Chapter 21

After Lunch.

Charlotte Monica Pov

Naupo muna kami sa sala, kumakain ng ice cream at nanonood ng movie sa Netflix. We already asked my Mama if we can go back sa cabin, well ayaw sana ni Mama pero kinulit ko at nilambing ko hehe, syempre bumigay sya sa only baby nya. Yes! Pwede daw kami tumambay doon pero bawal ang mag-overnight sa cabin. Sabi ko, "okay po."

Babalik na lang daw kami after manood ng movie, we are watching Wonder Woman, ang ganda-ganda ni Gal Gadot. She's one of my favourite actress, so simple yet so gorgeous.

Tumayo ako para dumakot pa ng chocolate flavor ice cream na nasa dining table. Yummy! Naku nagmemelt na. "Yow people! Ibabalik ko lang sa freezer ang ice cream natin ah kasi natutunaw na. Pagkatapos, bumalik na ako sa sofa, nga pala katabi ko si Thirdy, we are sharing the bowl of an ice cream. Kahit nakakaramdam parin ako ng pagka-ilang sa kanya mas minabuti ko na lang na hindi ipahalata. Si Brian, palagi na lang tahimik, introvert ata 'to. Lol!

"Why are you smiling?" Panggugulo na naman nya sa day dreaming, I always talk to myself kasi. Omg! I'm insane.

Ay grabe pati pag-ngiti ko nakita pa nya. "Wala. May naalala lang ako." Nakakatuwa tong si Thirdy na kahit panay English sya, nakakaunawa naman sya ng Tagalog. Sa London kasi lahat ng klasmeyt nya English speaking, sa bahay lang daw nya naririnig ang Tagalog pero gusto parin ni Tita Claire na nakakaintindi si Thirdy ng Tagalog dahil Pinoy naman sya. Pero mas matutuwa si Tita kung magsasalita din ng Tagalog si Thirdy kaso whenever he tries, it sounds hilarious, baluktot talaga. Namumula nalang ang mukha nya sa kahihiyan.

"Come on, you can tell me." Nangungulit na naman sya.

"Eh! That's confidential. Private." Pagdadahilan ko.

"Are you thinking of me?!" Deretsang tanong nya.

Teka, iniisip ko ba sya? Napaisip nalang din ako kung iniisip ko ba sya? "What, no."

"Tch." Now he's annoyed. Haha. "Can we go back first in the cabin?"

"What? Why?"

It's already two p.m. and we can't stay there, longer, so.." Kinakabahan ako, after the confession never pa kami nakapag-usap, alone.

"Why don't we wait for them." Pagdadahilan ko. Hays! Please pumayag ka.

"But, I want to spend time with you, alone." Mahinang sabi nya. Nakakatitig pa sya habang sinasabi iyon.

"Eh?" Oh my! I don't know what to tell him. Help!

"Please?!" Hindi ko alam kung narinig ba nila pag-uusap namin or what. Ang tahimik kasi naming lahat dito sa sala.

"Pumayag ka na Baby Charl." Sumabat bigla si Angelique. Shems! Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig. Namumula ang mga pisngi ko, ata. "Susunod na lang kami." Naririnig nga nila.

"Eh, kasi." Natameme talaga ako. May gusto akong sabihin kay Angelique pero 'di ko masabi. Nagsalita naman si Thirdy, sa kanya ko naman itinuon ang aking mga paningin.

"Don't worry, we will not fight." Nakuha nya ata ang ideya ko. "I promise you." He raise his right hand. "I will not do something stupid." Nakatingin sya sa mga mata ko habang sinasabi nya iyon. Nakita ko ang sincerity sa mga mata nya. "Trust me, please."

I sigh deeply. "Okay. Alright. Tara?" Niyaya ko na sya.

His lips form an arch. Natuwa marahil. Parang gusto ko bawiin. But he promised. I should learn how to trust. Maybe?

Pinapasabi na lang namin kay Angelique na if ever hanapin kami, sabihin lang nasa cabin kami. I hope they don't mind. Nagfist bump sila ni Enrique at pati si Brian.

