"ARE YOU DONE CRYING, BABE?" he asked, chuckling, while gently wiping the tears from my eyes.
Hinampas ko ang braso niya sa sobrang inis. "You had me worried to death, you idiot! How can you laugh like this?!"
"Awww!" reklamo ni Primo. "Dadagdagan mo pa ata ang mga pasa ko, Ayah." Nakangiwing sabi niya – nag kukunwari na nasaktan sa hampas ko.
Pinahid ko ang mga luha ko gamit ang likod ng sariling palad. I moved away from his hug then took a good look at him – his face are bruised all over but it didn't mar his beauty. Kaso nga lang, kitang kita ko ang namamaga niyang mga pasa at pag dugo ng dulong bahagi ng bibig niya
My heart wrenched.
I didn't like seeing him hurt.
He said he was never violent with Lance's group and he still ended up like this.
It was all because I didn't think about the consequences of my own actions.
"Look at your face, ang dami mong pasa! This would hurt so much tomorrow. Gamutin na muna natin 'yan," I said habang sinisipat ang pasa niya sa mukha.
He was voluntarily letting me see his face as I was looking at it from left to right.
Gwapo pa rin.
Nakakaasar.
"You can kiss me if you want, effective rin na gamot 'yon," he said playfully, his face beaming with content.
"Primo," matalim ang matang sabi ko sa kanya. "Maybe I could kick you, too. Baka effective rin 'yon?"
"Kidding," tumawa siya at hinawakan ang bewang ko. He lifted me swiftly like I weigh nothing – pagkuway pinaupo sa hood ng sasakyan niya at tumayo sa harap ko. "Wait here, I'll get the the first aid kit that you've bought last time."
"It was supposed to be used one time, hindi ko alam na magagamit na naman natin ulit 'yon. Hopefully, this will be the last time we'll use it," I said seriously, looking at him making his way to the inside of his car–
I hated seeing him hurt. I hated seeing him and his friends punch different people and become violent. I hated that they have to do that because I didn't know how to think or listen –
Lance is still an asshole, though.
Hindi mangyayari ang lahat ng 'to kung hindi lang din siya abnormal at basagulero.
"Bili nalang tayo ng bago kapag naubos na," Primo joked again while handing me the pack of things I've bought from the pharmacy.
"Quit fighting," I told him even though I know he's only protecting me. "Malas pala bumili ng maraming ganto sa pharmacy dahil parang ipapa-ubos sa'tin," I continued, then started to dab the hydrogen peroxide to his face – he was standing in front of me while I'm seated in the hood of his car.
I didn't know they like sitting here.
Akala ko nagagalit ang mga 'to kapag inuupuan ang hood ng kotse nila.
I mean, their cars are their lifelines.
Boys are dramatic when it comes to their cars.
"I still think a kiss was a better medicine," he commented.
Diniin ko ang cotton na may agua oxinada sa mukha niya. He winced because of the pain. I proceeded to dab his face with a cotton na may iodine. Just enough to keep him safe from further infections.
"Aren't we going home? What are we still doing here?" I asked him then looked around us.
Tila wala pa sa plano ng mga ito ang umuwi. Ang iba nilang kasama ay nakaupo din sa hood ng mga kotse nila. They seem busy talking to each other at naghihintay lang ng instruction mula kay Primo. Ang iba nama'y naninigarilyo – they were standing far from the group though, probably as a sign of respect for people in the group who didn't smoke.
The only thing they did after the fight was to move their cars in the right lane. Hindi naman madalas may dumadaan sa area na 'to since this looks like a deserted shortcut to the nearest town, one of the reason why Lance's group chose this area to trap us — but the group still moved their cars for safety and to follow the road laws.
Shiva and the others, who were talking in front of Seige's car which is parked at the back of Primo's, went in front of us.
"Ask your boyfriend bakit hindi pa tayo pwedeng umuwi – we can only thank him for this race fair party extension with Lance," Jaguar said, annoyed.
Hindi ko na napansin ang inis na pagkakasabi ni Jaguar. What caught my attention was one word, the rest were inaudible and hazy.
Boyfriend.
I like the sound of it.
Because for the first time,
It felt real.
I brushed off my mind from my own thoughts. There's another pressing matter I need to focus on.
Race fair party extension with Lance.
I frowned at Primo then bombarded him with question. "What did Jaguar mean? What race fair extension? What did you talk about with Lance earlier?"
