Cari Ramirez
A text made my phone beep, waking me up.
Andrei: Wake up :)
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and checked the time. It was quarter to four.
Me: Geon?
Andrei: Already awake. We're waiting in the car.
Me: Okay, gimme ten minutes to fix myself.
Andrei: No need to rush.
Coffee?
Me: Yes please.
Andrei: Alright. Tell us when you're ready. We'll get your things.
I was going to protest that I was fully capable of loading my things into the car but I was still half asleep and decided to just end the conversation with a thank you.
Frankly, I was more surprised why they hadn't done it yet. Knowing Geon, he never valued my privacy and personal space and would have no problem coming into my room while I was still sleeping. But maybe he was too sleepy for mischief.
After all, it was only four a.m. How Andrei seemed alive was a total mystery to me.
My mind still in that foggy sleepy haze, I went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Kanina pa ako nag-pack bago matulog kaya mabilis akong natapos. The boys were drinking coffee outside the car when I stepped out of the house, carrying my things.
Andrei was startled. He immediately gave Geon his cup of coffee to take my luggage from me. Meanwhile, Geon was watching us with a lazy, half-sleepy smirk.
"Thank you," I told Andrei while he was going over to the back of the car to deposit my things.
"So... not tolerating my truancy pala ha?" Geon was saying, taking another sip from his coffee.
I shrugged and took Andrei's cup of coffee from his hand. "Your reward for behaving really well yesterday," nakangising sagot ko sa kanya. As the trunk shut with a resounding click, I handed Andrei his coffee.
"Bes, I'd really appreciate it if you stop talking about me like I'm some kind of a puppy."
My smile widened to tease him further. "Then stop acting like a pet." Andrei was chuckling, so I turned to him. "Are you sure you can drive?"
Before he could answer that, Geon beat him to it.
"Don't worry about him. This isn't the first time he's done something like this. It probably runs in the family, being wildly spontaneous, that is."
Andrei nodded at that, taking something from inside the car. I realized it was my coffee when he handed it to me. "What he said."
I wrinkled my nose. "What a dangerous family then," I said as I opened the side door and climbed into the seat, the cup warm and energizing between the palm of my hands.
The boys were looking at me from outside like they were surprised and confused.
"You're not riding shotgun?" tanong ni Geon.
I shook my head. "Moment n'yo naman. Sige na, don't be shy."
"Tss, gags," he answered as he went around the car to get into his seat.
Andrei walked closer and grabbed the handle of the side door. "We're not a dangerous family, just so you know," he was saying with a smile. "We just love to have fun."
"And that's what's dangerous, isn't it?"
"You love the same thing. Then, in your terms, that makes you dangerous too?"
"I didn't say I wasn't."
My reply prompted an even wider smile to come out of his face.
"We'll see that soon enough," he said before closing the side door.
Before the day began to break through the clouds, we were already on the road, navigating our way to Sagada. Andrei said it was going to be his first time going there too so I was worried we'd get lost at first. But he seemed to know his way around. Pero nakampante lang talaga ako when we met another family na papunta din sa Sagada when we stopped to eat.
The place where we stopped was beautiful. From our vantage point, we had a sweeping view of the mountain sides and rolling greeneries below. Too bad we didn't stay for long. After finishing our meal, we set out na rin. We were keeping pace with the family who seemed to know their way around here.
Kanina nagpalit na kami ni Geon ng pwesto. I was in the front seat again, drinking my second cup of coffee for the day.
Andrei said we still had an hour to go. Naglalaban ang antok at excitement sa 'kin so I tried to dispel them by turning to my left. Andrei was too focused on the road, which reminded me of the question I meant to ask him earlier.
"Is this even legal? Are you even allowed to drive talaga?"
In retrospect, I should've asked him this vital question before I even let him drive for us to Baguio.
A quick tug in the corner of his lips lightened up his face. "Yeah, I got my license weeks ago."
"Oh. May 'di nag-aya sa birthday."
He shot me a quick look before he flicked his focus back onto the road. The cars traversing this highway was sparse. Bukod sa 'min, I only spotted at least three to four others.
"I don't celebrate my birthdays. It's just my family who does," he replied in a casual tone. "That's why I don't bother inviting people."
