Lover from the Sky

13

"Ahquila, tara picture!"

 My blockmate called me for a picture. We were busy since patapos na rin second year. Time flies so fast. It's like I entered college yesterday. I went beside my blockmates and took a picture with them. 

"Isa pa guys!" Our president said and we took one more.

 And just like that, weeks and months passed and third year na ako. We were having a group study at Ethiliah and Sev's place. Malapit na ulit kami mag finals and fourth year na. We ended up having a chika. Halos mabuga ko yung tubig when Sev talked about a guy. Ready na ready naman si Amie makipaglandian.

"jlaucruz all lower case" Sev said. I wanted to laugh so hard. It turned out to be Laurent. How ironic. Kal would laugh at this as well. I tried to hide the fact that I knew Laurent. "Oh? I follow him pala. He is kind of known ata." I pretended. Laurent was indeed known. Girls would drool for him. Benta naman pagpapanggap ko sakanila. Amie wanted me to make reto to them even! 

The next week Kal told me that he was available. It's been one month since we last saw each other. He was too busy to even let go of those control wheels. Well, it was summer so everyone travelled to domestic and international destinations. Kal told me that we should meet in the Chinese Restaurant near to university. I was still wearing my uniform, wala akong time para magbihis. I sat there and ordered in advance. There were many students as well from our university. It was only a block away. 

Napatingin naman lahat when Kal entered the resto still in his uniform and his hands inside his pockets. Damn, this man. I just covered my face. Baka makilala pa ako ng iba dito. I felt Kal that sat infront of me and was smirking. I peeked and looked around. 

"What? Are you ashamed na magjowa tayo?" He scoffed and acted like he was offended.

"Feeler, baka naman kasi mapagkamalan akong artista." I flipped my hair and he just chuckled. We just talked about his work and how his flights were. "Maganda ba?" I asked and he crossed his arms in his chest and thought of it. "Syempre, the windows are bigger." He got his phone and showed me pictures of the sunset, sunrise, or just the beautiful clouds. 

"Dapat kasi nag pilot ka nalang din." He said. And I scoffed. Para namang pinaparegret niya ako that I took pharmacy. "Kal, paano naman mga anak mo kung parehas tayong pilot?" I said. I meant as a joke. "Ah, anak na pala iniisip mo ah." He smirked and siningkitan niya ako ng mata. I just projected a disgusted face and looked at the food that was served. Siya lang naman kakain. He told me that he was bringing me somewhere else. 

"Saan?" I asked. "We're meeting our friends. Axel, Andre, Laurent and a girl." My jaw dropped. Sino nanaman kaya 'yon? Kawawa naman si Sev. I dozed off on the way there. "We're here." He said when we parked. He didn't look like a pilot, maybe a student pilot. Kal told me na late na daw kami slight. He gave me a jacket of his and told me to wear it. Parang nilalamig daw kasi ako. I didn't feel good. We went down and went in. My eyes got bigger when I saw the girl that Laurent brought, it was Severyse. 

"Sup, Xel." Kal said to Axel. Sev looked at me, shocked also. I pretended to be the same. "Omg Severyse you're here!" And I hugged her. Para naman effective yung pag acting ko. I signalled Sev to act that she didn't know Kal too. Kal and I talked it out before going out of the car. We didn't want them to know that we knew each other already. "Sev, this is Kal, my boyfriend." That, Sev didn't know and she was purely shocked. We sat down and waited for Andre. 

"Sila din naman pala magkakatuluyan." Kal whispered and he pertained to Sev and Laur. I just laughed and narinig ko namang iniintroduce ni Laur sila Kal. "I'm a pilot not a student." Kal said with his poker, intimidating face. Minutes after Andre came and he sat beside Axel. Nagbiruan pa sila bago mag pray. We just ate samgyupsal and left right away. Kal had to go home and prepare stuff for his next flight. Napansin niya ata na matamlay ako.

"Hey, are you alright?" He said and faced me. I felt like my eyes were burning. Agad naman niyang hinawakan noo ko and said that I was hot. "I know." I smirked. He just laughed and called Axel. He took me home and hinatid pa ako sa room. I changed first before he went in again. 

