Kazee's POV
"Where are we going anyway?"
He chuckled. "Alaminos, Pangasinan."
"Are we going to hundred islands?!" I excitedly uttered.
"I've always wanted to go there." He chuckled.
My family wasn't that adventurous. Kaya kahit nakakapunta kami sa ibang bansa, hindi naman yung sobrang gagala ang ginagawa. Mas pinipili pang mag stay in sa mga hotel.
After for about 4 hours of driving we arrived at our destination. Mainit na sikat ng araw ang bumungad sa amin.
Manghang mangha akong nakakita sa mga pagawaan ng mga asin. Yung sobrang laki at lawak. I pulled Jairo's shirt and pointed at the workers mixing those.
"Take pictures of those! I want to post in on my IG!"
He chuckled and did what I wanted. We have brought a lot of foods with us, tent and everything. Because we'll spent the rest of the night in the island.Pero bago kami pumunta, bumili muna kami ng madaming keychains at kung anu anu pa at inilagay sa sasakyan namin.
Dahil nawili kami ni Jairo sa paggagala. Mga alas kwatro na nang hapon kami nagdesisyon na tahakin ang mga isla.
Si Jairo ang bahalang nakipag-usap sa magmamaneho ng bangkang naroon. He also paid for it and instructed them to fetch us early in the morning because we'll go island hopping.
Ngayon siguro ay magpreprepare lang kami at magbobonfire.
Inalalayan naman ako ni Jairo na bumaba papunta sa bangka. Nakangiti naman ang manong na nakatingin sa amin.
"Bagay po kayong dalawa." nakangiti niyang sambit.
Jairo laughed. "Binasted ako nito e."
Agad ko naman siyang siniko ng pabiro. We wore both of the life vest for safety precautions.
I screamed when the engine roared. Mas nagtitili ako nang magsimula itong umandar ng mabilis.
"You're so loud Kazee!" Jairo laughed.
Itinutok niya sa akin ang camera niya habang nagtitili.
"My heart is jumping! I'm so excited!!"
Jairo laughed and laughed. Manghang mangha ako sa tubig na tumatalsik. Gusto kong idantay ang paa sa tubig pero delikado daw kaya pinagmamasdan ko na lang.
"Saang island po tayo boss?"
"Sa Governor's Island po tayo Kuya." magalang na sambit ni Jairo.
Parang batang nakawala sa kulungan, agad akong tumayo nang dumaong na ang bangkang sinakyan namin. Naglagay naman si Kuya ng upuan para doon kami bumaba. Inalalayan naman akong bumaba ulit ni Jairo habang bitbit ang mga gamit namin. Nagtulungan kaming magbuhat hanggang sa makarating kami buhangin. Tumulong din si Kuya sa pagbuhat ng gamit na naiwan sa bangka.
"Bagay po talaga kayo maam. Sayang lang po kasi binasted ninyo."
Jairo laughed so hard after hearing the man's words. Inakbayan niya ako at tumingin sa kanya.
"Sana nga hindi magsisi kuya noh?" asar pa ni Jairo.
Naiiling na lang ako dahil sa kalokohon ni Jairo. It's a good thing hindi ganoon kadami ang tao. Agad na kumuha si Jairo ng cottage para sa aming dalawa. Pinili namin ang may malaking space sa tabi para doon na kami magpatayo ng tent.
It was such a perfect view. The crystal clear water, the blue sky..everything is so relaxing and peaceful.
"Kazee! Halika dito!" I heard Jairo's screams from below. Inayos ko muna ang mga gamit at pumunta sa kanya.
Kasama na niya ang mga ilang nagbebenta ng mga alimango. Lahat ay luto na at sobrang laki at pula! Agad akong natakam. He took pictures of the crabs and bought a lot! Pinakyaw ba naman ang tinda eh dalawa lang naman kaming kakain.
"That's too much for us!" saway ko nang naglakad kami pataas.
He just smiled at me. "Para makauwi na din yung mama. Mukhang pagod na." sagot niya.
He really have a kind and good heart. Nakapakaswerte ang babaeng mapapangasawa ng lalaking ito.
I laughed when he was able to cook using just woods. He's a chef after all. I took pictures of him using his camera. Mabuti at may dalang extrang battery ang lalaking ito. Boy scout huh.
Tapos na naming iset up ang malaki naming tent kaya ngayon at nagrigrill siya ng isda. Nabalot na din ang dilim sa paligid ngunit ang magandang tanawin ay hindi nawala.
"Jai.." tawag ko
"Oh?" tanong niya at hindi tumingin sa akin.
"Napakabuti mo masyado. Nakakakonsensiya."
Natawa siya ng bahagya at sinulyapan ako. "Para manghinayang kang tinanggihan ako."
"Jairo naman e!"
"Common Kazee! Napagusapan na natin diba? Let's just enjoy.."
