Xander whom I know...a member of known band, they say so. May pumito at si kuya Kit iyon mukhang gising na gising.