Kabanata 13
His loosening grip away from reality
Sabay kaming napatingin kay Helix matapos niyang tumawa nang malakas. Halos hawak niya ang kaniyang tiyan gamit ang kaliwang kamay niya, na may isang hati ng pizza pa rin, habang nakatakip naman sa mga mata niya ang likod ng kanang palad niya. He still had his right elbow pinned on the table, before it went down. With the same arm, he rested his hand on his lap, grabbing his thigh because of how much fun all of this was for him.
He gulped, but it wasn't enough for him to breath properly. Paulit-ulit niya tuloy na hinampas ang dibdib niya, kaya kaagad kong inabot ang juice ko para ibigay sakanya. Just as he was about to drink it, Draven stood up from his seat and went behind us. Ang sunod niyang ginawa ay nagdulot para matapon ang ibang inumin kay Helix.
My lips parted, trying to process how he continuously tap my cousin's back with brute force, just when he's in the middle of gulping the food stuck in his throat. It's as if he was helping Helix, who's slightly choking already, but the truth is, what he did was making things worse. Hindi lang sa damit ni Helix tumalsik ang inumin, kundi meron din sa kaniyang mukha.
"Draven, what the hell..?" I said, with my confuse face.
His eyes blinked innocently before he peeked at my cousin, who was already looking at him with his furrowed brows. Madiin na lumunok si Helix, "Tarantado ka ba?! Papatayin mo ba 'ko, ah?!" sigaw niya nang makabawi na.
My lips twitched, seeing how he tried to throw Draven the remaining liquid inside the can, which in the end happened. Dalawa na silang may mga patak at namumuong basang bahagi sa mga mukha nila. Even some of it sprinkled even more around their upper shirts too, because they kept pushing the opening of the can towards each other.
I tried stopping them, but they didn't listen. Halos hindi ko nga mahawakan ang pinagaagawan nilang lata dahil sa bilis ng galaw nila. My hands were just following theirs, behind their shadows, which were moving alternately.
My eyes squinted, feeling a sudden drop of liquid coming inside. "Tangina..." Nang maramdaman ang kaunting hapdi ay tuluyan na akong napapikit at hinawakan ang nakasaradong talukap ng mata ko. I was already rubbing the area since it started to become uncomfortable for me.
Kaagad nilang napansin ang ginagawa ko na nagpatigil sa kanilang dalawa. Naunang bitawan ni Draven ang lata, kaya napunta nang buo sa mga kamay ni Helix 'yon, na nilapag niya rin naman sa lamesa para matuon niya rin ang lahat ng atensyon niya sa'kin.
"Bakit? Gago, okay ka lang? Anong nangyari? Saan ang masakit?" My cousin asked all at once, already feeling a huge amount of panic and horror before his eyes.
Draven leaned down and held both of my cheeks, softly raising my chin up. Inalis niya ang kamay ko na nakahawak sa aking mata at muling kinulong ang magkabilang pisngi ko sa pagitan ng dalawang palad niya. I don't know why, but that same hand, which he moved away, automatically held on around his wrist.
"Let me see it." Kagaya ng kaniyang sabi ay sinubukan kong imulat ko ang mata ko na kaagad niya namang hinipan gamit ang bibig niya. He was persistent and gentle to ease what I was feeling beneath.
We were just like that for a few seconds. He was leaning down to have a clearer view of my face, and I was looking up because that's what he wanted me to do. It was pure bubbles and ribbons, if I'm being honest. At that moment, it wasn't a big deal at all, but after feeling a relief brush my skin from his every breath, a realization instantly hit me because of our position.
"Wala na." Inatras ko ang ulo ko papalayo at umiwas ng tingin sakanya, "Okay na ako." tipid na dagag ko at inalis ang mukha ko sa mga kamay niya.
Kasabay no'n ang paglapit naman sa'kin ni Helix. He was biting his lips as he looked exactly at one of my eyes, which Draven was looking at too, a while ago. He poked my cheek under it, slightly doing an up-and-down and even a circular motion on my skin. "Sure kang okay na?"
I nodded my head before shoving his face away with my palm. "Why do you both have to fight, huh?"
Helix didn't think twice to point his index finger straight to Draven, "Nakita mo naman kung anong ginawa sa'kin niyan, diba?" pagsusumbong niya.
