BrightWin: The Arrangement

III

Keiran

Gumising ako nang masakit ang ulo. Napuyat kasi kami ni Xavier kagabi, nagtatawanan tungkol sa mga paborito naming series at mga librong binabasa. Pinag-usapan din namin about sa academics.

Medyo mahirap lang siyang kausap kasi englishero pero kaya ko naman.

Masungit pa rin siya pero nakukuha ko naman ang kiliti niya minsan.

"Good morning, annoying ass." Bungad niya sakin, kararating lang niya galing grocery store dahil gaya ng sabi niya, ako ang magluluto.

Bumili siya nang kung anu-anong sangkap, anong maluluto ko rito?

"Anong lulutuin ko rito, Xavier?" Tanong ko sa kanya at nagkibit balikat lang siya.

"I just bought them, you decide what to cook. That's everything from meat, to vegetables, herbs and spices." Sagot niya habang hinuhubad yung jacket niya dahil medyo malamig at maulan ang panahon.

Nahihirapan akong mag-isip ng lulutuin dahil alam kong mataas ang standards ni Xavier sa pagkain, ayaw nga raw niya ng Filipino food, yun lang alam kong lutuin.

Naisip kong magluto na lang ng nilagang baboy, isa sa paboritong luto ko ni Kairo.

Sana magustuhan niya.

***

Xavier

Whatever he's cooking, it smells okay. It doesn't smell like what we ate last night but whatever.

I began texting my friends on what we're up to, I also invited them for a drink tonight and they all excitedly agreed to meet me at Harbor, the bar my family owns.

"Is he cute? Can he sing?" One of my friends asked. She thinks she can get Keiran to like her. It's obvious that Keiran is into guys.

"I prefer not to answer your questions, Colette." I texted back, "Besides, I don't find any single guy cute. I'm the cutest and most handsome."

They all left me on seen. Wow, I have such great friends mga hayop.

"Let's drink sa apartment niyo ng boyfriend mo, Xavi!" Vince suggested, I agreed.

"Oy." I screamed, "Keiran!"

He went out of the kitchen in his apron and spatula, "Ano 'yon?"

"I'm having some friends over tonight for a drink. Could you maybe leave?" I politely asked.

His eyebrows went furrow and yelled, "Bakit ko kailangan umalis?! Saan ako pupunta?! Kinakahiya mo ba 'ko?!"

"Why are you screaming?!" I yelled back, "Just be gone for a couple of hours! A girl I like is coming and I want to impress her!" I continue as I stood up from the sofa bed to apprach him.

I look down at him considering I'm a few inches taller.

"Sa ganyang pag-uugali? Hindi pa ba alam ng mga kaibigan mo na ikaka—"

I cover his mouth, "Don't even dare to continue that sentence. No one in this room wanted that."

"Ipakilala mo ako bilang kaibigan." He firmly says, trying to stand straight and look tough, "I'm not asking for anything else, Xavier. Huwag mo lang akong ikahiya."

I rolled my eyes and went straight back to the sofa bed and continued texting and scrolling thru my social media accounts.

I never run out of notifications, my face is all over the town. On billboards, magazines, brochures, on tv. Everywhere.

"Kain na!" Keiran yelled from the kitchen.

"Are you galit?" I asked while getting up from the couch to eat whatever this is. "You keep yelling. It's annoying."

"Mukha mo annoying." He retorts, making my left eyebrow raise.

I moved forward to him, close enough to feel each other's breaths, "You're going to see my face for the rest of your life. Get used to it." And kissed his nose.

He became different shades of red and his eyes were wide open in shock of what I've done.

I chuckled and headed on to eat.

Keiran on the other hand, is still very silent after what I did which I find very funny.

"Oy, talk to me." I said as I was taking a bite at the pork. "Stop blushing and tell me stories."

"Bakit pa?" He finally talks.

"Because you're going to be my wife soon, I want to know all about my future wife." I smiled sweetly at him and again, he turned different shades of red and stopped eating.

"Tigilan mo nga ako, Xavier!" He looks away from me, probably in shame.

"Calm down, I'm just playing."

"Then don't, hindi nakakatawa." He seriously says. I raised both my arms in defeat.

Got your period, boss?

***

Keiran

Hindi nakakatawa kasi nakakakilig! Kinikilig ako, hindi ko alam kung bakit!

Hindi naman ako bakla para kiligin pero nung tinitigan ako ni Xavier nang mata sa mata, parang nalulusaw ako, nanghihina yung tuhod ko at bumilis yung tibok ng puso ko.

Lalo na nung nilapit niya yung mukha niya sakin, parang gusto ko na lang bumigay sa mga mata niya, sa mga mata niyang dark brown, mala tsokolate pati ang mga tingin niya dahil din sa lagkit.

Pinagmamasdan ko si Xavier habang kumakain at napansin ko ngang gwapo siya. Matangos ang ilong, maganda ang hugis ng mata, maputi at yung kissable lips niya.

Napa-iling ako sa naisip kong naghahalikan kami ni Xavier sa sofa bed.

"Tigilan mo, Keiran." Bulong ko sa sarili ko. Ayoko siyang isipan ng ganon pero bakit ganun yung nangyayari?

"I'm done! You did great, wifey!" Masiglang sabi ni Xavier na agad kong kinapula.

Wifey

Ang sarap marinig mula sa kanya na ngayon palang asawa na ang tingin at turing niya sakin.

"It tastes so good! I love pork!" Tumayo siya at lumapit sakin mula sa kabilang side ng table at niyakap ako mula sa likod ng upuan at hinalikan sa tuktok ng ulo.

Yung puso ko, ang bilis ng tibok.

"Akala ko ba ayaw mo sakin?" Tanong ko sa kanya, stiff pa rin dahil yakap niya pa rin ako.

Kumalas siya sa yakap at humarap sakin, tinitigan ako nang mata sa mata, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." Sabay kindat sakin.

Hayop.