I think okay na talaga sila ni Brian. Thank God for that.

Lumabas na kami ng bahay, pero tumigil sya.

"Why?" Tanong ko pa.

"I forgot my phone and ear buds. I left it somewhere at the kitchen."

"Alright, you go get it. Make it fast please." Utos ko pa.

"Of course." Nagmadali syang bumalik sa loob ng bahay.

We were walking, but I remember na hindi ko pa pala naipakilala sa kanila si Steel, my horse. "Would you like to see a horse?!" Tanong ko.

"Horse? You have a horse?" Tanong nya pabalik sa akin.

"Yes." Kumpirma ko pa.

"Really? Who gave it to you?" Parang hindi sya makapaniwala. Well..

"Si Lolo Faust, on my graduation day. But I haven't ride on him, yet. Lolo Faust said, I should have him get used to me, of me, like taming it so that I can ride him someday. But for now, not yet, he's still a baby."

"I want to meet him, then." Yes.

"Sure, let's go there." Turo ko papuntang right path. Ang cabin kasi nasa left path. Sumunod naman sya sa akin.

Tamang-tama nandyan si Kuya Roy. "Kuya Roy, kumusta po si Steel?" Lumapit kami ni Thirdy habang si kuya Roy pinapaliguan ang iba pa naming kabayo.

"Oy, Charl! Ngayon ka lang ulit napadalaw?"

"Oo kuya, kasi pumunta po kami sa Bohol."

"Ah gan'on ba? Kaya pala hindi kita nakikita."

"Opo, kuya. Pwede ba namin makita si Steel? Ipapakita ko lang dito sa kasama ko. Thirdy this is Kuya Roy, he takes care of our horses."

"Oo naman, pasukin mo lang sa kwadra nya. Kakatapos ko lang linisan sya." Tugon pa nya sa akin.

"Sige kuya, Salamat." Pumasok na kami sa loob.

"I never thought, this is your horse. A different breed of horse. I mean, I never seen this breed before."

Syempre kinwento ko na sa kanya tungkol kay Steel. Pagkatapos namin makita si Steel at nagpaalam kay Kuya Roy, dumeretso na agad kami sa cabin.

"You really like the cabin, do you!?" Tanong ko pagkatapos ko buksan ang pintuan ng cabin.

"Yes. I do really like it." Naupo sya sa bamboo sofa.

"So what are we gonna do here?!" Ito na nga ba iyong sinasabi ko. Awkward to the 100 level!

"Let's go the swing. We can hang out there. But close this door in the front." Tumayo sya, sinara ang pinto. I mean ni-lock nya. Okay.

Hinigit na nya ako, "Let's go."

"This is all your ideas, right?" Ang alin daw?

"You mean the cabin, the swing with the brooks here?" Ow. Here we are standing in front of the swing.

"Yes." Sagot nya. Kumumpas siya na maupo kami sa duyan. Nauna akong umupo, sumunod sya.

"This is the reason why I don't like to transfer in other schools."

"Transfer in other school? Why?" Kumunot noo nya sa pagsabi kong ayaw kong lumipat ng ibang school.

"Because they want me to study in Manila. But I didn't agreed. Coz I can't hang out here if I'm studying in manila, besides my three bestftiends are here. I can't leave them here." Nakatuon lang paningin ko sa kanya habang nagsasalita. "I love the smell of this place. I don't think I can leave this place. And I'm surely will miss my Lolo Faust." Magkadikit na ang aming mga balikat.

"You sure love this place." Nilingon ko lang sya. I half smiled to what he said. Then he lie down. He put his right arms under his head, like a pillow. "Can we lie down like this? In this place, this swing?"

Natameme ako sa mga binigkas ng labi nya. Tumitig lang ako sa kanya. Hindi ko talaga kasi alam anong gagawin o sasabihin. This is so surreal. My first romance as I think of it.

"Just lie down." Utos nya sa akin. Wala na akong nagawa kundi sundin ang gusto nya. I lie down too, besides him. Napahinga ako ng malalim.

