Chapter 36

Austin Archangel originally said na susunduin niya ako ng 4PM sa bahay, pero 5PM na nang dumating siya. Ayoko ng nale-late. It's a waste of time. But I kept on telling myself that he's busy. Instead, I just opened my script and continued reading and making notes para kapag nag-usap na ulit kami ni George. Para kasi sa susunod na semester pa iyong sa short film, pero marami pang kailangang gawin for pre-production.

"Hi," sabi ni Austin Archangel nang makita ko siya na naka-tayo sa harapan ko. He was wearing a maong pants, white Champion shirt, and white sneakers. "I'm sorry—the meeting ran long."

I nodded as I put my iPad inside my bag. Tumayo na lang ako. Nagsabi siya kina Ate Gina na aalis na kami. Tahimik lang ako na naglalakad hanggang sa makarating kami sa sasakyan niya. I quietly put on my seatbelt.

"Hey..." he said.

Tumingin ako sa kanya. "What?"

"Are you mad?"

"No."

"You're too quiet—the different kind."

"Iba-iba ba iyong pagka-tahimik ko?"

He nodded. "There's the comforting silence... and there's this silence."

"This silence?"

"The scary one."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "How is this scary?" I asked dahil hindi lang naman ako nagsasalita. Kapag tinatawagan niya ako sa FaceTime ay ganito rin naman. I would usually just continue doing what I was doing and he'd do the same. We're just doing our own business habang naka-bukas iyong FaceTime.

"Is this because I'm late? I'm really sorry," he said.

"You could've messaged me."

"What? I definitely texted—" sabi niya at saka kinuha iyong cellphone niya at napaawang ang labi. "Oh. The text did not come through," he continued at saka pina-kita sa akin iyong text na mayroong pulang exclamation point sa gilid.

I looked at him.

"Thank you," I said. Kumunot ang noo niya. "I thought you were just late. I don't like waiting for nothing."

He was looking at me. "I know... I'm sorry. I really thought the message was sent. I'll double check next time," sabi niya sa akin. I nodded. Naka-tingin pa rin siya. "So... you were really mad?"

"No."

"You lie now?"

"I don't lie," I said. "Lying is tedious," I explained. If I lied, I would have to remember every lie I ever told... My brain capacity was not built for that. It's just way easier to tell the truth. "I was not mad... just disappointed."

Tumango si Austin Archangel. "I understand... but I promise it won't happen again," sabi niya bago siya nagsimulang magdrive.

Austin Archangel did not tell me beforehand kung saan kami pupunta. All he told me was to dress comfortably, so I was wearing my usual attire—black leggings and white shirt. Dala ko rin iyong varsity jacket niya, just in case na malamig sa pupuntahan namin.

We pulled over in front of a two-storey building. Austin Archangel unbuckled his seatbelt. I unbuckled mine, too. Lumabas na kami sa sasakyan. I looked around. We're in Quezon City, but I was not too familiar with this place. Kuya Robert's always driving me around, o kung hindi siya ay si Austin Archangel ang kasama ko. I would be lost kung aalis ako mag-isa... but then again, there's the Internet. I would be fine.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Private theater," he replied. Kumunot ang noo ko. He smiled at me. "Remember back in Zambales? There's a list of movies you want to watch, but we never got the chance to watch them all?"

I nodded. "Yes... Manonood tayo dito?"

"Rented this place for the next two weeks," he said. "I initially planned for out of town dates, but I really don't have the time... And I remembered the movies. So... I thought of this."

Naka-tingin ako sa kanya. He was staring back. How could this person remember every single thing I told him? I couldn't even remember some of the things he told me last month...

"I had the popcorn machine cleaned, so we can eat popcorn while watching movies," he said.

I blinked. "You're amazing."

He really was amazing. He remembered every single thing, every single detail. He told me that I should not compare him to the fictional boys I know... but he's making me believe that he's way better than them combined. Wala pa akong nababasa na ganito sa mga libro o sa mga pelikula na pinapanood ko.

His face turned red again... but I was not entirely sure because the sun was already setting at baka dahil lang iyon sa sinag ng araw. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. He cleared his throat and said thanks bago sabihin na pumasok na kami sa loob.

Pagpasok namin sa loob ay binati lang kami nung bantay. It really was a small cinema dahil mayroong mga frames ng ilang mga indie films. I was familiar with a lot of them dahil pina-nood ko sila dahil sa workshops noon. I was in awe. First time kong maka-punta dito. I liked this place more than the cinemas in the mall.

"What flavor?" Austin Archangel asked habang naka-tayo kami sa harap ng popcorn machine. Papatapos pa lang iyong pagluluto ng popcorn. Amuy na amoy ko iyong butter.

"Meron bang sour cream?" I asked.

"Yes," sabi niya. "Cheese, barbeque, and sour cream. You'll have sour cream?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, please."

Austin Archangel got a popcorn bucket. He filled the bucket halfway at saka nilagyan iyon ng sourcream powder. Iyong sa kanya ay mayroong barbeque powder. After that ay binigyan niya ako ng bottled water.

"Anything else?" he asked habang hawak namin iyong kanya-kanyang popcorn bucket at bottled water.

I shook my head. "What are we watching?" I asked.

"I think it's Got To Believe In Magic," he replied.