"Right," Shiva, who finally calmed down and caught her voice back. "I was about to ask the same damn thing," Shiva pointed at Primo. "Bakit hindi mo na lang hinayaang bugbugin ni Seige yung walang-hiyang lalaking 'yon? I mean, you can all kill him and I promise to pretend I did not see anything! Hindi ako magsasalita sa pulis kung saan niyo itatapon ang katawan niya. I'll say my eyes we're sore that time and my ears couldn't hear straight!" ani Shiva na tuluyan ng tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo sa hood ng kotse ni Seige at namewang sa harap namin.
I'm slightly taller than everyone else dahil nasa hood ako ng kotse – then the others who were sitting on the hood basically moved away to give us privacy – they went to talk with the other race drivers sa smoking area nila.
Primo is in front of me at nakalagay ang dalawang kamay sa magkabilang gilid ko. He's gently stroking my hands with his finger, nag-iisip.
Sa halip na kay Shiva sumagot ay sa akin siya nag angat ng tingin. Bumuntong hininga muna siya at tiningnan akong mabuti para magbigay ng eksplenasyon.
"You know it's gonna be just the same cycle. Bubugbugin ko siya, hahanap siya ng tyempo para mabugbog ako. I don't mind if that will continue – but you keep getting involve and Shiva, too. We couldn't be with you all the time and God knows – you don't deserve to be in these kind of bullshit..."
"So ganoon na lang? Hahayaan mo na lang silang bugbugin ka? What if Ranger and the others went a little later? Saan ka pupulutin ngayon? Sa ospital or God-forbid sa morgue? You're crazy, Primo. I didn't find you to be this merciful," Shiva said, almost shouting.
She was worried and that's why she's angry.
Shiva getting worked up hearing Primo's reasoning and Primo also considering Shiva being dragged in this mess – is obviously them caring for each other.
And I fully understand Shiva's point, she's right. If they've arrived a little later, I don't know if we will survive – at kung kay Seige o kay Jag at Ranger nangyari 'to ay ganito rin ang magiging reaksyon ko. Hindi madaling makita ang mga kaibigan mo na walang kaawa-awang pinagtutulungan ng isang grupo na nasa isang dosena katao.
Mula kay Shiva ay tumingin ako kay Primo na nanatiling tahimik mula sa narinig kay Shiva. Alam kong alam din niya kung bakit ganoon ang reaksyon ng mga kaibigan namin.
"She's right, Primo. I don't support violence but I don't like seeing you hurt – any of you – and if you don't fight you'll gonna end up like this again or maybe worst than this." I said softly as he met my eyes. "What do you plan on doing?" I asked him.
"Who says I'm not gonna fight?" the edge of his mouth rose. "Of course, I will – sa race track nga lang," his voice laced with amusement.
The glimmer of his eyes and his tone made me realize this was the dialogue I couldn't hear earlier.
He offered to settle this in a race.
Pero hindi ang tipo ni Lance ang napapapayag mo sa ganitong mga suhestiyon.
I'm sure there's a catch...
Whatever it is, his group is not as amused as him.
Nagdududang tingin ang binigay ko sa kanya. I didn't take my eyes off him while talking.
"Jaguar, what's their bet?"
I saw Primo glanced at him warningly – but knowing Jaguar? Mas masaya itong nagsasabi ng mga impormasyon lalo na kapag alam nitong bawal.
That's why I chose to ask him because he doesn't have any self control when being asked.
"Cars..." ani Jag, proud na proud.
I saw Primo's face at eased.
That's not just it.
"What else, Jaguar? I don't believe Lance would agree to that. What's the catch?" I asked, my voice sounded cold as the breeze sweeping across us.
Hindi ako naniniwalanag sasakyan lang. What is in Primo's car that Lance agreed to stop messing with us?
Lance is rich – he can buy his own.
Primo tactically eyed Jaguar again before he talked to me.
"Come on, Ayah. There's nothing else," Primo convinced me.
"Jaguar," I said again, my voice is laced with warning.
Hindi ko pinansin si Primo sa harap ko – sa halip ay si Jaguar ang nilingon ko para magsalita ito.
