Cascading Waters

Chapter XXXVI

My face is still flushed from all our... activities. Madaling araw pa lang kaya hindi muna kami bumangon at ngayon ay nakahiga lang sa kama.

Axel planted a soft kiss on my forehead while caressing my messy hair against his chest. Comforter lang ang nakatabon sa mga hubad naming katawan. 

"I have a question," simula ko.

"Hmm?" 

"Did you think of following me to Switzerland?" I asked.

Kahit sinabi na ni Axel sa akin ang nangyari, kuryoso pa rin ako sa dahilan niya. I also remembered him mentioning Switzerland on our way here the other day.

"I did. I just couldn't."

Natigil ang paghaplos niya sa buhok ko nang tiningala ko siya. 

"Why?" I asked.

He pinched my nose. "You curious little cat."

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin pero hindi na umapila para magpatuloy siya sa sinasabi. Binalik niya ang ulo ko sa dating ayos at hinaplos ulit ang buhok ko.

"It took us years to finally find good evidences against Luke so I had to stay until napakulong ko siya. I didn't want to leave it half finished at baka ano pang pumalya. Mas lalong hindi ka babalik kung ganoon..."

Tumango ako at tiningala ulit siya. 

"I'm sorry I wasn't there..."

He smiled at me at kissed my forehead. 

"No matter how much I missed you, I didn't want you here. I know you wouldn't be comfortable and I also didn't want to risk your safety kung sakaling matalo kami sa kaso. Tamara and your friends were a big help finding the evidence we needed."

Napangiti ako. He stared at me for a few seconds bago nagsalita.

"I love it when you smile. It makes me forget all those difficult years without you."

Ngumuso ako. "Thank you... for everything."

He put some strands of my hair behind my ears. "Anything for you, baby."

Natahimik kami ng ilang minuto bago ako nagsalita ulit.

"After the official opening, I want to go to Manta falls," sabi ko.

Bigla ko kasing na realize kanina na mag-ta-tatlong buwan na ako dito sa Bahiran ngunit hindi ko pa napuntahan ang paboritong lugar ko. I keep forgetting because I'm always busy.

He nodded. "Hmm. We will." 

Ngumiti ako at niyakap siya ng mas mahigpit.

"Then we'll go to the cave again?" bulong niya. 

Uminit ang pisngi ko at hinampas siya sa katawan ngunit nakuha niya ang kamay ko kaya napigilan niya ito. He quickly intertwined our fingers kahit natatawa ito habang ginagawa.

"What? I just said we'll go there. Hindi ko sinabing may gagawin tayo, Waverly!" depensa niya.

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin kaya mas lalong natawa si Axel.

"Alright. Alright. Hindi na nga," natatawa niyang sabi.

"Tss."

"But if you really want to, we can always do it--"

"Axel!" 

Humagalpak ang gago sa pagapila ko at niyakap ako ng mas mahigpit. He continued playing with my thumb, hinahaplos ito. Natahimik kami at nakatitig lang doon.