Behind His Mask

Chapter 21

Wyndell squeezed Riley's hand as she used his arm as her pillow as they were lying down while watching the starry night. Kakatapos lang nilang kumain and they're now cuddling.

Only the sounds of the birds and the crickets, as well the leaves swaying with the wind can be heard. At tanging ang liwanag ng buwan at ang maliit na bonfire nila ang nagbibigay liwanag sa kanilang paligid. Madilim ang paligid nila, pero payapa iyon.

Nanatili silang tahimik hanggang sa may tanong na biglang sumagi sa isipan ni Wyndell kaya naputol ang katahimikang bumabalot sa kanilang dalawa. "Kung hindi mo ako nakilala, where would you be right now?" Wyndell asked as she fiddled with Riley's finger at ramdam niyang napalingon sa kaniya ang binata.

Tumagilid naman siya ng higa at humarap kay Riley na nakatingin sa kaniya, tapos ay iniipit ng binata sa likod ng tenga niya ang ilang hibla ng buhok na nasa may pisnge niya. "I would either be playing around with my friends here in the Philippines, or uuwi ako kay daddy and I'm probably married to someone that he chose." Sambit ng binata at marahan nitong pinisil ang pisnge niya.

"Wala naman akong rason para magstay sa Pilipinas maliban sa mga kaibigan ko at sa'yo. So if I didn't met you, I probably would have left since almost all of my friends are busy with their own lives. At most, I'll stay here until Quint settles down before I leave." Dagdag pa ng binata.

"You'll marry anyone?" Curious na tanong niya rito at ngumiti naman sa kaniya si Riley.

"Yeah. My father's getting old. He wants to see his grandchild bago siya mamaalam. If I don't have someone that my heart yearns for, I'm not gonna go around looking for it. If I didn't met you, then love was never meant for me. I made peace with that fact simula bata ako. Love is a luxury for someone like me. Although my father never forced me to marry just anyone, kung hindi ka dumating sa buhay ko, I'll choose a random person from the list of people that my father recommends." Mahabang salaysay ng binata kaya natahimik siya.

It may be stupid, but the thought of Riley marrying someone else made her feel uncomfortable.

"Are you mad?" Tanong sa kaniya ni Riley at napakurap-kurap naman si Wyndell bago siya nakapagsalita.

"No. Hindi ako galit. It just made me feel a little uncomfortable. You know, the thought of you doing whatever we're doing, with someone else." She honestly answered and Riley chuckled at her words.

"Huwag mo nang isipin 'yun. I'm here with you. At hindi naman ako humihiling na bumalik sa nakaraan para hindi ka makilala." Riley stated as the man placed a soft peck on her forehead. "I'm happy that I met you." He added.

"Ikaw? Where would you be kung hindi mo ako nakilala?" Tanong ng binata sa kaniya at hindi niya napigilang mapatawa.

"Sa hospital ng kaibigan mo." She answered while laughing at maging si Riley ay napatawa rin dahil sa sagot niya.

"Yeah. I can imagine that." Sambit ng binata habang mahinang tumatawa.

"You act different when you're with your friends 'no? Kapag kasama mo sila ang kulit mo. Minsan naman kahit kapag ako ang kasama mo makulit ka, pero most of the time, you're like a different person." Hindi maiwasang komento niya at napatigil naman sa pagtawa si Riley.

He looked at her, no, he stared at her for a few seconds bago tumaas ang sulok ng labi ng binata.

"That's true." Riley stated before he ran his fingers through her hair. "Kasi mas maayos na makita ko silang namumula ang mukha sa inis kaysa sa makita kong nag-aalala sila sa akin." He continued and Wyndell just stared at Riley's eyes as he spoke.

"Are you okay?" Hindi mapigilang tanong niya at ngumiti naman sa kaniya ang binata.

"I'm okay." He answered. "And if ever there comes a day, wherein I'll come to you because I'm not fine, please just hug me. You don't need to fix me, or do complicated things to make me feel better. I didn't date you so that you can fix me whenever I'm having a bad time or something. I'm with you because I want to be with you, and I chose to be with you. Just stay and hug me. That's more than enough." Anito at dumapa naman si Wyndell tapos ay itinuon niya ang magkabilang siko niya sa hinihigaan nila at nangalumbaba.