24
"Congratulations to the newlyweds!"
Tapos na ang kasal. It was very short and simple. Wala na masyadong seremonya at straight to the point na talaga. Kaagad kaming nagtungo sa may pool upang mag-celebrate.
The resort was all paid for the day. Kaya naman kami lamang ang tao. The main pool had balloons and flowers everywhere. Hindi rin ganoon kainit dahil sa mga puno. In short, it was very refreshing.
Nasa loob ng restaurant ang mga pamilya habang kami naman na mga kaibigan ay nasa pool na at handa nang lumusong.
"Mabuti na lang at pinakasalan ka!" ani Sophie kay Stephen.
"Ang sama talaga ng ugali mo."
"At least, honest. Ano ka ba, hindi mo man lang ako namiss? Uuwi na ako mga 2 days from now tapos ganyan ka pa sa 'kin."
"Ang tanda mo na, Sophie, pero ang bunganga mo ganon pa rin."
Nagsimula na silang magbangayan. They were very noisy. Mukhang dati pa man ay mahilig na talaga silang mag-away.
Si Mayumi ay nasa ihawan kasama ni Athena at nag-uusap sila. Si Joshua naman ay tuwang-tuwa habang nakikinig sa dalawang nagbabangayan.
"Ewan ko ba kung ba't 'di ka pa iniwan niyang boyfriend mong 'Kano. Hindi ba siya naiingayan sa 'yo."
Sophie frowned. "Sana pala sumigaw ako ng itigil ang kasal. Ang lakas mong mang-badmouth!"
"Galing pa talaga 'yan sa 'yo?"
"Gusto mo bang isumbong kita sa misis mo? Ano? Ano?"
CJ held my hands so I looked at him. He gave me a small smile and gestured to go with him to the wide pool.
Naglakad ako palayo sa dalawang nag-aaway at hinubad na ang suot na t-shirt upang samahan si CJ.
"Woah, it's very cold," sabi niya nang lumusong na sa pool.
Hanggang tuhod niya pa lang ito pero halata na nilalamig na siya.
"You are overreacting naman, eh."
"Hindi nga kasi. Sobrang lamig talaga."
He offered me his hand that I willingly accept. Nang lumusong ako sa hagdanan ng pool, kaagad akong napa-goosebumps sa lamig ng tubig! Humalakhak si CJ nang mapansin ang reaksyon ko.
"Told you," sabi pa niya.
"Ba't ang lamig dito?"
He just chuckled. Binitawan niya na ang kamay ko at sumisid sandali. Ginawa ko rin iyon upang hindi na makaramdam pa ng lamig.
We swam towards the end of the pool, away from the crowd. Mula rito ay kita ko ang dagat. Gusto ko rin sana ron pero ang init kasi. 'Tsaka nakakakalma ang pool kahit sobrang lamig ng tubig.
"Abot mo pa?" he asked.
"Hindi na masyado. Nag-tiptoe na ako."
"Don't worry, I got you."
Of course, nag-enjoy naman ako nang pinakapit niya ako sa malaman niyang braso. Grabe itong lalaking 'to. Ang defined ng muscles! He can be a model with his figures.
Madalas talaga si CJ sa gym. Sabi niya raw ay tuwing na-s-stress siya ay pumupunta siya roon. It turned out he was stressed everyday. Sobrang dami raw kasi ng kasong hinahawakan niya.
He is ripped. Joshua and Stephen are ripped, too, but this guy is really on the next level.
"May gagawin ka ba pag-uwi?" tanong niya.
"I took an absent. Bakit?"
"Let's have dinner with my family."
Napatingin ako sa kanya at hindi mapigilang ngumiti.
"Okay..."
He chuckled and planted a soft kiss on my bare shoulders. "Okay."
"Dahan-dahan baka may malunod," rinig kong sigaw ni Sophie sa amin.
