Caressing My Perplexed Stella [HS #3]

CHAPTER 31

If I were to asked, I don't want to leave my house, or even go out of my room. I'm sure they would ask about me, Aster can dodge their questions but I want to show all of my compassion for Mom and Dad. It's the last one, I told myself. When someone knocked, I immediately went out of the bathroom.

Si Aster ang iniluwal ng pinto, tinignan ako nito mula ulo hanggang paa at nagbuntong hininga. "Ayos ka na? Kuya Lennon's already downstairs." I bit my lowerlip and nodded a little.

"Hindi mo na lang sana tinawagan," He must be worried and rushed his way here, Aster is smart but dumb too.

We both went downstairs. Every step that I made feels like eternity, my heart's beating so fast that I'm afraid it'll escape my chest, my knees are trembling too. I didn't prepare a speech, I don't even know what to answer him if he'd ask me of why I cried. I can feel the numbness of my lips because I'm biting it too much. I breathe slowly once again as we reached the living room.

I found him sitting there. Namamahinga ang kanyang likod sa sandalan ng sofa, ang mga paa ay naka-dequatro habang ang dalawang kamay ay nasa bulsa. With his black shorts, white shirt and the usual birkenstock, I saw him looking intensely at me. I gaze away.

"I'll be next door, Kuya." Paalam ni Aster, in the side of my eyes, I saw him nodded. He looked at me once again as he tapped my back. "I'll see you two there, you should be there, okay?" I slowly nodded.

Aster left, and we're just two here. Sana ay nandito si Eli, she's obviously with Manang Violy now. He tapped the space beside him, I know what he's trying to imply but my mind is out of this world right now. Kaninang wala pa siya ay maayos pa ang pag-iisip ko, I can clearly narrate what happened. But now that he's here, I can't even fucking utter a word.

"Halika rito," Aniya. Nanatili ang distansya sa pagitan naming dalawa nang hindi ko pinansin ang sinabi niya. "Dale, come here..." He tapped his side again.

"I'm alright, it's just the hormones because it's my period!" Isang buntong hininga ang pinakawalan nito, umiling ito at marahang minasahe ang sentido. He's obviously not buying it. "I'm sorry if Aster called you all of a sudden," Sumenyas ito na maupo ako sa tabi niya, mukhang hindi talaga siya titigil hangga't hindi ko nagagawa iyon.

"Why can't you sit beside me? Why can't you look at me, then? You're not a good liar so sit here before I lose my patience and call Meteo." Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi nito, is he really serious? I looked up to him, he's not joking.

Wala akong nagawa kung hindi lumakad at umupo sa tabi nito, inihilig ko ang sarili sa kabilang banda upang hindi niya mahagilap. Ngunit sa isang iglap ay mabilis na nawala ang espasyo sa pagitan namin. Hindi talaga siya titigil hangga't hindi kami nag-uusap, He was about to reach my hand when I avoided it. I saw how he flinch but he regained it too.

"Tell me what you're thinking," He said it like a prayer. "Dale, please... I want to know." His hand, then, slowly snaked on my waist as he gently pulled me closer to him.

Hindi nito pinatawad kahit isang sentimetro, nag-angat ako ng tingin at marahan niyang ipinatong ang aking ulo sa kanyang dibdib. Pakiramdam ko ay ilang segundo na lang ay malalasahan ko na ang dugo ng aking labi dahil sa riin ng kagat ko rito.

"I can handle myself," I told him.

While his left hand is playing in my back, his right slowly reach for my hand. Bumaba ang tingin ko kamay niyang hawak ako, mabagal ang mga sumunod na segundo, nilukob niya ang bawat espasyo sa pagitan ng daliri ko.

"No, share it with me..." He started drawing small circle on my bare skin, even the tip of his finger feel warm. "Come on, Dale. We're not going to leave until we settle this," Am I hallucinating, or was it a plea?