– N O V E M B E R-
“Ang dami talagang tao.” mahinang bulong ko habang nakakapit kay Mirden. Kasama ko siya pati narin si Storm ngayon kasi kaming tatlo ang magkakasama sa cabins since sila lang naman anf kaclose ko na kasama rito. Though I’ve seen Ice and Justyn too.
“Well, I heard this camp site is the best camp site ever. Madami daw kasing activity dito saka di daw sayang ang bayad.” sagot ni Storm, samantalang si Mirden tahimik lang.
Kanina ko pa nga siya tinatanong kung okay lang siya pero palagi lang siyang tumatango. I think may kinalaman yung lalaki kanina. Yung pumigil samin nung tumatakbo kami. Yung lalaking nagtawag sakin ng stupid. Oh well, di naman talaga ako stupid, clumsy lang. Minsan.
“Nakakahiya. Dapat ata di na ako sumama.” sagot ko.
“Ba’t naman? Nako Ember ah. Porque nanakawan ka lang ng kiss ganyan ka na.” natatawang saad niya na siyang ikinapula ng pisngi ko.
Argh! Pinaalala niya pa! Nakalimutan ko na nga yun e! Nakakainis!
“Hoy! Nanakawan ka ng kiss?! Yun ba yung sinasabi mong nanakaw sayo kanina?!” My eyes widened with Mirden’s voice. Nagulat ako! Bigla bigla na lang siyang magsasalita! Grabe siya!
“A-ano..” hindi ko magawang maituloy yung sasabihin ko kasi naman nakakatakot yung tingin niya sakin. Samantalang si Storm tawa lang ng tawa. Para naman kasing may nakakatawa sa nangyari sakin. Grabe! First kiss ko yung nanakaw!
“Hoy November. Umayos ka a. Nasan yang lalaking nagnakaw sayo?! Sasapakin ko! Lagot sakin yan! Hindi niya ba alam na bawal kang halikan?! Isa pa you’re still a baby! Gosh!” napangiwi ako dahil sa litanya niya. Baby? Gosh.
“Ya! I’m not a baby anymore?!” i exclaimed. Na sana hindi ko nalang ginawa. Nakatanggap tuloy ako ng masamang tingin mula kay Mirden, samantalang si Storm, ayun, tawa parin ng tawa. Nababaliw na.
“Hindi! For us baby ka parin! Tsk. Teka nga nasan ba sila Ice? Nakakagigil sa kanila daw tayo sumama para naman malaki ang group of friends nila.” Tanong niya kaya naman nagkibit balikat nalang ako. Because I don't really have an idea where they are right now.
“Campers! You all can go inside your cabins for the meantime! We'll just inform you all kapag dinner na! Enjoy your stay!” Napalingon kami ng bigla nalang may sumigaw. It was the same girl, named Peach.
“So I guess we should see our cabins na?” I asked them. Mirden nod pero si Storm shook her head.
“You two go ahead. I'll go around the corner muna to see something special.” Aniya kaya naman nagtaka ako. What could be that 'special' she sayin'?
“Arasseo. You know naman where our cabin is, we will wait you nalang din sa bonfire later this night. Okay?” Sagot ni Mirden unnie samantalang ako tumango lang. Storm then nodded too before heading to her 'around the corner trip' niya. While me and Mirden unnie starts walking narin papunta sa cabin namin.
“You should tell me what happened. Bakit ka nanakawan ng halik Ember Liu?” Napakamot ako sa pisngi saka napakagat sa labi when I heard her most 'nakakatakot' voice.
“Eonni...hajimayo...” I said pleadingly.
“Oo na oo na. Basta next time make kwento.” aniya kaya naman ngumiti nalang ako ng maliit.
Tumingin nalang ako sa harapan na sana hindi ko nalang ginawa kasi I saw that guy again who stole a kiss from me. I saw him wink at me kaya naman nag-iwas ako ng tingin. I just hope eonni didn't see that.
I sighed, I think my vacation will not be boring but at the same time will not be peaceful too because of that guy. Waaah! Eotteokhe?!
- S T O R M -
I think my head's about to leave my body na since kanina pa ako palingon-lingon sa kung saan-saan. Kanina ko pa kasi hinahanap yung lalaking nakita ko kanina before kami pumasok nila Mirden dito but I can't see him anymore. I'm sure naman na he's in here too kasi dito siya dumiretso kanina.
Pero nasaan na ba siya?
I don't know too why I want to see him. I just really want to, make friends with him? Lmao, who am I kidding anyway?
I actually know him. He's Thunder from Class-C, and a member of the dance troupe in our school. He's more known as Thor. Madami siyang kilala sa school. And I don't know why he don't know me, or maybe he just really don't care at all?
Oh well, now that he's here too, might as well, do something that can make him notice me. Yes, I like him. Not romantically tho, I like him as an enemy and a competitor. At nabwibwisit ako sa kanya dahil kung hindi dahil sa kanya hindi ako maiitsapwera sa dance troupe na'yon!
Nakakainis!
Kapag nakita ko talaga siya I will slap his—
“Ouch!” Impit na sigaw ko ng bigla nalang akong mapaupo sa lapag.
Who the hell pushed me?! Who the hell—
“Hey, are you okay? I'm sorry I didn't see you.” That voice. That familiar voice.
Naapangat ako ng tingin dahil doon. Mas nakompirma ko na siya nga ng makita ko siya.
Fck! He's so gwa—err nakakairita.
“You didn't see me? Bakit? Bulag ka ba?” Sarcastic na tanong ko sa kanya. Akala ko maiinis siya pero ngumiti lang siya saka ako tinulungan tumayo.
