Pinky Promise of Sarah and John Lloyd

Chapter 8 : Wine, Sorry, and Baleleng

12:30, Lunch time.

Sarah and John Lloyd were still busy with their pillow fight.
When John Lloyd saw his chance, he jumped in at Sarah’s bed. He pulled the sheets up to his neck.
“Tulog na tayo.” He gave Sarah a naughty grin.
Sarah didn’t twice twice. She kicked him off the bed. With all her force. She used both her legs.
“Get off.”
John Lloyd tumbled down the floor with the sheets. Only to get on the bed again.
“Tulog na tayo.” He continued to tease her.
On her third attempt to kick him, he was able to avoid her busy feet. He stood up, pinned her legs with his legs and caught her hands.
“Let me go. “ Sarah, tried the razor in her eyes. John Lloyd just looked at her, a smile in his eyes.

She started to struggle. Her legs. Her hands.
He hugged her. Tight.
Everything stopped.
Her struggle. His teasing.
They became aware that they were alone in the room. Their heartbeats were almost palpable. Sarah could hear her own breathing, or was it John Lloyd’s? Then, she heard him humming a familiar song in her ears. She listened.
Is he really humming that song?
Her laughter started from her stomach until it reached her mouth. John Lloyd stopped humming to look at her.
“You’re laughing at me.”
Sarah continued to laugh. John lloyd let go of her, and sat at the edge of the bed watching her double with laughter.
“You think, this is the right time to laugh?”
In between bouts of laughter, Sarah started to talk but another wave would just come, and she started laughing again. When she could finally control herself, she told him.
“Why in the world were you singing Baleleng?! Ha ha ha”
She was familiar with that Aegis song, and it was a good song. But never had she imagined John lloyd humming that, much more when he was hugging her. He sounded so ridiculous during that moment.
She laughed hard again. She couldn’t stop.
John lloyd stood up, and walked towards his own room.
“Where’re you going? Mr. Baleleng..hahaha”
“To change, and have lunch. Or you want to stay here, and have me for lunch?”
John Lloyd got his revenge. He whistled his way out, while Sarah was still thinking of a rebuff.


8.2
They chose to eat in a restaurant near their hotel. They had no plans yet of where to actually go.
Sarah wanted to see the Wall of China. John Lloyd didn’t want to. He explained that the place would be full of tourists, and some might probably recognize them. She insisted that they could try hiding in their hoodies again, like what they did in Macau.
“What’s the point of coming here, if we’re not seeing the Wall?” She complained.
John Lloyd was unrelenting. The truth was, he was worried that the hike would be too much for her.
Sarah frowned at him, and walked towards their rented car.
While Sarah was changing for lunch, John Lloyd spoke to the receptionist and asked if he could hire a car, and a driver who could speak English.
John Lloyd tried to catch her hand. She avoided it.
“Bebe, please. “ He said and tried holding her hand again.
Sarah stopped walking.
“First, I’m not your Bebe. Stop calling me that. We’re in China, this is a Communist country so your freedom of speech does not apply here. You understand, Mr. Baleleng?” She gave him a wide smile.
John Lloyd pulled her to him and almost kissed her. He remembered they were in China.
At that moment, he hated China and its Communist ruling.


*** “See, this is much better.”
He and Sarah were walking along the streets of Beijing. It was almost dark now, and the streets were lighted already.
“Hmmm” was Sarah’s only reply.
They continued to walk quietly. It was February. There was no snow anymore, but the cold wind caused them to shudder from time to time.
John Lloyd tighten his hold of Sarah’s hand.
Sarah stopped walking and gazed up at an electronic billboard. It was showing a video of a Chinese celebrity singing on a stage.
They watched for a few seconds.
“You miss it.” He whispered.
Sarah slowly turned her head and looked at him.
He squeezed her hand.



8.3

“I’m so hungry!”
“Are you okay? Not tired?” John Lloyd was worried that all that walking and sightseeing made her exhausted.
“Nope. Just hungry.” She smiled.
She opened her mouth only to close it again.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. Let’s order first.”
They dined in their hotel, near the swimming pool.
“Would you like to go swimming after dinner?’
“Are you gonna wear a two-piece? If you are, then yes!” John Lloyd couldn’t resist teasing her.
Sarah shot him a dagger look. He laughed.
They were almost finished with their meal, with Sarah toying with her food, when she asked him.
“Lloydie, why are you here?”
“Is that a serious question?” He couldn’t believe his ears.
Sarah nodded.
“You seriously don’t know?”
“You’ve never said anything. You just appeared at my door with your suitcase.”
“Well, you’re right.” She was right. He just told her he wanted to be with her. He never told her his reason. His feelings.
John Lloyd felt his hands get clammy. His throat went dry. His heart stopped, then burst out running.
He took a sip of his wine. His only glass. He was with Sarah. He needed his wits around him. Her presence was enough to get him tipsy.
He started to speak, but stopped. He didn’t know where to begin. What words to say. He knew he loved her, but would telling her “I love you” be enough?
Sarah looked up and waited for him to speak.
“I’m here because you’re special to me.” He said when he finally found his voice.
Sarah was about to speak but he continued.
“Because I love you.”
Sarah closed her eyes for a moment, when she opened them, they had tears on them.
She did not speak. She just sat there quietly.
“Now would be the best time to say something.” John Lloyd said.
She remained seated and did not utter any word. She started to speak after awhile.
“I want to believe that. I honestly do. I want to say I know that you love me. But there’s a voice in my head that refuses to believe that.”

John Lloyd was the one quiet now.
“For one thing, do you not realize that you hurt me when you decided to cut me off your life? You told me we could not talk anymore, not even as friends. And without explanation, without even saying sorry, you were there at my doorstep. You never said sorry. Where does your love figure in all of these?”
Sarah was looking at him now. He was quiet.
She stood up when he did not say anything.
“I’ll go up now.” Her knees were trembling but it was her heart which collapsed first.
John Lloyd remained where he was. He looked at his glass of wine.





***
Her door opened. She looked at him but stayed seated on her bed.
He walked toward the farthest edge of her bed and sat there.
All was quiet. Neither of them breathing lest they broke the moment.
She faced him. He glanced at her and looked away.
“I never said sorry. I was hurting. But I knew I hurt you also.”
He looked at her eyes.
“If I say sorry for leaving and hurting you --- I might forgive myself.”
He tried to hide his tears by looking down.
Sarah went to him and put her arms around him.

***
“I’m sorry also.” Sarah whispered.
They had been in a tight hug for awhile now. Then she heard the Baleleng humming again.

“Is there a logical explanation to what you’re doing? You’re singing Baleleng again.” Sarah was now both amused and curious.
“I’m actually singing “I have two hands Baleleng, the left and the right. Hold them up high Baleleng, so clean and bright...”” John Lloyd sang to a laughing Sarah.
“Whatever for?”
“To protect you.”
Sarah’s eyes widened.
” I’m trying to protect you so let me be in my humming ang singing.” He smiled at her and walked toward the adjoining door.
Sarah could hear him start his singing again when he closed the door.

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Happy reading Baldiks :) I love the naughty John Lloyd hihi Please leave your comments, will really appreciate it. Thanks Happy BALDIK 2012!!!!