I want to know you in ways that you don't even know yourself.
MAIA
"Can you be my girlfriend, for the rest of our stay here in Coron?" Bahagya akong nabingi sa sinabi nya at napipi sa kung anong isasagot sakanya.
We were still looking at each other. Anong trip neto. Seryoso ba talaga to? He was patiently waiting for my answer, still wearing that big smile on his face. I was about to answer him, when my phone rang. I stood up to answer the call, it was Mom - ringtone pa lang, alam ko na.
"Isabel Beatriz, where are you?" Mom said in a very calm voice.
"Hello Mom, I am here in Coron."
"You're in Coron?" shocked evident on her voice.
"I am sorry Mom, I wasn't able to make paalam to you and Dad. Biglaan lang po. Don't worry, I finished my reports and signed the documents before I left naman." I said with my lambing voice.
"Hay naku Princess, you can tell us naman about your vacation, di ka naman namin pipigilan."
Okay I won, she's not mad. "I'm sorry po."
"No worries baby girl, I'll take over your place muna," Mom said. I'm so lucky to have a very understanding mother.
"Thank you Mommy, I'll buy you pasalubong na lang and make bawi pagbalik ko. I'll be home on Saturday." I said while giggling.
"Okay baby girl, enjoy." I was about to end the call but Mom spoke again, "Your bestfriend was looking for you nga pala, I always got text messages and phone calls since last week, hinahanap ka nya. Bumisita pa sya kagabi dito sa bahay since di ka daw nya maabutan sa condo mo." She said, I knew in the tone of her voice that she was a little bit worried. "Magkaaway ba kayo?" I laughed, a fake one.
"Si Mommy issue. Mom, I need to drop the call na ah, I love you."
Before I ended the call, she said "I love you, too." Mahirap na, baka kung ano pa masabi ni Mommy.
I went back to the sofa, nandun pa din sya, but his eyes were closed. I sat next to him and stared into his face. Ang ganda talaga ng mga mata nya, and his nose, it's kinda matangos, ang manly ng built ng jawline nya and his features, para syang athlete sa katawan nya. "Pogi ko talaga noh?" He said, slowly opening his eyes and started laughing. I felt heat on my cheeks, for sure I was wearing natural blush on ngayon. Arg nahuli ka na naman Bea.
"You wish," that was the only thing I said, nahihiya na kasi ako.
He stopped laughing but still smiling, I felt like he was a bit nervous, "Bea, about —," I cut him off.
"Thirdy, about your question earlier, G ako." I saw confusion on his face. I spoke again, smiling, "Go ako sa plan mo, but I just want to make it clear muna ah, single ka ba? Baka mamaya may biglang sumabunot sa akin."
I saw a wide smile on his face and stars on his eyes. "Yeah, 100 percent single, Babe." And he started laughing.
"Babe ka jan," I rolled my eyes and pinched his arm.
"Aray naman, mapanakit naman pala tong girlfriend ko." He said, sayang saya naman sya.
"Thirdy!" I screamed, feel na feel nya masyado yung kunyaring relationship namin.
"Kidding aside, bakit ka tumakas sa parents mo?" He said, napaayos naman ako ng upo.
Seconds of silence before I spoke, I tried to laugh, "Tsismoso naman ng boyfriend ko" I emphasized the boyfriend ko. "We are here to relax diba, let's talk about that thing na lang some other time. For sure, you don't want to talk about your issues din naman, diba?"
He tried to laugh, "Yeah yeah, I'm sorry." His face a bit sad. "Ammm do you have any plans for today?" He tried his best to sounds okay.
"Hey cheer up, we are here to enjoy the place. So smile ka na." I held his face and place each of my thumbs at the corners of his lip and stretched upward. "Ayan, medyo nakasmile ka na." I felt his cheeks moving and formed a small smile on his face. "Very good," I complimented him and removed my hands on his cheeks.
"Thank you, Bea." Still smiling.
"Don't mention it. Anyway, I don't have any plans for today. Honestly, I don't have itinerary nga for this trip eh." I smiled shyly. I am not really prepared for this solo travel kasi.
He started laughing "Siguro magtutulog ka lang dapat dito noh."
Tinaasan ko sya ng kilay, "Grabe ka naman saken." We were both laughing now.
"I'll show you my itinerary later, if it's okay with you, sama ka na lang saken? Pero kung gusto mo magsolo, it's fine with me."
I raised my left eyebrow and said, "So you'll let your girlfriend explore Coron alone?"
"Oh I am sorry babe, ofcourse I wont let you explore this paradise alone." Natahimik naman ako. "This afternoon pa yung first tour, within the city lang naman so we have time pa to cuddle." I automatically punched his arm when I heard his last word.