"Why not though? Birthdays are fun. Ikaw lang yata nakilala kong hindi nagse-celebrate." In my family lalo. Birthdays are almost sacred.
His shoulders lifted in a shrug. "I don't see the point. It's just any ordinary day."
I raised a brow, intrigued. Talaga? Ordinary day lang sa kanya ang birthday niya? "Do you feel the same way for Christmas and New Year too?"
"Iba naman 'yon. Christmas season has a different, more special meaning to me. It's the only time we get to be complete without the parents getting distracted by work."
"What about your siblings' birthday?" I remembered his sister, the one who seemed to be his favorite. "Or your sister's birthday?"
"My brothers? Sure." The corner of his lips pulled up again in a light, amused smirk like he was remembering them and then he softened. "My sister's birthday will always be special though. We always get together for her day."
"Must be nice to be the favorite," I was saying at the same time Geon said, "So introduce us. I wanna see the apple of your eyes."
Natawa ako sa hirit ni Geon. Andrei chuckled at that but he didn't bother dignifying him with an answer. Surprisingly, Geon let it slide. When I glanced at him, he was relaxed in his seat and he was filming the view outside with his phone.
We finished the remaining hour talking about our plans for Christmas. Nawala ang lahat ng antok ko nang makarating na kami sa Sagada at maabot namin ang accommodation, which I booked last night at the last minute.
We weren't able to get the inn that I wanted kasi fully booked na, but the one I managed to get was just as good. Swerte na ngang makakuha pa 'ko ng accommodation at malapit pa sa town proper. What was even better was that it also nestled in the middle of vaulting trees kaya maganda ang view sa room namin.
"What now?" Geon asked, dumping his luggage to the side of his bed. I tried getting a room separate from them, but only one room was available. Buti na lang this room could accommodate at least four people.
"Let's go to the tourism office to register, then we can have our breakfast after," Andrei answered.
"Tourism office? What for?"
"We need to register."
"Register for what?"
"Do you not research? You wanna go here but you don't know how it works?" I interrupted and asked Geon with a light laugh.
This dumbass just gave me a look. "I would but I didn't have the time because until six hours ago, I was under the idea we were going home, not further North."
"Well..." I shrugged. "You're not the only spontaneous one here, as it turns out."
He grinned, raising his hands. "No one's complaining. This person right here"—he pointed at himself—"is very satisfied. So, okay. Register tayo and then breakfast. Let's go, na, I'm starving!"
He started to the door but I caught him by the elbow.
"Easy lang. Let Andrei get some rest muna. We could use an hour-long rest."
Geon blinked and turned to Andrei who was checking his phone at that moment. "Oh... right. You okay, bro? You need to rest?"
Andrei pocketed his phone and headed to the door. "The office is nearby. Let's go. Sayang ang oras."
"What's the rush?" I asked, following them out of the inn. "We have all the time in the world."
"We can't finish all the activities in just two days."
"Okay lang naman. We can extend."
Geon looked scandalized. "Whoa whoa—What?" he sputtered, stopping me by dropping a hand on my shoulder. "I'll have you exorcised, lady. Where's my bes who doesn't wanna miss her classes, huh?"
"If I were you, I'll shut up if I still want a repeat of this," I joked, swatting his hand away.
Andrei, who stopped to look at us, was chuckling now. We were already outside of the inn. "Dude, you heard her. Shut up."
"Me, shutting up? Tss. You lot must be out of your heads," umiiling-iling na sagot ni Geon bago nagpatuloy maglakad.
Napatawa ako roon pero hindi ko na sinagot.
One thing I loved and hated about Sagada was the cold. It was freaking cold. I expected that but the biting wind was still seeping through the layers of clothes that I was wearing.
Another thing I loved in here was their discipline. Upon getting to the office, I found out how careful and thorough the locals and the management were. No one was allowed to get around here without a tour guide kaya required kaming mag-register habang binabayaran ang environmental fee.
Nung una, nagtalo pa kami ni Geon sa gagawing tour. He wanted to do the spelunking asap but I'd rather we just rest for the day. Siya lang ang may mahabang tulog sa 'min and I was really thinking of Andrei, who probably felt tired na.
But the guy in question surprised me when he agreed to try out the caves. I shot him a questioning glance and reminded him that he should rest.
