Chapter 18
"Saan tayo?" tanong ko sabay ayos ng aking seatbelt.
"Ikaw, where do you want to go?"
I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips. Don't tell me he asked me for a date without any plans?
"Sa puso mo," bulong ko at umiwas ng tingin.
"What? What the hell?"
Nanlaki ang mata ko at agad napatingin sa kaniya. He's glancing at me sideway.
"Ayy ha? Joke lang! Wala, wala!" agad na bawi ko nang natatawa ng pilit.
"So, saan nga tayo?" I always felt awkward whenever I am with him. And I don't know when this feeling will stop o kung titigil ba ito.
He heaved a sigh and I'm not sure if I was just imagining things or what, but I saw a ghost of smile on his lips.
"Well..." He looked at me. This time, I'm really sure he smiled! Damn it. Ngumiti na naman siya sa akin.
"Let's just drive through this road and find out where this ride will take us, shall we?" he said, with a small smile curving on his lips.
I couldn't do anything but to be fazed at whatever he do, whatever he says. Bakit ba kasi ang gwapo niya?
I flashed a smile and nodded.
I let out a breath and looked in front as he accelerated the car. I don't know where this ride would take us, how this day would end, but whenever I am with him, I always felt like there's nothing to worry about. Because whenever I am with him... I felt like everything's gonna be worth the while.
***
"Seriously? Amusement park?" I chuckled amusingly as I looked outside the window to see where the car stopped.
"I'm tired from driving. But if you don't want here, then we'll take our leave."
Agad akong napalingon sa kaniya. "Hoy! Wala akong sinabi!" I was shocked and immediately bit my lower lip when I realized that I raised my voice at him.
Parang pati si Zeiger ay nagulat sa biglaang pagtaas ng boses ko dahil medyo nakaawang ang labi niya habang tinitignan ako.
"S-Sorry... I just can't stop it. I... I'm just excited---" My words were cut off when he reached out for my hand and gently pressed it.
I met his gaze and I stared at his deep set orbs.
"Hey, it's okay." Tinanggal niya ang kamay niya sa kamay ko at tumingin sa harap.
Napaawang ang labi ko at napatitig ako sa kaniya. My heart's making a deafening sound inside my chest as it beats rapidly. Ramdam na ramdam ko din ang pag-iinit ng pisngi ko.
Iyon lang ang sinabi niya pero kung maka-react ako ay parang sinabi niya na sa akin na mahal niya ako. Psh. Get a hold of yourself, Elaine Satana!
"Ayy...ahh... T-Tara na?" wala sa sariling pag-aaya ko at agad tinanggal ang aking seatbelt bago binuksan ang pinto at lumabas.
Napanguso ako at bumuga ng hangin. Even him realized that I was too stilted when I am with him. I need to loosen up. We won't enjoy this date if I am acting this way, right? Halata din naman na pinipilit ni Zeiger na gawing maayos ang kahahatnungan ng date na ito.
I shouldn't holdback and just act naturally. That would be a good start.
Napatalon ako nang maramdaman ang magaspang na kamay na humawak sa kamay ko at dahan-dahang pinagsisiklop ang aming mga daliri. I looked up at Zeiger and saw how he drew his lower lip between his teeth. Obviously, by how the sides of his lips rose, it seems like his stifling a smile. I rolled my eyes heavenward.
"Come on." And with that, he pulled me with him as he treads towards the entrance of the amusement park.
Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko at napangiti. Sa pagkakataon na ito ay ako naman ang naunang maglakad at hinahatak siya.
We went inside the amusement park, and as I gazed at the surrounding, I couldn't stop but to chuckled and thought that the both of us seemed like a high schooler or college students, dating.
I have this silly grin plastered on my lips as I roamed my sight at the park. Which should we go first?
"Let's eat first," biglang sambit ni Zeiger.
I looked at him and pursed my lips. "Hindi pa ako gutom. Gutom ka na ba?"
"Not really. So where do want to go first?" he said as he surveyed the place.
I beamed and I dragged him again towards the line where you buy the ticket for the carousel.
Natigil ako sa paglalakad nang tumigil si Zeiger at hinatak ako. I looked at him questioningly. He have this scowl on his face as he looked at me and the ride a few meters away from us.
"Are you damn serious, Elaine?" he asked with disbelief.
"What?" I grinned.
"We're going to ride that?" he uttered and gazed at the ride with grimace.
"Oo nga! What's the problem with that?" tanong ko habang pinipilit na huwag ngumisi.
He frowned. "We're too old for that."
"We're not! I'm turning 25, while you just turned 26! Tara na kasi! Carousel isn't just for kids, 'no." I pulled him but he didn't move an inch on where he stand.
"Zeiger!" I glowered at him.
"No," he uttered firmly.
Nabitawan ko siya at kunot na kunot ang noo siyang tinignan. He stared back at me with firmness, not backing down on his decision.
I sighed and nodded in defeat. "Okay... Saan mo gusto pumunta?" I said, trying to sound unaffected.
His gaze didn't leave me so I looked away. Feeling ko kasi if I stared back at him, he'll see and know how disappointed I am right now.
He didn't say a word. Tinignan ko siya at ngumiti ng pilit. "Dali na. Saan mo gusto?"
He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes tightly. I just gawked at him as he ran his fingers through his hair until he opened his eyes and it gaze straight to me. I flinched and looked away.