He stood up and started running, "Thirdy!" I grabbed a throw pillow and run after him, naabutan ko sya near the edge of bed so I got another pillow and started hitting him.
"Babe, sorry na." I didn't stop, his arm blocking his chest. "I'm just joking." He said in between his laugh.
"Natawa ka pa ah." I said, still hitting him. But I was shocked when he hugged me and we were out of balance. Napahiga kami sa kama, nakayakap pa din sya saken, tawa pa din ng tawa. Tyansing neto.
I stopped hitting him and he stopped laughing. "Nakakapagod." We said in unison and smiled at each other. He removed the pillows in between us and placed my head on his arm. "Let's take a rest Babe." And the last thing I remember, he kissed me on the forehead.
I woke up 2 in the afternoon and I was a bit confused because I was lying comfortably alone on this king size bed. The last thing I remember, we were lying near the edge of the bed after that cuddle moment. So where is my instant boyfriend huh? Oh oh Beatriz, ang possessive mo naman ata. I shook of my thoughts and got out of bed.
I was heading the shower room when I saw him went out of the area. He smiled when he saw me and approached me to give a peck on my cheek. "Good afternoon Babe." I just punched his arm and walked immediately to the shower room.
I held the cheek where he kissed me and smiled. Arg Beatriz, you're so landi. You're just spending almost 6 hours of your day in Coron palang and it seems like you already found your answer na ata. Remember, this is just temporary. Napangisi na lang ako sa mga naiisip ko.
I spent half an hour fixing myself, I settled for a white top and black shorts. I saw him smiling as I went out of the shower room, "Matchy matchy." He said while putting on his black Nike Free RN Flynit shoes. I sat beside him and started putting on my shoes too, a black Nike Free RN lang. "Gaya gaya talaga ang Babe ko." Siniko ko naman sya.
"I love basic kasi eh, most of my tops and shorts are black or white lang." I said to him while tying my shoelace.
"Ako din, I love BEYsic." He emphasized the word bey, then winked. Ano ba naman to, lakas magpakilig. Arg Bea, wag ka magpapadala.
"Dami mong alam." I stuck my tongue out and stood up. "Lesgo na."
"It's early pa naman Babe, let's eat muna. Dyan na lang sa restaurant sa baba, mukhang gutom na Babe ko eh." He said while following me.
"Good idea, gutom na nga ako." I smiled while holding my tummy.
We ordered Seafood Pasta Alfredo and Mango Shake for me, Seafood Spaghetti Marinara and Dalandan Shake for him, and a Pizza Tuna, share kami. "So you prefer white sauce pasta," he said while putting a slice of pizza on my plate. Ang sweet naman neto.
"Yeah, ikaw, mas gusto mo ang red sauce?"
He shook his head, "Not really, kahit ano okay lang. I'm not choosy naman."
He munched his spaghetti, "Easy, nagutom ka ata." I said while laughing, he has sauce on his lips. I got some tissue and wiped it. "Careful, you're wearing white shirt pa naman, baka madumihan ka." I said in between my laughs.
He just stared at me. Maybe he was shocked on my action, even me, nagulat din ako. He smiled at me "Sweet naman pala ng girlfriend ko."
Napangiti na lang ako. "Let's finish our food na," I said to dismiss our conversation. Ano ka ba naman Beatriz, feel na feel mo ata pagiging girlfriend.
It was 4 in the afternoon when we went out of the hotel. The tour guide approached and greeted us, "Magandang hapon po Sir and Ma'am, ako po si Mike ang tour guide nyo para sa City Tour nyo po."
"Good afternoon Kuya Mike," we said in unison. We stared at each other and started giggling. Ang landi namin.
"You can call me Thirdy na lang and to my beautiful girlfriend, Bea." Sabay akbay sa akin at ramdam ko ang pagpula ng pisngi ko. So ganito pala ang pakiramdam na ipakilala bilang girlfriend.
"Tama po kayo Sir Thirdy, ang ganda po ni Ma'am Bea. Bagay na bagay po kayong dalawa." Kuya Mike said while smiling. "Sir at Ma'am sa tour po nating ito, tricycle lang po ang gamit natin, sakay na po kayo."
He let me in first. The tricycle ride started and I whispered to him, "This is my first time to ride a tricycle."
He looked at me and mouthed, "Me, too." And we were both smiling.
It only took 5 minutes when we reached our first destination. "Nandito po tayo ngayon sa Lualhati Park." Both Thirdy and I were listening intently to Kuya Mike. "Eto pong park na ito ay malapit lamang po sa palengke at daungan po ng mga banka papunta at galing sa mga tourist spot." We just nodded to him as we walked near the sea side.
