Passions of Spring

Kabanata 38

[A/N: Song Rec: Maybe Another Time - Feng Suave]

Kabanata 38

Dream

"I thought that was you, kumaway ako pero hindi mo ata ako nakilala," I tried to laugh and be casual in front of him, but I'm really freaking out right now. Malamig ang pawis ng palad at talampakan ko. Ang sama rin ng lagay ng sikmura ko. I think I might pass out.

Hindi sumagot si Silver, sa halip, patuloy lang siya sa pagtitig sa akin. His eyes moved from my eyes down to my lips and back again, like he's remembering every part of my face. Because maybe he's forgotten what I looked like.

Mas lalo ko namang nakita ang pagbabago ng kanyang pisikal na anyo. His body was already mature back then but right now it aged with grace and power. I thought I knew his face very well before, but right now I'm not quite sure. Ang makapal niyang mga kilay ay mas lalong dumidepina sa kanyang madilim at misteryosong mata. At bukod sa kanyang matigas na pangangatawan, tanging ang kanyang labi ang malambot.

"It's good to see you," pabiro kong sinuntok ang braso niya para naman gumalaw-galaw siya kahit kaunti. "Kamusta?"

"Oh, uhm..." that snapped him out of his own trance. "I-I'm good..."

He took a step closer and casted a huge shadow as he loomed over me. His stance screamed pure masculinity. Ang kanyang pangangatawan ay hindi ko na makilala. Despite him being dressed nicely, he looked wild and powerful. Which reminds me of how I gawked at him as he gallantly mount his horse, Spirit, back then.

"Iyong kasama mo?" I tried to keep my gut together. Mabuti at walang laman ang sikmura ko kundi, matagal na akong nasuka sa sobrang kaba.

He looked down on his feet as his brows furrowed. "I sent Maggie home."

"Maggie...she lives here?"

Tanging tango lang ang sagot niya habang matiim na nakatitig sa akin.

I forgot how this man made me tremble. I forgot how intense my love for him back then. I chunked all memories I had of that province into one tragic story of how I lost everything. My family, my friends, my first love. I forgotten how this man made me feel, and like an overflown dam, it's all coming back to me now.

"What are you doing here?" iginala ni Silver ang tingin sa paligid namin. "Wala kang kasama?"

Mabilis akong umiling. "V-vogue. I work for Vogue now, uh, we're featuring Greek Spring, so...uhm, nagpa-iwan lang muna ako dito habang nagpaparty sila sa Fira." I smiled and tilted my head. "How about you, business or pleasure? Considering you had a date back there, I was leaning towards pleasure."

"Maggie's not my date."

Oh, really?

"And?" I probe, but he didn't quite get the cue. Bakit sila mag kasama sa isang romantic restaurant kung hindi sila nag dadate? Who is Maggie? And if she's not his girlfriend, does he have a girlfriend right now?

Umiling-iling ako sa bilis ng tinakbo ng utak ko. You are getting ahead of yourself, Zelda...calm down!

He shrugged. "That's it."

"Still talkative as ever, I see." panunukso ko. Sarcasm and jokes are what I've learned from Angelie and it has been an effective defense mechanism for me.

"She one of my senior architects based in Greece," Silver smirked.

"So, business?" I scrunched up my nose at him.

"Not really," he chuckled. "I bought a new boat, her family buys and sells them."

"You're here just because of that? I forgot how rich you de Alvarezes are. What happened to the old one, the--" agad akong natigil nang sumagi sa isip ko ang yate ni Silver. Nagwawala ang puso ko sa tadyang nang maalala ang gabing iyon sa kanyang yate. The pain and pleasure, I remembered it all like it was yesterday.