Saving Harper

What Can Ruin This?

"Ohmygod ka! I look stupid in these videos! Hindi mo man lang ako sinabihan yesterday na ganito pala itsura ko while surfing!" Kinurot ko sa tagiliran si Xavier habang nagdidrive na kami pauwi from La Union, Sunday after lunch. While surfing, I thought baka I might look decent while doing it. But seeing this now? It was a conclusion na mukha akong tanga. Whenever I wiped out, I looked way worst than how I looked like nung natalunan ako nung basketball player.

"Ang cute mo kaya." He lightly laughed and hinampas ko yung braso nya. "Babe I'm driving." He protested pero natatawa parin pang asar.

"Mukha bang cute to?" I groaned and rewatched the one where I was desperately wobbling on the board para makatayo then fell backwards on the wave. My facial expressions were really as terrible as my attempts. Ugggh. I handed him his phone back forcefully ayoko ng panoorin yung iba.

We decided to go surfing again this morning bago kami mag check out from the hostel by lunch time and this was the time he took these kasi hindi kami sabay nagsurf so we can take pictures and videos of each other. I posted some of his photos sa IG story ko and of course Jem and Liv flooded my DM. It reminded me that I have to meet with them soon kasi I didn't answer any of my messages and calls.

I pretended to sulk over Xavier's videos kahit na deep inside natatawa ako every time I remembered how I looked like struggling to surf. And kahit na most of the time I looked like a fool, I really enjoyed this trip. Again, I wouldn't think to go there and I'm glad Xavier was the one who took me.

I used to think I wasn't missing out on a lot of things. I thought na a lot of people pass up a lot of experiences as well because they also didn't bother. What's life if you haven't tried surfing, going to theme parks, seeing museums and art, parasailing, bungee jumping, roasting marshmallows on campfires, dancing in the rain, stare at stars all night, travel, watch sunrise and sunsets, spending time people-watching in cafes, meeting strangers, eating new delicacies, or even long drives to unknown destinations. Those were the things I found mundane. Na hindi ko ikakamatay if I didn't get to try and experience even once in my life. But now I'm starting to change my mind about it.

Now i wanted to do everything. With the guy sitting next to me. I glanced at him and tumitig lang sa kanya. "Yes Ms. Javier?" He asked nung napa lingon din sya sakin for a while and he saw me staring at him. "Gwapong-gwapo ka nanaman sakin no?" He kidded in his typical fashion. Totoo yon but it wasn't my reason for staring.

"Wala, I was just thinking right now that I'm glad pinakilala kita as my fake boyfriend sa pamilya ko that night during your apology dinner." 

Dahan-dahang lumaki yung ngiti sa mukha nya. "Pakilig ka din e."

"Gumaganti lang ako." I smiled to myself dahil I was able to make him feel the same way I always feel pag humihirit sya sakin all the time. 

"Kung ganyan ang ganti mo, sige gumanti ka lang ng paulit-ulit." He took my hand and kissed it and never let go while he still drove.

"So saan tayo next weekend?" I was overeager to know. Sana mag weekend na ulit. I might not be able to work properly kasi iisipin ko lang yon, or if surprise ulit, huhulaan ko ng huhulaan.

"Eto magugustuhan mo promise." I wouldn't doubt that even for one second. "Pero parang kailangan ko ng sabihin sayo ng mas maaga."

"Like now?" I smiled widely habang nakatigil kami sa tollgate, giving him hopefully my most cutest face that I've never needed or wanted to use until now. Gusto ko lang din malaman if gagana kay Xavier.