"Nakikita nyo po ba ang isla na iyon?" We looked at Kuya's hand pointing an island. "Iyon po ang orihinal na Isla ng Coron, meron po ba kayong napapansin na kakaiba sakanya?"
I looked at Thirdy's direction and saw him smiling, "It looks like a sleeping giant."
"Tama po kayo Sir." Nakangiti lang si Kuya sa amin.
"Look Babe," he put his arm around my shoulder and the other one pointing the island. "On the left side, you can see his head and the rest is his body." I was amazed when I figured it out.
"Wow, you're right. Ang galing." I said to him why smiling.
"Babe, I'll take a photo of you first. Para nasa likod mo yung sleeping giant." He started taking my photos from different angle using my camera.
"Ikaw naman," I said to him and he handed me his camera, pareho kasi kaming may dalang camera.
After a few camera shots, Kuya Mike approached us, "Kuhanan ko po kayong dalawa." I handed Kuya our cameras.
"Pwede po both cameras, kuhanan nyo po kami?" He just nodded to us.
He put his arm around my waist and Kuya started counting three two one. "One more po, closer naman po." Mas hinapit nya ako palapit sakanya and we stared to each other. That was awkward at first but we started laughing for no reasons at all. "Ang ganda nyo pong tingnan dalawa."
We stayed at the park for 5 more minutes to took shots of the scenery. Then we headed to our next destination.
The tricycle stopped in front of a small church. "Sir Thirdy at Ma'am Bea, nandito po tayo ngayon sa harap ng simbahan namin dito sa Coron, ang St. Augustine Parish Church. Maari po kayong pumasok sa loob, aantayin ko na lang po kayo dito sa labas." I just smiled at Kuya Mike and Thirdy said thank you to him. Inalalayan nya ako pababa ng sasakyan. Ang gentleman naman po talaga netong boyfriend ko. Oops fake boyfriend Bea.
Maliit at simple lamang ang simbahan. The altar was covered with marble, on the left side of it was Sacred Heart of Jesus statue, on the right side, the statue of St. Augustine and a huge crucifix as a center piece.
We settled in pew near the altar, I knelt down and he did the same, and said our little prayers. After minutes of silence, napansin ko naman na mas umaliwalas ang awra nya.
"Lesgo," he said while smiling and I just nodded.
"Nag wish ka ba? Diba sabi nila if it's your first time sa isang simbahan, pwede kang mag wish." I heard him chuckled when I asked him that question.
"You know that kasabihan, too?" I was shocked when he held my hand. "Yeah, I hope our wishes will do come true." He smiled at me genuinely.
"Sana nga." At pinisil ang aking kamay. My heart beats a little fast. Hay anong meron sayo at ganito ang epekto mo saken.
Kuya Mike was patiently waiting outside the church and he immediately approached us, "Sir at Ma'am, picturan ko po kayo dito sa labas ng simbahan."
"Sure Kuya," he gave his camera to our tour guide. Ngayon ko lang napansin, magkahawak pa din kami ng kamay. He placed my hand on his waist and his hand on my waist naman. We smiled at each other before we looked at the camera. He seems so happy now.
After our short visit to Coron church, we headed to our next stop, the Mt.Tapyas. We all went out of the tricycle and Kuya Mike started the story telling. "Nandito po tayo ngayon sa paanan ng Mt. Tapyas, isa po ito sa pinakapopular na landmark ng Coron. May idea po ba kayo kung bakit Mt. Tapyas ang pangalan nya?"
"Yeah, I know." Thirdy said while smiling, "Tapyas because the side mountain has been chipped off when it got bombarded during World War II." Oh he's really prepared for this tour huh, impressive.
"Tama po kayo Sir Thirdy." They gave each other a high five. Napangiti na lang ako sakanilang dalawa.
"Para po makarating kayo sa itaas, kailangan nyo pong akyatin ang mahigit 700 steps. Magbaon na din po kayo ng tubig, paniguradong mauuhaw po kayo paakyat. Ipapark ko lang po ang tricycle dito. Hindi na po ako sasama sa pag akyat."
"Salamat Kuya Mike," I said and we headed first to a ministore dito sa baba ng bundok. "Two bottles of water po Ate."
But unfortunately, "Naku po Mam, last bottle na po ito."
I immediately looked at him, he was smiling playfully, "Get it na Babe, sayo na lang yan." I just nodded at him.
"Share na lang tayo, kawawa ka naman eh." I said to him then winked. Oh oh, medyo malandi Beatriz.
"So, are you ready to climb the mountain?" He asked me smiling.
I nodded to him, "Yeah, let's not just conquer the mountain, but ourselves too."