Stonehearts 8: Peridot

Eleven

"I wish you'd stay a bit more, mag-relax at mag-enjoy ka muna rito sa isla." Era said, almost pleading. She's by my room door, watching me pack my things for my flight back to the city.

Nag-desisyon kasi silang manatili pa ng dalawang araw bago bumalik sa Maynila. Hindi ko alam kung sinu-sino sila at ayaw ko na rin magtanong. Because I know, I'll soon slip and ask if Kiel will also extend his stay here. I don't want to imply anything with whatever's happening between Kiel and I.

Hell, I don't even want to think about it.

"Hectic ang sched, eh. Marami akong kailangang asikasuhin pagbalik." Sagot ko habang nag-zi-zipper ng bag. Narinig kong nagbuntong-hininga siya bago ko narinig ang papalapit niyang yabag.

Umupo siya sa tabi ko sa sahig saka nagtanong muli, "Hindi ka ba magpapaalam kay Kuya bago ka umalis?"

Natigilan ako sa ginagawa ko. I kept my mouth shut, successfully stopping the tiny gasp I was about to make.

Bakit naman ako magpapaalam 'diba? Wala naman akong obligasyon sa kanya. Saka kaya nga rin ako nagmamadaling umalis, para hindi ko na muna siya makita. I know that breathing the polluted city air would make me refresh my mind about him, will remind me how I loathe him. This island's been nothing but a bad influence. That's why as much as possible, I need to leave without him cornering me, without his presence assaulting my better thinking.

"Magagalit 'yon pagkagising niya tapos malalaman niyang umalis ka ng walang paalam. Or worse, umalis ka ng hindi siya kasama."

Napapigil ako sa hininga ko saka dahan-dahang pinakawalan 'yon. I really don't get why Era's been all over me when Kiel is involved. If she thinks I will fall for him the way she fell in love with Cael, then she's deadly mistaken. Malaki ang pinagkaiba ng sitwasyon naming dalawa.

"Era, I'm sure Kiel thinks of me as one of his groupies. Or trying to add me to his groupies. Siguro, ang tingin niya sa'kin ay challenge dahil wala akong ibang ginawa kundi ipagtabuyan siya."

I stopped talking though I wanted to add that I'm slowly failing, that I'm not immune to his God-given charms, that the walls I've built around myself are starting to have little cracks.

Pinatong ni Era ang kamay niya sa taas ng akin. 'Yong mga singsing niya kuminang ng tinamaan ng natural na ilaw galing sa malaking bintana ng kwarto ko. Napataas ako ng tingin at agad naming nagtama ang mga mata namin.

"I think you're wrong about that. Kung ano man ang nangyayari sa inyo, it's different with the relationship he had, or lack of rather, with the other girls in his life. Cael says so himself. He'd seen and observed his brother for a very long time, and he's different when he's around you."

After she's finished vocalizing her thoughts, my heart is on a rampage, hammering hard against my ribcage. It was so loud that I can imagine it beating right next to my ears.

I quickly composed my cool and smiled at her, "You know what I think? I think you need to go back to your room and check on your husband. Baka magwala 'yon kapag nagising siya at wala ka sa tabi niya."

She laughed shortly and shook her head, "You're right. We still have two days to spare before we head to Germany for our honeymoon." She placed both her hands on her knees and supported her body to stand. She took one step towards the door but stopped and again asked for my attention. "Pwede mo namang iwasan nang iwasan 'yon, Dothy. But soon, it will hit you really hard once you collided with it."

I don't know what 'it' is. Or I don't want to think hard about it. Ayokong mag-expect, ayokong mag-assume, ayokong maniwala sa mga sinasabi niya.