Terry
Pagkabalik ni Samantha ay halatang nagulat ito na nakikipagtawanan na ako sa mga kaibigan nito.
She was gone for just fifteen minutes pero here I am, completely blending in.
How could I not? Sobrang warm ng circle of friends nya.
She shove away Grant who still has her hand on my waist. "Don't touch my wife, Grant."
Not a bit offended, Grant gave her an annoying grin. "Afraid that Terry might realize that I'm better than you?"
"Dream on." Samantha's face is flushed as she shyly touch her nape.
Kinindatan pa ako ni Grant, obvious na trip nitong asarin si Samantha on our wedding day.
"Grant's hug is comforting." I agreed as I winked back to Grant.
Inilahad pa ni Grant yung kamay na para bang inaalok ako nito ng yakap.
"Improve your taste, Terry. Goodness. Nung nakaraan sa ipis mo ko pinagpalit. Ngayon naman sa tipaklong. Is there anyone better?"
Anong ipis at tipaklong? Baliw talaga tong babaeng 'to.
Everyone shared a good laugh. Even Grant na halatang hindi na offend.
"I'm your fox, dumbass!" Lumapit si Grant at hinalikan sa gilid ng labi nito si Sam.
Wait, ganyan sila kaclose?
"Tara, Sam!" Hinatak ko na yung kamay ni Samantha palayo kay Grant. "I just realized that Grant's a grasshopper nga."
Halatang nagulat si Grant.
"Wait.. What!?"
Sammie just gave Grant a lop-sided grin. "Mabuti naman mabilis mo narealize. Akala ko papatayin ko pa ng tsinelas ko yung tipaklong e."
Nag.rarant pa si Grant pero kami naman ni Sam ay tila wala ng pakialam dito na nagpunta sa recep. It will be held in the seaside. Sabi ni Sam ay simpleng salo-salo lang naman iyon. And anyone can swim afterwards. Lalo pa at hindi naman na ganoon kainit ang sikat ng araw dahil hapon na.
"Terry, Close your eyes.."
She stopped in the midway. Kasunod lang namin yung mga kaibigan nya na mga napatigil din matapos senyasan ni Sam na huminto.
"What?"
Instead of repeating, she gently put a hanky to cover my eyes.
"I'm not good at surprises, I always think before I act. Kaya naman kung hindi ito perpekto, just please understand that it will be a shame that my heart ain't a good instructor." I felt her lips lightly planting kisses on mine.
Dama ko yung pagbuhat sakin ni Sam.
"Hoy, Giraffe. Ano na namang pakulo 'to?"
She chuckled. "I miss that. Weird nga siguro ako that I miss you calling me weird names."
"Oo. Baliw ka kasi."
"I won't deny it. I'm crazy for being drawn into you. Mas baliw ka kaya."
Pagkatapos sabihin iyon ay ibinaba niya ako. Ramdam ko yung lamig. Halatang naka aircon kami.
Goodness, nasa bridal room na ba namin kami? Wala ng reception, diretso honeymoon na?
Bago pa ako mag isip ng kung ano-ano ay tinanggal na ni Sam yung panyo sa mga mata ko.
Napakunot naman ang noo ko. Where are we? Bakit sobrang dilim?
"Hindi mo na makita sarili mo no?" Natatawang pang aasar pa nito pero niyakap naman ako.
"Gago ka, Samantha. Hindi din naman kita makita. Maitim ka na din?"
"Universe collides too, baby." She whispered.
As if on cue, everything played as if we're both travelling against time.
From the day, Sam was born. The joy on her parents face. Sa kabilang side ng projection was the day I was born too.
Kung si Sam ay ipinanganak sa hospital with five doctors. I was just with my Mom and a midwife. Nandun din yung Mama ni Ate Corinne sa tabi ni Mama.
"That's me when I was a baby. I'm white as a snow no? Bata pa lang maganda na. Tingnan mo ikaw. Kalalabas mo pa lang nakasimangot ka na. " pabirong sabi nito.
Inis na hinampas ko sya sa braso. "Ikaw kapapanganak mo pa lang mayabang ka na pala talaga."
Sam gave me a back hug. Her arms are draped on my shoulders crossing on my chest.
The photos were exchanged with us as a toddler. Kung si Sam ay napapaligiran ng mga mamahaling laruan. Ako naman ay may hawak na ragdoll.
That was the only toy I have growing up.
Samantalang itong si Samantha ay parang hindi naman interesado sa mga laruan nito. She have barbie collections. Pati dollhouse. Complete with car sets and clothing lines.
"Maybe I'm into robots and cars nung bata ako kaya hindi ako masaya sa barbie no?"