Sinundan ng tingin ko ang kaniyang braso, hanggang sa umabot 'yon sa pinakadulo ng daliri niya, kung saan nakaturo kay Draven na nakatayo pa rin sa likod ng kinauupuan naming dalawa. When my eyes and his met, all I noticed was his worried expression. Unlike a while ago, who's pissed and bothered about Helix being here, all I can read from his stares was his regret and fear, for I don't know why.
He gulped and brought his hands behind his back, "I'm sorry." mahina pero buong sabi niya sa'kin.
I could see Helix from the corner of my eyes, who was about to say something, so my left hand moved on its own to cover his mouth. Hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko kay Draven kahit na gano'n at huminga nang malalim. "I said I'm fine."
His lips pursed before he stared at the ground, suddenly getting so submissive and polite.
"Umupo ka na." I pointed at the seat across us with my head. "Kailangan pa nating ubusin 'tong pinamili mo." A sigh came out of my mouth. "All of us have different classes to attend in a few minutes and hours from now, so drop your invalid jealousy and stubbornness."
He nodded his head obediently and walked straight to the other side of the bench. Tiningnan ko naman nang mariin si Helix at pinanlakihan ng mga mata habang ginagawa niya 'yon, "And you, stop provoking Draven or I'll let you be punched by him. Hindi ko na kasalanan kapag tuluyang uminit ang ulo niyan." banta ko bago alisin ang kamay ko sa bibig niya.
His eyes blinked, but I didn't get him the chance to answer me back. My brow just raised up on its own before I leaned closer, "Ayaw ko ring makarinig ng nakakaduong mga salita niyan, kaya habang hindi pa siya gano'n sa ngayon, manahimik ka na rin." mahina pero mariing bulong ko sakanya bago umusog papalayo.
His lips parted, acting so betrayed and lost. Iniwas niya ang tingin niya sa'kin at lumingon saglit kay Draven, binibigyan siya ng pasimpleng irap. "Nagbago ka na..." Umiling siya sa pagkadismaya at tahimik na kumain na rin sa tabi ko.
After that, both of them didn't bother to look at each other anymore. Kaagad nakalimutan ni Helix ang nangyari dahil bumalik din naman ang tuwa niya sa mga pagkain. Draven, on the other hand, kept glancing at me. He's still cautious and careful of his moves, like he could hurt me with his actions. Tinutulungan niya pa rin naman ako at pinagsisilbihan, pero sinisigurado niyang maliit at mabagal ang kilos niya kapag ginagawa 'yon.
I couldn't help but glance alternatively at them, looking straight at their stained clothes, which they didn't bother to give a damn about up until now. I sighed and let my lips form into a twitch. "Mga gusgusin."
They certainly heard what I said, since that made them look at each other's clothes, including their own, but they still didn't bring themselves to argue.
It was pure silence around our table, and only the tweeting birds, along with some fainting car horns outside the university's wall, as well as the bickering, talking, and shouting students from afar.
Those were the only noises that I could hear, until half an hour passed between all of us. Helix stood up from his seat at that exact moment, looking straight at his wrist watch. "Alis na 'ko, Vanna."
He was about to leave, but my forehead creased, which stopped him from doing so. I crossed my arms and glanced at the man in front of us, pointing at him with my eyes. Kaagad napasimangot si Helix dahil do'n, pero wala naman siyang nagawa kundi harapin din si Draven sa huli.
He cleared his throat and extended his hand. "Salamat sa pagkain, brad." A hissing sound came out of his mouth before he flicked his tongue. "And pwede ba..? Huwag mo akong pagselosan?"
I didn't even have to send a signal to Draven since he immediately stood up and accepted his hand. "I can buy you a new shirt."
"Tinatamad lang akong umalis kanina para bumili ng sarili kong pagkain, pero may pera ako." Helix sighed and tilted his head, trying to intimidate him. "So, tell me, how much was all of it? Every food..? Including your clothes? Babayaran ko ngayon din."
My arm automatically moved on its own as I slapped their hands with the edge of my palm, breaking their hold away from grasping each other's hands. "Just buy your own shirts."
Both of them instantly nodded their heads at me, even with the rising tension between them, which made my shoulders to shrug.
Tinuro ko si Helix at tumingin kay Draven. "This will be the last time that I'm going to see you fight with him." Sa gano'ng paraan ay pinagbaliktad ko ang sitwasyon nilang dalawa: naka'y Helix na ngayon ang mga mata ko, habang ang daliri ko naman ay nakatutok na kay Draven. "And there will be not a single day, after this, that you'll be in a fight with him too."