"I'm good." 'Yan lang ang sinabi niya.
Geon sniggered. "Like I said, he's sanay. Stop fussing over him like a mother hen."
I gave him a mild glare. While Geon and I were arguing over what to do, Andrei was busy talking to the admin for us. Ang ending, Andrei didn't book for Sumaguing Cave but our day would be packed by the entire walking tour of the Echo-Valley. He also booked for Marlboro Hills and Blue Soil for the next day. We'd have booked for Kiltepan but we decided against it dahil sa rami ng may gusto n'on.
So I guess we wouldn't be using his tent after all.
Pagkatapos namin doon, kumain na muna kami sa Lemon Pie House. I got an onion and cheese omelette for myself while the boys stuffed themselves with a hearty meal. We also ordered their famous lemon pie, which we enjoyed down to the last bite.
"I thought you wanted the caves?" I asked Andrei during the meal but his answer was simple.
"We can try it out next time."
Next time.
I didn't know if there was going to be a next time because I wasn't someone who puts all my cards in what-ifs and what-could-be's of the future, but the thought surprisingly put a smile on my face.
Our short period of rest was done after our breakfast meal. The skies were clear and breathtaking when we began with the tour. This tour that Andrei booked was consisted of a short hike where we started from the Church of St. Mary the virgin and passed through the cemetery before reaching the famed hanging coffins.
As I looked at the wooden coffins perched high up on the side of the mountain, my mind grew calm and all thoughts fizzled to silence.
It felt frighteningly intimidating to look at this specific piece of their culture, like I was becoming a part of something sacred, so it didn't even occur to me to take photos. It felt wrong, like sin.
Geon, too, seemed to have the same thoughts because I saw him try to take a picture, but he put his phone down without taking any after a few seconds.
Unlike us, Andrei wasn't really diligent with photos. Napansin ko na 'yon sa kanya. He was the type to immerse himself in his activities, the type of person to be in the here and now, dahil habang kumukuha ako ng mga litrato kanina sa mga dinadaanan namin, mas focused siya sa pakikipag-kwentuhan sa tour guide.
Because of that, we were able to know our tour guide, Kuya Jerry, in a more intimate light, which made the tour more enjoyable and comfortable. May mga iilan kaming nakakasabay sa daan, mga grupo din na magkakaibigan katulad namin.
I was light on my feet and practically bouncing in my steps when we went to the next tourist spot. Lagi akong nauuna sa kanila, at kahit pagod at kaunting inaantok na, my excitement was getting the best of me.
"Can you guys feel the air? Manila could never..." I told them.
I was soaking up everything I was seeing and feeling. I could stay here forever—stay one with nature forever.
Sa likod ko, Geon was taking a video of me. "Tito, did you hear that? Cari's losing her mind. I bet my ass she's a wild animal in her past life. What did you do to get an ex-monkey for a daughter, huh?"
Nagtawanan ang mga nakakasabay namin. Napailing na lang ako kay Geon. I would tell this kid to mind his manners, but I didn't wanna look like a party pooper in the video so I gave him a warning look, daring him to continue instead.
Andrei was watching us with quiet laughter but then he suddenly grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to the side. "Careful there. Watch where you're going," he said quietly.
Paglingon ko, doon ko lang napansin. I almost hit someone because of my sudden bout of recklessness.
"My bad."
"It's not a big deal."
"Nya nya nya. 'You kasi, e. Monkey..." Geon was saying, the camera still on. Damn. He even caught that on cam.
I rolled my eyes at him, but he had the audacity to wave the camera to my face. In the end, I relented and just shrugged his teasing away. It would die down eventually.
We soon reached the underground river which eventually led to one of the falls here. I think it was called Bokong falls or something. Doon na kami nakapagpahinga at doon na rin kumuha ng maraming videos ng lugar 'tong si Geon.
Geon was overjoyed to be here and it showed in the way he was laughing and easily making friends with another group. 'Di na 'ko nagulat na yung mga babae doon ang unang lumapit at nakipagkilala sa kanya. 'Di na rin nakakagulat na pinansin niya ang mga 'yon.
