A/N: You can play the media for better reading experience. NO PORTRAYERS INTENDED!
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"Ako na sabi."
Pinilit kong kunin sa kanya ang mixing bowl na ginagamit ko pero itinaas niya lamang ito lagpas sa knayang ulo. I tip-toed to reach his hand but I can't! I'm not that small but he is so tall! He is surely over six feet! And with that physique? Oh, he can fight.
"Everett, akin na sabi eh!" pagmamaktol ko.
Kahit mukha na kong tanga kaka-abot sa mangkok ay ginawa ko pa rin. Hindi pwedeng aakuin niya na lang lagi ang mga trabaho ko! Tiningala ko siya at pilit pa ring kinukuha ito. Nakatingin lamang siya sa akin habang nakangiti.
"What?" I hissed, still trying to reach his hand.
Tinalon-talon ko na ito at tuwang-tuwa pa siya na nahihirapan ako. I touched his chest when I hold for support when I almost fell from my last jump. Napatanga ako. Bakit ang tigas naman? May bato ba siya sa damit?
He was just stunned as I am. That made him lower his arm and I took that opportunity to steal the bowl. He groaned when he realized what I did.
"Ako ang gagawa nito, okay? You asked for cookies, I will bake cookies," I stated with determination.
He smirked. "I said I want cookies. I didn't ask you to do it."
"But I can, so I will!"
His smirk turns into a challenging one, "You don't even know how."
He got me there. Mukhang madali lang naman 'yon kaya kayang-kaya ko 'to.
"There's a recipe book," I said in defense.
He leaned on the island and gestured his hand, "Be my guest then. But if I see one wrong move, I will interfere."
I shrugged. Fine by me! I can just do this easily.
The problem is I can't do it properly while he's watching me. His disappointed murnurs are distracting me! Natatakot tuloy akong magkamali.
"That's it." Lumapit ito sa akin. I laughed because I knew the frustration is getting to him. But he didn't say anything but correct me calmly. "You should sift the flour first and set aside the dry mixture."
He stepped closer to me. I can feel his presence behind me. My breathing hitched when he grabbed a saucepan beside me. I thought he's hugging me. He noticed my reaction. He cleared his throat and fixed his posture. Damn!
He taught me the step-by-step process on how to bake cookies. I commend his patience because I kept messing up, but he just laughs off my mistakes.
"Ilang oras natin itong hihintayin?" hindi mapakaling tanong ko.
Bumaling ako sa kanya nang hindi siya sumagot. Naabutan ko siyang seryosong nakatitig sa akin. My smile dropped. Did I do something wrong? Oh my gosh! I knew it. I really can't do anything right.
"Ang ganda mo," mahinahong sambit ng lalaki na ikinagulat ko.
A-Ano raw? Nag-init ang pisngi ko kaya umiwas ako ng tingin.
"May harina ka nga lang sa mukha," pang-aasar niya.
Ayos na eh! Humirit pa talaga! I glared at him that made him chuckle even more. "Cute ka pa rin naman," pagbawi niya.
Inirapan ko siya nang pabiro. Natawa na lang kami sa aming sarili. Pagkatapos naming kainin ang bi-na-ke na cookies ay balik trabaho na ako.
Nasanay na rin ako sa mga trabaho rito at hindi na rin naman nagiging mahirap ang mga ito dahil sa tulong ni Everett. I don't want to take advantage of his kindness though. Pagkatapos ng ilang oras, nagpasya akong pumunta sa hardin.
Namiss ko rin ang pag-aalaga ng mga halaman kaya naman nang malaman kong meron silang hardin ay agad akong nagtungo roon. Nang una akong pumunta rito ay hindi talaga ito mukhang hardin. Ang konti lang ng mga halaman at mukhang hindi pa nadidiligan araw-araw. Halatang walang nag-aalaga sa mga bulaklak, siguro rin ay dahil nasa bakasyon pa ang mga kasama nila sa bahay.
Ngayon, dahil ilang linggo ko na rin silang inaalagaan ay mukhang masagana naman na ang pagtubo ng mga ito. I spend most of my time here in the garden when I'm done with all the chores. I love the breeze of air embrace my skin. I love a breath of fresh air.
Kumuha ako ng hose at diniligan ang kakaunting halaman doon. Gardening makes me happy, maybe because it reminds me of mommy. I sighed.
"Kawawa naman kayo, wag niyo ko gagayahin na kulang sa dilig!" I laughed at myself.
Nilapitan ko pa ang ibang halaman na nakatago lang sa likod ng mga iba pang halaman at wala sa ayos. Nakakita ako ng mga pasong walang tanim.
"Sayang naman ang mga paso na ito kung hindi magagamit, this garden is spacious. Gusto ko kayong taniman kaso baka pagalitan ako ng -"
"Pwede mong taniman yan kung gusto mo." Sumulpot ang nag-iisang kasama ko sa bahay na ito.
Nilingon ko siya. Nakapamulsa ito habang pinapanood ang ginagawa ko. His eyes screams softness.
"S-sigurado ka ba? I love flowers but this is not my garden to touch," paninigurado ko dahil mahirap na baka mapagalitan ako ng may-ari.
Lumapit siya sa kinatatayuan ko at tinignan din ang lagay ng mga halaman. He looks so interested with it.
"Ayos lang, wala namang nag-aalaga dyan simula ng umalis si Granny, my lola."
