"THIS IS SO FUN!!! WOOOOHH!!"
Nakakabinging hiyawan, sari-saring sigawan at mga tawang labas bagang. The salty and fresh midnight breeze of the sea swarmed through my body. Everyone was having fun and dancing all around grinding on the body they met halfway. Si Maying ay nasa gitna na ng mga kumpol ng mga katawang nagsasayawan, swaying her body in every direction. Habang kami ni Jac ay magkahawak kamay na umiindak kasabay ng music sa gilid ng kumpol na tao.
Somehow, I felt a pair of hands from behind and grabbed my waist, up to my arms down to my hands. Heat creeped up through me as it's hot breathe fanned my nape, while feeling the course of it's body heat all over me. I didn't dare to move. Hell! Why I didn't?!
Familiarity aching in it's every touch. I held my breathe and sucked my sanity in me, worrying if it would got me, hit me hard.
"Having fun?"
I gasped. It's Joseph! He hugged me still from behind taking slow steps side by side as if dancing to a low tuned romantic music instead of the blaring sounds around.
I closed my eyes and let myself felt him envelope me in his arms. It feels right and safe. I felt comfortably fond of this. Slowly, let me faced him and I opened my eyes looking deep into his twinkling eyes. He put my arms around his neck and shoulders, then snaked his own around my waist. Standing there with our body pressed together still taking steps side by side.
"You are beautiful," bulong nito at ngumiti.
"I know," ngumisi ako dito.
"You're too delicate, amazing and surreal. I'm drowning.. will you extend a hand over to save me?"
"Try, then."
He smiled at me and cupped my face. Slowly, he leaned down on me. Slowly, we closed our eyes. Slowly, I felt his tender lips on mine. Slowly, sparks exploded inside me, surging new fondness for him.
We kissed. Under the lit of the moon reflects on the sea, beneath us the soft sands of this island, and around us the people having fun.. we kissed.
"OHOOYYYY!! JULIET, NANDITO NA SI ROMEO!!"
Giggles, laughters and yelps filled the little space of our cottage. Lumabas ako ng kwarto at sinalubong ang mapanuksong tingin ni Jac ng isang nakamamatay na tingin, habang si Maying ay nasa veranda at nakatanaw sa baba ng cottage.
Agad akong hinila ako ni Jac patungo sa veranda. Inaasahan ko na naman pero nagulat parin ako dahil nasa baba nga si Joseph, naka-upo sa buhangin at kumakaway sa kinaroroonan namin at may malaking ngiti sa labi.
"Kanina pa sya diyan," mapang-uyam na ani Maying. "Baka kako gusto mo nang babain?"
"Sinabi ko bang maghintay sya?" ani kong nakangiti. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Masaya ako, oo. Pero may iba. Ibang damdaming umuusbong sa loob ko. Tuluyan na ba akong nahulog dito? No! It's just two days and two nights since we met! And it's just two days and one night since you kissed! Fuck!
Pinilig ko ang ulo at tumingin sa dalawang kaibigan ko. Si Jac ay parang kinukuryente parin habang si Maying ay pinanliliitan ako ng mata, kinikilatis at hinuhukay ang kaibuturan ko.
I sighed and turned to Joseph. Kinawayan ko ito at sumenyas ditong umakyat sa cottage namin.
"Enjoy, Orii!" Ani Jac habang hinihila ito ni Maying papasok ng kwarto.
"What?!" I blurted out. They stopped on track and glanced at me. "Sumama kayo sa'kin, magsasaya tayo sa feista!" Desperadang ani ko sa mga ito.
Umirap si Maying, "so ano kami? Third wheel nyo? It sucks, Orii." Bored na ani Maying.
"No!! Diba plano na natin to?" Hindi ako pwedeng maiwan kasama si Joseph o kahit mapag-isa man lang sandali, hindi dahil wala akong tiwala dito kundi dahil wala akong tiwala sa sarili ko! Delikado ang puso ko! At ayokong mangyari iyon! "Please? Sumama na kayo,"
"It will gonna be fun, guys!" Sumulpot ang mukha ni Joseph sa tabi ko habang nakangiti. Kumindat ito sa'kin nang lumingon ako dito, agad naman akong umiwas ng tingin at binalingan sina Jac at Maying, na nakapameywang at nakataas ang kilay sa'kin. Nangsusumamong tingin ang pinukol ko sa mga ito. Kulang nalang yata ay lumuhod ako.
"Oh, c'mon!" I exclaimed. Please.. pretty please!
Nag-ring ang phone ni Joseph and excused himself to take the call. Agad akong lumapit sa mga kaibigan ko at may nagpapaawang tingin sa mga mata.
"Sumama na kayo, please?" Bulong ko sa mga ito.
Tumaas ang kilay ni Maying at kinunutan ako ng noo ni Jac. Agad kong tinakpan ang bibig ni Maying ng akmang magsasalita ito. Lumapit si Joseph sa'min ng may malaking ngiti sa labi.
"Hey, my friends are coming. Might as well we'll go together?" Nakalahad ang mga kamay na suhestiyon ni Joseph.
I excitedly exclaimed, mentally. "Oh? Sama na kayo?" Nakangiting ani ko.
"What?! No!" Nanlalaki ang mga matang mariin na tutol ni Jac. Sabay kaming napatingin dito. She cleared her throat and nervously smile, "I mean.. magbibihis lang muna ako. Hehehe.." awkward na anas nito.
"Nagbihis na tayo kanina, Jacqueline." Si Maying.
Oooohhh! May something kay Jac! Hahaha!
Tiningnan ko ito ng may tudyo habang si Maying ay kinikilatis ang buong mukha nito.
"So.. let's go?" ani Joseph.
Tumango ako dito. Ngumiti naman ito sa'kin at hinawakan ang kamay ko habang hinihila ako pababa ng cottage.
"May ikukuwento kayo sa'kin mamaya." Matigas na ani Maying habang nakahawak sa braso ni Jac. Napalunok ako. Oh, no!
YOU ARE READING
SUMMER PEEKS 1 (novelette) :ONCE UPON A TIME IN AN ISLAND
JugendliteraturNOTE TO MYSELF: LOVE STRIKES AT FIRST SIGHT, BUT HEART BREAKS IN AN INSTANT. Being with someone doesn't guarantee you belong to each other, it's just a matter of seizing the surge of feeling.
