Part 2
“Pare, habulin mo!”
“Pare baka mapano yun.”
“J, hindi naman kami nagrereklamo kahit mabagal ng pace natin. You don’t have to do that to her.”
Ang shit talaga niya. Pinahiya niya ako sa mga kaibigan niya. How dare him. I feel like crying. Suddenly I felt all alone. Wala naman talaga akong kakilala dito. Siya lang! Pero ang walanghiya! I’ve never been humiliated like this in my whole life. Nanlalabo na ang mga mata ko. Kelan pa ako naging iyakin? I brushed away the tears that threatened to fall. 2 hours of walking at ito ang nakuha ko? Bullshit! At ang lintik na mga luha na to walang planong tumigil. I was dubbing my tears when I tripped on a stone! Shoot! Just what I needed.
The pain of falling made me want to cry more. Ang sakit ng tuhod ko. Gusto ko nang umiyak ng umiyak dahil sa mga nararanasan ko but I stopped myself. Pride na lang ang natitira sa akin, pati ba yun igigive up ko? I felt a hand na humawak sa braso ko to help me get up but I brushed it off. Alam ko namang si Oca yun. Eventhough I’ve been blinded by tears, naamoy ko naman siya.
Pagkatayo ko hinawakan niya ulit ako. Forcing me to face him but I didn’t. Ayokong makita niya na umiiyak ako. “Get your hand off me Cariño!” Then I looked at him with as much contempt as I can manage.
Binitiwan niya ako and I continued my brisk walking slash jogging. Who would have thought that jogging in lahar is totally possible? I smiled bitterly. I am way ahead the others. Malapit ko na din maabutan yung mga guide na nagdadala ng mga gamit namin. Nauna kasi sila kasi sila ang magseset up ng mga tent. I can also feel Oca tailing after me. Pero wala akong pakialam. Lakad lang ako ng lakad. Uhaw na uhaw na ako. Feeling ko madedehydrate na ako. After a while I was rewarded by the view that is in front of me. The crater of Mt. Pinatubo. Indeed it was breathtaking. I saw the guide setting up the tents at ang iba pa naming gamit. So this is it. Maganda ang feeling. Mas maganda sana kung hindi ako binadtrip ni Oca. Umupo ako sa lupa catching my breath. I badly need water.
Then I saw a hand handing me a bottle of water. Kukunin ko na sana kaso nakita ko kung sino ang nagbibigay. And pride took over me. I ignored it. Bahala nang mamatay ako pero hinding hindi ko kukunin ang tubig na binibigay niya. I suddenly saw the guide setting up the 5 gallon water. Yung iba doon kumukuha ng tubig. Tumayo ako, iniwan si Oca at kumuha ng tubig using the plastic cup provided. Tapos bumalik ako sa dating pwesto ko at doon umupo.
May naramdaman akong umupo sa tabi ko. It was a girl.
“Sorry sa nangyari.” She said.
“Bakit ka nagsosorry hindi naman ikaw ang may kasalanan?”
“For J… For Oca. What he did is a bit off I must admit. He shouldn’t have done that. Kung ako siguro sa shoes mo, hindi lang yun ang aabutin niya. Nasanay lang siguro siya sa mabilis na pacing everytime we climb.” So this girl is a mountain climber. “But I admire you, Nung first time ko umakyat ng bundok, I fell almost 20 times. And nobody does brisk walking while mountain climbing. Nakakabilib ka!” And she laughed. I laughed too. God, I must have looked stupid a while ago.