Sumulyap muna si Jaguar kay Primo bago nagsalita. "Lance agreed on one condition – they will race but they'll do drift racing. Primo does the normal lap racing kaya medyo hindi kami sigurado kung mananalo siya. Plus, Lance is the current number one racer in drift..." Jaguar answered then ignored Primo totally. "Besides, that car has a sentimental value. Everyone in the racing industry knows Primo will never bet his car. The sentimental value it holds is more than its monetary value. That's why many have tried to place a bet on it," he took a seat on the hood of Ranger's car.
"Who gave him his car?" I asked, my curiosity is buried in an instant, afraid to hear the answer.
"It came from my mom – biological mom..." Primo chose to answer instead, his voice icy. "She gave that to me as a birthday gift before she died."
"Christ," my heart sunk to a bottomless pit. "What were you thinking Primo?"
How can he bet something so valuable?
"Baby, it's just a car – it doesn't matter," he said, dismissive.
"It's not just a car! Galing 'yon sa mama mo. How can you bet that because of some girl?"
"Because you're not just some girl – and I'm only thinking about your safety. I can buy another car if I lose, that's just money. I cannot find another you kung sasakyan na 'yan ang iisipin ko!" He said, slightly raising his voice. "Can we not fight over these things?" he added softly, avoiding eye contact. "You're more valuable to me than the car... my mom would understand."
Sandaling katahimikan muna ang namagitan sa amin. Hindi pa rin ako kumbinsido. Hindi ko alam kung anong storya ng pamilya niya pero sigurado akong importante 'yon sa kanya.
Wala bang ibang paraan?
Tiningnan ko silang lahat. "Can we bet money or can we bet another car exactly as Primo's car? Give me a month," I suggested.
Kalimitan sa mga order na luxury car ay inaabot ng ilang buwan but I'm sure money can make anything happen faster. Hindi naman siguro ako papalayasin ng ama ko kung bibili ako ng sasakyan na nagkakahalaga ng mahigit limampung milyon 'diba?
No.
I'm sure palalayasin ako ni Dad.
But I can live in an apartment.
What?
Ugh!
I'm going crazy.
"They're going to race as planned. Kapag nanalo si Primo, tatantanan ka na nila at si Shiva. If Primo losses, it's either you or the car. Do you understand now why he had to give up the car, Ayah?" sabi ni Ranger dahil mukhang ayaw magpaliwanag ni Primo.
I heard Shiva groan.
Nafu-frustrate din ata sa mga naririnig.
"You should've killed Lance earlier o 'di kaya'y tinapon niyo sa bangin," Shiva muttered.
"We don't kill people, Shiva. We're racers not a mafia," Seige reminded her.
"I'm just saying I don't mind kung si Lance lang din naman ang itutulak sa bangin," Shiva rolled her eyes.
"Can we just cancel that agreement at umuwi na lang?" I asked all of them frustratingly. "I could use some rest."
Umiling silang lahat.
"Racers value agreement more than their lives, Ayah. Kung hindi ka man bubugbugin habambuhay ng mga kaaway mo, sariling grupo mo naman ang gagawa ng pambubugbog sa'yo kapag hindi ka tumupad sa usapan – our words are marked in a stone," Seige explained.
"So, what's the plan?" tanong ko kay Primo ng may pag-aalala.
"No plan," he face me then lifted me to bring me down from his car.
Kumunot ang noo ko sa narinig.
No plan at all?
That's so unlike Primo.
"I'll just race — and win," he added confidently.
*******
"While I'm racing, huwag kang aalis sa tabi nina Jag at ng iba pa," Primo reminded again for the nth time.
"Alright – nakakarindi kana... you've said that about twenty times already," naiiritang tugon ko.
We really can't be the normal couple.
Naiirita ako kahit na gusto ko siya.
We've been driving for an hour and a half at nasisiguro kong malapit na kami. Habang palayo kami ng palayo ay mas lalong nagiging disyertado ang lugar. They must've scheduled the race in an illegal circuit.
Law breakers.
"You're not good at following instructions, Ayah. Sinisigurado ko lang," sabi niya.
"Same goes for you. I told you not to get hurt," I snapped back.
Normal, loving couple – never gonna happen.
Amused na tiningnan niya ako. "What did you expect me to do? Makipag-peace talk at magmakaawa kay Lance? I'll only do that when hell freezes over," he said chuckling.