We chuckled. Napansin namin na nakatingin na pala silang lahat sa amin kaya bigla akong nahiya. Panigurado ay nakita nila 'yung ginawa ni CJ.
"Ganyan pala ang itsura mo kapag nakangiti, bro?" tukso ni Stephen.
CJ rolled his eyes, which looks very brat! Pero in the end ay napangiti na rin siya.
"Ngumiti ka pa, Cooper," ani Mayumi na mukhang naiinis. "Mas gwapo ka kapag nakangiti."
"Akalain mo 'yun, may dimples ka naman pala," ani Athena.
"Omg, I should really remember this clear picture of you smiling, Cooper Jonathan. Babaunin ko hanggang States! Napaka-rare!"
"What the fuck," mahinang bulong ni CJ.
Natawa ako. "Huwag mo na silang pansinin."
We turned our backs on them and went to the farthest. Narinig ko ang pagtawa ni Sophie.
Sumunod na rin ang ilan sa pool. Nasa hagdanan lang sina Mayumi at Stephen at parang teenagers na nag-uusap. Si Joshua naman ay tinuturuan lumangoy si Athena. Si Sophie ay panay ang pagkuha ng picture at mamaya pa raw siya maliligo.
It was a great day to spend with friends, actually. I did not imagine that I can experience something like this.
We are in our different worlds but I feel like I belong with them.
Pauwi ay kaagad akong naghanda para sa dinner together with CJ's family.
First time ko ito kaya sobra akong kinakabahan at hindi na mapalagay! I never heard CJ talking to them always but I know they were precious to them.
Oh my gosh, sobrang awkward ko pa namang tao. I don't know how to strike a normal conversation!
Kaya naman nang sinundo ni Stephen ay kaagad akong nagtanong sa kanya.
"What topics should I avoid ba? What should I do? Uso pa ba ang magmano sa inyo or beso? My gosh, Cooper Jonathan! I don't know what to do!"
"'Wag mo nang isipin pa lahat ng 'yan."
"I don't know how to make a nice first impression. I mean, sabi pa nga ng assistant ko na I really looked strict and maarte. I'm not naman, 'di ba?"
Saglit siyang tumingin sa 'kin at pinigilan ang kanyang ngiti.
"Yeah. Hindi naman."
"Good." I sighed.
CJ's Dad's house was huge for a single man living alone. It was a 2-storey suburban style. It looked like home.
Sabi ni CJ ay maayos naman daw sila ng Papa niya. His sister is coming, too. And based on the car in the garage, she's already here.
"I am very nervous," sabi ko nang makalabas kami sa sasakyan.
"There's nothing to be nervous about."
"Sinasabi mo lang 'yan para pagaanin ang loob ko."
He lowly chuckled. "Not really. Totoo kasi."
Pumasok na kami sa loob ng bahay nila. It was very homey. Hindi pareho sa bahay namin na masyadong walang laman kasi wala naman halos nakatira doon. Dito naman, sobrang opposite.
You can see picture frames everywhere. I even saw CJ's graduation photos both in college and law school. Pati na rin iyong kapatid niyang babae.
"We're here," ani CJ.
Kaagad na may naglakad na pusa papunta sa kanya. Natawa si CJ at kinuha iyon upang kandungin. The orange cat clung to him.
"This is the cat I was talking about," aniya pa.
"Kuya?"
Mula sa gilid ay lumabas si Chona. She was tall and slender. Hanggang leeg ang kanyang buhok. Medyo pareho sila ng mata ni CJ. She was pretty.
"Hi, Ate," magalang niyang bati sa 'kin.
"Hello."
Lumapit siya upang makipagkamay. Tinanggap ko naman 'yun. My gosh, she is so formal.
"Ako pala si Chona. Nice to meet you, po."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Euresah."
"From the Casa de Martinez, right?"
I nodded. I glanced at CJ who's busy petting the cat.
"Naku, pasensya ka na po sa bahay. Medyo makalat kasi bago lang ako nakarating at wala nang panahon para makapaglinis."
