That Golden Boy: Collection of Random Short Stories

35: LAYAS JAN BHIE, MAY POGI SA LIKOD

I’m not a fan of stressing out, so I grabbed the chance to spend several days here at Boracay with a group of friends and family, and I'd heard some pretty good things about where we would be staying.

"Christine hindi ka pa bababa?" I'm working with my hair to turn it into a ponytail when the door creaked open, ejecting Mom.

"Give me 30 minutes Mom. Ayaw ko namang magmukhang haggard paglabas."

She looks unconvinced. "30 minutes? E kulang pa nga yung isa't kalahating oras sa'yo para makapag-ayos? Maganda ka na 'nak, huwag mo na munang career-in."

Marami-raming turista ang sabay-sabay na pinagsasamantalahan ang angking ganda ng white sand at bughaw na tubig na talaga namang ikagagaan ng iyong kalooban.

Nagpaalam na muna akong tatambay sa isang balsa habang ang mga kaibigan ko nama'y nagsisi-sunod sa akin.

"Hey Christine! Ang tagal mo naman atang nagising? Ang ganda naman pala talaga dito sa Boracay 'no?" masiglang bati ni Melody. Umusod ako nang kaunti para makaupo sila.

Boracay primarily faces the sea, with its accommodations set toward the rear, naturally encouraging guests toward their beachfront facilities for their day-to-day.

"Pero may mas igaganda pa ang balita. Girl, may nakita kaming pogi kanina! Parang model!" singit naman ni Roxanne na nangangasim pa ang mukha sa kilig.

Nasa ganoon kaming posisyon nang may lalaking tumambad sa harapan ko na may dalang lambat.

"God! Christine siya yung sinasabi namin sa'yo!" bulong nila at do'n ko pa lang nasimulang titigan nang husto ang lalaki.

May pagka-blondy ang buhok niya na bagay na bagay sa kulay ng kaniyang mapusyaw na balat. Singkitin pero intimidating.

Sinamantala ko na ang pagkakataon para pasimpleng makuhanan siya ng litrato.

"Pictur-an niyo 'ko dali! Ang ganda ng view! Hagipin niyo siya ha." Tumayo naman muna ako't agad na sumalubong sa'kin ang malalakas at malamig na simoy ng hangin.

"Smile!"

Kung ano-anong posing pa ang pinaggagawa ko to have several choices sa pag-u-upload.

***
"Layas jan bhie, may gwapo sa likod!" 
"Anong pangalan nung guy?"
"Hi ate girl, pakisabi sa guy paki-anakan naman ako."

I'm just pissed off about the recent comments I have read earlier. Mas na-a-appreciate pa talaga nila yung lalaki sa likod! Like WTF? Bakit siya yung pinagpipiyestahan?

Hindi ba nila alam kung paano lumugar?

"Hey..." Asar kong nilingon kung saan nanggagaling yung boses. Nagulat na lang ako kasi nasa harapan ko na yung lalaking mangingisda kanina.

"You look...awful," he said with a playful grin portruded upon his face that annoys me a lot.

Ibinaba ko muna ang phone ko bago siya hinarap. "Do I know you? Hindi tayo close kaya pwede ba umalis ka na muna Mr.Mangingisda. I'm not in the mood. Just give me space," mahaba kong paliwanag habang napapaisip sa mga huli kong sinabi.

"And why would I do that? Oh, I'm not aware that you know how to express sarcasm now." It seems like he's enjoying pissing me off so I turned my back to him.

"Nagdamit mangingisda lang ako hindi mo na agad ako kilala? You're really hurting me huh," he chuckled and I know he took few steps towards me.

I looked back at my phone until I felt my heart banged within my swollen chest. He just embraced me from the back.

"Hindi mo 'ko madadaan sa mga ganiyan mo," angal ko pa, trying to force myself out of his hug.

He snaked his arms tighter around my waist. "I'm sorry love, ngayon lang naman 'to e. I just wanna be close with the residents here. You know that Dad's training me to take responsibility of this resort someday. Babawi ako sa'yo promise," mahaba niyang paliwanag.

I sighed. "I understand that Wrev. Just promise me that you're not going to flirt with somebody else when I flew back to Manila ha. Ang daming nagkakandarapa sa'yo oh." Ipinakita ko sa kaniya lahat ng mga notifications na pumapasok sa account ko.

Grabe parang ako pa yung lumabas na extra o photo bomber sa mismo ko pang litrato.

He beamed at me while getting his phone off his pocket.

"Hey, what are you doing?" maagap kong tanong. "Check your account," he excitedly said.

Ginawa ko ang sinabi niya't agad na nag-pop-up sa screen ko ang isang notification.

"Proud boyfriend here," he commented with a photo attached into it, and that's my 18th birthday kung saan siya ang ka-partner ko.

That was the night I let him to take care of me, to take care of my heart.

Astonishment keeps stroking within my system. "Buti alam mo," pabiro kong sabi at inundayan siya ng yakap.

"Just remember that at every end of the day, my heart belongs to you. They don't have the rights to put you out of the picture..." He suddenly kissed my cheek.

"Because a picture worth a thousand words, but being in the same image with you worth a million heartbeats."

Nagkamali kayo ng babaeng pinalayas.

PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME.
@jay.destro
Photo credits to the real owner.