25 // My Hand Smells Like Coffee
Okay, so we got kicked out of the hotel just before the after-party started. Yup, me and all of my cousins. They got dragged into the mess because of Elon. Our parents heard, now they sent us all back to the mansion.
Hindi muna raw kami lahat papasok sa iskul.
Alcohol na alcohol kasi si Elon, ang bwiset! Lumabas kasi siya ng event hall noon for the bar sana, but then he saw the bagarre between Wyatt and Jerrick. He called Hayes and Kuya Mason for backup. Then the next thing I knew, all the girls went out, too.
Jerrick winced upon the contact of the cotton ball on his cheekbone. It turned a bit purple kasi. Hmm, I guess Wyatt could punch afterall.
"Sunshine, you are being so harsh," he pouted.
"Sunshine, you're being so maarte."
I couldn't believe he even pouted. Bumagsak pa ang tingin niya sa hita after I mocked him. He just kept on wincing while I tend to his bruise.
Nasa garden swing kami ni Jerrick. Lumapit si Ate Carina para magbigay ng baso ng tubig. Hindi naman ako nauuhaw pero sige okay na rin.
"Kay Jerrick 'yan," she said after my mouth touched the rim of the glass.
Ngumiwi ako. "Crush mo ba, Ate?"
"What? No!" she quickly said. Tumingin siya kay Jerrick. "No offense meant."
Jerrick just bobbed his head like a puppy. "Sure."
E kasi, para lang sure! Ayoko kasing magkaroon ng kaagaw na family, e. Feeling ko kasi ako iyong magpaparaya kung nagkataon. Tapos kapag naging sila, during family celebrations like this one, sila na ang magkasama.
Masasaktan ako sa gilid pero sasabihin kong okay lang ako, kahit hindi. Ngingiti ako pero sa loob ko, patay na ako. Tapos sa huli malalaman ko na ako pa rin pala talaga iyong mahal ni guy. Tatanggapin ko ulit siya nang patago. Kaso sa dulo magmamakaawa sa 'kin si Ate Carina na ibigay ko na lang sa kanya itong lalaki ko kasi hindi siya mabuhuhay nang wala siya.
Ayan, parang ganyan. Ang scary lang kasi.
May kasunod pa 'yan, e, iyong buntisan part. Kaso hindi pa ako ready sa ganoon. So...
"Viennica, stop spacing out. 'Di ko aagawin sayo jowa mo!"
"Hah! 'Di ko siya jowa," I groaned.
Elon appeared with a bottle of champagne on one hand. Lifting his arm up, he did a rowdy celebratory shake, causing the cork of the champagne bottle to rocket up in the air.
"Wooo! Getting kicked out is fun!" he even beamed.
Ate Carina rolled her eyes. "Elon, birthday party 'yon ni Lolo."
"Yeah, and it's their loss. What they didn't know was that we the partey!" he said and started to run around the garden like an athlete, making the champagne bottle his alternative torch.
Iniwan kami ni Ate Carina para hagarin si Elon. Idinidikit na niya kasi iyong bote sa bibig ng standee ni Lolo Gustin, inom daw sila.
Jerrick poked my cheek. "Selos ka kanina?"
"Says who?" I raised a brow.
"Says you."
"Mesa didn't say that," I said like Jar Jar Binks.
Pinigilan niya ang kamay ko sa paggamot sa pasa niya at inangkla iyon sa balikat niya. Ang isa ko pang kamay ay hinawakan naman niya.
"Halikan mo na lang, Vie... I bet it'll heal faster."
Sinukat ko ang tingin niya. His eyes looked like how it looked when my lips were about to get some action. Nangangalo iyon.
Umikot tiyan ko. Hinintay ko ang isang segundo, baka sakaling sumigaw siya ng 'joke' lang. Eh pero hindi nagbago! Kaya umikot lalo loob ng sikmura ko.
It's weird to think that my Mom said I was born normal. And yet right here, I didn't get butterflies in my stomach. I had washing machine in my gut 'cause of the swirling sensation that won't stop inside.
I was scammed.
Oh, well. Ang mundo nga pala ay isang malaking Quiapo. Don't say I don't know philosophy. Don't.
"Vie... what are you thinking?"
I took a quick glance at some of my cousins, and then back again at our holding hands.
"Eh maraming tao..."
"Is that a problem?" He teased. "I could even kiss you in front of the world."
"Gagi, ano punta pa tayong outer space?"
Inakbayan niya ako bigla. Hinilig niya ang ulo ko sa balikat niya. I caught a whiff of his faint perfume when the wind blew.
"I'm glad you're okay, Vie. He doesn't deserve you."
This day was a mess. But I'd lived for this train wreck again and again. Although I'm having second thoughts on the part where two kids fought. Ang hirap palang umawat. Hindi ko kasi sure kung ifi-feel ko muna iyong moment nang pinagaawayan ako or...
Fine! Maybe, I should just go with or.
