What Belongs to Me [COMPLETE]

Chapter 22 "Adventure!"

I was enjoying myself enormously, running my life to the fullest, living in the present and not overthinking about the future. I was now realizing what Mr. Destiny is trying to make me understand, he wants me to follow his decisions for me, going with the flow of his game while maintaining my balance, for me to avoid stumbling.

I was back again in waiting for Cizar; I was used again of him coming to my apartment whenever he wants. Every time the scorching sun worked its way to the other side of our building, I was back again sitting at the terrace waiting for someone, almost like a programmed robot always ready to serve his master or like a loyal puppy waiting for his owner. Thanks to the fresh and slight breeze of the wind in the dappled sunlight, I am comfortably sitting on my wing chair looking at the passing students on the street; they’re displaying different emotions, some were happy, some were tired and some were wild, they were all ravishing and attractive and bursting with a good health; soon after graduating, they will now face what people call “reality” and find out the purpose of their existence. Independence, work, frustrations, family, illness, dependence on others, loneliness and I didn’t want to think about everyone’s ending, death. Mirroring myself in them until I found myself thinking again of the future, which is the allergy of Mr. Destiny.

Cizar went directly to my apartment as soon as his class was over, still wearing his uniform. He stripped off his white beautifully ironed polo as soon as he sat on my drafting stool, now perspiring freely. After relaxing himself from the dusty heat of the searing sun outside,
“Can I stay at your bed?” he was now ready to jump beside me. I frowned at him,
“Hey hey man, you might want to cool your head at the shower first? Clean yourself first.” I raised my eyebrows.
“But I don’t have extra shirt…..” though he already knows that he can always use mine.
“look over there.” Pouting my lips to the hanged pair of trouser and sleeveless on the hanging cabinet. It has been a habit for me to prepare a pair of sleeping clothes every day.
“Hmmm…..” he said grinning sheepishly, his eyes almost closed. I rolled my eyes.

He stayed longer than the usual at the bathroom and when he entered my bedroom, it was like in the movies; he was like a prince charming coming out from the light, toweling his hair slowly smiling at me, biting his bottom lips making me groaned slightly. He was now wearing my trouser and it fits him perfectly except that the cut was above his ankle because I was a little bit taller than him, he was now fixing the waist of his pants, aligning it to his V-line which almost made me drool, literally. He hadn’t wear my sleeveless yet, asking me my body spray, so I pointed my finger beside the mirror but my eyes were still glued at him- he was looking at me with a coy smile to a lopsided grin. He sprayed it to his chest and torso then rubbed his body gently while it’s glowing stunningly because of the light, I almost volunteered in rubbing it.

“Now, can I stay on the bed now?” his mouth remained open showing the tip of his tongue while maintaining eye contact with me.
“Sure” I said standing up but he pulled my hand causing me to fall back at the bed.
“Where are you going?”
“Aahh I’m…”
“Don’t tell me you’re busy again drafting, I know that you’re already finish with everything boy… What’s left for you to do, you’re almost graduating in two weeks.”
“Ahmmm… Anyways, your right! It’s not that urgent. So what do you want me to do?” I’m trying to put him in hot seat. But he suddenly said,
“Take off your shirt!...” I was shocked, my eyes bulging; I am the one who was left speechless. And he began laughing hysterically. “What huh?” he said teasingly.
“What was that? It’s not funny Cizar!”
“Hey come on, take it off!”
“What for?”
“I’m going to draw a tattoo on your back, I learned about it at school, don’t worry, it’s not permanent.”
“Owkay!? Why didn’t you tell it sooner?”
“Ha ha ha… What were you thinking?”
“Ha… ha…” I said while taking off my shirt coolly.

He took my Kure color case from my table and ask me to lay on my stomach, I could feel his hard torso as he leaned it on my side. His right elbow leaned on my back holding the pen, his left hand holding my shoulder to put a little force. It was now getting warmer because of the crashing warmth of our bodies and his concentrated breathing on my back until I fell asleep waiting for him to finish. When I opened my eyes half awake, he was seating beside me leaning on the wall playing Mobile Legends,
“Are you done?” He was focused on playing,
“Yes. I’m already done with it.” Not looking at me.
“Can you show me?” I demanded.
“I already erased it, it wasn’t good.”
“Why? You should have shown me first.”
“It was a mess” he laughed, I pouted. “By the way, you look so kind when you’re sound asleep, unlike now.”
“Hey! Did you take pictures while I’m sleeping?” He just giggled. “I’m telling you, delete that now.”
“I didn’t picture you Lheam.”
“Hmmpft… Just make sure.” He grinned.

