Playdate

39

Nagkayayaan kaming pumunta sa Santelmo. I wonder why Haki insisted on bringing them there when I can clearly remember him saying na hindi na siya umiinom. He told us na balak niyang dalhin sina Medel bukas sa may Villago o kaya naman ay magcamping ngayon dito sa tabi ng dagat, pero mas pinili na lang rin naming pumunta na lang sa Santelmo. Baka mapalayas pa kami ni Haki sa isla niya.

As usual, Haki and Chrollo got everyone's heads turning. Buti na nga lang at humiwalay na silang dalawa mula sa amin para bumili ng drinks.

Nagpalinga-linga ako para hanapin si Nikos pero mukhang wala siya rito ngayon, at iba ang nahagip ng paningin ko. Haki and Chrollo were talking to two girls, at nakikipagtawanan pa, kaya naman sinumbong ko kaagad kay Medel si Chrollo.

Eto namang si Medel, bulong nang bulong sa akin na hindi naman raw niya jowa si Chrollo. Sino'ng maniniwala sa kanya na wala silang relasyon ni Chrollo e kanina lang sa kweba... basta!

Saktong lumingon naman si Haki sa direksyon ko kaya sininghalan ko siya na magmadali silang dalawa. Tinuturuan pa niyang lumandi si Chrollo!

But I somehow wonder... How come he never smiled like that when he's with me? Kahit noon pa man?

Shut up, Kia! It's crystal clear! May iba siyang gusto at sa iba nakalaan ang mga ngiti niya.

Napaisip tuloy ako kung ano'ng nangyari sa kanila ni Ate... did it not work out too? Gaya namin ni Sancho?

Napatigil lang ako sa pag-iisip nang tumabi na sa harapan namin sina Haki. Haki told Medel that a bartender asked for her name, at naisip ko kaagad na baka si Nikos iyon. So he's here?

"Talaga?" she asked. "Did you tell him my name?"

He just told her that he planned to tell Nikos her name but Chrollo stepped on his foot. I knew it! He's jealous! I'm definitely shipping these two! Kung hindi man sila in a relationship ngayon, I'm sure na doon na iyon patungo.

But what Chrollo said after that made me and Haki shut up. That was really a shocker kaya naman para magbago ang atmosphere, talagang wala akong tigil sa pag-inom at pagyayaya sa kanila para mawala ang awkwardness! I wonder what's on Haki's mind right now after finding out that Medel is Chrollo's niece and on top of that, we both witnessed something on the cave!

"Kia," sabi ni Haki. "Don't forget that you're a lightweight..."

At doon na ako nagsisi. Baka kung ano na naman ang masabi ko dahil sa sobrang dami ko na namang nainom. I can still remember that Haki told me na may sinabi ako sa kanya sa harap ng mga kaibigan namin kaya naman sinabi ko noon na hindi na ako mag-iinom nang sobra-sobra, but look at me now. Talagang isinakripisyo ko ang atay ko para lang sa kanilang dalawa!

"Why the hell... are you touching me?" Even in this state, I can still see his face. My head is throbbing. I can feel like I'm about to puke. Ramdam ko na buhat-buhat niya ako habang naglalakad kami. Mas lalo naman akong nahilo... and why are there two Hakis now? Does he have a twin brother? Pwedeng akin na lang 'yung isa?

I laughed at the thought. Kia, you're a crazy motherfucker.

I didn't even notice that we had returned to the mansion because I was so drunk...

"I'm not gonna do anything weird," narinig kong sabi niya. Naramdaman kong ibinaba niya ako sa kama at pagkatapos noon ay umupo siya sa tabi ko. He put on socks on my feet at pagkatapos noon ay kinumutan ako. "Pahinga ka na..."

I can feel my vision getting blurry, at nakita ko na naman ang tagpong iyon. Am I being punished for looking away that time? Am I being punished for not looking at you, Papa? What are you trying to say? Do you hate me now? Does everyone hate me now? Please forgive me... please let me go... please tell me what I have to do...

Is it my fault? I just don't want to see you in that state... why am I suffering now? Why do I have to suffer? Sa dami ng pwede kong mapanaginipan nang kasama ka, bakit iyon pa? Bakit?

"Kia..." napasighap ako nang naramdaman ko ang paghaplos ng mainit na palad sa pisngi ko. "Are you having a bad dream?"

I sniffed. I can't even open my eyes, but I can feel that my cheeks are wet. I suddenly felt afraid that if I open my eyes, the gates will open and the pool of tears will start falling nonstop.

"It's okay, I'm here..." and then I felt his warm lips kissing my forehead, and it found its way to press a soft kiss on my right eye which is still closed while he's caressing my hair. It's like a kiss to make the tears go away... His lips are so warm and comforting...

"Kia," I heard him whisper as his lips left my eye. I can still feel his breath on my forehead kaya sa tingin ko ay hindi pa siya lumalayo sa akin. "I don't think I can be friends with you anymore. I'll always see you as something else..."

Why is he telling me nonsense now? Is he drunk too?

I laughed.

"Talaga ba?" tanong ko at dahan-dahang pinilit na imulat ang mga mata ko, but my eyes were failing me. They won't open... and I'm really... sleepy right now. Damn alcohol.

I heard him tsked. "I know it's hard to believe, but I'm telling the truth, Kia." sabi pa ulit niya, and I can feel the seriousness in his voice. "I want us... to be more than 'just friends'. I'm so dumb for realizing this just now."

We ain't even friends anymore! I unfriended him long ago! I'm just treating him nicely now because of Medel and Chrollo!

"You want us to be 'best friends?'" I asked and finally, my eyes shut open, pero nanlalabo pa rin at umiikot ang paningin ko.

"No, more than that," he said, at tama nga ako. Sobrang lapit ng mukha naming dalawa. Our foreheads are near to touching each other and he's looking at me very intently. Halos naririnig ko na rin kung gaano kabigat ang paghinga niya. "I only see you in all that I do. When I left, hindi ka man lang nawala sa isip ko. Ikaw lang ang iniisip ko... kahit hindi naman dapat. I'm dead serious right now..."

Maybe you're just guilty. Maybe you're just saying these to test me again, and you're just playing with me again. Does he think something like this would work on me? Maybe he should change his flirting pattern... should I tell him that? Or should I just play along?

"Oh," I said, looking away. "Then you want us to be 'mega bestfri-'"

-ends?

But I did not finish what I was going to say because his hot lips had already covered my lips. I closed my eyes as he closed his. I can feel him sucking on my upper lip and I parted my lips slightly, letting his tongue enter and it roamed all over my mouth. He's sweet. He tasted sweet. Parang nag-eespadahan ang mga dila namin ngayon at kasabay niyon ay naramdaman ko ang kamay niya sa likod ng ulo ko.

I gripped his shirt as I pull him closer to me. I'm lost... I don't know what to do again... I want to forget everything, I want to not think of anything else right now.

Ramdam na ramdam ko ang init ng paligid. Ramdam ko rin ang bigat ng katawan niya sa akin. Ni hindi ako makapag-isip nang maayos. Ni hindi ko alam kung sa alak ba ako tinamaan, o sa kanya na naman.

After five long years, I tasted again the sweetness that only came from his lips.