The way he held that girl was so gentle, almost weightless. It wasn't too tight or too loose, just perfect. I couldn't help but notice it because that's where my eyes were focused earlier. I don't know why I couldn't tear my gaze away from them.
"Miss Davies."
The way he defended Nezel from Sheldon. The way he tried to divert Sheldon's attention away from the girl.
"Miss Davies?"
Are they really just friends? Is that how friends behave? There was a genuine concern in his voice when he called her, a protective instinct that hinted at a deeper connection between them.
"Miss Davies?"
"Yes?" Bumalik ako sa reyalidad nang marinig ko ang pagtawag ni prof.
"You're spacing out. Focus on the board," he said, his attention returning to the lesson at hand.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I snapped back to reality, suddenly aware of my wandering thoughts. Goodness gracious! Why on earth am I preoccupied with the nerd and that girl? It's utterly absurd!
"I don't know. Why don't you ask Niona since her mom is a designer? Maybe she has some ideas too."
"You're right. Niona, what do you think would be a suitable color for Mommy?"
The sunlight glinting beautifully on the surface of the swimming pool, resembling twinkling stars in the sky.
"Niona?"
"Hmm?" Wala sa sarili kong sagot kay Rinoa.
Both Rinoa and Ariena looked at me, seemingly curious about what was occupying my mind.
"You've been zoning out for a while now. What's going on with you?" Rinoa inquired.
I didn't answer her directly, instead choosing to divert the conversation by lowering my gaze to the paper she was holding.
"What's that?" I asked, attempting to change the subject.
"Oh, right. I'm picking out a color that would suit Mommy because her birthday is coming up soon," Rinoa explained.
Nag-isip ako ng kulay na babagay kay tita Cerise. She's a sweet, loving and caring mother, she's very feminine too.
"I think...pink" I said. Nagliwanag naman ang mukha ni Rinoa.
"You think so too? Ayan din naisip ko kanina since red-pink ang meaning ng name ni Mommy. Pinagpipilian ko lang yung dalawa"
Oo nga pala. Though, moderate red ang cerise. Mas nangingibabaw pa rin ang pink. Marami ngang nalilito roon dahil mukha raw fuchsia but it's not.
Nilagyan ni Rinoa ng check ang pink at may ipinakita na naman sa aking papel. May nakadrawing doon na mga design ng damit.
"Is tita going to celebrate her debut or what?" I asked dahil mahahaba at magagandang gown iyon.
Nawala ang ngiti sa labi ni Rinoa at umirap.
"Anniversary rin nila ni daddy 'yan kaya mamili ka na lang"
Kinuha ko ang papel at namili. Those are ten designs of gowns. I'm not sure which design Auntie prefers, so I based them again on her personality and the occasion. Since they will be celebrating their birthday and wedding anniversary.
"Is it outdoor or in?" Tanong ko habang pinagkukumpara ang mga designs.
"Out" Maikling sagot niya.
Tatlong designs lang ang itinira ko at binalik sa kaniya ang pito. Bohemian Chic, Vintage Charm, and Garden Goddess. Una kong sinuri ang Bohemian Chic.
It's so pretty with its flowing layers of chiffon and whimsical floral embroidery, this bohemian-inspired gown offers a relaxed yet elegant vibe. The off-the-shoulder neckline and airy silhouette make it a breezy and beautiful choice for an outdoor celebration.
Next is vintage charm. This gown showcases intricate lace detailing and a timeless silhouette. The sweetheart neckline and capped sleeves evoke classic beauty, while the soft tulle skirt adds a touch of whimsy, perfect for a nostalgic celebration.
Tumango-tango ako at tiningnan ang pinakahuli.
Garden Goddess is inspired by nature. This ethereal gown features floral appliqués and soft tulle layers that evoke the beauty of a blooming garden. The plunging neckline and flowing skirt create a sense of enchantment, perfect for an outdoor garden celebration.
Napaisip ako saglit. Mukha namang mahilig magtravel si tita dahil minsan ay nakikita ko ang mga picture na ni-post niya. Mukha namang mahilig siya sa nature.
"Babagay 'to sa kaniya" sabi ko at binigay kay Rinoa ang papel.
Kinuha niya iyon at tiningnan.
"Alright, thank you!" Sabi niya at nilagyan ng check ang papel.
Kinuha ko ang lychee juice at humigop. Bumalik ako sa room para magkunwaring nag-aaral. May tutor naman ako at mas naiintindihan ko ang tinuturo niya kaysa kay prof. Mas nakakapag-focus din ako dahil tahimik at walang nagpapadistract sa akin. Hindi katulad dito na marami, isa na roon si Chanel.
