Cascading Waters

Chapter XXXI

I woke up with my eyes puffy kaya naman ay hindi agad ako bumaba. When I did, I ate breakfast and decided not to talk to Axel. Hindi rin naman siya nanggulo at hinayaan lang akong maging tahimik. 

If you look at me right now, you won't think I cried last night. Instead you'd think i'm only pissed off by something. 

Right after eating dinner, pumasok agad ako sa kwarto ko at naghanda na para sa mangyayaring reunion mamaya. Pearl sent me the details through a text dahil binigay ko sa kanila sa group chat ang bagong numerong gamit ko ngayon. 

The reunion will be held in a beach owned by Francine, isa sa barkada namin noon. Though we're not super close, I can tell that she's kind. I suddenly forgot about my problems and focused on packing dahil sa sobrang excitement nang maalala ang mga kaibigan.

I heard some of my friends are married and already have kids. Hindi ko nga lang makikita ang mga sinasabing bata dahil plano nilang maginuman kaya naman ay iiwan nila ito sa mga bahay nila.

Because I want to contribute something kahit sabi nilang presensya ko lang ay pwede na, I still don't want to come empty-handed kaya naisipan kong magluto ng macaroons at iba't ibang klase ng biscuits dahil madali lang itong lutuin. 

I'll meet with the group at around one pm dahil gusto nilang mahaba ang oras na magkasama kami. It was around eight or nine when I thought of preparing something kaya naman ay hinihintay ko nalang matapos ito at around eleven.

"What are you preparing?" 

Napatalon ako dahil sa concentration ay hindi ko napansin si Axel na nasa tabi ko na ngayon. I took a few steps to my left para malayo ng bahagya sa kaniya. Mukhang napansin niya iyon kaya kumunot ang noo.

Avoiding a confrontation about it, I turned around and went on to clean the mess I made while making the whole thing. 

"Uh... macaroons and other biscuits," I answered, still cleaning.

Naupo siya sa isang upuan sa harap ko. I kept myself busy, refusing to look at him. I can sense his eyes surveying my face bago ito nagsalita.

"You're going somewhere?" he asked. 

I put on a little make up kaya siguro niya napansin. I go bare face even in this house kaya baka nanibago siya.

Tumango ako. Akala ko ay papagalitan niya ako dahil mahigpit niya namang bilin na huwag akong aalis ng ako lang kaya inunahan ko na siya.

"E-Ethan will fetch me here so... it's--" 

"Where are you going?" ramdam ko ang lamig sa tinig niya. 

"Francine's beach. I don't know where that is located kaya Ethan volunteered to drive us there.."

Hindi siya sumagot kaya naman ay inangat ko ang tingin sa kaniya para makita ang reaksyon niya. Nakita kong nakakuyom ang panga nito bago nagsalita ulit.

"I can drive you there."

"A-ah, there's really no need to--"

"That wasn't a suggestion. I will drive you there. Tell that boy to go there straight," utos niya sa matigas na paraan. 

Because I don't want to fight and ruin my excitement, tumango ako. Besides, baka hindi niya ako payagan kung magpumilit pa ako. Mas convenient rin kung siya nga ang maghatid sa akin.

I texted Ethan about it at pumayag naman ito dahil baka matagalan daw siya dahil inutusan pa. 

When the goods were done, I went back to my room and changed into a beach attire. Namiss ko rin mag beach dahil malamig masyado sa Switzerland kaya minsan lang namin nagagawa iyon doon.