PEAR
A week earlier...
"Papa naman you're always compromising me with Tei, I don't like him please" nandito na naman kami sa study room dahil pinapakiusapan nya ako magpunta sa convention with that guy again for the what time? I lost count already.
"Hija please din, last na ito after this one enough na pangako ko yan sayo isa pa walang kasama sa mga dance lesson nya ang mama mo" there you go ang walang katapusang dance lesson ng mama ang dinadahilan nya sa akin just because I can't say no to them haaayyy someday I will have this big guts na sumuway...
"Ok papa pero once I move out here wag mo na ako kukulitin regarding that Tei guy ha?".
He smile "that's my first born give me a kiss before you walk away".
Lumapit ako at humalik sa pisngi nya "I thought you don't like him for me?".
Tumawa sya ng malutong "I don't, and alam ko naman na hindi mo sya magugustuhan and I know he know it but his dad is pushing it".
I wink at him bago lumabas ng door.
Lately Tei is sending me gift and I actually hate it minsan he gave me flowers or chocolate I just give it away kay Tita Felly.
Pagdating ko ng office my medium size ng basket sa table ko full of tart with a note saying...
I hope this sweet tart brings sweetness in your morning, see you in the airport tomorrow
Nilagay ko lang yung basket of tart sa may couch at mamaya ibibigay ko kay Tita Felly.
I started working reading mostly contracts and reviewing offers/bidding I got so busy most of the morning ng biglang bumukas yung pintuan ng office ko...at hingal na hingal na pumasok si Swan.
"Gang sorry I'm late..." sabi nya pa while catching her breath at bahagya pang hawak ang dibdib nya.
I just look at her then balik na ulit ako sa monitor ko yung attention ko, I want to review one bidding that we won at gusto ko mag-focus since I want to go home early I feel a little bit tired.
"Wow silent treatment today gang?anu kaya bukas?" kulit nya pa rin habang inaayos yung mga file na aniwan ko kagabi sa table.
"Wala ako bukas" I told her without looking.
"Huh?deh next day" sabi nya pa rin cheerfully na parang hindi nya naiintindihan.
"One week akong mawawala" I told her while resting my back she got my attention already can't focus on the monitor kaya might as well kausapin ko na lang sya.
Nag-tatakang nakatingin lang sya sa akin nagtatanong ang mga mata nya at....nalulungkot???
"May convention sa Singapore and papa send me as his representative" sabi ko na lang I hate seeing that look on her eyes na parang kasalanan ko na malungkot sya.
"Well ngayon pa lang I miss you already" sabay yuko sa mga papel na hawak nya "matagal din kasi ang one week".
"Bakit ikaw ba ang aalis at natatagalan ka?".
"Nope...feelings ko naman ito so let me have it" sabi nya in a very sad tone.
"Tsk tsk tsk malala na yan peasant" sabi ko na nangingiti, I just want to lighten the air between us.
But she did not reply...
"Ok don't do the puppy sad thing look... when I got back,will you design my place?" then she look at me with a surprise then her face turns into excited mode.
"Really???"
I just nod "If you want" then I smiled at her,she deserve it by the way.
"Of course I'd be happy to do it,pero pwede bang kainin ko yung tart mo??? gutom na gutom na ako,hindi pa ako nakapag-breakfast" sabi nya pa.
But even before I could answer natanggal na nya yung balot ng basket at nakadalawang tart na agad.
"Ang sarap naman ng mango tart"sabi nya in between chewing she look adorable and cute.
Nangingiti ako pero pinipigilan ko ayoko masyadong mag-invest ng emotion ko sa kanya lalo na at natatakot ako...
My sister look a disaster because of that Adriano girl.
And I cannot take a blow like that...
not my heart...
"Kanino galing ito???surprise mo yata ito sa akin eh" sabi habang nagbubukas na ng pang sampung piraso nya.
"Asa!!! kay Tei galing yan" sabi ko.
"WHHUUUAAATTT BAKIT DI MO SINABI AGAD" sabay takbo sa labas.
Anung nangyari sa babaeng yun?.
Pagbalik nya nakatakip yung bibig nya "Gang naman bakit mo ko pinakain ng bigay nya!!!" nag-iiyak-iyakan pang sabi nya "hindi ko na naisuka nakakainis!!!".
"Ipasok mo daliri mo sa bibig mo" I told her in ever cold tone.
"Eeeewwww yun dapat di mo ako pinakakain ng bigay nya".
"Hindi kita pinakain ng bigay nya, you invite yourself to eat it remember???".
"Kahit na" she pout habang nagmamaktol "Baka may gayuma yun!".
"Come here" sabi ko sa kanya lumapit naman sya towards me.
"Closer stupid" lumapit sya at hinatak ko sya hanggang mapa-kandong na sya sa akin akmang tatayo sya "behave!".
Then I kiss her...we kiss...until we can't breath anymore and we need to gasp some air...