Pabagsak akong umupo sa sofa nang makauwi sa penthouse. Nakatingin ako sa chandelier at walang iniisip. Walang pumapasok sa utak ko ngayon. Parang blangko lang.
Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto ako roon hanggang sa mapagdesisyunan kong umakyat sa taas at maligo dahil darating na naman si Nerdy mamaya. Habang nasa ilalim ng shower ay bigla kong naalala ang nangyari kanina.
"I'm sorry pero kailangan na naming pumasok"
He held her in her pulse. Tiningnan ko ang aking kamay at bumaba iyon pababa sa aking pulso. Nakatitig lang ako roon habang nababasa ng tubig. Imagining his hand there.
What?
I blinked. Did I just...
Pumikit ako at huminga nang malalim. I can't believe myself. Ang kamay na tiningnan ko kanina ay ginamit ko pangkuha ng sabon at sinabunan ang aking pulso. Gosh! Bakit ko naman naisip 'yon.
Napatigil ako sa pagrub ng pulso nang may marinig akong nagdoorbell. Is it him? Ang aga naman niya? Binanlawan ko ang kamay at kinuha ang bath robe. Bumaba ako nang iyon lang ang suot. Walang kahit anong tapis sa loob.
Sinilip ko muna kung siya nga ba iyon. Just making sure. Binuksan ko ang pinto nang malawak para makapasok siya agad.
"You're early today" bungad ko.
Hindi siya pumasok at nanatiling nakatayo sa pinto, nakatitig sa mga mata ko.
"Hey" sabi ko at kumaway sa harap ng mukha niya. And damn, he's not even blinking. "Huy" tawag ko at mahina siyang tinulak sa balikat para magising dahil mukha siyang tangang nakatayo na parang statue sa harap ko.
"Uhm..." he cleared his throat at umiwas ng tingin.
"Hindi ka ba papasok?" Kunot noong tanong ko.
"Hindi..." nakita ko ang pag-alon ng adams apple niya. "I-I mean, hindi ka ba muna mag...magbibihis?" Utal niyang tanong at hindi pa rin tumitingin sa akin.
Bumaba ang tingin ko sa suot kong puting roba. Wala naman akong nakikitang dumi roon at maayos naman ang pagkakalagay.
"What's wrong with wearing this?" Tanong ko nang mag-angat ng tingin sa kaniya.
Kunot noo naman siyang tumingin sa mga mata ko.
"Hindi magandang makipag-usap sa ibang tao nang ganiyan ang suot. Lalo na kung babae ka" Aniya sa malamig na tono. Wala ring emosyon ang mukha niya.
"Why? Because they might do something...bad?" Nakangisi kong tanong.
Hindi pa rin nawawala ang tingin niya sa mga mata ko. Hindi man lang bumaba ang tingin o sa kung saan. Talagang tutok iyon sa mata ko lang.
"Yes" sagot niya.
I raised my eyebrow, "Are you that type of person?" Umiling siya. "Then get the f*cking inside dahil nilalamig na ako at gusto ko nang magbihis"
Umawang ang labi niya bago maingat na pumasok. Magkalayong-magkalayo rin kami nang lagpasan niya ako. Iwas na iwas sa akin. Umirap lang ako at isinara ang pinto.
"Just wait me here" sabi ko at umakyat sa taas. Ramdam ko na ang lamig ng aircon sa aking balat kahit na makapal ang robe. Dumiretso muna ako sa banyo para tapusin ang pagligo. Nagsuot lang ako ng red na spaghetti strap na may partner na short.
Sinusuklay ko ang buhok habang pababa ng hagdan. Nakita ko naman siyang nakaupo na sa unan at nasa floor. Sa tabi niya ang unan din na uupuan ko. Nagkatinginan kami nang makalapit ako. Saka lang bumaba ang tingin niya sa suot ko sabay mabilis na iniwas ang tingin.
Umupo ako sa tabi niya at kinuha ang ballpen at papel.
"So, anong pag-aaralan natin today?"
Tumingin siya sa akin. "Hindi mo binabasa yung sched na ginawa ko?"
Kusang bumaba ang mga mata ko sa lamesa. "I didn't know where I put it..." mahina kong sabi.
Hindi ko na talaga matandaan kung nasaan na iyon. Ang alam ko lang ay nakaipit 'yon sa mga reviewer na binigay niya pero nang hinanap ko sa reviewer para sana tingnan ang susunod na subject ay hindi ko nakita.
