Portville Village

Day 19

Day 19

Two days na lang undas na. Napagdesisyunan namin ni mama na lumuwas ngayon ng Manila para dumalaw sa puntod nina dad, lolo at ilan pa naming yumao nang kamag-anakan. Maaga kaming umalis. Luminga-linga ako sa paligid hoping na makikita ko si Eslov, pero wala, nasa trabaho pa rin sya siguro. Malungkot ako sa buo naming byahe, halos tatlong araw ko na siyang 'di nakikita. Bakit 'di man lang siya dumaan saglit? Kahit twenty minutes lang, ang hirap ng ganito wala kaming communication.

6:00 pm na nang pabalik na kami sa Laguna. Malapit na kami sa village. I saw him standing sa bukana pa lang ng village.Much to my surprise, he was cradling a boquet of peach roses!

I pouted my lips to suggest na nagtatampo ako sa kanya.

"Sorry babe, naging busy lang at aka sininat din ako these past 2 days," dispensa niya.

"What? Tsk, I should have been there taking care of you." I said worriedly. "Are you okay now?"

"Okay na ako nakita na kita eh," banat niya. 

Lumingon ako, aba wala na pala si Mama bakit 'di man lang nagpaalam na uuna na siya?

"Peace offering ba ito?"

"Parang ,pero 'di ka na nasanay palagi ka naman nakakatanggap niyan sa akin," he said, winking.

"Palagi raw, last time kong nakatanggap nito nung date natin. "

"So tampo ka nga?"

"Hindi naman. Pinopoint out ko lang po." I replied, grinning.

"Okay 'wag na magtampo, babawi ako sa iyo ngayon," he said with a wink.

"Talaga?" I perked up.

"Uh-huh, halika nga dito, namiss kita nang sobra." Ikinulong niya ako sa kanyang mga bisig.

" I miss you more.... Hay. Kailan kaya ako magiging kasingtangkad mo?" I pressed.

"Ayokong maging magkasingtangkad tayo, panget na tignan, tama na 'yang height mo, besides baka mag mukha na kitang..."

"Mukhang ano?" I scowled poised to push him away.

"Wala." He replied, laughing and he took my hand as we walked towards our house.

6:30 pm.

Umangkas ako sa bike niya and he took me under the shades of mango tree. May blanket na nakalatag doon.

"Mas maganda magdate kapag gabi," He noted.

Pinagsaluhan namin 'yung roasted chicken na binili nya sa isang fast food chain. Sinubuan pa niya ako.

He rose up and took my hand. Mukhang isasayaw na naman niya ako. This time, walang music.

"I will never grow tired making you happy my love, sorry kung may pagkukulang man ako sa iyo," he said full of emotion as we swayed.

"No, I'm sorry too. Kung selfish ako, and you were more than what I could ask for," I muttered looking intensely at him.

'Hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan bawat araw na kasama kita, mahal na mahal kita. Habang buhay ko panghahawakan iyon,"  Eslov said as his eyes started to get misty.

"Is there something wrong hon?" I asked worriedly, affectionately stroking his cheeks.

"Nothing, just being melodramatic," sabi niya at kinantahan niya ako ng "I'll be watching you" mukhang ito yata ang theme song naming dalawa.

"I love you Eslov Madrigal." I mumbled as I leaned and rested my face around the hard planes of his chest.

He then pressed his lips against mine tenderly and that kiss slowly slithering into a passionate one, like he was ravaging my mouth. I braided my fingers around his hair. I had to catch my breath as I felt my heart doing cartwheel. Pero nararamdaman ko ang pagpatak ng mga luha niya as we kissed. I pulled away and asked him why he was crying.

He just looked at me with his misty eyes and smiled faintly. He then tucked a peach rose behind my ear like he used to. He took my hands again and we resumed in dancing.

"I love you more Enidh Madrigal," at habang sinasayaw niya ako I watched him warily...his damp eyes, his cold hands that burned against my skin. He was fading away from my sight...I had to blink my eyes thinking that it was just an illusionary.

 In the blink of an eye, I saw a peach rose and I bent to pick it up...

"Enidh!!!" May tumawag sa akin out of somewhere. It was mom. Napatigalgal ako.

"Es..." I shot a panic glance, pagkatingin ko wala na siya.

Paano nangyari 'yun? I scoured around and I saw mom approaching me.

"Mom?" I said regaining my composure.

"I was looking for you all he time, nandito ka lang pala, sinong kasama mo rito?" She said as she scanned the area.

"Si Eslov mom. Sino pa ba? Bigla na.." I trailed off. The image of him fading away from my sight suddenly popped again in my mind. Totoo ba 'yung nasaksihan ko? Hindi, hindi maari...andito siya sinasayaw niya ako kanina at nahalikan ko pa siya. Then fear started to kick in. My mom gave me a pained expression.

"Anak...." Bigla niya akong niyakap.

"Ba...kit ma???" I stammered and she started to break down.