Ferocious Affection (COMPLETED)

26TH

Ysa's

"Can I have a bottled water, please?" I asked the flight attendant as I felt a difficulty in breathing. Hindi ko alam kung bakit biglang uminit dito sa loob kahit na may aircon naman. I closed my eyes as I tried to focus on breathing normally.

"Didn't expect to see you here," naramdaman ko ang kanyang hininga sa ‘king tenga dahil sa pagbulong niya. Mas lalo kong nahigit ang aking hininga dahil dito, masyado siyang malapit!

"Excuse me, Ma'am," I immediately turned to the flight attendant and she lend me the bottle. Agad ko itong kinuha at itinungga. Gosh, hindi naman nawawalan ng oxygen sa eroplano ah?!

"What's with you? Asthma?" hindi ko siya pinansin at muling huminga ng malalim. "Hey..."

"Istorbo naman 'to!" naiinis kong sigaw. He just stared at me with worry visible in his eyes. Bigla akong nanlambot na-konsensya dahil sa ipinakita niya. How could I shout at someone who's only concerned for me?

Napabuntong-hininga ako. Gosh, 'wag mo sabihing unti-unti na akong bumibigay? "Just... shut up," sambit ko nang hindi na siya ulit nagsalita at muling pumikit.

Nang muli kong idilat ang mata ko, ro'n ko lang napagtanto na nakatulog pala ako. Agad akong napatingin sa paligid ko, mukhang malapit na mag-take off ang eroplano dahil nakaupo na ang mga crew.

Napalingon ako sa katabi ko na tulog pa. I sneered when I saw Syndy silently sleeping on his shoulder. Napaiwas ako ng tingin nang biglang bumigat ang loob ko at tiningnan si Brett. Alam niya kaya 'yan?

I quickly looked away when I saw him slowly opening his eyes. Kinuha ko ang magazine sa upuan at patay-malisya itong binasa. I tilted my head to the side when I can't seem to understand what I'm reading. What the hell...?

"Why are you reading that upside down?"

Natigilan ako nang sabihin 'yon ni Brett. Agad ko itong ibinaliktad at tumikhim. Bigla akong napaayos ng upo at mataray siyang nilingon.

"I was looking at the picture in a different angle," I explained, trying to keep my cool.

Itinuro niya ang hawak ko. "Walang picture r'yan."

I let out frustrated sigh and closed the magazine. "Never mind."

Tinawanan lang niya ako kaya't sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. He stared back and tried to hold back his laughter. Hindi ko alam, pero agad akong nakaramdam ng ilang at napaiwas ng tingin. I slammed my back against my seat and took a deep breath.

Gosh... bakit ba hindi ako mapakali?

---

We finally arrived at our destination where the gathering will be held. Laking pasasalamat ko na naging tahimik si Syndy at Brett sa buong biyahe namin papunta rito dahil naiinis talaga ako sa presensya nila. I was expecting this first trip to be a vacation from everything. At dahil kasama sila, I knew that this won't be the vacation I was looking forward for.

"Brett's new girl!"

Napairap ako. I could hear the sound her heels are making, rumarampa pa nga yata 'to. Wala pa kami sa kalagitnaan ng bakasyon na 'to but here she is, starting to irritate me.

Hinarap niya ako at binigyan ng mapait na ngiti. "See you sa party later," sambit niya at naglakad palayo. Tss, papansin lang.

Dumating ang oras para sa party at sabay kaming pumunta ro'n ni kuya. I wore a black one shoulder slit pep hem dress and beige platform heels, while my brother wore a black suit. Hindi naman halatang magkapatid kami, 'di ba?