"It's alright, gagawa na lang ako ng bago" aniya at inayos ang mga papel at librong gagamitin namin.
Napatingin ako sa kamay niya. I only noticed his skin now. He has tanned skin. His nails are clean and not long. His hands also have some veins showing, and his fingers are quite long.
"Do you draw?" I asked.
He looked at me. "How did you know?"
I pointed to his fingers. "Because your fingers are long," I said.
Tumingin din siya sa kamay. Bahagya niya iyong itinaas at tiningnan ang bawat daliri. "It is. Pero porket ba mahaba ang daliri, nagd-drawing na agad?" Tanong niya.
Imbes na sumagot ay itinaas ko ang kamay at idinikit iyon sa palad niya. Tiningnan ko kung kaninong kamay ang mas mahaba.
"My fingers are long, but yours are longer" sabi ko habang nakatingin sa palad naming magkadikit.
"Yeah" aniya.
Sa haba ng daliri ako bumabase kapag nag-oobserba ako ng mga taong magagaling sa arts. Si mommy ay mahaba rin ang mga daliri at mukhang namana ko iyon sa kaniya. Hindi naman talaga sa haba ng daliri ang basehan kapag marunong ka bang magdrawing o hindi. May mga kakilala ako na maiikli ang mga daliri pero marunong magpaint. I paint, too, kaya mahaba ang daliri ko.
Saka ko lang napagtanto kung anong ginawa ko kaya mabilis kong tinanggal ang aking kamay na para bang nakuryente. Isinawalang bahala niya lang iyon at nagsimula nang magturo. I observed him more closely as he spoke. Paminsan-minsan ay nagtatanong ako pero madalas ay sa kamay niya lang ako nakatutok.
His hands, weathered by sun and work, told stories of his experiences. The tanned complexion spoke of days spent outdoors, under the warmth of the sun, perhaps engaging in various activities. Yet, despite the rugged appearance of his hands, there was a certain gracefulness to them, especially evident in the way his fingers moved with precision and delicacy.
As our conversation continued, I couldn't help but admire his hands. They seemed to possess a quiet strength and resilience, much like the person they belonged to. The clean and well-maintained nails hinted at a sense of self-care and attention to detail, while the slightly longer fingers suggested an affinity for artistic pursuits.
I found myself drawn to his hands, each crease and callus telling a story of its own. There was a raw honesty in the way they bore the marks of his experiences, yet there was also a sense of beauty and grace that captured my attention. It was as if his hands were a canvas, revealing glimpses of his soul and character with every movement.
As we continued our conversation, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something special about him, something that transcended the physical. Perhaps it was the way his hands reflected his passion and dedication, or maybe it was the genuine warmth and kindness in his eyes. Whatever it was, I found myself intrigued, eager to unravel the mysteries hidden within those artistic hands.
"So, what do you think?"
"About what?" I responded, looking slightly confused.
"About these formulas," aniya sabay turo sa papel.
Tiningnan ko lang iyon at hindi nagsalita dahil wala akong masabi. I'm too focused sa kaniya kaya hindi ko gaanong narinig ang tinuturo niya kanina.
"Uhm..." tumingin ako sa kaniya nang may alanganing ngiti.
Mapagpasensya siyang huminga nang malalim at may kinuha sa bag. Humarap siya sa akin at may ipinakitang limang piso.
"If you flip a fair coin, what is the probability of getting heads?"
"Ah..." I remember it's either heads or tails. "I guess it's fifty percent or one out of two?"Patanong kong sagot.
Isang beses siyang tumango. "Close, but not quite. The correct answer is indeed one out of two, but when expressed as a percentage, it's fifty percent. So, it's either one-half or fifty percent, not fifty percent or one out of two."
"Oh...okay"
"Another one." Kinuha niya ang ibang libro sa bag at sinama ang librong ginagamit namin. Pinagpatong niya ang limang libro at inilagay ang kamay sa tuktok nito. "If you have five different books and you want to choose two to read over the weekend, how many different pairs of books can you choose?"
Tumingin ako sa mga libro. "Hmm, I think it's five times two, so... ten?"
Umiling siya. "Actually, that's not correct. When choosing pairs of books from a set of five, you need to use combinations, not multiplication. The formula for combinations is n choose k, where n is the total number of items and k is the number of items you're choosing. Can you try again?"
Humigis bilog ang labi ko. Hindi ko naisip 'yon. "Oh, I see. So it's five choose two...which is ten."
