Zephyr Strings

Simula

"How old are you?" tanong ko nang maalalang hindi ko pa alam ang edad niya.

He sighed. "Seventeen," he answered lazily.

I smiled. "You look like around eighteen or nineteen. I'm Sixteen by the way. But I don't look like one. So I guess...  It'll be easy for us to enter."

"Enter?" he asked.

"Bar..." I grinned.

Tumawa ako nang tamad niya akong irapan. Binuksan ko ang aking bag at kinuha ang mp3 player. Ramdam ko ang panonood niya sa ginagawa ko. Sinaksak ko roon ang aking earphones at binigay sa kaniya ang para sa kanang tainga.

"Take it," I said.

"No thanks," suplado niyang sabi.

Ngumiwi ako at lalong nilapit sa kaniya ang earphone. Salubong na salubong ang kaniyang mga kilay nang bigyan niya iyon ng isang matalim na tingin bago iyon tanggapin.

"Since you're my boyfriend... My first boyfriend to be exact, I'll share my favorite song with you." Ngisi ko.

"Tss..." Pagsusuplado niya at sinuot ang earphone.

I wore the left one and searched for my favorite song. Ramdam ko ang paghinto ng bus para sa susunod na pasahero. I clicked my favorite song and the strums of the guitar started. I looked at him and smiled. He's already watching me closely.

"Don't share this song to anyone. Kundi yari ka sa akin. Babalik ako rito sa Pinas para batukan ka." Pagbabanta ko at tumingin sa labas ng bintana.

"Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow
I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called Yellow."

I blew the glass window and wrote Casimir's name with my name. I drew a heart in between our names and smiled.

"So, then I took my turn
What a thing to've done
And it was all yellow
Your skin
Oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn in to something beautiful
Do you know
You know I love you so
You know I love you so."

"Thank you..." I almost whispered.

"For what?" he seriously asked.

Binaling ko ang tingin sa kaniya. He's looking at me closely. I was hushed a bit by his amazing eyes. They are very deep and the shade of brown made them look even more attractive. His eyes are welcoming but his cold attitude and arrogant aura contradict his eyes. Napalunok ako nang maramdaman ko ang biglaang pagbigat ng aking puso bago ito kumabog nang mabilis.

"If you didn't approach me a while ago... I was probably gone right now. I was probably unable to hear my favorite song again. So... Thank you..." I muttered very slowly.

Hindi siya nagsalita. Instead, he stared at me with lazy eyes. Ngumiti ako at nagbaba ng tingin sa kaniyang dibdib. I cleared my throat.

"Did you have a girlfriend or first love?" I asked randomly.

"I didn't have one," he seriously said.

I nodded and leaned closer to him. Ramdam kong bahagya siyang natigilan doon. I wrote my name on his left chest, where his heart was precisely located using my index finger.

"Consider me as your first girlfriend and first love, then..." Ngisi ko at nag-angat ng tingin sa kaniya.

Kumalabog ang aking puso nang mamungay ang kaniyang mga mata. I licked my lips and shrugged.

"My name was already etched in your heart. Hindi na 'yan mawawala..." I said nonchalantly then grinned.

Tumingala ako at saglit na pumikit bago magbaba ng tingin sa aking telepono. Naroon ang litrato ni Cohen kasama ang mga kabanda niya at... Si Casimir.

I didn't know he was friends with him! If I only knew, e 'di sana hindi ko na kinulit noon si Casimir!

"Ah! Stupid! Nakakainis!" Sigaw ko at halos guluhin ang buhok ko.

"Ano ba kasing problema mo? Kanina ka pa," nagtataka nang sabi ni Grecia.

Sinapo ko ang aking noo at kinagat ang labi. He's Cohen's friend. That only means, makikita ko siya lagi! I don't want to see him again!

"Wala! Don't mind me, pakialamera!" singhal ko.

"Baliw! Ewan ko sa'yo!" Singhal niya rin sa akin at iniwan ako sa sofa.

Sumandal ako sa headrest ng sofa at natulala. Sinapo ko ang aking buhok at parang tanga na tumulala sa chandelier ng bahay namin.

"Tanginang kamalasan. Sa sobrang malas... May pumalit na sa akin sa pagiging girlfriend mo." Bulong ko at saglit na natulala bago manginig ang balikat sa katatawanan.

Stupid.

"Are you okay?"

Lumipad ang tingin ko sa hagdanan kung saan nakatayo ang nagtatakang si Ate Reese. Ngumisi ako at tumango bago mag-iwas ng tingin.

Casimir Aziel Escareal...

I grinned.