Andrei, too, seemed pleased to be back in his element—the water. Pero 'di tulad ni Geon, he stayed away from the girls and continued his deep conversation with Kuya Jerry na may kasama na ngayong ibang tour guides din. From my place, naririnig kong pinag-uusapan nila ang Buscalan. Na minsan kasama din 'yon sa pinupuntahan ng mga gustong magpa-tattoo.
"Hi. Childhood friend mo si Geon?" A girl swam up to me. I recognized her as one of Geon's newly-made friends.
I nodded. "Yeah, kinda. I've known him since we were in our early teens."
"Oh. Pati yung isang kasama n'yo?"
At her question, my eyes darted back to Andrei, who at that moment got hit by water, courtesy of Geon. Umiiling-iling lang siya, but that didn't stop him from listening to whatever Kuya Jerry was saying.
"Si Andrei? Not really. He's Geon's friend. We met just recently."
"Ay, talaga? Akala ko matagal na kayong magkakakilala kasi parang close na close na kayo," sabi niya, nakapako ang mga mata kay Andrei.
I had to smile at her. This girl was too obvious in a cute way. "You like him?"
Nagmamadali siyang lumingon sa 'kin. "'Di, a. Ang sexy lang niya. Iniisip ko kung ga'no katagal niyang na-work out 'yan."
I didn't have to look at Andrei to agree to that. He simply was. Dahil nabasa na ang dry-fit shirt niya, lumalabas at mas kita na ang hulma ng katawan niya. Mas agaw pansinin pa sila ni Geon dahil sa kaputian nila at napaghahalatang may ibang lahi.
"I don't really know. We can ask him," I offered.
She flushed pink. "'Wag na. Nakakahiya. Tsaka akala ko din talaga, kayo, e. Kanina ka pa kasi niya sinisilip," she said.
Sinisilip? What was she saying? He was too occupied with the tour guides to even do that.
We made small talks for a while until she excused herself and treaded back to her friends na busy sa kung ano man ang kinukwento ni Geon sa kanila.
Now left alone, I swam closer to the falls. The water was cool and refreshing in the skin, if not a tad bit chilly. I enjoyed myself playing around and watching the crystalline falls for a while before walking back to the land to get my phone.
Umalis na si Geon sa kabilang grupo. Andrei called him to ask something, so now both boys were talking to the group of tour guides. Nakakatuwa silang panoorin kaya 'di ko mapigilan na kuhanan sila ng maraming litrato.
Once, Andrei caught my eye and gave a smile to the camera. He ushered me to come closer to where they were standing, and we took a group photo together. When I felt his arm snake around my shoulder, while his other arm was perched on Geon's, something warm and fuzzy pooled in my stomach.
The photo that Kuya Jerry took captured exactly what I was feeling in that moment, and it showed in the way I smiled just how happy and content I was feeling then. Geon was grinning, Andrei's lips was curled in a mixture of half smirk, half smile, while mine was more like a small smile—still, tender, almost looking shy. That was the first time I saw that look on my face, and it caught me offguard how genuinely happy I was.
It was fuelling questions in my head and I was starting to become greedy. Nagsisimula na 'kong i-associate ang friendship namin sa tubig.
I first bonded with them in Pagsanjan falls. Now, our friendship was being forged here in Sagada, in yet another falls. What was next?
'Di pa man kami nakakaalis, I was already looking forward to more adventures with this trio.
"Nice, ganda," Geon commented as he checked the photo. After commending the tour guide, he turned to us. "So, what's meron after dito? What are we doing next?" Parang hindi napapagod, kitang-kita pa rin ang excitement sa mukha niya.
"Not sure. We eat for dinner, I guess?" sagot ko.
Kuya Jerry then interrupted and said we could go to the pottery if we wanted. Dahil nabitin 'tong dalawang kasama ko, we agreed. Excited na rin akong maka-experience ng pottery kaya wala pa man, nandoon na kagad ang isip ko. We took another dip in the waters before we'd set out again.
"Sayang we didn't get to see the caves," Geon said while we were getting in the car, now on our way to the pottery place.
"May next time pa, Geon. Sagada isn't going away."
"When pa 'yon? You'll be busy soon."
"You can go with your other friends. Tsaka gano'n talaga. You need to leave something out so you have something to go back to. If we do everything now, there won't be any reason to come back again."
Geon elbowed Andrei. "Dude, help me out here. I know you want the caves as much as I do."