"I heard good reviews about it," sabi ko habang naglalakad kami papasok sa loob. It was one of the movies I was required to watch before, but I never got around to watching it.

There were only ten rows of seats. Kami lang ang tao sa loob. Nandoon kami sa fifth and sixth seats ng seventh row. Naupo ako sa may fifth seat at saka inilagay iyong bottled water sa may cupholder. Hindi pa nagsisimula iyong screening dahil mayroong mga trailer na pinapalabas sa screen.

"Ready?" Austin Archangel asked.

"Ready," I nodded.

The movie began. My eyes were focused on watching the movie and seeing every scene play before my eyes. Pinapanood ko rin iyong setting ng mga eksena at kung paano iyong mga dialogues nila. I reached for the bottled water when the first kissing scene began. Napa-tingin ako kay Austin Archangel dahil nagtama iyong mga kamay namin, but his hand flinched upon touching mine.

"Sorry," he quickly said.

"Are you okay?" I asked dahil kahit na madilim sa cinema ay kita ko na parang hindi siya mapakali. I could only see the sparkle in his eyes tuwing matatamaan iyon ng liwanag mula sa screen.

"Yes," he replied.

Nang tumingin kami sa screen ay patuloy pa rin iyong kissing scene. Austin Archangel reached for the bottled water again. I watched the movie again. Akala ko ay tapos na iyong movie, pero biglang mayroong bonus feature na kissing scene nung dalawang lead actors. Agad akong napa-tingin kay Austin Archangel because he was trying to drink from the already empty bottled water.

"Is it because of the kissing scene?" I asked. Nang manood kami dati ay ganito rin ang reaksyon niya. I almost thought that he had some issues with his lungs dahil sa patuloy na pag-ubo niya... But I had been spending a lot of time with him lately. Ganito iyong reaksyon niya tuwing manonood kami ng movie at mayroong kissing scenes. Mas grabe iyong reaksyon niya nung sa The Notebook iyong pinanood namin.

"No," he said.

"Then why aren't you watching it?"

Ibinalik niya iyong tingin niya sa screen. Naka-titig siya roon habang patuloy iyong kissing scene—those two leads have been kissing for a full minute. Mukhang behind the scenes iyong pinapalabas. They were really going at it.

"It's been a minute already," sabi ni Austin Archangel habang naka-tutok pa rin sa screen.

"I know," I said. "Hindi ba nila kailangang huminga?"

"I think they're breathing," he said. "If they do not breathe, they would've died already."

"Maybe they're breathing through the nose..." I commented. Nagpapack-up na iyong production team pero patuloy pa rin sila sa ginagawa nila.

"Maybe," he replied.

And then finally, the movie ended and the screen went black. Tanging mga emergency exit lights lang ang naka-bukas. I looked at Austin Archangel to ask him kung mayroon pa ba kaming papanoorin na movie o kung aalis na kami, but my forehead creased when I saw him staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"I did not eat any popcorn," he said.

"Why? Hindi ba masarap iyong barbeque?" I asked. I tried to eat, but I was too focused on the movie kaya rin hindi ko nagalaw iyong popcorn ko. Iuuwi ko na lang dahil sayang naman.

I continued staring at him. I was waiting for him to tell me what movie we'd watch next, but instead, he called my name.

"Can we..." sabi niya habang naka-tingin pa rin sa akin. "...kiss?" mahinang dugtong niya, pero dahil kami lang ang tao rito sa loob ay rinig na rinig ko iyong sinabi niya sa dulo.

I gulped.

I remembered the kiss we just watched. Ganoon iyong halik na dine-describe sa akin ni Dominic... That was the kiss I was expecting Austin Archangel to do with me before... But now that I watched it right before me, I was somehow undecided.

"Okay," I said. "But what if I can't breathe?" I asked because that was a real concern.

"Then we'll pause."

"Sasabihin ko ba na pause?"

"Just... pull away?"

"Okay."

There was three seconds lull.

Austin Archangel adjusted on his seat hanggang sa naka-harap siya sa akin. He placed his left hand on the side of my face. I flinched because his hand was cold.

"Malamig iyong kamay mo," sabi ko sa kanya.

"I'm nervous," he said.

"You don't have to kiss me like in the movie," I said because that kiss seemed like it was a really good kiss... And Austin Archangel only kissed twice in his entire lifetime... and both times were just our lips touching. I didn't want him to pressure himself.

He did not answer—instead, he leaned in hanggang sa magtama iyong mga labi namin. I closed my eyes like the lead did. Our lips were only touching for five seconds before I felt Austin Archangel nibbling my lower lip... and then the upper one. I was mimicking his every movement. During the first minute, he was kissing me slowly... but after the first minute, bumilis iyong paghalik niya sa akin. Both his hands were cupping my face. He was kissing me deeply. Hindi na ako maka-hinga. Agad akong napa-atras. Doon ko lang napansin na humi-hingal na ako.

Oh... that was why they said kissing is fun.

It really is fun... for some reason.

"I need to breathe," I said as I leaned back. I was breathing deeply. I touched my lips and they felt sore.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"I... don't know."

"I just need a minute," I replied, still trying to catch my breath. Tahimik lang siyang naka-tingin sa akin. "I'm good," I said.

"What?"

"Let's kiss again," I said and then we kissed again and the next movie was long forgotten. 

**

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