"She thought she would know when it happened. But now, as she looked around, she wondered if it was really like that at all. Maybe it happened in a million different ways, when you were thinking of it, and you weren't. Maybe there was no gap, no jump, no chasm. You didn't forget yourself all at once. Maybe you just looked around one time or another and you thought, 'Hey'. And there you were."
- Ann Brashares (The Last Summer (of You and Me))
🔸🔸🔸
It was the night after the wedding day.
"Jake?"
Despite the darkness outside and inside my room, only the moon lighting the place - I saw a large handsome face creeping inside my room through the open window.
I sat on the bed and hugged my knees to my chest. Jake closed the sliding window and walked towards the bed.
"I'm s-sorry to just-" he whispered. Nakatayo lang siya malapit sa kama. Hinintay ko uli siyang magsalita. He's wearing his flannel underpants and old New York Knicks T-shirt.
Tinapik ko ang bahagi ng kama sa tabi ko. Halatang nag-alangan siya.
"Come here," I whispered.
Naupo siya sa harap ko. Kanina pa ako nakahiga sa kama pero hindi rin ako makatulog. Inihatid ko sila mama at papa sa bayan kanina, nauna na kasi sila pabalik ng Maynila. I decided to stay for few more days. Alam kong si Jake din ang dahilan kung bakit ako nag stay.
Ngumiti siya. Napansin kong hindi pa rin siya nakakapag shave. But it doesn't matter - I didn't mind. For me, he looked good anyway and anyhow. He looked manlier when unshaven.
My Jake.
"I missed you," Bulong niya. "I-I can't sleep. I've been thinking about you all day."
I fought the urge to throw my arms at him, to hug him; to touch him, to run my fingers on the soft strands of his already tousled hair.
All these years, I wonder what was it like to have Jake near. Pa'no kung naging kami dati pa? Kung pinuntahan ko siya noon sa Maynila gaya ng sabi niya?
"Natakot ako na baka hindi ka na bumalik," sabi pa niya.
I moved closer to him and heard him gasp. Inilapat ko ang mga kamay ko sa pisngi niya at marahan niyang ipinikit ang mata na para bang dinadama ang mga kamay ko sa balat niya.
Nang magmulat siya ay hinalikan niya ako sa labi. It was slow, as if exploring every little details of my lips. His tongue thrust inside when I gasped for breath. My arms wrapped on his neck.
It was my third kiss. It was the third time he kissed me - and this one's different.
"Gabby-" he moaned into my mouth.
Nahiga kaming dalawa sa kama. Nakagilid kaming pareho at magkaharap sa isa't isa. I traced the features of his face using my fingers. I can't believe he's here and he's beside me.
He caught my hand and pressed it against his lips.
Napansin kong nakabaluktot iyong hita niya habang nakahiga. I giggled when I figured that he's too big for my bed.
"Lumaki ka na talaga."
He smiled; that pretty smile of him, the one that reaches his eyes. Hindi ko akalain na mapapangiti ko siya ng ganoon, "I'm sorry. Actually nahirapan din akong pumasok sa bintana kanina."
"Dapat tinawag mo na lang ako. May front door naman."
"Doesn't matter," He sighed. "I'll find whatever ways to make it to you."
أنت تقرأ
We'll Always Have Summer (WAHS #1)
عشوائيThree Old Friends. Secrets. Revelations. Forgiveness. One Summer. [Cover design by @Risingflare]
