This is kinda long. I assure you that every chapter na ide-date ng magkakapatid si Blythe ay mahabang chapter. Please bear with me and just enjoy this Hali-Blythe "date".
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Blythe's POV
I glanced myself in the mirror for the last time. I am dressed casually, just a white v-neck shirt na pinatungan ko ng black leather jacket and a pair of boyfriend jeans. I also slipped on my old white chucks na medyo kupas na pero maayos pa naman. I also wore my black baseball cap kasi ayaw kong masikatan ng araw ang mukha ko dahil mukhang pang outdoor activity ang pupuntahan namin ni Hali. I didn't put on any make-up and just go with just a powder and tint. I like it bare.
Speaking of Hali, she told me to wear anything comfortable. I still don't have the slightest idea on where she's gonna "date" me.
Inaamin kong medyo nagulat ako kaninang umaga nang makita siyang prenteng nakapangalumbaba sa balkonahe ng bahay nila habang pinapanood ako. Gusto kong mag-astang napahiya dahil nakita niya akong "sumasayaw" sa treadmill. Hindi ko kasi siya napansin nang lumabas ako at nakapagtatakang maaga siyang nagising. I don't see her as a morning person so I was overly confident that no one would witness my little secret. Mabuti nalang na na-adjust ko ng kaunti ang reaksiyon ko pagkakita sa kanya.
At iyon na nga, she asked me if she could take me out on a date today. Seryoso pala talaga sila sa naganap na kondisyon kagabi. I slept last night with that in thought and I convinced myself that all of that was a joke and that no one will take it seriously.
Oh well, I mentally take note that the Romanos' take their words seriously. But I also resorted to call this date "hanging out" para sa ikakapanatag ng damdamin ko. It felt pretty awkward to go on a "date" with each of the siblings one by one. It makes me look like a playgirl just like Dana called it.
I left my room and ran down the stairs. As I was approaching the last steps, bumagal ang pagkilos ko dahil nakatayo si Hali sa paanan ng hagdan na tila kanina pa niya ako hinihintay.
Nakayuko ito kaya hindi nito nakita ang pagdating ko. I cleared my throat nang makalapit ako sa kanya.
She looked up and immediately smiled when she saw me. Hinagod niya ako ng tingin and I can't help but blush at the way she's looking at me.
Pasimple ko rin siyang hinagod ng tingin. She's wearing a plain black shirt and ripped jeans. She got the same white chucks as I am. How can she still look so freaking fabulous with just wearing simple clothes? No fair.
"You look good."
"You look nice."
Sabay naming sabi at sabay rin kaming tumawa.
"We look like a couple," she said.
"We're not couples and this is simply hanging out," sagot ko sa kanya. I think it's fine to just settle the score habang maaga pa.
Pero mukhang gawa sa bakal ang bubbles niya coz'I just can't burst her.
She leaned closer to me, "Call it whatever you want babe, but you ain't gonna lose me that fast."
Napalunok ako ng maramdam ko ang mainit niyang hininga sa tainga ko. I wasn't expecting my reaction to this kind of closeness kaya bigla ko siyang naitulak at naglakad papuntang pinto.
I heard her laugh a little at agad naman itong sumunod sa akin.
Nasa labas na kami ng gate pero wala akong nakitang sasakyan.
"Where's your car?" tanong ko.
"Ah, I was about to tell you that we won't be driving our own car today. Mag co-commute tayo sa lahat ng pupuntahan natin."
I stayed silent for a moment para hintayin ang punch line niya. Paano ba naman kasi? Siya? Isang Romano? Mag co-commute?
Kung ako ay okay lang sa akin. I lived alone during my college days and I taught my self a lot during that time. I'm pretty sure 'commuting' is one of them.
"Alam ko iyang tingin na yan, Blythe. I'm serious. I want to have a low key date with you," she clicked her tongue as if remembering something "I mean hang out with you."
I smiled as she said that. She's finally getting the right terms. "And by low key, you mean dragging me to some seriously crowded transpo vehicles and literally get in touch with strange people?"
I said that with a scrunched face. Nawala ang ngiti sa magandang mukha nito at tila pinagsisihan ang desisyon niya. Pero bago pa siya makasagot ay...
"I love it. Let's go," sabi ko.