Zeiger took my hand and pulled me making me looked at him questioningly at his back. But I halted when I realized where we were heading.
He glanced at me, brows furrowed. "What?"
"Akala ko ba ayaw mo?" Kunot noo ding tanong ko.
Nagkibit balikat siya at hinatak muli ako at ako naman ay nagpatinaanod lang. A smiled stretched on my lips as I felt my eyes twinkled with glee and I couldn't help but to chuckle.
The moment we seated ourselves on the carousel, tinignan ko si Zeiger na nakasakay sa isa pang kabayo na nasa likuran ng kabayong sinasakyan ko, napahalakhak ako.
He's still on his business attire, with his coat and tie. His face was impassive and his mouth set in a hard line. With his get up, it doesn't match well in this place. His bossy aura doesn't really fit in this childish ride, and I couldn't help my self but to cackle.
"Stop laughing, Elaine. There's nothing funny here," he said, lips pursed as he glared at me.
"You're funny!" Humalakhak ulit ako hanggang sa nagsimula nang umandar ang carousel.
I took my phone out and faced the camera to him.
"Elaine," he said warningly. Ngumisi ako at patuloy na kinukuhanan siya ng mga litrato, hanggang sa video na ang kinuha ko sa kaniya habang natatawa sa nakabusangot niyang mukha at sinisita ako.
The ride ended up with me taking a video and photos of him throughout the time. I chuckled as I checked the photos I took.
Natigilan lang ako nang makita ang isang litratong iba sa lahat ng nakuha ko. Mostly the pictures I took was Zeiger's impassive or looked annoyed, but this photo, Zeiger was actually smiling at that picture as his eyes darted right in the camera. It was like he's staring at me right now as I looked at it closely. Hindi ko ito napansin kanina dahil sa natatawa ako.
"Ayy leche!" Muntikan ko nang nabitawan ang cellphone ko nang may dumamping malamig na bagay sa aking pisngi.
I looked at the person who did that and glared at Zeiger who's holding a bottle of mineral water.
"You could just hand it to me in a right way, you know?" I spatted and put my phone on my pocket. I took the bottle from his hand and he shrugged.
"You look pretty occupied. Something's bothering you?" tanong niya sabay bukas ng sarili niyang bote ng tubig at tumungga doon.
I shook my head and opened the bottle and drank as well. "Wala naman. Saan tayo?" I uttered enthusiastically.
He stared at me for a moment and scanned the place. "Uh, roller coaster?"
My eyes gleamed as I immediately took his hand and dragged him towards the ride. "Tara!" I smiled at him.
I was a bit bothered with Zeiger's outfit but I just shrugged it off. Ang out of place talaga ng suot niya, eh. At siya din mismo.
He looks like a type of guy who doesn't really go to these sort of places for a date. He seems like a guy who would take you on a 5-star hotel or fancy restaurant for a date, rather than wasting your energy to a crowded, and loud place, trying to ride all the sort of rides in this park.
But going to an amusement park isn't bad for our first date naman. I'm... Actually happy that he decided to brought me here, even it's unplanned, than to be in a date where I couldn't enjoy myself much and just eat fancy food.
We seated ourself on the roller coaster. Nanlalamig ang kamay ko sa sobrang kaba excitement. I don't know where that nervousness came from. If it was because it's been a long time since the last time I rode this ride, or it was because I'm with Zeiger.
I flinched when Zeiger hold my hand. Tiningala ko siya at nakitang nakakunot ang noo niya. "Your hand's cold."
"Excited lang." I laughed awkwardly. Tumango naman siya at tinuon ang atensyon sa harap. Ngumuso ako at nilibot ang paningin ko habang hindi pa tuloyang umandar ang sasakyan.
When the ride starts, I couldn't help but to yelped and laughed at myself whenever the coaster goes up and drops down. Sumulyap ako kay Zeiger at tinignan kung ano ang naging reaksyon niya. Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako o ano nang makitang blanko ang kaniyang mukha at may gana pa siyang humikab! Seriously?
Binalewala ko nalang siya at in-enjoy ang sarili ko. Bahala siya diyan.
We tried almost all the extreme rides of the park and eat a lot. After eating our dinner, I immediately suggested to ride the ferris wheel before heading home. Buti naman at hindi na siya umangal pa at nagpatianod nalang sa akin.
Nang makaupo kami sa ferris wheel at dahan-dahan itong umangat para maakupa din ng iba ang mga bakanteng upuan, napangiti ako habang dumudungaw sa ibaba.
Nang umandar na, nakadungaw pa din ako sa ibaba at tinitignan ang lugar at mga taong naglalakad. Tuloyan nang nawala ang araw at gabi na. The lights from the stores and the posts, beautifies and lightens up the dark place along the moon and the stars above.
"Ang ganda! When was the last time I rode these rides? 8 or 10 years ago?" I asked myself.
Lumingon ako kay Zeiger at nagulat nang makitang nakatingin siya sa akin. I smiled at him.
"Thank you for bringing me here. Kahit wala naman talaga sa plano ang pagpunta natin rito." I chuckled.
The side of his lips rose a bit. "Are you happy?"
"Yes! Sobra! Thank you, Zeiger!" I said sincerely with the truest smile I could give.
Natigilan siya sa saglit bago tumango at tumingila. His face was lighted with the moonbeam as the moon itself reflects in his eyes. Napangiti ulit ako at tumingala para tignan ang magandang buwan.
"Precious," he said underneath his breath.
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