Mineet namin si Karelle for lunch bago kami pumunta ni Agnes sa bahay nila kasi Agnes also wanted to visit her siblings before heading home to Manila.
We went to this quaint restaurant and I can tell how the old soul in Agnes is very happy. Napangiti tuloy ako. Habang kumakain, Agnes held my hand under the table. I pressed on to it lightly.
"Agnes."sabi ni Karelle.
"Hm?"sabi ni Agnes habang umiinom siyang tubig with her free hand.
"Were you able to buy the marimba that you wanted?"dagdag niya. Tumango si Agnes. Bakit alam ni Karelle na bumili si Agnes nung marimba?
"Buti naman. By the way, tito wanted to say thank you. Ang gaganda daw nung records mo."dagdag niya. "He was extremely happy kasi some of the vinyls you sold, matagal na nyang hinaha--" Karelle suddenly stopped mid sentence kasi bigla siyang sinenyasan ni Agnes.
She sold her vinyl? I looked at her and somehow I understood why she sold it. I tried catching Agnes's eyes but she was also so intent on not to catch mine.
After ng lunch, umikot kami sa Burnham park. Tinatawanan ako nila Andrew dahil kumakain ako ng strawberry taho at ng manggang hilaw. Baka daw sakitan ako ng tyan eh mahaba pa naman yung byahe. Pero dahil nagkukulitan sila Keifer at Poch, natapunan ako ng taho sa damit. Wala pa naman na akong extra.
"Hala Patty, sorry!"sabi ni Keifer.
"It's okay. Konting stain lang naman. And pauwi naman na tayo."sabi ko. Pero sa totoo lang, malagkit din talaga sa pakiramdam and the stain is visible. Pero sa sobrang saya ko ngayon, parang nothing could ever break it.
"Don't worry, pupunta naman tayo sa bahay."sabi ni Agnes. I just nodded.
Pagdating sa bahay nila Agnes, nagmano lang din kami kay Tita Cy and she basically assisted us with everything. At dahil maaga pa naman, nagpahinga lang din muna kami sa kanila. Si Karelle naman tinulungan si Tita Cy na ipagready kami ng meryenda. Busog pa nga kaming lahat pero dahil daw mahaba yung byahe namin, she thinks it's better na kumain pa rin kami.
Habang abala sila, tinawag ako ni Agnes at inabot yung damit na pamalit ko. Pero dahil nasa cr pa si Pao, sa kwarto na lang ako ni Agnes nagpalit ng damit.
When I entered her room, it felt bare. And I noticed na wala na nga yung mga boxes ni Agnes na nandito nung last na umakyat kami nung Christmas. It felt like stepping into a different room altogether. Yung natitira na lang na distinction that it was still the old room was the Mulan Funko Pop on the bedside table.
Bigla akong nalungkot. She didn't have to sell those records kasi matagal niya yun pinag-ipunan. And she wasn't supposed to give me anything. I walked over dun sa bintana and I remembered how we danced in her room. In this room.
I was surprised when I heard a faint knock on the door.
"You sold your records?"sabi ko sa kanya when I realized na wala na lahat ng vinyl niya sa kwarto.
"I... I don't need them."sabi niya. Grabe. She sold all her vinyl to buy my marimba. Parang hindi ko naman 'ata deserve yun.
"But you loved those." I frowned. Grabe, sobrang enthusiastic pa naman niya with those records and she had to sell them just to buy me a gift.
"Yeah, but I found something I love more."
"And what is that?"
"Making you happy."
Shet naman tong si Reoma. Hindi ko naman kinaya yung pagsagot niya. I feel like I just melted at her words. Biglang naubos yung mga sasabihin ko.
"Are you ready to go?"sabi niya. Tumango ako. Then as we were about to reach the door, naramdaman kong hinawakan ni Agnes yung kamay ko.
"Pat."
"Hm?"sabi ko tapos lumingon ulit ako pabalik sa kanya.
"I've been really wanting to do this."sabi niya then I felt her lightly tug on my hand and she inched closer. She fixed the hair that's been covering my face. Feeling ko umiinit ulit and I felt her warm breath on my face.
"Can I kiss you?"
I was so surprised by the question hindi ko alam kung paano i-verbalize yung sagot ko sa tanong niya but I found myself nodding then I used my free hand to hold on to her nape and pulled her in for a kiss.
I closed my eyes and I felt Agnes's lips brush mine. Then she pressed her lips more firmly this time, pero it was still very soft and gentle. It was a careful kiss. Agnes wrapped her arms around my waist to pull me in closer. I wonder kung nararamdaman ba ni Agnes yung lakas ng kabog ng dibdib ko.
It was so fast but my head spinned. Agnes pulled away and tried to look away from me pero kitang-kita ko na sobrang namumula pa rin siya. I guess I am blushing heavily too and I smiled. I exhaled. I've been holding my breath without me even knowing. Then nagkatinginan ulit kami ni Agnes. I can hear my heart thumping. Ganito pala yung feeling. Yung feeling na mahalin mo yung isang tao ng sobra-sobra. Feeling ko lalabas yung puso ko anytime.
Agnes smiled at me shyly. And I can still see her blushing. Inangat niya yung kamay ko then she planted another kiss on my knuckles. Hindi ko alam kung bakit but it sent shivers down my spine when she did that and now every part of my body felt ticklish. Gahd Agnes. Ano bang ginawa mo sa 'kin?
"I love you Pat."sabi niya.
I badly wanted to say na mahal na mahal ko rin siya but my brain somehow stopped functioning already and could not even form words. Literal na naghang yung utak ko. I cannot words again. Why can't I words? And as if it was enough to tell her how I feel, I just settled on kissing her again.
