Strawberries and Cigarettes ✔

I. primus congressus suavitas

Rhiannon

"Hi, do you have a lighter?"

Six words. That was the first six words you said to me when we first met.

It was summer that time, while the sun are setting, you approach me and asked if I have a lighter.

"Can you please light my cigarette?" You added.

I was stunned and became immobile for a while. I mean, who wouldn't? A stranger would come to you to ask if you have a lighter and if you could light his cigarette, isn't that weird?

"Excuse me?" That was the only words I could come up.

You chuckled and showed your mischievous grin before slightly shaking your head.

"Ah! My bad. Why would I even ask a young girl, though. Sorry, baby girl. Don't mind me." My mouth slowly gaped after hearing you said those.

"E-excuse me?! I'm turning 17 this month!" I don't even know why I defended my age, ang alam ko lang ay na-offend ako.

I'm not usually offended when people teases me about my age or height. Majority of my friends were two to three years older than me that's why I get tease with my age a lot. But never did I get offended. Ngayon pa lang!

"Ohh, really? Wow, happy birthday in advance, kid." That's it! My asshole tolerance have reached its limit.

"Shut up! Don't call me kid! Hindi porke't matanda ka na pwede mo akong tawagin ng ganiyan. Bakit? Ilang taon ka na ba?" Hamon ko sa kaniya. Pinagkrus ko pa ang braso ko sa dibdib at tiningala siya ng maayos.

"I just turned 21 last month. So I guess I have the right to call you a kid?" Nang-aasar niyang tugon.

Mas lalo akong nag-init sa inis dahil sa mga reaksyon niyang halatang nang-aasar.

Nakakuyom na ang dalawang kamay ko dahil sa inis na nararamdaman ko para isang estrangherong nasa harapan.

I was about to lash out at him when he suddenly burst out laughing.

"I was just kidding, baby girl. 'Wag ka na mainis. Tignan mo oh, pulang pula na 'yang pisngi mo, mukhang sasabog na." Halos maiyak na siya kakatawa habang ako'y halos maiyak na din sa sobrang inis.

Malulutong na tawa ang pinakakawalan ng lalaking nasa harapan ko. Hindi niya iniinda ang talim ng tingin ko sa kaniya. I've never been this offended my whole life! Hindi ako sanay na pagtawanan ng ganito!

I bit my lower lip as I watch him trying to hold back his laugh. But he just couldn't.

Tumitig ako sa kaniya at pinanood ang malakas niyang pagtawa. Tawang walang inhibisyon. At hindi ko alam kung bakit at kailan, pero unti unting nalulusaw ang inis na nararamdaman ko. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ang kaninang inis ay napalitan ng mabilis na pagtibok ng puso ko.

And when he finally stopped laughing, he bent down a little to level my eyes. He put his hand on the top of my head and ruffled my hair slightly.

"Binibiro lang kita, baby girl. 'Wag ka na mainis, hmm? You're too pretty to be annoyed." And after that, he smiled and turn his back from me.

It was that summer.

It was the 17th summer of my life when I realized that I finally found my first love.

I was never a fan of fairytales and love story while growing up. Bata palang ay mulat na ako na ang dalawang bagay na 'yan ay nage-exist lamang sa mga libro at palabas sa telebisyon. Produkto lamang ng malilikot na imahinasyon ng mga tao at pag-asang baka sakali, isa sila sa suswertihin sa sinasabing pag-ibig na 'yan.