Below The Tide (Charity Series #1)

• Thirty Eight •

Betina Tiara

~

Today is the day that we're going out for a date. Wala akong ideya kung saan kami pupunta dahil sinabi sa 'kin ni Zen na siya raw ang bahala. Talagang pinaghandaan n'ya 'to dahil the day after tomorrow, simula na ng taping n'ya.

Nagkita kami sa mall around 10 am at bumyahe gamit ang kan'yang motor for I think almost two hours, arriving at the place, a short walk later we were standing in front of a three-storey western style building.

"Is this the place?" I asked him in awe.

Zen squeezed my hand gently, "Look at the ocean, I’ve always wanted to be in a beach house with the woman I love."

Yes, we were in a beach house. Sa layo ng byahe namin at sa lawak ng kalsadang nadaanan namin kanina ay masasabi kong nasa malayong lugar nga kami. Sobrang gaan sa feeling...

Wait.

Back when I was with my parents, during our roadtrip, we were going on a beach house... but that didn't happen because of the accident.

Since then I never experience to go in any vacation. Part time, bahay at school lang ang naging karanasan ko noong mga panahong nawala ang mga mahal ko sa buhay.

Napatingin ako kay Zen na siyang nakatitig sa malawak at asul na dagat. I never thought someone would actually take me to a place I really wanna visit the most.

To think I didn't tell them where we were suppose to go back then-- even Seven didn’t know that.

Nang makapasok kami sa building ay magkahawak-kamay naming tinungo ang front desk para sa kwartong kukunin namin-- wala kaming balak matulog dito, kinailangan lang namin para siguraduhing hindi mawawala ang mga gamit namin.

As Zen and the front desk agent spoke, I checked out the lobby.

The lobby was arranged with restored old furniture, an apple scent filled the air and warm yellow lights made everything cherry.

The lobby's north and south doors were open and the sea breeze swept through the curtains.

Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang nararamdaman ko. Sobrang saya makakita ng ganitong view, makalanghap ng sariwang hangin, isama mo pa ang nakakasilaw na sinag ng araw.

"This is lovely..." usal ko sa sarili.

"It is, right? Sabi ko na nga ba magugustuhan mo rito, e." bulalas ni Zen na ngayo'y tapos na makipag-usap at nasa tabi ko na, "What do you think? Did I do a great job?" ngisi nito.

Natawa ako at napailing, "The scenery is very lovely I swear. To be honest, ngayon lang ako nakapunta sa ganitong lugar."

"Aww. Then I’m lucky that I am the one you’ll be with in a lovely place like this."

"Gano’n na nga."

"But you know, not only are the surroundings nice... the lightning’s great, and the air... it’s..." he bit his lower lip, "The air smells like you."

An apple scent?

Inamoy ko ang sarili ko dahil sa sinabi n'ya, but all I could smell is a strawberry scent in me.

That's when I know Zen's just messing with me.

"Nalilito ka lang dahil malakas ang pabango rito sa lob---"

I startled when he suddenly drew closer to my neck. Kaagad akong napatingin sa paligid dahil baka may mga taong tumitingin sa 'min.

"Z-Zen..."