Sunken Promises

Kabanata 7

"Aren't your parents looking for you?" bigla kong tanong habang namimili ng movie na panonoorin namin sa Netflix.

It's already past midnight he seems to have no plans of going home. Kanina ay inisip ko na baka tapos na sila mag-Noche Buena kaya niya ako sinamahan dito, pero ngayon ay mismong araw na ng Pasko. He should be with his family.

"Sinabi ko naman sa kanilang may pupuntahan ako. Hindi 'yan," walang pakialam niyang sabi habang ibinubuhos ang mga popcorn sa isang glass bowl.

"But it's already Christmas," I pouted.

From the kitchen, he brought the bowl here in the living room. Ipinatong niya iyon sa coffee table at malungkot na ngumiti sa akin. Did I say something wrong?

"Tagapagmana lang ang tingin nila sa'kin," he sat beside me. "Malabong mag-alala ang mga'yon."

"O-Oh... I'm sorry," umiwas ako ng tingin.

"It's alright, love," inagaw niya ang remote mula sa akin.

Hinayaan ko na lang siya dahil wala rin naman akong maisip na panoorin. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita kung anong movie ang sine-search niya.

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Nagmamadali kong inagaw ang remote mula sa kaniya ngunit kaagad niyang inilayo iyon. I reached for it but he stretched out his arm even more so that I wouldn't be able to grab it. Nang sumuko na ako ay malakas ko siyang hinampas sa balikat.

"Hindi ako makakatulog mamaya, Arius!" reklamo ko.

I was never good at dealing with horror movies. Bukod sa natatakot ako sa itsura ng mga multong lumalabas doon, ay natatakot din ako sa bawat pagkamatay ng mga tauhan. I have never seen a single corpse in my life, not even once.

Funny because I'm studying to be a doctor yet I appear to be afraid of dead bodies. Hindi naman iyon maiiwasan kaya dapat harapin ko na ang takot ko sa mga ito. I think it's because I'm afraid of death. The death of my relatives, of the people around me, and myself. I don't want everything for every one of us to end.

Walang anu-ano'y may pinindot siyang button sa remote kaya na-play na ang movie.

"I'll be there as you struggle to go to sleep then."

I was holding his arm with both my hands tightly all throughout the movie. I would jump from time to time and he would laugh at me. Sinisimangutan ko na lang siya kapag ganoon. Hindi naman na kasi ang panonood ng movie ang ineenjoy niya, nag-eenjoy siya sa mga reaksyon ko rito!

I played classical music before changing into my plain white pajamas. Sinuklay ko rin ang buhok ko bago ako humiga sa malambot kong kama. Inaantok na ako ngunit hindi ako makatulog. When I close my eyes, I can only see the things that I'm frightened of. 

Blood. Dead bodies. Death itself.

Nang malapit nang sumikat ang araw ngunit gising pa rin ako ay nagdesisyon akong bumaba para kumuha ng fresh milk sa fridge, hoping that it could help put me to sleep.

"Rhys, tara may sasakyan d'on oh!" rinig kong sabi niya nang makababa ako.

His voice came from the living room kaya sumilip muna ako roon bago ako kumuha ng gatas sa kusina.

"Tanga, may kalaban sa likod mo! Mamamatay ka n'yan!" someone from another line said on his phone. 

He looked like he was playing a game and he was talking to a teammate while doing so. Lumapit ako roon at tumabi sa kaniya. He was shooting someone with an auto then he suddenly got knocked out. His teammate revived him and killed their enemy.

"Hina mo naman, p're!" reklamo ng kasama niya.

Sinulyapan niya ako nang umuga ang sofa dahil sa pag-upo ko ngunit ibinalik muli ang atensyon sa paglalaro.

"What's that?" I pointed to his phone's screen.

"PUBG," maikli niyang sambit. "Why are you still awake?"

"Hindi ako makatulog," kinusot ko ang mga mata ko.

"Hala p're, sino 'yan? Ikaw ah, nangchichicks ka na ah!" sabi n'ong kalaro niya.

Nagkatinginan kami roon. He just gave me an apologetic smile before looking back at his phone.

"Wala ka nang outfit sa'kin Rhys," he threatened. "Akala mo ha."

Isinandal ko ang ulo ko sa balikat niya nang lalo akong antukin. I felt an unexplainable comfort which almost made me sleep. For some reason, I felt nothing but at peace when I closed my eyes.

Umayos ako ng upo at tumingin sa kaniya nang maisip na baka naiirita siya sa'kin.

"Can I stay like that for a while?" inaantok kong sambit habang nakatingin sa kaniya.

"Of course, love."

This time, siya na ang nagdikit ng ulo ko sa balikat niya. I unconsciously smiled a little before I also unconsciously held his hand.

"Luh? Hoy anong love?! May jowa ka na p're?! Bakit hindi ko 'yan alam? Malandi ka p're!" rinig ko pang sabi ng kalaro niya bago ako tuluyang nakatulog.

My the alluring smell of my lavender-scented air humidifier was the first that I sniffed when I woke up. Only my bedroom has this scent of  humidifier. Kaagad akong nagtaka dahil sa pagkakaalala ko ay sa living room ako nakatulog.

I opened my eyes only to find myself inside a white room. There's a bookshelf on my right while there's a glass wall covered with cream velvet curtains on the far left. On both sides of the bed are two white nightstands. There's also a white cushioned bench in front of the bed. Sa tabi naman ng bookshelf ay isang pinto na magdadala sa'yo sa isang malawak na walk-in closet. A study table is also placed near the glass wall.

I'm in my room! But how did I get here? 

Did I sleepwalk?

I stood up and went to get some clean clothes inside the walk-in closet to get some clean clothes. I chose a plain oversized taupe shirt and white denim shorts. After that, I went downstairs to take a shower in the common bathroom.

I tucked my shirt inside my shorts before going outside. Hindi na ako nagulat nang hindi ko makita si Arius sa living room. Of course, it's Christmas. Pamilya pa rin naman niya iyon kahit ano ang mangyari.

But then, I actually don't feel bad about him, leaving. Sapat na ang ginawa niya para sa akin kagabi. More than enough, actually. He did too much for me that I'm starting to worry about falling in love with him.

He made me more happy than I have ever been before when I felt so sad and lonely. He helped me go to sleep after watching a film that reminded me of what I feared the most. For a night, he made me feel so special.

I was about to wear my sneakers that was on the shoe rack beside the door to buy myself breakfast when it suddenly opened. It revealed Arius who was holding a backpack. My brows then furrowed in confusion. 

Oh? I thought he left?

"You're awake," he stated the obvious. 

"You still haven't went home?" I tried not to sound offensive.

"Oh right," he put down his backpack. "Pack your things."

"What?" lalong kumunot ang noo ko. "Why?"

"We're going to Cebu. Keith invited everyone."