Ride Home

twenty-five

Mahal ko nga siya. Sabi ko kanina, on some nights I cry and on some I lay awake. I lay awake right now, looking at javi's calm facial features. Nakadapa ako at nakabalot sa akin ang kumot, which reminds me of what we've done earlier.

"I love you" he whispered, opening one eye, I smiled.

"thought you were asleep" sabi ko, he opened his arms and guided me to lay my head on his chest, he intertwined our hands.

"akala ko wala ka na pag gising ko" he said, I sighed.

"baka nga ikaw ang wala na." sabi ko.

"bahay ko 'to" he said, I smiled

"happened three years ago when you called einica" sabi ko, he smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry for that night" he said, tumango nalang ako. I wrapped my arms on his waist.

"javier joaquin" I muttered, he hummed in response, his eyes closed.

"hanggang kailan tayo ganito?"

He smiled, but he didn't open his eyes to reply. Tumayo ako at nagsuot ng damit.

"hey, hey." javi said, pulling my waist and hugging me para mapalapit ako sakanya.

"don't go." he said, I furrowed my eyebrows.

"nagdamit lang ako, kasi malamang xavier will barge in here tomorrow" sabi ko, my hands are holding his cheeks, he smiled.

"I missed you so much" he said, I sat on his lap.

"yeah, I missed you too." I replied kissing him.

"SABI NA EH! JUAN PAY ME 1K!" kumunot ang noo because ang ingay,  I opened one eye to see juan pulling out his wallet and giving ricci a one thousand peso bill.

"what the fuck are you guys doing?" tanong ko, they smiled.

"sabi ko kasi magiging kayo ulit in a week, sabi naman ni juan medj matagal pa, look who won!" ricci said dancing and showing me the one thousand he got from juan.

"breakfast na daw." sabi ni juan smiling, yinugyog ko si javi, he pouted his lips.

"mama!" xavier said running to me, I smiled and opened my arms, masaya 'to ngayon kaya nagpapayakap.

"I saw kuya jaime mama, and he got tall na, si kuya jordi rin, ate mara is looking for you sa baba mama" xavier said, ang daldal, I smiled at him.

"okay bababa na tayo, gisingin mo na si tito javi, i'll freshen up lang sa cr okay?" I asked xavier and he nodded.

Habang nagtotooth brush ako, I can hear xavier and javi laughing, it was probably because javi was tickling xavier, I finished washing my face and I tied my hair.

"tara na" I said, javi was hugging xavier, nawawala ang mata ni xavier sa sobrang tuwa niya.

"tito javi said that we'll go to the beach sa summer mama," sabi ni xavier, I sat on the edge of the bed.

"okay, basta you got good grades." sabi ko, xavier nodded and stood up. Javi went to the cr, probably to wash his face and brush his teeth.

Bumaba kaming tatlo, with javi's hand wrapped around my shoulder.

"good morning po" I said, nanlaki ang mata ni tita anna at tito bert,

"xavie!" mara called me, lumingon ako and I smiled widely,

"ang laki niyo na!" I said, si jaime rin kasi malaki na, last year na ata niya sa junior high while si mara senior high na. Mara hugged me,

"you know ate, favorite ng classmates ko yung recipe mo. Lagi kaming nagtatake out ng desserts sa cafè mo but hindi ka kita maabutan" sabi ni mara, I ran my fingers through her hair,

"nasa office lang ako mostly or nagbabake sa loob, tell me next time?" sabi ko, she nodded.

After our breakfast and mini kamustahan, nagpaalam na ako kay javi.

"why?" he asked, paawa and pacute at the same time.

"kasi, may aayusin pa ako sa bahay." sagot ko, since kakalipat lang namin ni xavier, hindi pa maayos lahat. Javi sighed,

"can I go there?" he asked, tumango ako.

"hatid kita?" he asked, umiling ako.

"nagdrive ako kagabi, I can drive back home" sagot ko, javi sighed and nagsad face. I pinched his cheek.

"xav let's go na!" tawag ko, he nodded. Javi kissed my forehead and he hugged xavier.

"mama, I missed tito javi" sabi ni xavier habang nasa kotse kami.

"let's hope he stays longer this time."