Convergence

Convergence is the coming together at a particular point. An example of such is the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which is a zone in which the trade winds from the two hemispheres approach each other.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The casa is even larger and more extravagant than I ever could have imagined. At habang tinititigan ko ang bawat sulok ng casa ay siyang upo naman ni Sage sa sofa sa may common area, halatang hindi apektado sa sitwasyon namin ngayon. Tinawag niya naman ako, "Ayaw mo maupo?"

"Ah, oo. Salamat." Naupo ako sa katapat na sofa at nararamdaman ko ang pagbilis ng tibok ng puso ko. Nararamdaman ko rin ang init ng titig niya sa akin.

"Ayaw mo ba rito?" tanong niya sa akin. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tinutukoy niya—kung ayaw ko ba siyang makatabi o mapag-isang kasama siya rito.

"Gusto ko," kaagad kong sagot. Inisip ko na lang na ang tinutukoy niya ay ang manatili kami rito. "Truly."

He smirks. "For someone who've been pretty determined to turn down that hotel keycard..."

"Kailangan ko gawin iyon. Kung hindi, baka hindi ako titigil kakahabol sa iyo."

"You have a point there." He laughs, seemingly satisfied sa rason na binigay ko, at tumingin siya patungo sa kwarto. "Gusto mo mauna mag-shower?"

"Hmm?" I blink.

"Baka magkasakit ka kapag hindi ka nag-shower kaagad ngayong basa ang damit mo."

"Ah... okay."

Ano bang iniisip mo, Yvie? To be honest, naisip ko na siya mismo ang mag-offer na mag-shower kami, pero masyadong mabilis 'ata iyon for a first time. Ano, Yvie? First time?!

I get a little ahead of myself thinking about what might come next. I try to calm my nerves as I head on to the bedroom and onward to the bathroom.

☆ ☆ ☆

Noong natapos ako mag-shower, nagulat ako na wala si Sage sa common area. Bago ko pa maitawag ang pangalan niya ay siyang bukas naman ng katabing pintuan, at si Sage mismo ang lumabas. Halatang galing sa shower ngayong naka-bathrobe na rin siya at nakasakbit sa balikat ang towel.

"Nakapag-shower ka na rin?" kaagad kong tanong sa kanya.

Sage appears bewildered with my question before breaking into a small smile. "Yes. May isa pa namang bathroom sa kabilang kwarto," he explains before heading back to flop on to the couch. He is drying his hair with the towel all the while scrolling down his phone with the other. "Mabuti na lamang at may vacant casa sila na may dalawang kwarto at dalawang bathroom."

Right... And here I am stressing about our supposed to be ninety-nine percent match, thinking that we're going to test that out...

But since we've started being serious of dating one another a chance, it might not be all that strange. Sadyang ako lang itong naprapraning sa mga posibleng mangyari.

Naupo rin ako sa sofa. This time, however, I sit right next to Sage for no particular reason. Or rather, I have. Since... wow, teka. Napatingin lang ako saglit sa bahagyang nakabukas na bathrobe ni Sage at 'di siguro kakayanin ng puso ko kung kailangan kong umupo katapat niya. Maging maupo nga sa tabi niya, para akong hihimatayin sa hiya.

"Yvonne..." Sage calls for me softly.

"Y-Yes?!" Tumingin ako sa kanya kaagad at nagulat ako na malamang mas malapit na siya sa akin ngayon. Tinigil niya na ang pagpapatuyo sa kanyang buhok at naibaba niya na ang phone niya sa mesa. Ngayon, nakapako ang atensyon niya sa akin.

It could just be because the heat of the shower still lingers, but there's something burning behind his gaze. Hindi ako makaiwas ng tingin kahit noong unti-unti niyang linapit ang kanyang mukha sa akin. At kung kailan malapit na kami mag-kiss, ay kaagad ko namang pinaling ang mukha ko palayo.

Anong ginagawa mo, Yvie?!

Namula kaagad ang mga pisngi ko. "Well, Sage, uhm... Alam mo naman na..."

"Yeah. Naiintindihan ko. So, at least, let me do this." He places a gentle kiss on my cheek instead. "Let's stop here for today."

Siguro halata sa mukha ko ang pangamba kaya naman ay kaagad niyang linapat ang kamay niya sa pisngi ko at tinitigan akong maigi muli.

He smiles softly as he explains it all, "To be honest, Yvonne, I want to have sex with you. No... I want to make love with you. I want to have you in my arms. Pero wala iyon sa plano ngayon. Nandito tayo dahil sa nangyari kanina. I just... Gusto ko lang talaga masigurado muna that we're really on the same page first. I feel like I really love you, kaya gusto kong malaman ang lahat ng uri ng pag-ibig. Hindi lang 'yong physical."