He gave me a warm smile. "That's correct. Five choose two equals ten"
That smile again. I found myself staring at his smiling face. It was the same smile he used to greet customers when I saw him working at his restaurant. Now that I saw him up close, he looked even more handsome. I didn't realize this nerd had good looks, especially without the oversized thick glasses. Now he was only wearing thin-framed glasses.
His smile was radiant, lighting up his entire face. It was warm and inviting, with a hint of mischief twinkling in his eyes. As he grinned, dimples appeared on his cheeks, adding to the charm of his smile. It was a smile that could brighten anyone's day, leaving a lasting impression of warmth and kindness.
"I didn't know you're good-looking..."
Biglang nawala ang ngiti niya at napalitan ng gulat.
"Ano?" Tanong niya na ipinagtaka ko.
"Anong ano?" Tanong ko rin dahil hindi ko siya matindihan.
"You just said something" sabi niya kaya mas lalo akong nagtaka.
"I did? When?" Wala akong maalalang nagsalita ako.
Magsasalita na sana siya nang marinig namin ang doorbell at tunog ng pintong binuksan.
"Niona!" Rinig kong tawag ni Rinoa.
Nagkatinginan kami ng lalaking katabi ko.
"I forgot to..." napahinto siya sa paghakbang at pagsasalita nang dumapo ang mga mata niya sa lalaking katabi ko. Para siyang statue na nakatayo lang at hindi kumukurap just like nerdy.
What's wrong with them?
Ang bibig niya ay parang nanigas din at hindi pa bumabalik sa dati. Nakatingin lang kami sa kaniya habang siya ay nakatingin kay nerdy.
"What brings you here?" Ako na ang pumutol sa katahimikan namin.
"Huh?" Confused ang mukha niya nang bumaling sa akin ngunit bumalik din ito sa katabi ko at kinurap-kurap pa ang mga mata.
"What did you forgot?" I asked. Tumayo ako at lumapit sa kaniya dahil mukhang kailangan ko siyang kausapin nang malapitan.
"Uhm..." tumingin siya sa floor, sa dalawang kamay, sa damit na suot, at sa shoulder bag na suot. "Wait" binuksan niya ang shoulder bag at may kung anong hinalungkat sa loob.
Parang hindi niya alam ang ginagawa niya dahil kung ano-ano ang nilabas niya sa bag. May hinahanap yata pero hindi niya alam kung ano dahil nasa ibang dako ang isip niya.
"How long?" Naiinip kong tanong at pinagkrus pa ang mga braso.
Binalik niya sa bag ang mga hawak na makeup at saka nag-angat ng tingin sa akin. Lumabi siya at saglit na sinulyapan ang lalaki bago ako hinila papunta sa kusina.
"What...why? I mean, wait" pumikit siya at huminga nang malalim saka dumilat at tumingin sa mga mata ko. "First, why is he here?"
"I sent him over," I said simply.
Rinoa looked at me curiously and asked, "And why did you send him?"
I hesitated, not sure if I should tell her the truth. But I couldn't think of a good excuse, so I finally admitted, "He's tutoring me," sagot ko.
We were far enough away that they wouldn't hear us, and our voices were low.
Rinoa furrowed her brows and asked, "Why didn't you get a professional tutor instead?"
I shrugged and replied, "I don't have time to look for one. I need someone who can teach me right away."
She nodded but then questioned further, "But why him? Baka nakakalimutan mo kung ano siya?"
I glanced at Nerdy and saw him looking at me. I quickly looked away and back at Rinoa. "Why do you have so many questions? And why are you here? What do you need?" I asked sharply.
She opened her bag and pulled out a white envelope with a design. "Invitation. I forgot to give it earlier," she said, handing me the envelope.
I took it and read what was written on the front. It was an invitation for Tita Cerise's birthday and wedding celebration. "Okay, I'll try to attend," I replied dismissively.
"I also went to your house because I thought you were there. I saw Tita Nat so I gave her one too. She said you're staying here," her last statement didn't surprise me. I knew Mommy knew where I've been staying for the past few days.
"Is she invited too?"
She nodded. "Mommy's the one who invited her."
Now that Rinoa knows about the tutoring with that nerd, I'm not sure what she's thinking.
"Rinoa," I called out to her.
"Hmm?" She responded.
"Don't tell anyone what you saw," I said.
"Okay," she replied simply and walked towards the living room.
I couldn't help wondering what she thought of me now, seeing me in this situation with Nerdy. Ugh, whatever. I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the invitation in my hand. Invited din si mommy kaya hindi ko alam kung pupunta pa ba ako. Paniguradong maraming atensyon na naman ang makukuha namin.