Under The Rain (Guevarra Series 1)

Chapter 19

I've always hated the rain. Hindi ko ito nagugustuhan lalo na sa tuwing tatama ito sa balat ko. It always felt so cold and wintery and I don't like that kind of feeling. I hope the heaven would finally stop sending rain to the earth. Nababasa lamang ang mga lupa at nagiging putik, nawawalan ng pagkakataon ang mga taong lumabas ng bahay dahil magkakasakit sila kapag nabasa ng ulan. In the city where I lived for thirteen years, sa tuwing uulan ng malakas, napupuno na kaagad ng tubig ang mga kalsada. Bumabaha.

Rain always prevents people from appreciating the beauty of sorroundings. That is what I always believe.

Marahang hangin ang tumama sa aking balat habang nakatingin ako sa unahan at pinagmamasdan siyang mabasa ng ulan. Gusto kong yakapin ang aking sarili subalit hindi ko magawa dahil hawak ko ang payong na ibinigay niya sa akin kanina nang magsimulang bumuhos ang ulan.

"Kahel! Dito ka na, magkakasakit ka riyan!" sigaw ko sa kaniya. Hindi pa tuluyang natatapos ang Christmas party namin pero hinila na niya ako paalis. And then it started to rain. Malas. Hindi naman ito nakapagtataka dahil Disyembre na ngayon. The weather is always cold and rainy.

Hindi siya nakinig sa akin. I was so worried that he might catch colds. Basang-basa na siya ngayon. Nakita ko ang dahan-dahang pagharap niya sa akin. There's this serious expression plastered on his face as he looked at me. That made me nervous. Palagi na lang sa tuwing titingin siya sa akin ng ganiyan, bigla akong kinakabahan ng matindi. There's something in his eyes that I can't tell directly. It's indeed unfathomable. It's so deep. Pakiramdam ko kapag pinilit ko siyang basahin, malulunod ako.

"Anastacia..." pagtawag niya sa akin. I gulped several times. Inilahad niya ang kamay na parang inaakit akong sumama sa kaniya.

"K-Kahel." nanginginig ang kamay kong hinigpitan ang kapit sa payong. Hindi ko maigalaw ang mga paa ko. Nagsimula akong makaramdam ng kaunting takot. Kasi baka kapag humakbang ako papalapit sa kaniya, hindi ko na magawang humakbang papalayo.

"Ayaw mo ba sa ulan?" his tone is pure of innocence. Gusto kong umiling sa kaniya. But I know that'd be a lie. Because I hate the rain. I really hate it.

And then I remembered what he did a while ago. He kissed me on my cheeks in front of our classmates. Hindi ko inakalang kaya niya iyong gawin. Hindi ko inakalang magagawa niya iyon. I never imagined that he could actually do that in front of people. Kasi akala ko si Fatima ang lalapitan niya.

"Dito ka na, magkakasakit ka riyan." I told him. Hindi ako nagtangkang lumapit. Mula sa posisyon ko ay pinagmasdan ko ang buong katawan niyang mabasa ng ulan. His hair is now fully soaked with water so as his clothes. Kita ko ang mabagal na pagtulo ng butil ng tubig mula sa buhok niya paibaba sa kaniyang mukha. It's so artistic in my eyes. He managed to create art out of the things that I don't like. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa labi niyang namumula.

"Kahel..."

Bakit ba kasi siya nagpapaulan? I believe he is the kind of man that would value health other than anything else.

"Ayaw mo ba?…" he extended his hand for another time. He wanted me to reach for it. "…sa akin?"

I repeated his words in my head until I finally understand what he say. Napakurap-kurap ako. Did I heard it right? Or was I just hallucinating?

It rendered me speechless for a while. I want to say something else. I want to ask him further. I want an explanation but I am so scared to do that right now. And then I remembered it again. That soft, melting touch of his lips on my cheeks, I can still feel it. Maybe this is one of my reasons why I don't want to stand under the rain. I don't want it to swipe the trace of his lips on my skin.

"B-bakit mo ginawa iyon kanina? 'Di ba kayong dalawa ni Fatima?" it was a hopeful question. I hope he would deny it. I hope he will.

But he remained looking at my eyes straightly.