Natawa naman ako sa sinabi nito. I glanced up and I saw her smirking.
"I like the way you held your doll. Possessive."
"Ayun lang kasi yung laruan na meron ako noon."
"Well, you have me now. You have my family and my friends. But I won't mind if you'll also hold on to me like that."
Gosh, Sam. Stop melting me in your gaze.
In a brief moment, para akong bumalik sa pagkabata. I didn't even know na may mga pictures pala ako. Akala ko kasi wala. Lagi kasing wala si Mama sa tabi ko.
Is that the reason why? I just thought wala sya dahil hindi ko sya katabi. While here, she froze time in these pictures so she could remind me someday that she's always there.
"Why weren't you dancing on your JS Prom? Sayang. Ang ganda mo pa naman dyan." Bulong ni Samantha.
Shemay Teray! First time nya yata sinabi yung word na 'maganda'. Laging pretty lang ang term ng bruhildang yan e.
Sam was captured in the picture as she was slowly dancing with a hunk na saksakan ng gwapo. Napakaganda talaga nito. Lalo na pag nag ayos pa. Kaya siguro tamad na tamad ito mag ayos. Kasi masyado pa syang gaganda. Baka lalo akong mapag iwanan.
Samantalang ako nakaupo lang sa gilid. Wearing cheap dress.
I remember that it was taken by Ate Corinne. Plano kasi nitong ipakita sakin kung paano ako nagmumukmok sa isang tabi habang ito naman ay pinalilibutan ng lahat. Yung kahit hatakin nya ako ay mas pinili ko pa din maupo sa gilid. Kaya naman nakiupo na lang din ito sa tabi ko at sinamahan akong magbutas ng bangko.
"Wala naman nag aya sakin na sumayaw."
"It's okay. I'll be your first and last dance if that's the case. Hindi ka na lugi. Dyosa na yung kasayaw mo." Ramdam ko yung marahang paghawak nito sa bewang ko. Pati ang marahang pagsway nito. She's guiding me on how to dance slowly.
"Sam naman e."
"Loosen up, Terry. I want it this way. Slow and sensual." Pabulong na sabi nya pa.
I felt the familiar heat running up on my cheeks.
We're still stuck into time habang sige pa din yung pagplay ng mga photos. Habang kami ay halos magkayakap na as we still sway in the rhythm of our heartbeats.
Samantha is used to being a center of affection. Even unwanted ones. Madalas inaaway ito just because she can't control her overflowing charm.
While I am used to being a center of bullying. I attract bad vibes kaya lagi akong napapaaway. I can't help it. Maybe because of the color of my skin. My unruly hair. My cheap clothes. Or my overly used bag and shoes na hindi naman kasi nasisira kaya lagi ko pa din ginagamit every year.
We came from two different worlds.
Sam have pretty friends while I have none. Sam is a genius while I am not. Sam have everything while I have nothing.
But here she is, trying her best to win me over. She's conquering me as I try to deflect her. What's wrong with me?
"Why are you afraid, Terry?" Pinatong ni Sam yung chin nito sa ulo ko. Masyado kasi syang matangkad.
Even the best fall down sometimes.
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme.
Out of the doubt that fills your mind,
You finally find, You and I collide. 🎶
"All I have is my pride, Sam. What will happen if pati iyon isusuko ko pa?"
She caress my cheeks the way she used to hold me after we had the blissful collision four days ago.
"All I have is just my glass heart. Won't you accept it?"
"If I do, what's the guarantee that we'll make it through?"
We're just here alone right? So maybe it's okay to put my guard down. Sam has seen my vulnerability anyways. It's no big deal to show it to her once more.
"My mind says there only 0.000001 percent guarantee that we might make it through. Masyado ka kasing palaban. Ayaw mo magbigay. Ayaw mo makinig. Ayaw mo maniwala."
She then put my hand on her heart. I could feel it beating wildly na para bang gusto na niyon lumabas.
"But my heart says we'll have 99.999999, shall we take a chance? How about a bet? You bet your pride and I'll bet my heart? Let's continue to outdo each other."
How can she have the genuine smile na para bang napakadali lang ng lahat? How can she make things seem so easy? How can she put broken pieces back together?
Just four days ago, she's still an egotistical, self-concentrated bitch. But now, she's back with a vengeance. She's making me a villain in our fairy-tale. She's making me realized that I'm not good enough the way she is not. But maybe, just maybe, if both worlds collide, we might make it.
We might have a happy ending. No guarantee but the probability she's offering me now is way beyond the capacity of my brain to think.
Inangat nito yung papel na mga pinirmahan namin kanina. Pagkatapos ay pinunit sa harapan ako.
