The Boundaries of Abyss

Kabanata 12

Orb

"Uhm. Convoy nalang tayo?" I was walking beside him palapit sa naka-park na sasakyan niya.

"No. Give me your keys. Ihahatid ni Mang Ben ang sasakyan mo sa condo mo."

"Mang Ben?"

He stopped in front of his car at bumaba roon ang driver niya.

"Aalis na po ba tayo, Sir?" This must be Mang Ben? He looked at me kaya ngumiti ako.

"Good evening po..."

"Good evening, Ma'am," binalingan ni Mang Ben ang kasama ko. "Isasabay ho ba natin si Ma'am?"

Umiling si Hedeon. "Pakihatid nalang ang sasakyan niya sa condo niya." Aniya at nilingon ako.

"Astrelle, your keys," inilahad niya ang kamay niya sa akin.

"Hedeon... Mang Ben won't eat with us?"

He looked confused.

"Ay ma'am! Sa bahay ako kakain!" Ani Mang Ben.

"Oh..."

Iniabot ko ang susi ng sasakyan ko at sinabi kung saan ihahatid 'yon.

Nag-usap pa sila saglit ni Hedeon bago nagpaalam sa akin si Mang Ben.

Pinagbuksan niya ako ng pintuan at agad naman akong pumasok doon. He looked at the car's door at may pinindot bago niya isinara 'yon.

The car he's using is different from what he used during our hiking trip at noong hinatid niya ako sa hospital. Ang dami naman niyang sasakyan...

I pouted my lips 'til it reached my nose dahil amoy orange ulit ang sasakyan niya! Naabutan niya akong nakanguso pagkapasok niya kaya kinagat ko nalang ang labi at nag-iwas ng tingin.

Tinignan ko ang diffuser na nakakabit sa aircon ng sasakyan.

"Right. You don't like oranges." He said and quickly removed the diffuser. I confusingly looked at him at nagulat noong tinapon niya 'yon sa basurahan!

"Why did you throw it?! Marami pang laman 'yon ah?"

He didn't answer at ibinukas ang bintana.

"What scent do you like?"

"Huh?"

"You don't like my car's scent. Besides orange, ano pang ayaw mo?"

"Kaya mo ba tinapon?"

Tumango siya.

"You don't have to do that. I don't hate it. I'm just not used to that smell."

"What do you like, then?" tanong niya muli.

"Uhm... Okay lang 'yong amoy noong isa mong sasakyan. The one you used when you brought me to the hospital..."

He thought for a while. "I'll take note of that."

Pinaandar niya ang sasakyan at binuksan ang aircon. We stayed quiet for a while until he closed the windows and maneuvered the car. The orange scent is not anymore penetrating my nose.

"What do you want to eat?" Aniya habang binabagtas namin ang daan.

"Nothing specific. Ikaw na ang bahala."

"Alright."

We weren't really talking that much dahil hindi ko alam kung anong pag-uusapan namin. Besides, if I talk to him now, I think I'll run out of topics kapag kumakain na kami.