The Black Suitcase

Prologue

"On behalf of all of our crew, thank you for choosing Philippine Airlines as your airline this weekend."

After a few more minutes, the plane landed safely and everybody got up. Tumayo na rin ako at chineck if meron bang nalaglag na gamit sa floor. I checked my shoulder bag if everything's there before getting my hand carry bag sa compartment. The door was opened minutes later and everyone started to pile out of the plane.

The heat of the sun hit my skin as I ascended down the plane. There were people who assisted us and lead us to where we can claim our baggages.

Hinihintay ko yung black suitcase ko when I felt my phone vibrate inside my shoulder bag. I fished it out and saw that Ate Mia is calling.

"Ate, napatawag ka?" I asked as I kept an eye for my black suitcase.

"Nasa Bohol ka na ba?" She asked. I heard some noise in the background. Maybe si Kora lang yun. Pamangkin ko.

"Yup. Andito pa ako sa airport. I'm just waiting for my suitcase." As soon as I said that, my black suitcase came into view. "Speaking of the devil, I saw it na. I'll call you again once I've arrived at the airport na."

"Sige. Be safe."

"Okay." And then she ended the call. Dali-dali kong binalik ang phone ko sa shoulder bag ko at lumapit sa suitcase. I got and placed it on the floor. Hinatak ko pataas ang trolley handle before walking towards the exit.

I looked for a folder or a cardboad that has a "Ms. Calliope Van Valencia" printed on it.

Luckily, hindi ko na kailangan pang maghanap pa ng mas matagal dahil may lumapit sa akin na naka blue na polo at white cardigan shorts, with matching white shoes. He lead me to the van and got my luggage and placed it at the back  compartment as I made myself comfortable. I thought lalarga na kami pero nagulat ako ng bumukas ang pintuan ng sasakyan and in came a handsome man.

He smiled at me briefly before taking the seat at the back. I was not given the chance to smile back at him so I didn't bother returning back the gesture. Once everything was settled, we drove away from the airport.

To busy myself on our trip to the resort, I fished out my phone to text my sister that I am on my way to the resort.

To: Ate Mia😈

Papunta na ako ng Belevue. I'll call you once I get to my room.

Minutes later, she replied.

From: Ate Mia😈

Okay. Wag masyadong lumandi jan.

I rolled my eyes at her message and proceeded to my Facebook account. Kaka-scroll ko, hindi ko namalayan na nakarating na pala kami. I hurriedly put away my phone inside my bag and reached for the door handle but it looks like nagmamadali din si Kuyang naka-upo sa likod ko. He also reached for the door handle and ang ending, we held hands. Not like 'hold' hold hands. The 'awkward' hold hands. You know what I mean.

Binawi agad namin ang mga kamay namin na para bang napaso kami. I felt my self blush dahil parang uminit ang kamay ko but then maybe it's just the heat. We were both startled when the van's door opened. I hurriedly went out of the van and got my black suitcase which was placed alongside another black suit case which was identical in a way. But I knew which one was mine dahil doon nakapatong yung hand carry bag ko. I hurriedly pulled my suitcase and entered the lobby.

Lumapit ako sa front desk to check in. I got the keys to my room and as soon as I saw gwapong Kuya na naka upo sa likuran ko kanina, I departed the front desk and went to my room. I don't know why I'm feeling embarrased about what happened kanina. It's not like I did something scandalous in front of him. Gather yourself Calli!

After a few turns around the corner, nakita ko na rin sa huli ang hotel room ko. I inserted the key inside the doorknob and went inside my room. Sinarado ko agad ang pintuan ko and jumped to the bed. Face first. Ito yung sinasabi nilang "geh talon, una ulo". I was about to doze off when I remembered that I have to call pa my demonyitang ate so I forced myself to get up and fished out my phone out of my bag. It was dead bat. Hindi na ma on.

I sighed a tired kind of sigh before kneeling down next to my suitcase to get my charger. Bakit di ko na lang kaya nilagay sa shoulder bag or sa hand carry bag ko yung charger? Bakit kailangan sa suitcase pa? Bobo talaga Calli. Inalis ko ang hand carry bag ko mula sa pagkaka-upo nito sa taas ng suitcase ko at in-input yung password ko para doon pero ayaw niyang bitawan yung zipper ng suitcase ko. Ahm puta? Magjowa kayo bes?

In-input ko ulit yung password or yung combination pero ayaw pa rin. Puta?! Bakit?! Di ko naman ata chinange yung combination ko ha? Medjo makakalimutin ako kaya I always stick to the safest combination ever. My birthdate and year. Pero as of this moment, it seems like nagbago na ata ang birthdate at birthyear ko. Ayaw mag open up ng suitcase ko. Attitude ka ghourl?

Dahil nasestressed na rin ako, I forced the zipper to open pero ayaw pa rin talaga. So dahil brilliant ako, I removed my shoelaces and tied it to the hole of the zipper. I placed my leg on the suitcase para may force ring aagainst sa akin. Again, I'm so brilliant! 5 minutes craft who?!

"1...2...3...Pull!" And that's what I did. I pulled and exerted much effort into my pulling. I pushed the suitcase palayo sa akin ushing my feet while I pulled the handle of the zipper papunta sa akin.

Nalaman kong nagtagumpay ako ng muntikan na akong matumba dahil naglet go na nga yung handle doon sa parang head niya. Yung nagsisirado ng suitcase. Ay basta yun.

To open it completely, dahan-dahan kong zinip yung zipper pababa. It took me almost 5 minutes to open 1/4 of the suitcase's zipper. I felt myself perspire. Sa totoo lang, parang hindi ako nagbabakasyon eh. Parang nagtatrabaho lang rin ako. Pesteng buhay to.

I decided to to give up when I was about to reach 1/2 of the length ng kanang zipper ng maleta. I have to remind myself to just stuff my clothes in an eco bag next time para hindi na ako maghirap ng ganito. At dahil hindi ko mabuka yung cover ng maleta ko, kinapa ko na lang yung charger ko sa loob.

Pero I was shocked when I felt something na naka rolyo. This does not feel like my charger. It's soft like my clothes pero I doubt na damit to kasi first of all, hindi ko nirolyo yung damit ko and second, it's too small to become a shirt and too big to be a bra or a panty. Puta! Sinong naglagay ng lumpia sa suitcase ko!

I decided to pull it out of the suitcase and the moment I laid my eyes on it, I felt myself got 2x redder. Lalong uminit yung hotel room ko. Could this be? Pero sino namang demonyo ang naglagay nito sa suitcase ko!!!!!!

To confirm, I unraveled it mula sa paglakarolyo and my assumptions were correct. PUTANGINA! Sinong naglagay ng brief sa suitcase kooooo!!!!!

"Ma'am." Nayakap ko yung brief ng wala sa oras ng may narinig akong kumatok sa pintuan ng hotel room ko. Once I realized my mistake, nilayo ko agad ito sa akin at tumayo. I composed myself for a while before going near the door and opening it.

"Yes? Anong problema?" I asked with a smile. There was a staff in front of my door . And an additional to that was the handsome guy na nakasabay ko sa van kanina. What are they doing here?

"Ah ma'am, I believe that there was a luggage mix up that happened. It turns out na nadala niyo po yung maling suitcase dito sa room niyo po," pag-eexplain ng staff. It took me a minute to process what he said bago ko binaling ang paningin ko sa gwapong lalaking katabi niya.

"And I believe you have something of mine," he said as he looked down to my left hand. Sinundan ko naman yung tingin niya at dumapo ang mata ko sa brief na dala-dala ko. What the hell?