"Kung may gayuma man yun nahawa na ako ok?so stop acting na hindi mo gusto yung tart ni Tei" I told her while caressing her lips with my finger...
Then she hugged my neck "I will miss you...mag-reply ka kahit once a day lang ha habang andun ka sa singapore" parang batang bilin nya sa akin.
My heart beats fast when I felt her warm body so close to mine...
=======================================================
@ the Singapore convention
"I didn't know you're a text person Pear" bulong sa akin ni Tei.
"Shut up and listen to the speaker" bara ko sa kanya.
"I'd rather watch you and listen to your breath than listen to him" nanunuksong sagot nya.
"Funny!!! Tei c'mon don't ruin my day since nasira mo na ang buong linggo ko" iritado kong baling sa kanya this our fifth day sa Singapore the whole four days andun na naman yung mga pagpipilit nya na lumabas kami it will never happen ayoko sa kanya at sa lahat ng tao...really??? lahat???.
Ok fine! except Swan... na nireplayan ko dahil nag-send sya ng pic nya with a bunny head band and she look super cute I knew I had to ruin it by sending bad message dahil alam ko nasisimangot sya at huhubadin yung head band na yun...isipin pa lang yun natatawa na ako...
Natapos ang convention na hindi ko talaga naintidihan ang speaker bukod sa pangungulit ni Tei nadi-distract ako sa itsura ng speaker he look like someone I can't figure out pero may kahawig sya...
He is tall and lean,kayumanggi yung kulay nya, when he smile I knew I've seen that smile somewhere I just can't remember, after ng lecture nag-punta na kami sa buffet table to grab some lunch,I was about to grab some garlic bread when I saw somebody's hand grabbing the same piece I wan't, when i looked kung sino ang may-ari ng kamay na yun, it was the speaker earlier.
"Hi i'm Jhen" he smile...same smile I knew before.
"Jhen???" di ba girl name yun? thinking at the back of my head.
"Yup Jhenison Nathe Gardner" paliwanag nya.
"Pear Yuzon" sabi ko lang "you can have the bread it's ok" at umalis na ako wala ako sa mood makipag-kwentuhan sa kanya.
"Nice meeting you Ms. Yuzon and see you around" sabi nya pa habang palayo na ako.
After the whole convention nag-kulong ako sa room ko trying to make some sketches... but I end up sketching Swan face...yung mukha nya everytime may mali syang nagagawa...her silly smile...that loop sided lips of her...yung mata nya na puno ng kakulitan...
Then I realize kung anung ginagawa ko agad kong pinunit yung papel no!not again! not to another Rodrigues!
Someone knock on my door.
"Oo tara na labas tayo" sabi ko agad pagbukas ko ng pinto si Tei ang nasa harap ko siguro I need to go out with a guy kaya siguro ako nalilito kasi laging si Swan ang kasama ko...I need someone new...at si Tei ang laging available.
Gulat man pero masaya si Tei...
Namasyal kami sa universal studio ciempre pinilit nya ako mag-picture pumayag na lang ako, kung bakit? ewan ko siguro niloloko ko ang sarili ko na nag-e-enjoy ako pero ang totoo nagi-guilty ako pakiramdam ko mali ito... wala naman kami ginagawang masama sabi ng utak ko pero iba ang sinasabi ng puso ko taksil!!!.
We had dinner sa hotel na lang na tinutuluyan namin since I feel so tired ayoko na sana kumain pero ang isipin na pag dating ko sa room mag-babasa na naman ako ng message ni Swan at masisiyahan ang pumigil sa akin..
"Pear why are you always stiff?" bilang tanong ni Tei over dinner.
I didn't not say a word ayoko makipag-usap sa kanya kung alam nya lang ang dahilan ko bakit ako sumama sa kanya.
"Don't get me wrong pero bata ka pa so you need to let go sometimes and have fun...do crazy things" pa-cool na sabi nya.
Crazy things...
Let go...
I did that and that's reason why I am the monster today...
"Why? do you want to bed me??" malamig na sabi ko pare pareho talaga ang mga lalaki they disgust me.
He look at me "no...not just bed you Pear...I want you to love me" he look sincere sa sinabi nya "dahil kung yun lang ang gusto ko hindi ako mag-mamakaawa sa papa ko at papa mo para tulungan ako sayo,kahit alam ko na ayaw mo sa akin".
"Tei----".
"Pear I know hindi mo pa ako gusto ngayon but malay mo,one day maisip mo di ba?" putol nya sa sasabihin ko then he gave me a hopeful smile.
Tahimik namin tinapos ang dinner hinatid nya ako sa room ko he was about to say goodnight.
"Tell me something to let go" sabi ko sa kanya out of nowhere.
"Just let go" sabi nya then he smile.
Then I grab him and kiss him...he still look shock when I shut the door.
That kiss was nothing.
No kilig...
No shiver on my spine...
No magic...
It was warm though but not sweet...
unlike...
her kiss...