"You're talking as if I'll never see you again.. For good ka na ba sa Paris?"
He chuckled. "You can visit me anytime you want.."
I laughed and hugged myself a bit. "Kazee."
Napatingin ulit ako nang tinawag niya ako. "Invite me on your wedding huh?"
He smiled genuinely. Walang halong kaplastikan at ngiting hindi pilit.
"W-why?"
"I want to see how happy you are." he smiled.
"This...is like a torture." I whispered.
He chuckled. "I'm not kidding. Magtatampo talaga ako kapag hindi mo ako iimbita."
Umiiling na lang akong natawa. We spent the rest of the dinner just talking about our past experiences... Talking about nonsense things.. Yung parang dati lang.
"I remember how you cried so hard when you forgot your sketchpad."
Natawa ko nang maalala din iyon. It was the sketchpad which Nathan gave me. Kaya nang nalimutan ko iyon at kinailangan kong umalis dahil sa fashion show talagang umiyak ako. I felt so incomplete without it.
Si Jairo naman to the rescue, kahit malayo ay talagang ibinigay niya sa akin iyong sketchpad na iyon. He traveled so far just to gave me that...
"But you know what Kazee? I was so curious why you cried so hard....so I opened it."
Agad na nawala ang ngiti ko. He smiled at me. "That's when I knew... Years have passed...and you still love him."
I swallowed hard. That sketchpad...there were sketches of Nathan. Weird but...that sketchpad always calms me before my fashion show.
"Stop making me feel bad!" I joked but my eyes are already blurry.
He chuckled. "Don't feel bad. Papangit ka niyan."
Natawa na lang kaming dalawa. We were about to slept at the same tent but he refused.
"Kahit walang malisya, ayokong may ibang isipin si Nathan." he explained.
"Then where will you sleep?!"
"Sa cottage. Ang lawak oh." natawa siya ng kaunti.
"Jairo malamig diyan. At baka may lamok!"
"I have blankets and pillows. Don't worry too much. Isang gabi lang naman. We'll check in into hotel tomorrow."
He planted a soft kiss on my forehead before going in our cottage. He really have this charm of persuading people.
The next day, like what he said.. We woke up early for island hopping. It was so fun and tiring but so worth it. Jairo never failed to took pictures of the great view and scenery.
Tinatawanan niya na ako dahil sunog na ang balat ko. Kung makaasar, eh siya din naman sunog na din.
Nagzipline kami, nagsnorkeling at nagswimming. We spent the rest of the day under the sun. Sobrang namumula na ang mukha ko dahil sa pagkabilad. Palubog na ang araw nang nagpasya kaming umalis sa mga isla at magchecheck in sa Bolinao.
Grabe ang pagod ko pagkatapos ng araw na iyon. Nang makarating sa hotel ay agad akong sumalampak sa sariling kwarto. Jairo booked two rooms for us.
I slept for like hours but I woke up when I heard a continous knock. Wearing a simple plain black shirt and khaki short is Jairo holding a tray filled with foods.
"Let's have dinner. Then wash up."
"Saan tayo pupunta?"
"I heard there's this local band that will be performing tonight. Punta tayo sa plaza nila."
Kaya naman pagkatapos naming kumain ng dinner ay nagpalit na ako para manood. He said he wanted to roam around there.
Nakakapit ako sa braso ni Jairo nang naggagala kami roon. The local band haven't started performing so we decided to roam around. I admired the lanterns from above, it looked like we're in some foreign country. Napakaganda.
Agad naman akong hinila ni Jairo at nakihalo sa mga tao nang magsimula na ang banda. Inakbayan niya ako at nakisabay pa sa pagkanta.
We spent the night with so much fun. Kaya't nang matapos ay ihinatid ako ni Jairo sa mismong pintuan ng kwarto ko.
"Thank you for coming with me.. Don't worry, we'll go back early in the morning tomorrow.." he smiled and patted my head like what he always did when we were young.
"Bukas din ba ang balik mo sa Paris?"
Unti-unti siyang tumango. I smiled at him.
"Ihahatid kita sa airport." I offered him but he shook his head.
He chuckled. "Baka hindi ako makaalis kapag nakita pa kita. I'm afraid I'll beg you to choose me.. I already accepted my defeat so I'm scared I'll ask for another chance."
He smiled. Nabigla ako nang bigla niyang pinunasan ang mata ko. That's when I realized I am tearing up.
"Alam kong mahirap ang pinagdaanan ninyong dalawa. Ayokong dumagdag pa, Kazee."
"Jairo.." I whispered.
"Kaya...salamat sa pagpayag mong sumama sa akin. May babaunin akong masayang ala-ala na kahit kaunting panahon lang iyon, pakiramdam ko naging akin ka." he smiled and planted a kiss on my forehead.
I just watched him turned his back with blurry vision. Sa panahong iyon, wala akong ibang hiniling kundi ang maging masaya din siya.