Hindi ako kaagad nakaimik. Siguro ay dahil nabigla ako sa revelation ni Sage ng tunay niyang nararamdaman. Hindi ko ineexpect na ganoon na pala ang tingin niya sa akin, at hindi na tulad noong una naming reunion dahil sa app. However, hindi ko naman lubos dapat pasalamatan 'yong Venus Match, dahil kung ano ang nangyari pagkatapos ng initial meeting namin... 'yong plot twist na mas lalong nagtagpo sa amin ni Sage para maging ganito ay dahil sa mga ginawa na namin.

"Na-disappoint ka ba?" malumanay na tanong ni Sage.

"H-Hindi sa ganoon..."

"Hindi naman kita masisisi, since I'm not really acting like myself." Malungkot niyang linihis ang tingin niya. "Especially since masyado akong focus tungkol sa almost perfect compatibility natin."

"But I love you exactly because that's how you feel," batid ko. Bahagyang foreign pa para sa akin ang marinig ang sarili kong tawagin ang nararamdaman ko kay Sage ngayon na tunay na pagmamahal. "Gusto ko rin muna masigurado ang nararamdaman ko before we take that step."

"'Di ba?" This time, he looks relieved after ko sabihin sa kanya ang nararamdaman ko.

Kahit din ako. Para akong nakahinga ng maluwag. May parte ng puso ko na natatakot pa rin na katawan ko lamang ang habol ni Sage...

"Off mo bukas, hindi ba?" he asks.

"Oo. Ikaw ba?"

"Same. Wala akong schedule for this week except starting on Friday. I'm going to stay here tonight. You should stay with me, Yvonne."

"S-Sigurado ka ba?"

"Ayaw kong pakawalan ka nang basta-basta lamang."

May dalawa namang kwarto at after ko marinig ang nararamdaman ni Sage ay medyo nakampante ako. Hindi niya naman ino-offer na kailangang magkatabi kami matulog or what, at para namang may gagamit ng isang kwarto... I nod at him. "Okay. Pero magkahiwalay ng kwarto, hindi ba?"

Sage laughs at that. "Of course. I'm telling you that I want to take this seriously."

Nawala lahat ng duda ko na baka mali ang naging sagot ko sa kanya. Afterwards, ipinaubaya namin ang mga basa naming damit sa laundry service, sabay order ng dinner, at nanatili kami sa casa na magkasama.

☆ ☆ ☆

Ang problema nga lang ngayon ay hindi ako makatulog. Pagkatapos namin kumain ng dinner at makapagkwentuhan saglit tungkol sa mga bagay-bagay ay nag-goodnight kami sa isa't isa. Hinalikan niya naman ako sa may pisngi bago ako hayaang pumasok sa silid ko at siguraduhin na naka-lock. At pagkatapos ko makapag-ayos at makapaghanda upang matulog ay wala naman akong ginawa kung hindi tumitig sa kisame. Pinilit ko makatulog pero kahit anong palit ko ng pwesto ay patuloy lamang tumatakbo ang oras na hindi ako dinadalaw ng antok.

Patuloy na nag-rereplay sa utak ko ang nangyari kanina sa may ilog at kung paano nag-professed si Sage sa akin. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa lahat ng nangyari, at iniisip ko na baka nananaginip lamang ako. At kung gano'n man ay matagal-tagal na akong nananaginip at hindi ko na nanaiisin pang magising. But it is all a reality, because here I am, struggling to sleep when my mind is filled with all of those things that I only hoped for years before.

Siguro, isa rin sa mga dahilan kung bakit hindi ako makatulog ay dahil alam ko na ang lapit lamang namin ni Sage sa isa't isa. Nasa kabilang kwarto lamang siya. Isang pader lamang ang pagitan namin at napapaisip ako na parang bata kung mahimbing ba ang tulog niya, or kung hindi rin ba siya makatulog dahil ginugulo rin siya ng mga nangyari kanina.

Noong mag-dadalawang oras na akong nakahiga at halatang hindi ako basta-basta makakatulog ay napagdesisyunan ko na gambalain si Sage. Lumabas ako ng kwarto at napansin na wala siya sa common area, at noong una'y nagdalawang-isip pa akong kumatok sa kwarto niya. Nakakahiya at baka ginugulo ko siya habang natutulog na siya.

Pabalik na ako sa kwarto ko noong nagbukas naman ang pintuan ng kwarto niya at tinawag niya ako, "Yvonne?"

Kaagad akong napalingon sa kanya na parang batang nahuling pumupuslit tuwing gabi. "Ah... Sorry. Naistorbo ko ba ang tulog mo?"

He shakes his head. "Hindi ako makatulog. Ikaw ba?"

I also shake my head in return. "Hindi rin. Uhm... Pwede ba mag-order ng kahit isang bote lang? Pangpa-antok lang?"

"Hindi 'ata sila nag-ooffer ng ganyan kapag sa rooms. Sa beach bar lang 'ata," sagot niya. "At..."

