Remember when we used to be a kid and we'd fall asleep in the living room and you'd be half-alseep and half-aware that someone was carrying you? That was exactly what I was feeling right now.
Except instead of being laid down on a bed, I was seated... on what felt like a car seat? I tried to open my eyes to check where I was, but I couldn't do it fully. My eyelids felt heavy that I could only open it through a small slit.
It was useless because my vision was blurry, but I could confirm that I was in a car and I could also see the shadow of a figure standing on my right side, who was standing beside the car. Hindi ko kailangan ng malinaw na paningin o maayos na pag-iisip para malaman na si Zeno 'yon.
Napangiti ako. "Hi, bubu!"
I heard him let out a breath of relief. "Are you feeling okay?"
Still smiling, I clumsily nodded my head and lifted my arm that felt like it weighed a ton to give him a thumbs up, but then I ended up smacking my face.
"Ouchie!" I cried out and then pouted, holding the affected area. "Bubu, ang sakit."
Zeno clicked his tongue. "Be careful." Kinuha niya ang kamay kong hinihimas ang pisngi ko.
"Kiss mo," utos ko habang nakanguso.
He laughed and dropped his hand away from my face but didn't make a move to give me what I want.
"Kiss mo sabi!" angil ko.
Zeno sighed and leaned down before placing a kiss on my cheek. Lumaki ang ngiti ko habang ang mga mata ko naman ay naningkit.
"Sa lips naman." I puckered my lips to emphasize what I wanted.
I heard him grunt and covered my face with his palm. "Baby, you're drunk."
"Kiss lang, e. Ang damot," reklamo ko at hinawi ang kamay ni Zeno palayo sa mukha ko.
"Just drink this water, please." He manifested a bottle of water out of thin air. May kasama pa 'yon na straw. He brought it close to my lips and I did as he ordered.
Hinawi ko ang tubig nang magsawa na sa pag-inom. Umayos ako ng pagkakaupo at tumingin sa paligid.
"Nasaan tayo?"
"Parking lot. I'm taking you home," sagot niya.
"Huh? Ayaw ko pang umuwi. Inom pa tayo!" angal ko at umahon para sana lumabas pero hinarangan ni Zeno ang dadaanan ko at isang patong niya lang ng kamay sa balikat ko ay napabagsak agad ako sa kinauupuan.
"Hindi na tayo iinom. You're drunk."
"Huh? Sino lasing? Walang lasing dito! Baka ikaw!" pang-aaway ko.
He chuckled and buckled my seatbelt. "Sure. I'm the one who's drunk, but we're still going home."
"Ikaw pala lasing, e. Ikaw na lang umuwi!"
"Tsk. Ang kulit."
"Luh. Ikaw ang makulit!"
Tumawa ulit siya. "Stop it, baby. We're going home."
Bago pa ako makasagot ulit ay sinara niya ang pinto. I panicked and quickly unbuckled my seatbelt. Binuksan ko ang pinto at nagmamadaling bumaba.
"Rei!" narinig kong sigaw ni Zeno.
Lumaki ang ngiti ko dahil sa tagumpay na pagtakas, but it was shortlived. Dahil lasing ako ay mas mabagal ako sa usual na takbo ko.
I squealed when Zeno lifted me up like I weighed nothing.
"Zeno!" I whined. "Iinom pa ako."
"Sige. Papainumin kita ng tubig," sagot niya habang naglalakad pabalik ng sasakyan.
