Raindrop's Tears

Kabanata 3

Lumabas ako sa azotea para makalanghap ng sariwang hangin. Nang tumama iyon sa mukha ay napapikit ako't dinama iyon pero kaagad na natigilan nang makaamoy ng usok.

I stopped, shifted my head, and was stunned upon seeing Marcus in the terrace of his room just beside the guest room.

Hubad ang pang-itaas niya, tanging kulay na itim na pajama ang suot. He was leaning on the barricade, silent. Dumako ang tingin ko sa biceps niyang firm at ma-muscles, natigilan nang iangat niya ang kamay at inilapit sa kanyang labi ang sigarilyo.

My mouth parted.

He was smoking?

Bumuga siya ng usok. Sumama iyon sa hangin kaya nalanghap ko ang amoy ng sigarilyo niyang may halong mint. He then licked his lower lip and put his cigarette on the ashtray after a few blows.

I watched him like a cat from where I was, not even making a sound so I could look at him this way for some time.

Hindi rin siya makatulog at base sa nakikita kong dilim sa mukha niya't pag-igting ng mga panga ay alam kong may iniisip siya.

He then reached his hand somewhere, as if looking for something—his glass of liquor he placed on the barricade and tried reaching for it and when he almost did, I gasped loudly.

Natigil siya. Mabilis siyang napalingon sa pwesto ko.

"Who's that?" he asked, his body in defensive mode.

Dali-dali kong tinakpan ang bibig. Nanlalaki ang mata habang nakamasid sa kanyang nakabaling sa pwesto ko. Hindi ako umimik. Ni hindi na nga 'ata ako humihinga.

He then sighed and shook his head. "And now I'm imagining things," matabang niyang sabi at 'yon na lang ang paghinga ko ng maluwag sabay sapo sa dibdib.

Muntik ka na, Varsha!

He proceeded into searching for his liquor on the barricade. Dahil nga sa hindi niya nakikita ay kinakapa niya iyon sa paligid at nahulog ang panga ko nang muntik na niyang masagi iyon.

"Sa kanan!" I exclaimed. "Matatamaan mo na, Marcus!"

He got it. Isang hablot lang niya sa baso't paling sa pwesto ko ay muli kong natakpan ang bibig.

Shit. Ito ang mahirap kapag nerbyosa ka!

My eyes felt like they were going to jump away from the sockets when he moved his body towards the place where I was standing and it gave me a full view of his mouth-watering and defined pectorals. May maninipis na buhok sa may dibdib niya't hawak sa isang kamay ang baso ng alak na kanina lang ay 'di niya mahanap.

"I knew it," he murmured while I was just looking at him exaggeratedly, still covering my mouth.

Hindi ako magsasalita! I wasn't here! You're just hearing things, Marcus!

He lifted the glass he was holding and lifted it up on his mouth to take a sip, hotly licking his lower lip after.

"You can't hide from me, Storm. I know you're there," he murmured and it was a foolish move to even expect him not to notice me after I screamed that.

"S-sorry..." Tumikhim ako at marahang lumapit na sa may barricade kaharap kung nasaan siya. "Ano lang kasi, hindi ako makatulog kaya lumabas ako rito para magpahangin tapos nakita kita."

His lips pursed. They were still wet from drinking when he lowered it again kaya suminghap ako.

"Huwag mong bitawan!" I exclaimed and raised my hand kaya naiwan sa ere ang kamay niya. "Mahuhulog sa baba 'yan!"

"Huh?" he asked. "Where can I put this..." Ibinaba niya ang kamay at sinubukang humawak ng paglalapagan pero naa-anxious akong tingnan ang kanyang kamay na may hawak pang baso ng alak.