Letters to Cleo #Wattys2016

Chapter 12

"Okay. Let's go back."

We went back to our table and joined Rafa and Farah. But the whole time I kept silent. Sasagot lang ako 'pag tinatanong nila.

********

Napagkasunduan nilang tatlo at breakfast na gagawin namin ang mga beach activities dito sa Boracay. We did everything from banana boat to parasailing. Pati nga ATV ay ginawa na din namin. In all those activities ay si Ailee ang kasama ko. It's but natural because obviously Rafa and Farah would be doing everything together. Nakabuti rin naman ito kasi nawala 'yung inis na namuo sa akin nung umaga. Ngayon I feel more relaxed and at ease with her. Sana ganoon din s'ya sa akin.

Naiwan kaming dalawang nakaupo sa beach habang naghanap si Rafa and Farah ng buko juice, which she craved for. I was about to make small talk with her but she beat me to it.

"Tahimik ka lang ba palagi?"

"Only to those I don't really know," I replied.

"So you consider me a person you don't really know kaya hindi mo ako masyadong kinakausap?"

"Ah... we've only met each other yesterday and we didn't really start off at the right foot and then there's this thing that happened last night... so yeah."

Napatango s'ya sa sinabi ko. "Uhm... sorry again about last night."

"Ooops. Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Ako nga ang dapat magsorry dahil nadamay ka pa."

"You know what? Just screw it. Forget about that asshole. You came here to have fun and that's what we're going to do."

"Oh shit!"

Oh shit? Bakit? But before I could even ask, she wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face on the crook of my neck. Hindi ako nakagalaw. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko.

"Hey!" I said.

"Shut up just go along. Yakapin mo rin ako," she commanded.

"Bakit?"

"Just do it."

Biglang may dumaan na isang lalaki na parang may hinahanap. Hindi n'ya ako napansin pero he looked like he was the guy I almost punched the hell out of last night. Tama nga ang sinabi ni Farah, he's still here and he'll still be looking for Ailee. But that's not gonna happen. Not on my watch.

"Malayo na s'ya?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"That was close," she said while sitting straight up again.

I looked at her in disbelief. Wow, ibang klase talaga itong babaeng ito! Niyakap na nga ako eh umaakto pang parang walang nangyari. Ganun lang ba kadali 'yon para sa kanya? Oh wait! I just got Aileed again. That's a word, a verb, another word for nagamit na naman sa kanyang palabas. Again, a heads up would've been good.

"O bakit ganyan ka makatingin?" sabi n'ya sa akin.

Hanep talaga! Wala talaga s'yang idea sa mga pinaggagagawa n'ya. "Next time you're gonna use me for your show, sana may konting warning naman."

"Sorry naman, bigla ko kasi s'yang nakita eh. Hindi na ako nakapag-isip agad."

"Sorry naman. Panay na lang sorry. Next time you do that, I should get something in return."

"Kailangan talaga may kapalit? Hindi ba pwedeng matuwa ka na lang kasi natutulungan mo ang kaibigan mo?"

"Kaibigan? Wala akong kaibigang babaeng lasinggera. Si Dawn hindi lasinggera 'yun."

"Sino si Dawn? Girlfriend mo? Ex mo?"

"Ano bang sabi ko? Kaibigan di ba? Girlfriend s'ya ng kabarkada namin ni Rafa."

"Aaaaah," she said while nodding.

"Teka nga. Siguro gusto mo lang ako tsansingan 'no?"

She flicked my ear and said, "Hoy ang kapal mo ha!"

"Aminin mo na kasi. Hindi naman ako magagalit eh."

"Shut up!"

"Uy namumula s'ya. Nagbublush. Totoo 'no?"

"Kadiri ka!"

"Sige na aminin mo na," I teased even more.

"Anong aaminin ni Poch?" Rafa said from nowhere. "Nagkakamabutihan na ba kayo?"

Ayan na naman ang petname na 'yan! Don't mind it Iggy. Just don't mind it.

"Wala akong aaminin. Feelingero 'tong bestfriend mo ha."

"Bigla kasi akong niyakap. Sabi ko gusto n'ya lang akong pagsamantalahan."

"Hoy! Kapal lang ha. May dumaan kasing bwisit sa buhay ko kaya nagtago ako."

"Nagtago ka? Nagtago ka kaya niyakap mo si Inigo?" Farah inquired.

"Oo. Hindi na ako nakapag-isip. Bigla ko na lang ginawa."

Farah pulled Ailee's arm and said, "Halika na nga ditong babae ka. Umalis na tayo dito at baka dumaan ulit 'yung asungot at kung ano pang magawa mo kay Inigo."

Nagsimulang maglakad ang mga girls at sumunod naman kami. Rafa nudged me and said, "Dude, ayos ah. Sabi ko lang try to befriend her. Hindi 'ata matatapos itong bakasyon natin eh mahahalikan mo na s'ya." He even held up his fist for a bump, which I ignored.

"Fuck off!" ang sabi ko at binilisan ang lakad ko para maiwan ko s'ya. Crazy ass!