And theeen, sige na nga... smack lang.
Hinintay ko munang maging busy ang mga pinsan ko sa ginagawa nila. When I felt assured that no one would see us, I planted a quick peck on his lips. Then I hurried to fix my posture and sat like a proper lady.
He chuckled. "Viennica ko, wala sa labi ko ang sugat."
Huh, ano ba kasi talaga? Akala ko...
Pinadulas ko ang puwit ko sa swing para bumaba ang katawan ko at maitago ang mukha ko. Inangat niya ako ulit pero nagpadulas na naman ako. Tapos umangat lang ako ulit. O, edi ito na nga! Ulit ulit. Angat na lang.
"Linawin mo kasi. 'Di ka malinaw, e!"
I got on my feet to march out.
"Saan ka pupunta, Vie?" Pinagtatawanan niya ako.
I faked a yawn. "Wala! Magtitimpla ng kape. Nakakaantok 'yang labi mo."
Tawa niya lang ang narinig ko. Namatay iyon nang makaliko ako papasok sa kitchen ng garden area. This was where we cooked food during weekends back then. Weekends were reserved for BBQ and pool days during our childhood and pre-college life.
Naabutan kong nagluluto sina Jules at Snooki ng hindi ko alam. Basta mabango.
"Jules, sa'n 'yong coffee maker?"
"Go inside the other kitchen. It's there," sagot niya habang pokus pa rin sa pagluluto.
"Wait, dito ka muna!" said Snooki, holding back my arm. "What did really happen? Bakit may nagsuntukan?"
Well...
"Gusto lang nilang magpapawis," I said.
"Vie..."
My shoulders fell. Fine! "I might or might not have told Jerrick to mess with Wyatt's hair."
"'Di ba ayaw niyang nagugulo buhok niya?" asked Jules. "Ang vain talaga no'n! Pero gaga ka talaga. At ito namang si Jerrick, sumunod!"
"Girl, kung si Chris 'yon, susundin ka rin niya," noted Snooki.
"No. Kung si Chris 'yon, siya ang umaawat at ako iyong nakikipagsuntukan."
Snooki just gave her an exasperated eye roll. She turned to me, "Pero what does he wants with you ba? That Wyatt?"
"Gusto niya daw makipagtext, e. Then I turned him down. Not that it's really called that, pero parang gano'n na rin. Tapos sabi ko lang na ayoko nang ma-involve ulit sa kanya, even as friends."
"About damn time, Viennica!"
"Oo, pero feeling ko feeling niya na gusto ko pa rin siya, e. Feeling."
"Then frickin' go steady with Jerrick already!" cried Julia Esse. Yes, she's Julia Esse when she's mad. Mad like crazy, or mad as in... mad. We all don't want a Julia Esse.
"Gee..." I murmured cautiously. "Ibalik mo sa 'min si Jules."
Iniwan ko na sila roon at lumakad papunta sa kitchen sa loob. Nakasalubong ko pa ang ilang kasambahay na nag-alaga sa amin noong pagkabata. Marami silang natira rito at marami ring bago. My grandparents receives them as long as the people want. Our first home was like a happy village because of them. And besides, the mansion was too big for our grandparents anyway since we're not living here anymore.
I saw the coffee maker. I'll make coffee, para naman kabahan ako sa mga ginagawa ko sa buhay.
Pumasok ako sa walk-in pantry to choose a coffee capsule. The selection of coffee in here was massive. Maybe I should sneak out stocks from here so that I won't have to pay for Tita Lar's coffee from Mostaccio. Hah! After all, sinusumbong niya ako sa nanay ko.
Kumuha ako ng isang lagayan at inamoy ko iyong kape. I inhaled some of its particles which made me wheeze. Dahil sa hininga ko ay sumabog iyon at mas lumipad palabas ng lagayan. Medyo shunga lang kasi kumalat pa sa mukha ko.
Oh, for the love of coffee.
Through one metal container, I saw that I got some on the hair, too. I wiggled my entire being to shake it off.
Namimili pa rin ako ng kape. Gusto ko 'yong pinakamahal para sosyal.
I looked up and I saw it. Now, there it is... the mighty shit of an Asian palm civet. How amazing must they be, their feces were processed into one of the world's most expensive coffee. But I guess also unlucky, because anything that makes animals to do something out of their will for business was always disturbing. There's always the ugly truth, wouldn't forget about that.
But we're already here, hindi ko ito sasayangin.
Lumabas ako ng pantry at nag-ready na gumawa ng kape. I placed the coffee pod into the machine and its work started.
Pagkatapos ay humigop ako nang kaunti kaagad. I had the rim of the mug on my lips when a rare Jerrick appeared.
"Sabi ni Jules nandito ka daw," he said. His eyes darted to my mug. "Nagtimpla ka pala talaga ng kape?"
Tiningnan ko lang siya nang may duh expression.
Nangingiti-ngiti siya sa akin. Ngumuso-nguso siya sa akin. Hala, kiss na naman ba?