“I’m Jana. We were introduced a while ago but I’m not sure if you still remember me. Sa dami namin kanina.” She said smiling. “My boyfriend Mark is over there.” And she pointed a guy na kumakausap sa isa sa mga guides. They guy looked at us and waived. I waived back and slightly smiled. “Siya and si Oca ang nagorganize ng event na to. We do it every year for 5 years already. Ito rin ang una kong inakyat since medyo madali lang ito. And since then I am hooked with mountain climbing. Sumasama na ako sa kanila palagi.” She kept on talking while I listen. Kinuwento na niya sa akin ang story nila ni Mark. She asked a few questions about me which I graciously answered. Hindi naman kasi confidential ang buhay ko. I must say that she is nice. Later on, pumunta na si Mark sa amin at nakichika na rin. Then dumadami na ng dumadami.
“Hey Joanne, The climb is fun right?” Ask Tamadao na agad namang binatukan ni Tamako.
“Ano ka ba naman kambal, masakit yuunn.”gumisi lang si Tamako. Ngumiti lang ako sa kanila. Mayamaya nagkayayaan nang maglunch. Kumain na kami pero hindi ko pa rin pinapansin si Oca. Madaming beses na siyang lumapit sa akin. Offering me towels, food, water at kung ano ano pa. But I ignored it all. Manigas siya. After lunch yung iba natulog sa ilalim ng puno yung iba nagboating sa lake, yung iba naligo. Of course ako nanood lang at nag ikot ikot.
Unti unti nang lumalamig and by 4PM medyo madilim na. Yung iba pumasok na sa tent nila and the others are preparing dinner. Ang problema ko saan ako matutulog. Siguro pwede naman akong makatulog kina Jana. There are 6 tents lahat. 15 kami and sa tantiya ko each tent kasya ang apat.
By 5PM nagdinner na kami at dumidilim na talaga. I helped in cleaning the dishes and after that watched as the lake change its color. This is the reward of 2 hours and 30 minutes of trekking. The scenic view. Calming.
Maya maya may umupo sa tabi ko. Si Oca.
“Miss Joanne, sorry na po. Sorry nagging rude ako sa’yo. It’s all my fault.” Hindi ko pa din siya pinansin. Umulan man at bumagyo hinding hindi ko siya papansinin. Nakaupo lang kami for like 15 minutes. Tumitingin ako kung saan saan aside from him. Yung ibang kasamahan namin naglalaro ng cards. Yung iba pumasok na sa tent. Yung iba nag uusap sa bonfire. Kaming dalawa, we’re like lovers in the moonlight. Malayo kami sa liwanag ng bonfire. We’re like lovers and we’re having an LQ. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Umaatake na naman ang pagkaromantic ko. I brushed away the thought because romantic doesn’t suit Oca.
“Jo….Anne…”He hesitated. Hindi niya alam ang itatawag sa akin. Hindi naman talaga niya alam kung ang palayaw ko. Maybe he’d heard Vince calling me Anne and it would be not so Oca kung gagayahin niya yun.
“Baby, kausapin mo na ako. Sige ka! Kung di mo ako kakausapin wala kang matutulugan mamaya.” Lumaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. Hindi dahil sa sinabi niyang wala akong matutulugan kundi dahil sa tinawag niya akong Baby. Nanayo ang balahibo ko. Hindi dahil sa biglang humangin ng malamig kundi dahil sa bigla niya akong inakbayan.
“Oh ano, a tent or forgiveness?” He asked challenging me. Inalis ko ang kamay niyang nakaakbay sa akin.
“Nagpapakipot ka pa eh!” Magsasalita na nga lang magsashower pa ng laway! Gross!
“Damn! It’s drizzling.” He muttered. Umaambon nga. Hindi pala niya laway yun. It is indeed drizzling. Unti unti nang pumasok sa kanilang mga tent ang mga kasamahan namin. They really have their designated tent.
“Dali! Sagot na! A tent or forgiveness.” He then winked at me. Ang kapal ng mukha. I stood up and headed to the station na may bubong. I guess I will have to settle sa sand. Hindi namn siguro babaha.
“Ang echos mo naman Joanne!” And I was being lifted by Oca na parang sako ng bigas. Tumatawa yung ibang kasamahan namin sa ginawa niya.