Hinampas niya ako sa braso at bumalik ang ngiti niya. "Don't freak me out like that! Whew, I thought you're gonna ditch me or something," nagpakawala ito ng hininga na akala mo nabunutan ng tinik.
45 minutes later....
"What's taking it so long?" For the hundreth time, Hali asked.
Umikot ang mata ko at di makapaniwalang tumingin sa kanya. Namumula na ito dahil sa init at pinapaypay na niya ang mga kamay sa mukha.
I took off my cap at ginamit iyon para mapaypayan siya. Pareho kasi kaming walang dalang panyo.
"Sino ba kasi nagsabing mag commute tayo? Hindi ba ikaw?"
"Oo nga. Pero di ko in-expect na aabutan tayo ng rush hour kapag nag LRT," tila napapahiyang sagot niya.
Yep, nandito kami ngayon sa LRT EDSA station. We took a bus going to Pasay tapos bumaba kami dito sa EDSA. Medyo maayos pa kami kanina sa bus dahil aircon iyon at nakaupo pa kami. Pero nang makita niya ang pila sa baggage check ay nagsimula na siyang magreklamo. Na lalo pang tumindi nang malaman niyang kailangan pang pumila ulit para sa BEEP CARD.
Ngayon nga ay nandito na kami sa platform at naghihintay ng tren. Seems like a good time to educate this privelege-non-commuting-and-very-important-person na kasama ko.
"I must tell you that once the train gets here, you need to act fast. Kahit hindi pa bumubukas ang pintuan ay dapat handa ka nang sumampa sa loob kasi kapag babagal bagal ka, mapag iiwanan ka. Understood?" Masinsin kong pagkakasabi sa kanya.
Tumango tango naman ito. "How come you know—"
Hindi na niya natapos ang sasabihin niya dahil pumito na si manong guard indicating that the train's approaching. Impit na napatili si Hali at ewan ko kung dahil sa kaba iyon o excitement.
Napatawa ako ng malakas nang pinusisyon niya ang katawan na akala mo tatakbo. She even act like she's cracking her neck.
Napapatingin ang mga tao sa aming dalawa dahil, one: Hali is being weird with her ready-to-run stance; two: ang lakas ng tawa ko dahil sa hitsura niya; and three: we totally stand out in this crowd. Di sa pagmamayabang pero bihira ka nga naman kasing makakita ng dalawang blue-eyed girls sa ganitong klaseng lugar.
The train finally stopped and the moment the doors opened, Hali ran inside like a freaking athlete. Mabuti nalang at malalaki rin ang hakbang kong nakapasok sa tren.
Wala na agad maupuan kaya I roamed my eyes para hanapin kung nasaan si Hali nang walang anu-ano ay biglang umandar ang tren. Wala akong nakapitan kaya naramdaman ko nalang ang sarili kong papatumba na.
I closed my eyes and waited for my body to hit the floor but suddenly a strong arm wrapped around my waist preventing me to fall.
"I got you, babe."
Hali is securing me with her right hand while her left hand were tightly gripping on the railing.
"Hal," I pouted.
"Huwag ka mag pa-cute. Ilalaglag kita," banta niya.
Tumayo ako ng maayos at humawak na rin sa railings pero hindi pa rin niya tinatanggal ang kamay niya na nasa bewang ko.
"Thanks for that."
"Ikaw naman pala ang babagal bagal eh. Akala ko nakasunod ka sa akin agad. Ayan tuloy, muntikan mo ng mahalikan yung sahig. Buti nalang nasalo kita," mayabang na sabi niya.
Hinampas ko siya sa braso, "Hindi ako mabagal, masyado ka lang talaga mabilis. And please get your hands off me."
"Oh, this?" lalo niyang hinigpitan ang pagkakahawak niya sa bewang ko. Para na tuloy siyang nakayakap sa akin. "Baka tuluyan ka ng mahulog at masaktan. I won't let that happen." she winks at me.
I just snickered. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa mga taong nakaupo sa tapat namin. They were gawking at us like we were some kind of exotic beings. I can't blame them tho. I would stare at us too if I were them.
You're becoming obnoxious there buddy.
"People are staring. It feels kinda weird." Hali remarked.
"Bitiwan mo na kasi ako. Para naman akong bata sa ginagawa mo eh."
"Hindi ka bata. Pero baby kita, gusto mo yon?" she teased me.
I rolled my eyes at her lame pick-up line. "Hindi."