"It's fine."
"Punta na tayo sa hapagkainan. Malapit nang matapos si Papa na magluto."
Sabay kaming nagtungo sa dining area. Sakto naman na may lumabas mula sa kusina na matandang lalaki. May hawak siyang bowl at inilapag sa mesa.
He must be their father.
He has a great physique. Kahawig niya si Chona pero iyong tindig at masungit na presence ay parehong-pareho kay CJ.
When our eyes met, I gulped. I didn't know what to do so I just stood there, looking at him.
Nakahinga naman ako nang maluwag nang ngumiti siya sa akin at lumapit upang makipagkamay. Oh, they are really into handshakes, huh? I thought they like the mano and the beso.
"Welcome, hija," aniya.
"Salamat po, Mr. Perez."
"Naku, Tito na lang ang itawag mo sa 'kin."
Napangiti ako at tumango.
Umupo na kami at naghanda para kumain. I was very nervous. Hinawakan ni CJ ang kamay ko sa ilalim ng mesa. He squeezed it, trying to comfort me that everything is fine.
And everything went fine that it's making me anxious.
They were so good. They were expecting a lot from our relationship.
I disregard the negative thoughts and just focused on our conversations, but I was bothered. CJ can see it. Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya upang ipakita na walang problema.
"Sobrang saya namin na ipinakilala ka na talaga ni Kuya," si Chona. "It's a very great honor... lalo na at fan niyo po ako."
Nataas ako ng kilay. "Talaga?"
Tumango siya. "I've been into one of your conferences before about Economics. And I've been following you ever since. Kaya naman nagulat ako nang sabihin ni Kuya na ikaw ang girlfriend niya."
CJ just smiled. Napangiti na rin ako.
"Sobra po akong humahanga sa inyo. I really thought you have an on-going research."
"Oh, I don't do research anymore. I am done with my Master's. Nagtatrabaho na rin ako sa Casa de Martinez kaya wala na akong time."
"Pero kino-consider niyo po ba na kumuha ng PhD in the future? Iyon po ang sinabi niyo noong nasa kolehiyo pa po ako sa isang talk. Na gusto mong magka-Doctor's degree para na rin pag-aralan pa ng husto ang ekonomiya."
I gave her a small smile. "That was a forgotten dream."
Naging maganda ang dinner namin. Pati si Tito ay sobrang engaging din. Tinatanong nila ako sa Economics. Gustong-gusto naman ito ni Chona.
Akala ko ay personal ang mga magiging topic ngunit nakakatuwa na sobrang professional nila.
Kung hindi naman Economics ay patungkol naman sa politiko. They were very active when it comes to current affairs. And I was enjoying it, too.
"Mag-dinner ulit tayo, okay?" sabi ni Tito nang pauwi na kami.
"Opo. I'll have dinner with you again."
"Nice meeting you, Ate."
Ngumiti ako kay Chona.
"Una na po kami, Pa, Chona," paalam ni CJ.
Hinintay pa ng dalawa na makaalis kami bago sila bumalik sa loob ng bahay.
I was very happy. It was very calm. And they really like me. Mas lalo tuloy akong nag-alala kung ganoon. Pero hindi ko na lang inisip pa kasi ayaw kong masira ang gabi.
"I told you, there's nothing to worry about," ani CJ.
"Yeah... you're right."
That was a lie.
It was something to worry about.
They trust me a lot. They expect from us a lot. Natatakot ako na baka pumalya ako at masira ko lahat ng tiwala nila.
From his friends to his family. Everything was very good. I was a wreck. I was not yet healed. I was still anxious.
What happens if I break their trusts and expectations? Will they ever welcome me again like what they did? Or will they bully me like what Charlotte did to me?
"Okay ka lang?" tanong ni CJ nang mapansin niya ang pagiging tahimik ko.
I smiled at him. "Yeah," I lied. "I'm fine."