I leaned on my seat and crossed my arms, looking alternatively at them. "There's my cousin, while the other one is my suitor, so can you please not get on each other's nerves?" I asked sarcastically, with my eyes rolling in annoyance.
Draven's lips parted, feeling lost for a few seconds after finally realizing what I said. Paulit-ulit na kumarap ang mga mata niya, habang nakaturo kay Helix. His other hand even covered his mouth, letting a late gasp come out of it. The latter could only smirk at him, with his lower lip in between his teeth and his fingers tucking an invisible hair behind his ear.
"Stop acting like this is a damn competition, or I'll be forced to kick you out of my life." I shook my head at them, "I'm not even kidding." seryosong dagdag ko na ikinalunok nilang dalawa.
Both of them stood up straight until Helix started walking backwards. Kaagad nabaling ang tingin ni Draven sakanya, gulat pa rin dahil sa nalaman. He then started closing some opened containers, which still had a few foods inside. It was his, to be specific — his favorites and the one he brought for himself to eat.
"Teka lang, sa'yo na 'to." Inayos niya ang pagkakalagay no'n sa plastic at inabot kay Helix. "Para sa'yo naman talaga 'yan, eh." He smiled at him, "Alam mo, unang pagkikita pa lang natin, alam ko na kaagad na magkakasundo tayo, eh." pangbobola niya pa.
My cousin couldn't help but laugh and nod his head repeatedly, enjoying the treatment he was giving him. "May spark pala tayo kung gano'n." Paulit-ulit niyang tinapik ang likod ni Draven na ngayon ay mukha ng maamo matapos kunin ang ibinigay niya sakanya. "Sa tindi ng spark natin muntikan na tayong magkasapakan, no?"
"Ha..?" Draven can only nod his head innocently. "Akala ko kasi nasa acting show tayong dalawa. Mukha ka kasing artista, pre. Kaya ano lang 'yon, nadala ng kapogian nang nagkita tayo." He tapped him back on his shoulders. "Alam mo naman ang ibig kong sabihin, diba?"
Helix laughed at him, making Draven breathe in relief, but that only lasted for a few seconds, since he immediately frowned and shook his head. "Hindi, eh." Lumayo siya kay Draven at tumingin sa'kin, "Huwag mong sasagutin 'to, ah? Walang respeto sa pamilya mo." mukhang seryoso ngunit nangaasar niyang paalala bago kami iwang dalawa.
"Nagbibiro lang naman talaga ako!" Draven said, trying to negotiate with him, which Helix only returned with his raising middle finger as he continued to walk away.
Draven made a heart with his arm above his head, already prepared if my cousin were to look at us, "Gusto mo bang maging kahati ko buong buhay sa isang box ng hawaiian pizza?" pahabol na alok niya pa.
I could see my cousin's shoulder moving, laughing at what he said. Tumalikod siya at hinarap kami, kung kaya't nakita niya ang itsura ni Draven, na mas lalo namang ipinagbuti ang kaniyang ginagawa.
Helix raised his arms and made an 'x' using them, rejecting him and his heart. Nakita ko rin ang ang pag-iling niya hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang mawala sa paningin namin, natatawa pa rin at halos hindi na makahinga sa sobrang tuwa.
Draven's hands slowly went loose until they dropped. Nabaling ang tingin niya sa'kin, may simangot na nakaukit sa mga labi, "Bakit hindi mo naman sinabi na pinsan mo 'yon, Miss..?" nagpapaawang tanong niya.
My brow shot up. "I just did."
His lips pouted before he tirelessly sat beside me, where Helix was sitting a while ago. "Dati kasi..."
I chuckled and shrugged my shoulders. Nilapit ko sakanya ang pagkain kong hindi ko pa rin nauubos hanggang ngayon, "Kumain ka na lang." alok ko.
With his sulking face, he took a piece of nachos from the container I offered and ate it lazily, like he was just defeated in a battle and there's no stamina left in him. Sumandal siya sa upuan at tumingin sa kalangitan, iniisip pa rin ang nangyari kanina maging ang pag-aaway nila simula no'ng una silang nagkita.
I shook my head, "Is that a big deal..?" mahinang tanong ko sa aking sarili dahil sa itsura at estado niya ngayon.
He turned sideways, facing me, before his forehead rested on my arm. Dahil hindi inaasahan 'yon ay kaagad akong nanigas sa aking kinauupuan. Mukhang hindi niya naman napapansin ang reaksyon ko dahil sa ginawa niya, kaya minabuti ko na lang umiwas ng tingin at inabala ang tingin sa ibang bagay.