Tumigil ang tren sa sumunod na station at maraming taong pumasok. Hinila ko si Hali at umusod kami bandang likuran. I was leaning against the door (yung door na hindi bumubukas) and Hali is standing super close in front of me.
"I'm starting to like crowded trains, Blythe. It makes us closer." a playful smile is now visible on her face.
"Bahala ka, ikaw rin. Baka lumampas tayo sa bababaan natin niyan."
I figured na kapag patuloy ko lang siyang kokontrahin sa patuloy niyang panghaharot sa akin ay lalo lang siyang nagiging, uhhh, agresibo? Can't think of a right term but heck, Hali is too playful on her games. Imma gonna pick up the pace and just go with it.
Nang huminto ang tren sa Vito Cruz station ay maraming estudyante ang sumakay. Lalong sumiksik sa akin si Hali habang natuod naman ako sa kinatatayuan ko.
She is dangerously close now. As in I could smell her and she amazingly smells like strawberries. Mas matangkad siya sa akin and it made me feel protected. I don't know what came over me but I just burried my face on her neck.
I heard her moan and it took all my strenght not to laugh. She's affected huh? So to further tease the tease, I inhaled her strawberry scent and lightly pressed my lips on the crook of her neck.
"B-Blythe..." tila nahihirapang tawag niya sa pangalan ko.
"Hmmm?"
"You do realize that we're in a public place, right?"
I continued to feast on her neck and she lets out another frustrated moan. "Yeah? That's what makes it more exciting."
"Ang susunod na istasyon ay Central. The next station is Central."
That's her cue to distance herself from me. Medyo nilayo niya ang sarili niya at doon ko nakita kung gaano siya kapula. And what's that strange look on her blue eyes? Desire?
Oh god, I think I might teased her a little too far.
"You have no idea what you've gotten into Blythe," naniningkit ang mga mata niya sa akin. Her eyes evidently got darker.
I suppressed my laughter, "You started it."
Before she can even say something again, huminto na ang tren at hinawakan niya ang kamay ko dragging me with her as she excused her way out of the crowd. Dahil literal na nag stand out siya sa katangkaran niya at dahil na rin sa blonde hair niya ay nahawi na parang red sea ang mga tao at mabilis kaming nakalabas.
Habang pababa kami ay hindi niya binitawan ang kamay ko at hindi rin siya nagsasalita.
Naglalakad na kami sa gilid ng highway nang magtanong ako.
"Anong ginagawa natin dito sa Manila?"
"You'll see."
Naglakad pa kami ng ilang minuto and she did not let my hand go for a second. Ang bilis pa man din niyang maglakad kaya parang bata akong kinakaladkad niya ngayon.
Huminto lang kami sa mga may jeep na nakaparada sa gilid ng daan.
"Divisoria! Soria! Soria! Maluwang pa!" Lumapit sa amin si manong barker. "San kayo mga ma'am? Divisoria?"
"Divisoria kuya." sagot ni Hali.
No way....
Saktong bakante iyong upuan sa harap na katabi ng driver kaya doon kami umupo ni Hali.
Nag abot ng pera ang kasama ko at nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang isang libo iyon.
"Wala ka bang barya ma'am?" tanong ng driver na napakamot sa ulo. "Barya lang po sa umaga."
"Ah kuya heto nalang po." nag abot ako ng bente at binalik ko kay Hali ang pera niya.
"Blythe! You don't have to do that." galit na sita niya sa akin.
Umirap ako sa kanya. "If you plan to take public transpo, you should also know that taking smaller amount of bills is important."
"But I never got any other bills but one-thousands."
"Shhh, huwag mo sabihin yan. Baka may makarinig sayo at madukutan ka. Kasi naman! Sana sinabi mo kung saan tayo pupunta para nakapaghanda tayo."
She gave me a horrifying reaction to what I've said, "May chance na mangyari ang ganun?"
"Oo, kaya hold closely to your things Hal."
She closely held her very stylish bag on her lap. And then I felt her other hand slipped behind me. The next thing I knew she's hugging me by the waist.
"What are you doing?" I asked her.
"Sabi mo eh. I'm just holding closely to what's mine." she smiled.
Just how many times would my heart go crazy today? And I'm pretty sure i'm red af right now. Again. Corteousy of this girl named Hali.
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(Media: Blythe Santiago)