Bago pa ako nakasagot ay natanaw ko na ang racetrack na sinasabi nila. Katulad din ng racetrack na pinuntahan ko noong sinuntok ko si Lance – but this one is a little more crowded. Katunayan ay nagsisigawan na ang mga ito dahil may kasalukuyang nag la-lap racing. Since I went with this group, kung ano anong mga illegal na events na ang napuntahan ko and to think I didn't have any idea this was all happening while we were studying in our uni.
"Do you ever not race illegally?" I asked him accusingly.
"You saw me in a real racetrack, Ayah," Primo reminded.
"Oh right – that was our first meeting," I muttered, reminiscing the time when I saw him while I was going to the bathroom in one of Seige's circuit. "You were an asshole that time."
"Wrong," his nose wrinkled by the reminder. "I first saw you in the Freshmen's General Assembly. You were with your friend Julia. Magkatabi lang tayo pero parang wala lang sayo when every girl would kill for that place," mayabang na patuloy niya.
I raised my brows at him. "So you had a crush at first sight?" I taunted. "Sorry, I didn't notice you. Baka nasa school ako para mag aral? 'Di para magpacute sa mga lalaki."
"Humbleness really suits you, Ayah," sarcastic na sagot niya. "I think what really got me interested was when you talked back to Jaguar. I didn't see you as a fiery one, it was interesting," he chuckled when he finished talking.
"Cliché," I shook my head. "Now girls would want to randomly bump into racers – another thing, you memorised my class schedule that time you took it from the ground – did you or did you not?"
"Did," he raised his brows while nodding – he looked giddy because he was caught.
Napasandig ako sa upuan.
"I didn't know you were that interested – I'm that pretty?" I joked.
"I said you're interesting — not pretty," balik biro niya.
Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Remind me again bakit hindi ka tinuluyan ni Lance kanina? Because I would, if I was him," sabi ko sabay irap.
Hindi na siya sumagot dahil nasa track na kami mismo. When everyone saw who's the group that arrive, unti unti silang nagbigay ng pwesto para sa mga sasakyan ng kasamahan namin.
Lance's gang are lined up opposite to Primo's. Para silang nagpapartner – partneran ng sasakyan.
When the people realize what both group are up to, they cheered loudly. It looks like they were waiting of this race to happen for the longest time.
"Remember what I told you, babe. Stay–"
"–with Jaguar and the others. Do not go anywhere alone and don't do anything stupid," I cut Primo off, slightly getting nervous.
"Good. Dito ka muna habang mag-uusap kami ng org," anito at lumabas na ng sasakyan.
The crowd were buzzing like crazy kaya kahit medyo malapit ay 'di ko masyado marinig ng malinaw ang usapan – but they're not very far kay nababasa ko sa mga labi nila kung ano man ang pinag-uusapan ng mga 'to.
Both Lance and Primo went in the middle where there's an un-official organizer. Tila nagulat pa ang lalaki sa sinabi ng mga itong panalo sa pusta. When the announcer said the race conditions, the crowd went wild. Winawagayway ng mga ito ang perang pamusta. It will probably be the first time they'll see Primo do a drift race and the bet was not something they've expected.
Pareho silang tumango at naglakad paalis. The crowd cheered louder. Isa isang pumusta sa kung sino'y sa tingin nila'y mananalo. Maraming umiikot na nagbibigay ng papel at ticket ng mga pusta nila.
Hindi siya dumiretso sa sasakyan niya, sa halip ay kinausap niya sina Seige at tumango ang mga 'to – they're relaxed and they're laughing. I saw the guys put their money back on their pockets.
Hindi ba pupusta ang mga 'to?
Whatever I have been thinking about – it was put to a stop when the boys went on the side of Primo's car where I was sitting.
"Hi, Ayah — ako ang bodyguard mo ngayon," ani Ranger sa nakabukas na bintana. He was bending to mirror the window's height.
"Thank God it's not Jag. May pakiramdam akong pababayaan niya ako 'pag may nakita siyang babae," I joked before I got out.
"I'm hurt," ani Jag na humawak pa kunwari sa dibdib. "Actually, babantayan naman kita – pero siyempre mas focus ako sa laro. Nandoon ang pera," he reasoned.
Pabiro siyang sinuntok ni Primo na kasabay nilang lumapit sa kotse.
Primo then turned to me, slightly giving me a hug then a quick kiss on the cheeks. "Watch me race, babe."
I nodded then hugged him in return.
"Drive safe and please don't get hurt," bulong ko.
He nodded. "I'll win this for you."