Inilapag ko ang mug sa island dahil nanghina ang kamay at tuhod ko.
Tuwing lalapit siya ay lalayo ako nang kaunti. Tulad ng kanina sa swing ay hindi ako nanalo. Sa huli ay kinuha niya ang bewang ko at hinarap sa kanya ang katawan ko.
"Ba-Vie ko, bakit ang dungis mo?" Ngumuso ulit siya sa pisnge ko.
Ohhh! Ito pala ang tinutukoy niya. Hehe.
Tinulak ko siya at tumakbo sa kabilang parte ng island. Umupo ako para ayusin ang hitsura ko! Kaso hindi ko makita ang mukha ko. 'Di ko tuloy alam kung wala na ba akong kape sa buhok at mukha.
Umikot din siya at umupo sa harap ko. Pinipilit niya akong tumayo, e ayoko, kaya umupo ako nang tuluyan, crossing my legs. Ginaya niya ulit ako nang hindi binibitiwan ang kamay ko.
I said, "My hand smells like coffee..."
Hindi niya pa rin binitiwan. Itinaas niya iyon sa labi niya para halikang pareho.
He scooted closer to me. "It's okay. I love coffee."
Inayos niya ang buhok ko, nilagay ang takas na buhok sa likod ng tenga.
"Even my hair smells like coffee," sabi ko. Kinuha ko ang kamay niya para iiwas sa buhok ko. He just kissed the top of my head. I bet there's coffee particles on his lips now.
But I wonder what he'll do if I say...
"My lips smell like coffee, too—"
He just crashed his lips against mine without a word. Napapikit ako sa bilis ng pangyayari. Nagmulat lang ako noong lumayo siya. Tinawanan niya ang hitsura ko kaya lalo lang akong napangiwi.
"I so damn love coffee," he said with an amused smile before planting noisy kisses on my lips.
"Just so you know, you're kissing a lips that have had toddy cat's shit," I warned.
"Your lips is as expensive as an authentic Kopi luwak. I'll take what I can get."
He scooped me so he could make me sit on his lap. Hindi ako makapagprotesta kasi nanghihina ako, at tsaka nakakakiliti iyong pa-smack smack niya sa labi ko.
I tried hard to fought back a giggle but failed. Walang tunog niya akong tinawanan. Tinakpan ko nang mabilis ang bibig ko at tsaka umirap.
"Bakit nahihiya ang Viennica ko? We're the only ones here now." He smilingly bit his lip while looking at mine.
'Di ko siya sinagot. He just guided my arms back around his waist. Pinaglapat niya ang noo namin at tsaka ako muling hinalik-halikan. It has sounds! Like squeaky sounds. Kaya parang pati ang tenga ko ay nakikiliti.
Bakit parang ang landi? Huhu.
Bakit parang I like it? Huhu.
Jerrick and I both froze when we heard someone came over.
"Gago, pre, may daga yata..." It's Elon. He was whispering.
"'Di mo pa kasi kinuha kanina 'yong opener!" fumed Hayes. "Tara na! We'll just shake the bottle till it spits out the cork."
"Yeah, okay, genius..." mocked Elon back. Then they left.
Nagkatinginan kami ni Jerrick. Our bodies started to relax. Tumawa kaming parehas. Tumayo ako at hinila ang kamay niya.
"Balik na tayo..."
"Don't you want to kiss more?" He frowned.
I exhaled sharply. Without forgetting my coffee, hinila ko na lang siya bigla at dinala sa labas bago pa ako maka-oo.
"Why are you so in denial? Hmm, Viennica Panganiban na mapanganib?" he jested while he trailed behind me.
"Aminin mo na... that you're into me, then I'll tell you something in return."
"'Di kaya!" I quickly objected. "May crush akong iba 'no."
"Really?" tamad at natatawa niyang tanong na para bang pinagbibigyan niya lang ako pero 'di talaga siya naniniwala.
"Really!"
"Pakita mo sa 'kin."
Actually, hindi ko naman talaga crush. Pero crush na rin pala, like happy crush, I guess? But I think hindi rin. Basta magulo!
I was talking about the soccer player. Iyong sa malayo ko lang nakikita, at tsaka sobrang madalang lang. Kapag naabutan ko lang na may practice sila sa field.
'Di ko alam kung considered siyang crush talaga. Pero dahil wala akong maisagot kay Jerrick, siya na lang.
"Bukas."
Sinabi ko lang 'yan para tigilan niya ako. Pero kinabukasan ay naalala niya talaga. Kinulit niya ako sa café at hindi na naman tinigilan. Kaya dinala ko siya sa field. 'Di ko naman sigurado kung nandoon iyong si soccer guy.
But what do you know. There he was, the soccer guy. I pointed out to him, following his direction as he moved with the soccer ball.
"Really? You already met Eerie Constantin?"
My head whipped to him. "No way?"
"Yes-that-is-Cons way."