"Let's create a wonderful memory together, Terry. Pull me in your world. I'll pull you in mine. I want to know more about your deepest shits. I want to have you and not just a part of you."
"What about our indifferences?"
"Oh, that?" Ngumiti ito. "Pwede ka naman magpaschedule a."
"Pwede magpaschedule ng everyday? Every minute? Every second?"
Natawa ito. Napangiti naman ako. Is she trying to outwit me? She might be a genius but she's talking to a smart one too. Iba ang streetsmart.
"Fine. You can have the schedule every day. Every minute. Every second."
I remembered Van and our deal.
"Bawal ka na din mang akit ng iba. You should refrain on torturing other people of their weakness."
Kumunot ang noo nito. "I am not."
"Really? You're being a liar again, Samantha."
"Fine. Guilty. Si Van yan no? Napakareklamador nun e."
Wait, I'm enjoying this. Samantha being submissive and agreeable for the first time.
"I want to be on top too. Ayoko maging forever bot."
"I'm the upper hand." Kontra agad nito. "Mukha kang alipin, panindigan mo na lang Terry. Mahal naman kita e."
"Kaya nga di ba? You love me. So I'm not asking Sam. I'm demanding it."
"What the F—"
"Ayaw mo? Sakto. Di ba pinunit mo na yung marriage certificate natin? So ibig sabihin wala ng bisa yan?"
"Fine!" Iritableng sabi nito na napapadyak pa sa inis. "Can I just kill you?"
"How about I kill you first? Choose your death. I'll say no now and I'll leave you or I'll just strangle you with my bare hands?"
Pinitik nito yung noo ko.
"You're trying your luck too much, dwarf."
Inis na sinipa ko sya sa binti niya.
"Ouch!" Palahaw nito.
A sinister smile formed my lips. Kung inaakala nya na madodominate nya ako ng ganoon lang ay nagkakamali sya. I won't stop to annoy her.
"Serves you right, bitch."
"Hey, you're not ought to call your wife a bitch. Stupid!"
"Wow. Ikaw din a. You're not ought to call your wife alipin. At wag mo din ako lalaitin na mukha akong palaka. Na choco-inspired skin ako. At saka wag mo din akong tatawagin na mangkukulam. Don't call me stupid too."
"Because you called me giraffe on our first meeting. Tinawag mo pa akong chaka at bruhilda."
Sinabi ko ba yun? Ganun din ba ako kasama sa kanya?
"Binato mo kaya ako ng tsinelas sa mukha." Hindi nagpapatalo na angal ko din.
"You started first. Ang sakit kaya nun sa pisngi. Sinong matinong tao yung gagawa ng ganun on the first meeting?"
"At sino naman yung matinong tao na kakatok sa pintuan at magpapakilalang betrothed sa estranghero?"
Tumaas ang kilay nito. Halatang magtataray na din.
"Because you are mine, slow-witted dwarf."
"I am not yours, Giraffe. Gusto ko ng Hercules."
"Hercules is gay. Gaya nung ipis na ipinagpalit mo sakin. Hindi ka man lang ipinaglaban. Is that your type? I pity your taste really. Malabo ba mata mo?"
Napangiti naman ako. Nagseselos ba sya. Just like what her friends had just told me awhile ago?
"Mas gusto ko kasi yung ganun. Yung nakikinig. Yung marunong magparaya." pang iinis ko pa.
Nagsalubong na yung mga kilay ni Samantha.
"Then I'm the exact opposite. You got no choice because you're already mine. Baguhin mo yung taste mo. Just improve it."
"Hindi ka talaga magpapatalo no?" Natatawang sabi ko.
"Bakit? Magpapasakop ka na?"
Umiling ako. This is so exciting. A life with her makes my dull and boring life colorful and exciting. I'm excited kung hanggang saan nya pa kayang dalahin ang kung anong meron kami.
She's drawing me again near her. Literally and figuratively.
Sumeryoso yung mukha ni Samantha. But her eyes reflects how weak she is.
She's sharing my pain. She's putting herself in the edge. Is she trying to make me cross the thin line that's separating us even if it means that thing might break her or make her?
Ganoon ba talaga ito katapang para sumugal?
"There's two doors out of here, Terry. What door will you choose? The right where nothing is left but your pride? Or the left where nothing is right but me? I'll give you the freedom to choose our fate now. I'll respect it."
Is this why Sam isolated me with everyone? Para hindi ako makaramdam ng pressure? Para kahit minsan maging totoo din ako sa tunay na nararamdaman ko?
She's too vocal while I am not. That's why she's acting out her heart to do the talking. If she can't make my heart speak the truth with her sweet talks, she makes her heart to ask mine.
Is she expecting the same heartbeat as hers?
*****
Dama nyo na? 😁😁