"You're still here?" I asked and laid down. "I asked your mom if I could stay until you fall asleep and she said it's okay." He just said and placed the bowl of water and towel in my side table. "You can go home I can take care of myself." I took the towel that he damped all over my face. "Ako na kasi." He said and held my hands para hindi na daw gumalaw. I just rolled my eyes. I didn't know that I actually fell asleep. 

I woke up with a sticky note on my forehead. Damn it, Kalmin. I took it. 

"Don't forget to drink your meds. Also don't stress yourself too much. I'll visit after school:)" 

I just chuckled and got up to get ready. I wasn't able to study for a quiz yesterday. The day just went on and Kal did visit me when I got home. He even brought fruits with him. "Do you feel better?" He asked and I did not even spare him a glance. I just hummed and continued to study. He lied down in my bed and eventually fell asleep. Kakatapos lang daw ng flight. He had international flights already. I woke him up when it was time to eat dinner. We just ate in my room since okay lang naman sa kanila mom. They weren't around. Kal left right away after.

 Then it was vacation again. Kal told me that he already asked my parents and that pumayag naman daw sila. We were going to Bohol with Laurent and Severyse. "I'll let you fly a plane once again." He said. He was just wearing shorts and a white short sleeved polo shirt with his black high cut converse. Gosh, Kal can look good with anything. 

When we rode the plane, gulat naman si Sev na kaya ko pa pala magpalipad or maybe because she thought that I wasn't experienced. I just laughed at her. We stayed in Bohol for two days. Kal brought me to Panglao at night. It was full of people. Korean, Chinese, Filipinos. He treated me to a date and we stayed by the beach. We were gonna head back to Manila tomorrow morning. 

"Did you enjoy this vacation?" Kal asked while he was holding my hand. I just nodded and smiled. The moon reflected in the sea and the stars sparked. People were dancing around the fire, jamming, and laughing. Panglao just completed our trip. Sayang, Sev and Laur did not come with us. May iba din daw na lakad. The next morning, Sev looked worried. She asked me if we can go earlier and I told Kal about it. Luckily, he said it was okay. I think it was an emergency.

"Did something happen, Sev?" I asked her once we got back to Manila. She smiled and pulled me to the couch. We were at her unit. "Mom has a heart problem. I'm going to the States, for no one knows how long." She said and smiled bitterly. My jaw dropped. I just comforted her and asked her if she's gonna tell Laurent. She decided not to. Kwinento ko lang kay Kal but he also promised that he wasn't gonna tell Laurent anything as well. 

Week after, Sev left already. Laurent tried to call me for so many times asking where Sev is, if how she is doing. 

"He once called me while he was drunk and crying." Kwento ko naman kay Kal. He just sighed and drank his beer. He was on leave for three days kaya okay lang for him to drink. "Poor Laurent." he said. He faced me and stared at me. "Love.." I just hummed and looked at him also. "Should we tell Laurent?" He asked. I thought about it for so many times and I just nodded. 

We decided to go to Laurent's place the next day. It was a whole mess. Parang gumuho mundo ni Laurent. He was there in the floor lying. He looked lifeless. I looked at Kal and his face projected his concern for his own cousin. 

"Laurent. Laurent, gising." Kal woke him up. I helped cleaning his unit a little bit. Laurent just started to cry again.

 "Laur, you have classes. You have to attend. Sev won't like this." I said and went closer. He sighed and nodded but still crying. Kal and I washed the dishes, cleaned his unit, and I helped him study. I know it won't be much but I tried to understand his lessons though we aren't in the same course. 

After that, we made sure that Laur ate before we left his unit. He told us that he knew already. He looked like a whole mess. 

While Kal was driving, I was zoning out. I thought of how painful it was for Laurent. I didn't realize that Kal was calling me. 

"Tulala ka ha." He said and spared me a glance. "Love.." He said. I just looked at him and was ready to listen to whatever he will say.

"Don't leave me like that."

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