Always You

17

Ang tahimik namin sa kotse, pero ang dami kong tanong na gusto kong malaman. Hindi ko pa talaga siya kilala, dahil ni hindi ko nga alam na ninong pala niya si Sir Montes. Gusto ko rin itanong kung alam ba ni kuya Paolo ang tungkol sa aming dalawa. Iniisip ko ngayon anong idadahilan ko kay yaya Ines kapag nakita niyang hindi sasakyan nila Olly ang naghatid sa akin pauwi. Mabuti na lang at nasa Tagaytay si dad for a business trip. At least si yaya Ines na lang ang problema ko. I came back to my senses when I heard him ask.

"Why did you do it?"

I looked at him but he is focusing on the road. Seryoso ang mukha nito at tila galit. Ano na naman bang pumasok sa isipan niya at iyan ang tinanong. Hindi ko maintindihan ng tanong niya, kaya naman hindi ako sumagot.

"Andi?"

I looked at him again, this time tumingin siya ng bahagya sa akin.

"Hindi kita maintindihan Zeke", I answered him.

"Yung nangyari kanina, bakit ka sumugod doon sa mga nag-aaway?"

Ah! Yun pala ang meaning ng tanong niya. Concerned ba siya kasi ilang beses akong natumba? Pero papaano niya nalaman?

"Tumakbo kasi si Raine papunta doon sa parking area kaya sinamahan ko siya. Ayaw na kasi ni Marco na bumalik doon."

"Nasaktan ka ba?", he asked without looking at me.

"Hindi naman", I lied.

"Tsk! Hindi ka talaga magaling magsinungaling Andi", he hissed. "Don't do that again", he said seriously. "I mean it."

I answered with a nod. Geez, I can sense that he's not in the mood right now.

"I won't do that again Zeke", I answered.

"Just make sure it won't happen again, Andi. Don't be too nice and helpful, especially when you know it could be dangerous."

We stopped by a convenience store beside the gasoline station. Medyo nagutom kasi ako so I asked Zeke if we can eat first before heading home. It's already ten in the evening at talagang napagod ako ng husto sa pag-oorganize.

I asked him if we can eat inside his car. Ayoko kasing kumain sa labas ng convenience store, baka may makakita sa amin. Zeke bought 3 cans of beer, a can of apple juice for me and some chips and cookies.

While eating, I couldn't stop thinking on how to ask him about his personal life. Mostly kasi sa conversations namin, it revolves only to things that happened in the school, movies, hobbies, sports and college courses. He told me about his life in the States, pero it's not that too deep. Nothing too personal ang topic namin. He didn't even asked me about my mom, kaya hindi rin ako nagtanong tungkol sa family niya. Ayoko rin na isipin niyang pinapakialam ko ang personal na buhay niya.

But I decided to ask him this time. I gathered all my strength and courage, inhaled deeply before popping out my first question.

"Zeke? Uhm, can I ask you a question?"

He drank his beer first before looking at me.

"Bakit hindi mo sinabi sa akin na ninong mo pala si Sir Montes?"

Finally, naitanong ko rin. Natahimik siya sandali. Parang iniisip ang isasagot sa tanong ko.

"Baka kasi ihiling mo sa akin na pakiusapan si ninong about your grades", he chuckled.

"Hindi ko gawain 'yan ha", I immediately replied and I slightly slapped his thigh. "And FYI, mataas ang grades ko sa math."

He immediately grabbed my hand that's resting on his lap. He hold it firmly and I can feel his thumb stroking the palm of my hand.

"College bestfriend ni ninong ang daddy ko." He was still looking at our hands.

"Kaya pala bumisita ka sa school kanina." Now I know kung bakit siya pumunta ng school.

Napa-arko ang isa niyang kilay.

"Gusto kitang makita at makasama ngayon. Kaya ako pumunta ng school ninyo."

This time he looked at me. I can see how his eyes showed desire, pero I can sense sadness in his voice.

"May problema ka ba Zeke?", hindi ko na napigilang itanong.

He emptied his beer first before answering my question.

"Elope with me, Andi."

I was shocked to hear those words coming from his mouth. I think it's the alcohol that governs his mind, pero nakakalasing ba ang isang can ng beer? Wala akong maisagot sa kanya. Gusto kong sumama pero naisip ko si Iggy, ang studies ko, sina mom and dad, ang mga pangarap ko sa buhay. I can't give up on them. At isa pa menor de edad pa ako. Baka mas lalong mapahamak si Zeke kung sasama ako sa kanya.

Instead of answering him, I kissed him. It's my first time to initiate the kiss. Tinugon niya iyon at mas lalong lumalim ang mga halik niya. I can taste the beer and smell his scent, at dahil doon mas lalo akong nauuhaw sa mga halik niya. At bago pa akong tuluyang bumigay sa kanya, I gently pushed him away and looked at him in his eyes.

"I can't do that Zeke."

I touched his lips with my thumb.

"Just please wait until I graduate from college. When that time comes, sasama ako sa iyo."

He smiled at me, as if he was satisfied with my answer. But then, his eyes portrayed the opposite. It was disappointment and sadness.

"Nasa States din ba ngayon ang daddy mo?", pag-iiba ko ng topic.

Nakita ko kung papaano naging cold ang aura niya sa tanong ko. Hindi siya nagsalita, bagkus ay binuksan niya ang isang can ng beer at uminom. I said sorry to him, for being so intrusive about his family. He didn't say anything, at mas naging awkward ang pakiramdam ko sa kanya.

"He died 3 years ago in the States", he confessed.

"I'm sorry to hear that Zeke, I mumbled.

Nahihiya ako sa sarili ko ngayon. Sana hindi ko na lang itinanong iyon. That was way too personal to ask. Pero hindi ko naman alam na wala na pala ang daddy niya.

"But that's all in the past." He smiled at me. "It was difficult, but I managed to accept it."

Tiningnan ko siya. There was this pain hiding behind that smiling face. I suddenly hugged him.

Mukhang nagulat din siya sa ginawa ko but he hugged me back and smelled my hair. I immediately move back against him dahil narealize kong amoy pawis pala ang buhok ko.

"Amoy pawis ako Zeke", nahihiya kong sabi.

"Ngayon mo pa 'yan sasabihin sa akin? Pagkatapos mo akong halikan kanina?"

Tumawa siya bigla. My cheeks turned red dahil sa hiya. He genlty grabbed my nape and kissed me sweetly.

"I love how you smell, Andi", he whispered.

I giggled, and we kissed again.