"Sorry, pal. I'm with her on this one."
"Corny n'yo. Alam n'yo, I'm starting to regret introducing you two to each other. You're so in sync, it's scaring me. Like now, look n'yo. You're even ganging up on me. How many times did that happen na ba since we went out?"
"Because you're acting like a kid. Sometimes I think you're acting way more like a bunso than Aaron does."
Geon grinned and he leaned his head on my shoulder like a cat rubbing her owner's leg. "But I'm your kid naman, right? What's the purpose of being my friend if you're not spoiling me?"
Nagkatinginan kami ni Andrei at sabay na tumawa. It didn't need to be said, but we were probably thinking the same thing. Geon, for all his immaturity, really was too cute for his own damn good.
The pottery didn't have much people inside. I was awestruck and watched with greedy eyes as they taught us how to make a handmade jar during the live demo.
"You wanna try?" Geon asked when he checked on me.
I nodded my head fervently.
We paid a small fee to be able to try it out. I was surprised Geon decided to sit this one out, kahit mukha naman siyang interesado at curious kanina.
"Hard pass, this one's not for me," sabi niya na kahit si Andrei, nagtaka. Geon wasn't the type to pass up any chance to learn something new.
"Ang sabihin mo, ayaw mo lang madumihan ang kamay mo," naghihinalang sagot ko sa kanya. "Arte."
Andrei was the first to try it out. He was surprisingly okay at it—not bad, but not that good either, pero salamat sa nagtuturo sa 'min, presentable ang hulma ng nagawa niya.
When it was my turn, I was bouncing with wild energy. I couldn't stop my hands from shaking as I took some clay and began to shape it into a cylinder.
It was tricky measuring the right pressure to apply on the clay kaya naiintindihan ko na why Andrei was awkward with it at first. As minutes passed by, though, I got the hang of it and I was able to make a small jar that I was quite proud of.
Too bad we couldn't take it back with us because they would take a while to dry.
"Let's buy their products na lang. Souvenirs," Geon told us when Andrei and I finished washing our hands.
"Sige, bilhan mo si Tita A. She loves plants, right? Get her a bigger pot."
"On it."
The selections of the handmade products at the display were quite a number. I saw Andrei grabbing a few of the mugs and handing it over to the lady for packing. He was walking back to the display and choosing the seventh when I walked over to him.
"That's a lot. Can you even use all of that?"
He turned the mug over in his hand, checking every detail carefully. "We're a big family, and Jacob has this stupid habit of breaking glasswares, so yes, it will come handy one way or another."
Tumaas ang mga kilay ko. "He's clumsy? I thought he's an athlete."
"More like, he keeps playing ball inside the house when he shouldn't."
"Ah, so you're replacing the glasses he broke. What a thoughtful kuya."
"He'll never admit to that," he said with a laugh.
"So that's for Jacob?" I pointed at the mug he's holding.
"Yes." He took another one—a nice mug in cool blue colors—and lifted it to my view. "And this one's yours. Something to remember this by."
And there he was with his thoughtfulness again, just when I thought he couldn't surprise me anymore...
When we were done there, we made our way back to the road just in time to see the sunset in Lake Danum. As the sun sank lower in the horizon, splashing myriads of colors into the skies like a Monet painting, I felt surreal and eternal. I felt one with nature.
Pagod na pagod na 'ko. Inaantok na rin. But none of that mattered in that moment. It was just me, the sun, and these friends of mine.
Andrei looked tranquil but the exhaustion was unmistakable on his face. Geon, likewise, looked like he was fighting sleep.
I hooked my arms around theirs and pulled them closer to me. "Thank you for this day. I had fun," I whispered into the dipping sun.
I felt a light pressure against my head as Geon playfully leaned his head against mine. "Thank you po for changing her mind," he was saying with stifled laughter before releasing a yawn.
We both turned to Andrei. He was looking back at us with a serene expression.
I raised a brow at him, prodding him to join in. He raised a brow back at me, like he was asking me what I wanted, so I gestured to the sun with my chin.
He seemed to understand now. With a chuckle, he turned back to the last remnants of the day.
Before the sun completely faded away from the view, he looked back at Geon and me and whispered something that I wasn't able to hear.
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