I almost jump when he touched me. What the hell is happening to me?
“No. But I think I will be, because of you. You're just too pretty that my eyes can't even take it.” He said while still smiling.
My throat dried because of his words. What the hell? Is he flirting with me? Totoo ba 'to? Malandi siya?!
“A-are you flirting with me?” Hindi ko alam why I stuttered just by asking him that. Storm! Get grip on your senses!
He shrugs. “No. Just sayin' the obvious. Anyways, I'm really sorry for what happened. Here...” he said bago magbigay ng isang papel sakin.“...my contact number. You can call me anytime you want. Bayad ko na sa nagawa ko kanina.” He said while still smiling.
Seriously? A calling card?
“You don't need to. W-wala naman akong pilay or what.”
“It's fine. You can take that. Just call me anytime you want. I'll go ahead na din. Hinihintay na ako ng mga kaibigan ko. Take care okay?” Aniya saka tinap ako ulo bago nagjog na palayo sakin.
Napahawak ako sa ulo ko na ni-tap niya saka nakatulala lang sa tinatakbuhan niya.
What just happened?
- M I R D E N -
Have you all ever thought of askin' yourself what's happening around you? What is wrong?
Ganon kasi ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. I keep on asking myself what's wrong with me that I can't forget him? What's wrong with me that I can't even unlove him? Ilang taon na ba ang lumipas since the last day I saw him?
Matagal narin pala. Sa sobrang tagal akala ko parang kahapon lang. How can he love her still despite of everything? How can Justyn love her still despite of what happened?
“Ember, I'll just go...outside.” Humina ang pagkakasabi ko sa huli when I saw her sleeping peacefully. Napangiti nalang ako habang nakatingin sa kanya. Mukhang napagod sa byahe dahil madaling nakatulog.
Napailing nalang ako saka kumuha ng kapirasong papel sa bag ko saka sumulat ng note para hindi niya ako hanapin kapag nagising siya. After writing the note inipit ko nalang 'yon sa ibabaw ng lamesa malapit sa kanya.
Marahan akong lumabas ng cabin namin saka naglibot sa paligid. I can some people lurking around the corner, amazed by how beautiful this campsite is. I can actually say that this camp is very well mentained.
I am thankful too that they didn't let us use our phones inside here. Kapag ganitong camping mas gugustuhin ko pa na hindi gumamit ng phone. Using phones in places like this makes the place useless. Bakit mo pa kasi kakailangin ng gadget when in fact you can enjoy the trip without those?
While lurking around hindi ko napansing nasa tapat na pala ako ng library ng camp na 'to. Kanina, nilibot kami ng guide sa mga places na nandito and it amazed me more na may mga ganitong facilities dito na magagamit. Usually, walang library sa mga ganitong campsites. But gaya ng sabi ni Peach kanina, I won't be able to come inside since may inaayos nga ata sa loob kaya sa labas nalang ako umupo.
Okay lang naman since it has a wide patios around the library building. Napabuntong hininga ako saka tumingala at pumikit. Somehow, I felt peaceful just by being alone like this. Ganito yung hinahanap kong peacefulness na wala sa ibang lugar.
While feeling the cold breeze air a string of sound passed by my ears. Napadilat ako ng marinig ko kung gaano kafamiliar ang sound na'yon for me. I just don't remember when and where I heard that sound. Saan ko nga ba narinig ang tugtog ng gitara na'yon?
I don't know what happened to me, but I just found myself following where the sound is coming from. Gusto kong malaman kung saan nanggagaling ang tunog na'yon at kung sino ang gumagawa 'non.
I started walking slowly when I saw someone playing a guitar not far from me. Hindi ko alam pero parang gusto kong umiyak habang nakatingin sa kanya. His piece is too sad that I can actually feel it in my heart. Sino ba siya? Why is he sad?
I stopped from walking just inches away from him when he stopped playing the guitar. Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin at hindi ko malaman kung bakit parang gulat na gulat siya ng makita niya ako. Then doon ko lang nalaman na he's that guy who stopped me from running earlier.
“Y-you...” Mahinang bigkas ko.
Napakurap siya ng ilang beses bago nagbaba ng tingin but I saw his lips curved a little bago siya tumayo at nagpagpag ng suot niya.
“Why are you here?” He asked that made me stiffened.
His voice is too cold. Why?
“I ahm...sorry. I didn't mean to intervene. N-narinig ko lang kasi yung tinugtog mo.” Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako nanginginig habang nakatingin sa kanya.
He nodded. “I see.” Maikling sagot niya saka nagsimula ng maglakad.
I thought he will stop nung nakalapit na siya sakin pero hindi pala. He just walk passed by me.
My heart then starts to bleed for I don't know why. Why is my heart beating so fast that I can't control it to slow down?
“S-sandali!” I shouted then face him.
Napahinto naman siya sa paglalakad saka umikot para maharap ako. Why is his face looks so familiar for me? Nagkita na ba kami dati?
“I-I'm Mirden. You are?” I don't know why I just blurted that out.
He smiled. That smile.
“I know, Mirden.” Iyon lang ang sinabi niya saka nagsimula na namang maglakad palayo.
Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko habang nakatingin sa kanya.
Why is my heart aching while looking at you?
💮
note: Hi! Hi! I know you all misses Campfire and I do too pero kasi I posted on my timeline that I will be on hiatus for now since i'm too busy with my acads. so for more info, you all can contact me here and on my
twitter : eleeleewp
ig: eleleestories
ps: if ya'll wanna tweet about campfire please use the hashtag #CAMPFIRE(your feelings/thoughts about this story) so I can read it all. THANK YOU! LOVE YA'LL!
xoxo