We went to eat outside at the park food court near my apartment. Walking slowly while the silver-white moon is exceptionally large, clouding the earth with its luminous glow and the stars are remotely sprinkling in the dull black night sky while the wind is howling marvelously causing the trees on the street to cheer fabulously as if on cue. Cizar decided to sleep on my room, sometimes he sleeps on the floor positioning my extra comforter beside my bed. And sometimes I was the one who sleeps on the comforter when he is sound sleep while I’m drafting, but I always end up on the bed every time he wakes up and he sees me staying on the floor, asking me to move on my bed. But that night when I was already on my bed,
“Lheam, can I just lay beside you?”
“It’s okay, but you can always lay in there.” Motioning my chin to the floor.
“I’ll just take a nap for a bit, then I’ll transfer later.” He said, even though we both knew that he’ll end up sleeping beside me soon.
“Hmmm, Cizar…?”
“Hey, you know the floor is freezing cold in the morning.” Pleading with a cute puppy face.
“But it’s hot now, and will be even hotter when we stay together.”
“Really, you’ll be hot?” he was giggling, I frowned.
“Think what you want. Just take a nap, ok? I’m sleeping now.” He snickered, forcing himself beside me. Until he had grown lazily and wade up sleeping with me.

I woke up the next morning like usual when we sleep beside each other. I always end up being the clingy one, and no matter how hard I try, I couldn’t really explain our position. My face buried on his redolent neck, my head on his soft toned arm, my left arm wrapped to his broad squared chest sometimes to his torso and my legs clasped to his lower part while he was sleeping like an innocent human sized bear. I would untangle myself from him and only then he would hook me on my stomach pulling me to him, I just don’t know if he was teasing, everything was just like properly choreographed. I couldn’t deny the pleasure and satisfaction its giving me, and I just want to continue being like that for the rest of the day. But I always try to untwine myself from him before awkwardness befall between us and act like nothing happened while we are sipping our sweet morning coffee on the terrace.

My friendship with Cizar became stronger and sweeter after everything that we have been through. After planning and talking about a getaway vacation repeatedly, we had decided to finally do a four day weekend adventure at Benguet. Skipping two days, we stayed at the city from Thursday to Sunday. Before we jump on the bus with our twinning GAP hoddie jacket, we booked a room with queen sized bed at a cheap hotel that my friend who studies at Baguio city suggested me, just enough with a heater, working T.V. and a clean wardrobe.

It was five a.m. then when we are almost at our destination, the road was all crooked and lopsided going up the mountains like the great wall of China sending chills all over us while we’re looking at it, at some parts, the road was cocooned in fog and we could see it rolling and swirling as the bus was trudging it, “there’s an adventure already even if we’re still on the way.” Cizar said, and we giggled in excitement. Along the road, pine trees swayed gently in the breeze like welcoming us cheerfully while the sun peeped through the sea of cotton-like clouds spilling a golden glow all throughout the sky. And I was sure that the breath-taking scenery is captivating everyone who are looking at it.

We arrived at Baguio city with the fog dissipating sluggishly in the insistent wind giving us a bone-chilling cold. We hopped inside the taxi that was first to approach us as soon as we got out of the bus, then we went to our hotel to have a rest from our exhausting ten hours trip. When we woke up, we made our itinerary, arguing on what should we do first while laughing at our ideas. We decided to start at La Trinidad first before bouncing back to Baguio; the famous “Strawberry Farm” with the crawling greenery which stretches away into vastness with its red pulpy receptacle like cute roses running throughout the vegetation really captivated us. Imagining ourselves floating over the astonishing landscape, like strawberries which are ready to burst with sweetness. We bustled to the “Valley of Colors”, admiring the cascading tiny houses on top of each other with their diversified colors. If only the world will open its eyes and try to see the beauty with the rainbow color- then everyone can be happy, I thought. The prominent “Burnham Park” of the city tinged our curiosity and we end up rowing back and forth over the lake and bicycling round and round across the park like innocent kids, forgetting the troubles we’re in. We hiked through the “Session Road” along with the tourist in their jackets and coats, traipsed over at a traditional fine dining to eat and we tramped over to “SM Baguio”. Watching the spitting rain to the sublime sight at the over view  and Cizar pouting while I’m rendering our time at the book sale picking tons of books to buy. We stepped out to the “Sky Ranch” and wade up onto the dark sky on the Ferris wheel, overlooking the wholeness of the summer capital of the Philippines.