“Wag ka ngang malikot! Pag ikaw nabitawan ko sa lawa ka didiretso.” Siempre ayaw kong maligo ng wala sa oras kaya I stopped from wiggling. Maya maya nasa loob na kami ng tent. Pagkapasok namin agad namang lumakas ang ulan. Great! Hindi kaya aapaw ang lawa? Hehehe.
“Okay! I am not good at saying sorry so please don’t make it hard for me. Sorry. Hindi ko dapat ginawa yun. I know I was rude. I didn’t consider your feelings. Sorry na. Hindi na maul…”
“Pag nasobrahan nagiging OA na.” I muttered. “You can plainly say sorry and mean it without all those trappings.” I briefly said.
“So okay na tayo?”
“Magsasayang lang ako ng energy kung magagalit pa ako sayo. Knowing what an asshole you are.”
“Seriously, napatawad mo na talaga ako?”
“Oo nga!”
“Eh bakit may asshole pang kasama?”
“I’m just stating the fact.” Hinubad ko na ang shoes ko na suot (nagpalit kasi kami kanina after naming tumawid sa pang hinding ko na mabilang na ilog) At humiga na ako sa tent. I’m tired and all at wala na akong pakialam kung dalawa lang kami dito. The tent is spacious for both of us at hindi naman kami magsisikip. Before I realized it I was already dozing off.
Nagising ako nung may marinig akong swoosh sa may tent. I looked at my watch and napansin kong 12MN na. Umuulan pa din pero di ako nilalamig kasi may kumot ako. May kumot ako? And then I looked at Oca. He is on the other side of the tent at wala siyang kumot. Naawa ako kasi malamig talaga so I shared with him the blanket. Malaki naman kasi ang blanket.
After a while nakatulog na ako. Masarap kasi matulog pag umuulan. Then I felt something hugged me. And it felt nice. It’s warm so I cuddled more and hugged whatever it is that is warm and nice and comfortable.
“Thanks….”
“Hmmmm..?” I asked sleepily. Para kasing may nagsasalita but I couldn’t understand it kasi nga tulog ako.
“I said, thanks for the blanket and for the warmth.” And he laughed. He laughed. Laughed? HE? At napamulagat ako. I saw Oca hugging me. No, I am huggiong him. We’re hugging each other and for all that is holy, his lips is an inch from mine and if I moved a little our lips will touched.
Hindi ko alam ang gagawin. I don’t want to move or he’ll say that I initiated the kiss.
“Thanks for the warmth, but I’m still cold.” And he closed the gap between our lips. Again it felt… magical. Like the first time we’ve kissed. Everytime we kissed, it feels like the first time. It feels like the a poisoned water, everytime I taste it, I still wanted more. More and more. It quenches my thirst but I need more of it. The sensation is different. Nanayo ang balahibo ko hindi dahil sa lamig, kundi dahil sa kiss that we are sharing. Maya maya I put my hands under his head so the kiss would go deeper. I heard him moan. And he did went deeper. He is now French kissing me. And I am kissing him back with the same intensity. Why is it that everytime he kissed me nawawala ako sa sarili kong pag iisip?
His hands are now roaming all over my body and I felt a snap! The hook of my bra! He managed to unhook my bra with my t-shirt on! Shit! I gasped only to forget everything again when he kissed me. I was again lost. Lost to the feel of his lips. Lost to the feel of his hands. And lost to the emotions his bringing out in me.
Suddenly I felt him tugging at my shirt and I helped him get it off me. Then I realized we are both naked under the blanket. How the hell did it happen? But do I really care how it happened? Shouldn’t I care to what’s going to happen?
“Hmmm, Aren’t we supposed to be doing this in bed?”
“Babe, nasa bundok tayo. Sa bukid, walang bed.” And he resumed kissing me. The hell I care about beds!
At nangyari ang dapat na mangyari.
And again.
Totally blissful.
Magically satisfying.
Need I say more?