"Relax, Charlotte." He hoarsely said it. I can feel his breathing on my ear. Shucks! Kinakabahan ako. Akala ko kung ano, sinuksok nya ang kaliwang braso nya sa likod ng leeg ko. "Pillow." He said. Napalunok ako ng laway ng 'di oras. What was happening to me? Nakakataba ng puso ang gesture ni Thirdy at the same time sobrang kinakabahan ako. As in. Tameme pa rin ako. "Here." Inabot nya sa akin ang isa sa earbuds nya. "I want you to listen to this song. One of my favourite. I planned to asked you to listen to this song while we were in Bohol, when I asked you to go with me on those rocks but instead I spoiled the chances. So here it is now. Just listen." Dami nyang sinabi basta kinuha ko na lang ang earbud na inaabot nya sa akin at sinuksok sa tenga ko. "You ready to listen?" He asked. I just nodded. So he play the song from his iphone.

(Insert Summer by Phillip Larue)

Travel up the water wanna die and I can feel it

Everybody everywhere where we can see it

Whipping your hair, staring at death

You're looking at the sunset but all

I can see, all I can see is your face

And I get lost in it

Your eyes they take me back again

Into you

Got me rolling like the waves on the

Ocean always broken it's now unfolding

Into you

Your body like a sunflower my

Little girl now take me where you want to

You taste like summer summer summer summer

You taste like summer summer summer summer

Napapikit ako habang nakikinig sa kanta. And I began to feel like I'm still in Bohol. I can hear the waves of the ocean rolling in. I can also feel like Thirdy also did the same, but he keeps on swaying the swing by his foot.

Windows down and that's how I'm feeling like a miracle

You're leaning on my shoulder, wishing I could hold you

So we pull up to BSH

His left arm still on the back of my neck. And I feel comfortable with it. But suddenly he move. I open my eyes, realizing that his face is so close to me. He was staring at me. He cupped my face with his right hand. Nanunuyo na ang mga labi ko. I bite it. And he was still staring at me, and I can't move. I don't know why, I just glued there. Unti-unti lumalapit ang mukha nya sa akin. Napapikit ako. Hahalikan ba nya ako? It would be my first kiss. But, I didn't feel his lips on my lips but instead he kiss me on my forehead. I didn't expected it. Not that because I expected him to kiss me on my lips but it was gentle. Dampi lang, halos hindi dumikit sa balat ko.

Getting lost somewhere I really just

Can't remember cause I'm staring at your face

And I get lost in it

And your eyes, they take me back again

Into you

Got me rolling like the waves on the

Ocean always broken it's now unfolding

Into you

Your body like a sunflower my

Little girl now take me where you want to

You taste like summer summer summer summer

You taste like summer summer summer summer

Summer summer summer summer

Summer summer summer summer

"I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of you, Charlotte." Binuksan ko mga mata ko. I can't breathe. Nagkatitigan kami sa awkward na posisyon. I bit my lower lip. "I'm sorry." Tinanggal nya ang braso sa ilalim ng aking leeg. Tumayo sya. Tsaka ako nakahinga ng maayos. Kanina kasi I feel like I'm holding my breath.

Into you

Got me rolling like the waves on the

Ocean, always broken it's now unfolding

Into you

Your body like a sunflower my

Little girl now take me where you want to

You taste like summer summer summer summer

You taste like summer summer summer summer

Taste like summer summer summer summer

"So how's the song? What do you think?" Pag-iiba nya ng topic.

"Ahm, it's cool. Nice." Ang babaw ko.

"Good." Tugon naman nya. Tapos nyan hindi na kami naimik pa.

Late afternoon na, hindi na namin namalayan ang oras. Hindi na nakarating sila Angelique. Kaya naisipan na lang namin ni Thirdy na umuwi na.

"Charlotte." Tawag nya sa akin.

"Uhm?" Hindi pa din ako maka-imik. I feel surreal at the same time, calm. Kumalma na ako.

"Thank you." I just smile. Tahimik lang kami habang tinatahak ang daan pauwi sa bahay while he's holding my hand. And my heart began to race again.

To be continued..

📝 Jannmr