As I gently close my eyes, a familiar voice came. Boses ng babae. Si Yeen pala. So,yun nga,unti unting lumilinaw yung boses nya. Kinukwento niya yung mga kaganapan sa buhay niya. Matagal kasi kaming hindi nagkita. She started her story about her classmate na nabuntis. Naawa daw siya kasi ang hirap hirap ng course nila (BSA) tapos nagkaganun pa. I asked if pinanagutan naman ba siya nung nakaputok, di naman daw niya alam. Tapos kung saan saan na napunta usapan namin. Most of the time,nakatitig lang ako sa kanya. Iniisip ko na parang nangyari na to,di ko lang alam kung kelan.
At some point,napunta usapan naming about her studies. Sinabi niya kung gano siya kastress sa mga exams.
I felt na medyo nag-iba yung mood niya.
So I randomly asked her "Anong gusto mong pagkain?"
Madalas kong sabihin sa kanya yan lalo na pag napapansin kong down na down siya. Yun lang kasi alam kong pang cheer up sa isang komplikadong babae kagaya nya.
"Yup! Gusto kong ice cream." Sabi niya.
So we went to an ice cream shop sa 2nd floor ng isang mall. (Yup, nasa mall kami)
"Ano flavor gusto mo?" I asked.
"Browniiieees!" She replied with a taunting voice.
Well,"Brownies" tawag niya sakin nung highschool kami (yep,ka-schoolmate ko siya nung highschool). Bakit? Kasi brown complexion ko. Kaya yun. "Brownies".
So I bought her an 16oz cup of Brownies flavored ice-cream.
Kitang kita ko sa mata niya na nalift yung mood niya. (Babae nga naman,basta pagkain/sweets)
I was looking at her when she took the first scoop. At tumingin din siya sa mata ko habang papalapit yung spoon sa bibig niya.
"Sabi ko sayo wag kang makikipagtitigan pag may sinusubo ka diba?" I said it half-smiling.
She smiled, partly ashamed.
"Sorry! Ang sarap kasi"
"Tapos sasabihin mo pa na masarap?! Haha!"
"Soooorrry!" Sinabi niya bago niya ko hampasin sa biceps. (Nagsorry ka pa)
So naglibot kami. We went to look for shoes, contact lenses, make-ups (which she even tried to put on me but I refused), and even stuffed toys. Another hour passed by,we're on the escalator (we're goin down to lower ground floor when we met a guy together with her girlfriend (They're going up). He greeted Yeen with a smile. Yeen did the same thing.
A moment of silence struck me for I didn't know what just happened.
Then, when we reached the lower ground floor. "Kilala mo yun? nilagawan niya ko nung first year." Yeen said.
"Ohh,naging kayo?" I asked.
"Nope." She replied.
"Alam mo bang tinulungan ko siyang ligawan yung girl na kasama niya." She continued.
I didn't know what to say.
So I just muttered "uhhmm" (which sounds like I was agreeing with her)
"Kagalit nga sakin nung babae eh" She added.
"Bakit?"
"Ewan ko dun,sasaksakin daw niya ko"
"Ahh,baka nagseselos"
"Hindi! Kilala nga lang ako nun (Guy) kapag wala ung girlfriend niya"
Again. I was struck by silence. Di ko alam sasabihin ko. Di ko din alam irereact ko. So, tumango nalang ako.
So we reached the supermarket. Bibili nga pala kami ng inumin.
She went to get a bottle of 7up, I got a bottle of C2.
While we're on our way to the cashier. She remember that she needed to buy some matcha (greentea-like) powder. So we went to look for it but there was nothing available. Then we just went to the cashier to pay for our drinks.
Right after we paid for our drinks, we head to baggage counter where we left my bag. Halfway on to the baggage counter she opens here drink.
"Psssssssssssssssss" sabi nung bote.
Then she looked at me. Umapaw yung softdrinks.
"Isara mo!" I exclaimed.
May natapon. Pero di ganun kadami.
"Dude! Bat kasi tinignan mo pa ko? tapos yung tingin mo parang humihingi ka pa ng confirmation kung sa boteng hawak mo ba talaga nanggaling yung tunong. Ahaha" paasar na tanong ko sa kanya.
Nakangiti lang siya.
But that brief moment somehow captivated me. I was fascinated by her smile. Di ko lang pinapahalata. Mahirap na.
Then we went outside. We're heading to the open field which is just beside the mall.
I dunno what the time was. Basta gabi na. Madaming tao sa field. Most of them nakaupo sa blanket.
As we head to the center of the open field which is wala masyadong tao.
As we reached the center, she was standing on my left side. I unexpectedly caught a view of her which leaves me stunned for a moment.
The view of her was just perfect!
Her eyes was shimmering because of the reflection of city lights.
Her lips, her hair. Everything!
My heart was beating out loud as I reached her open hand.
Our fingers interlocked.
Napaharap siya sakin.
Hindi ko alam gagawin.
My heart beats louder than it had before.
I placed both of my hands on her waist.
I pull her closer to me.
Nagkatitigan kami.
Hinawakan niya ko sa pisngi.
Tapos bumulong sya ng "Bago ang lahat . . . "
Dahan dahan niyang nilapit yung labi niya sa labi ko.
Nakapikit ako nung maramdaman kong magkalapat na an gaming mga labi.
Wala akong ibang marinig non kundi yung hininga niya.
Maluha-luha ako habang hinihiling ko sa sarili ko na huwag na sanang matapos ang gabing ito.
Naramdaman kong may luhang umagos sa aking kaliwang pisngi.
Nagising ako ng mabilis ang tibok ng aking puso.
Oo. Nagising ako.
Nagising akong may luha sa aking kaliwang pisngi.
Nagising akong taglay ang alaala ng matamis na sandali na ako lang ang makakatanda.
Nagising ako sa katotohanang ilusyon lang ang lahat.
Pero kahit ganun.
Masaya ako na kahit sa panaginip. Na kahit sa panaginip lang. Naranasan kong maging masaya kasama ka.
--- --- ---
Ako nga po pala si Dave. Ex ko si 'Yeen', di niya real name. kami yung tipo ng mag ex na close pa rin after maghiwalay. And we have an agreement na HINDI NA PWEDENG MAGING KAMI. But I'm still hoping. So that's all.
*insert Pierce by ONE-OK-ROCK music here*
=G|ʃ#