The next day, we spent our time on different parks all over the city, riding horses, admiring the botanical gardens and appreciating the historical churches. Despite Cizar’s cowardice, I convinced him to visit the horrifying and spine-chilling “Diplomat Hotel”, him clutching to my arms tightly while we’re wandering the frightening place. After a tiring day, a gray drizzle poured on us while climbing the “Quirino Hills” to spot the beauty of the whole city at night, we stayed on the tower under the sheets of rain while being astonished by the lights scattered like shattered diamonds over the mountains.

We consumed our third day at the “Camp John Hay”, roaming around the century year old American house on the heart of the camp. I was holding his hands with assurance while we ride the zip-line together because he was deadly afraid of heights but I just persuaded him pleadingly to overcome his fear. We became airborne over the dancing pine trees, flying together with the birds in the paradise, overlooking the dazzling roofs of houses under us. While wandering the enormous sliced of the mountain, we halted at the “Cemetery of Negativism”, if only we could eradicate and bury all the pessimism around us, we thought.

On our last day, I especially asked Cizar, for us to visit the “Bencab Museum” on the outskirts of the city. The modern white three story building was built on a breath-taking view over the inclined mountain, surrounded by a sea of deep-gray cumulous clouds. Unwinding in such atmosphere full of souls was definitely animating and invigorating. The paintings in different styles and techniques, the extravagantly made murals over the walls, mix-media artworks, and carpentry of furniture, traditional pottery full of sentiments, interesting artifacts and the famous wooden bul-ul sculptures scattered everywhere. Fancying ourselves illuminated by the handcrafted lightings; inside the glass of masterpieces while people are complimenting and applauding us.

After four stupendous days of breakout from all the pressures of schooling, we went home with a basketful of stuffs that we have bought, remembrance, photos and truckloads of happy memories that will always remain and scarred in our hearts. We arrived home like waking up from a never ending dream.

Everything was now transpiring, befalling in front of me. Finally, the day of my graduation has come, the fruit of my parents’ labor. Mama came home to attend my graduation and I could see the excitement on my Papa’s expression. At last I could now give him the diploma that he had asked of me and that had been suspended for a year. Apart from my parents and my bro, some of our family also attended my graduation, arriving with my Papa’s orange Subaru Forester and my Aunt’s stunning black Nissan Patrol, parking at the open field of our school. My Mama was crying joyfully while marching beside me and I couldn’t help myself but to become emotional as well. The day was very beautiful, one of those rare, perfect day, with the sunlight filtering through the light cotton of clouds. I couldn’t suppress the happiness inside me the entire program, it was very evident on my facial reaction on every stolen photographs that the camera man has taken. The commencement exercise had come to an end and our family unending photoshoot had took place everywhere inside the campus. We had dinner at Shakey’s after the super long day, with my Grandpa commenting on how simple the foods because he wants to eat lots of rice and Filipino cuisines, we just laughed. I also invited Cizar to the program or at least to the dinner celebration but he said that he was shy and asked me if we could do a separate celebration instead, “just the two of us” he said, and so I said yes to the idea. When the dinner had ended, my other guest went to our hometown directly, my parents decided to stay at a hotel and my bro slept on my place. We spend the next days for more celebration in the city exclusively for our family; we watched movies, more food trips and a little shopping.

When my family already went home, giving up in urging me to come with them because I told them that I have something to fix first at the school before going home, lying. Truth was I’m meeting with Cizar outside the city for some adventure.