Nag usap pa kami tungkol sa mga alam ko sa halaman at kung paano ko aayusin ang hardin. Masyado akong natutuwa sa mga ito na hindi ko na namalayan na tumagal na ang usapan namin. He seems to enjoy listening to my knowledge in plants. I'm in delight when I get to talk to someone with the same interest with me.
Alas-otso y media na ng gabi at hindi pa ako nakakapag handa ng pagkain nya! How irresponsible of me!
Napakunot noo siya sa naging ekspresyon ko. "It's getting late. I should prepare your food now," sabi ko at iniwan siya roon, nagmamadaling tumakbo sa kusina.
Nang makarating sa kusina ay nagulat ako nang makitang mayroon nang nakahandang pagkain. Did he cook?
I heard his footsteps on my back. "Wala akong magawa kanina kaya nag luto na ako," he uttered with his deep voice.
Ano pa bang hindi kayang gawin ng lalaking 'to?
"Sana ay tinawag mo na lang ako kanina, trabaho ko naman 'yan," sabi ko at inilatag ang pinggan at kubyertos sa harap ng kanyang silya.
"Bakit hindi ko pa gagawin kung kaya ko naman?"
Huh? Ang sabi ng papa niya ay alagaan ko siya? I expected him to be a spoiled rich brat, to be honest. He's the exact opposite. Maybe I judged him too quickly...
Besides, mas marami naman akong alam sayo pagdating sa pagluluto," pagyayabang niya.
He smirked when he caught me rolling my eyes again.
Truen enough, masarap nga ang luto niya! No, masarap is an understatement to these dishes he made! Magkasabay kaming kumain at hindi maiwasang nagka-usap nang matagal. Ang dami kong nalaman tungkol sa kanya. Ang daldal din naman kasi ng isang 'to parang hindi nauubusan ng topic. We talk about life that I didn't know I can comfortably talk about with someone.
He's an engineering student and he also goes to my favorite cafe, The Sweetums! We have so much in common and so much difference too. He's a varsity player in our school. Probably why I don't know him, I don't have much interest in sports and athletes.
Guwapo, matangkad, dean's lister, basketball player, masarap magluto, maalam sa gawaing bahay, mabait, matulungin, ano pa kaya ang mga kayang gawin ng lalaking ito?
Bukas ang ilaw, nakahiga na ako sa kama at handa nang matulog.
My thoughts just won't let me sleep. I'm so tired, physically and emotionally. I overthink while I cook, I over think while I clean, and I overthink in bed. I want to rest my mind from all this thinking!
Napasigaw ako nang namatay ang mga ilaw at electric fan. B-Blackout?
I-It's dark!
Pinilit kong lumabas ng kwarto kahit takot na takot. Napasigaw ako nang makalabas ng kwarto at walang nakikita. Nanggilid ang mga luha ko habang kinakapa ang kapaligiran.
Kusang tumulo ang mga luha ko nang walang mahagilap na ilaw. I lost hope. Tinakpan ko ang aking mga tainga ko habang umiiyak. I can feel my whole body shaking. I've always despised the night because of the darkness it brought. I am afraid of the dark.
Napasigaw ako lalo ng may humawak sa mga nanginginig na balikat ko. Napahagulgol na ko ng iyak nang marinig ko ang boses niya.
"Hush, Summer, it's me," Everett said with his soft yet so deep voice.
"W-What happened? Please... turn on the... lights," I said in between sobs.
I can't see him, but I can feel him beside me, trying to console me.
"Electricity's down. It rarely happens but the village management always cut the electricity in advance when there's an incoming storm," marahang niyang bulong habang pinapatahan ako.
Sobra na ang iyak ko dahil sa dilim na bumabalot sa buong kabahayan. I have a nyctophobia. I was diagnosed with it when I was three years old.
Nagpapanic ako agad sa dilim, naiiyak na lang talaga ako 'pag wala akong nakikitang liwanag. That's also the reason why I always sleep with my lights on.
"It's okay, I'm here. It will be fine. It'll be just fine," he whispered. He keeps whispering comforting words to my ears that helped me relax a little.
I'm trying to calm my nerves down with the help of him.
"Why don't you tell me where it hurts now, baby?"
My sobs stopped when I heard his voice senerading my fear.
I always notice his deep voice, but I didn't know it is this good when he's singing.
Tiningala ko siya dahil kahit nakaupo kami sa sahig parehas ay mas mataas pa rin siya sa akin. Nagtagpo ang aming mga titig, parang hinihila ako ng kanya.
"My mother used to sing when I feel down, and I will automatically feel better. I hope this helps," he uttered, not knowing what do.
I smiled at him with quivering lips. I want him to continue, and I think he got the message.
"And I'll do my best to make it better," he wiped my tears with his hands.
I feel like my eyes was locked with his. I can't look away.
"Yes, I'll do my best to make those tears all go away."
My heart skipped a beat. I was held captive by his eyes that was shone by the bright moon.
"Just tell me where it hurts now, tell me."
Parang hinehele ang diwa ko sa lamig ng boses niya. Nakalimutan ko na nga ang takot ko, napalitan ng kakaibang pakiramdam sa puso ko.
"And I love you with a love so tender." I didn't know his voice is this... good. No, good is an understatement to describe his voice. I love it.
"Oh, and if you let me stay,"
His sweet deep voice filled not only my ears but my heart. It appears like his voice is the only thing I hear at that entire time, and I want it to stay that way.
"I'll love all of the hurt away."