I raise an eyebrow for him to continue, but on the way he covers his mouth and cheeks, a hint of a faint blush on his skin, I realize that he seems to hint alcohol that could further lead to sex. Linihis ko ang tingin ko at bahagya rin akong namula. Kaagad kong sabi, "Ah, I see..."

"Though I can offer you company," he says. "Just... company. Nothing else. I swear na walang ibang mangyayari kung hindi—"

"Okay," I interrupt him as I shyly tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"What?"

"I take that offer. Naniniwala naman ako sa iyo, Sage."

He blinks and like a robot, moves away from the doorway leading to his room. "Then..."

I accept the suggestion and step in his room. I realize that the air condition is turned off, but the curtains are shove to the side and the windows are open. There's a faint smell of some sort of citrus—a mixture of watermelon, bubblegum and cotton candy—and looking by the coffee table, napansin ko na may box mod vape siya.

"Sorry," kaagad niyang saad noong napansin niya na roon nakapako ang atensyon ko. Sage moves to take it, tucking it somewhere before childlessly fanning as if to remove every hint of the smoke out of the room. "Habits die hard."

During high school, Sage might be the rebellious and troublemaker one, pero hindi ko alam if that had been the start of him smoking. And that only lead me to ask, "Naninigarilyo ka na ba ever since high school?"

He appears surprised with my question but after a second, he manages to answer, "No. College ako natuto. Those years had been stressful ones for me. Economics had never been an option na course para i-take ko. It continued during flight training. Though, at that time, medyo nakakapagpigil-pigil ako; since WAA had a strict tradition about it. Smoking is a privilege reserved para sa mga nakapag-first solo na. Madami rin sa batch namin ang naninigarilyo, but there are a few who are the good ones."

"Good ones?" I sit at the corner of the bed, watching him as he turns on the air condition and close the windows.

"Boys na hindi nag-smosmoke." He laughs. "Or 'yong iba na nagagawang tumigil sa paninigarilyo."

"I actually consider it an addiction na mahirap maiwasan basta-basta. Pero hanga ako sa mga tao na nagagawang tumigil."

"I guess, naimpluwensiyahan si Boss kaya naging ganoon."

"Naimpluwensiyahan si Boss?" I blink, unable to catch up with his words at once.

"Ah... Love," he answers with a smirk. "It's almost funny to think about it. Noong kwinento nila Nikolai sa batch namin na tinapon niya 'yong IQOS niya sa Vigan noong nag-date sila roon during Valentine's na may lipad sila pareho... I consider it a waste of money, pero panigurado na centavos lang iyon para sa kanya. But the whole point is, I guess that it is love that had changed him."

I stare back at him intently. "Are you testing me to stop your addiction, too?"

"Do you mind?"

"No. Bahala kang mamatay maaga mag-isa."

Sage laughs at that. "Mukhang ibang-iba ka kay Madam... Well, ibang-iba rin naman ako kay Boss." He sighs heavily and leisurely lie down on the bed. "Seems like makakatulog na ako ng ganito. Knowing that you're here. Wala ka pang plano matulog?"

"Of course." Dahan-dahan naman akong humiga sa kabilang side ng kama. The bed is large enough that there's plenty of space even once we're both lying down. And medyo awkward since parang mas lalo 'ata akong mahihirapan makatulog ng ganito.

He turns to me and says, "Come a little closer."

I meekly chuckle, wishing that the darkness of the room hides my blush quite too well noong linapitan ko siya. "Thanks?"

Kaagad naman akong yinakap ni Sage at nakahinga ako ng maluwag noong wala siyang ibang ginawa kung hindi iyon.

"You're warm," I involuntarily comment out of the blue.

Bago ko pa naman mabawi ang sinabi ko ay bahagyang tumawa si Sage at sinabi, "Ikaw din. It's really calming."

I hesitantly surround my arms around him and slowly wander my hands on the span of his back as his fingers weave through my hair. When he leans closer, it is only to kiss me on the forehead and cheeks. These light touches are comforting, and I never want to stop.

Siguro hindi namin kailangan mag-sex para ma-test ang aspect regarding our physical compatibility. This proves much that the one percent incompatibility isn't about this light affection. Physical compatibility could be waged this way, like sharing each other's warmth. Or baka talagang optimistic lang ako regarding sa interpretation na iyon...

"Sage, anong masasabi mo tungkol sa..." Napatingin ako kaagad sa kanya. "Hmm? Sage?"

And when my eyes adjust to the darkness, I realize that Sage has already fallen asleep, his breathing gentle. Given sa kung anong nangyari ngayong araw, I can swear that exhaustion finally caught up with him.

This is another first... I'm finally seeing what he's like when he sleeps. Hindi ko naisip na magkakaroon ako ng pagkakataong makita siyang ganito.

I'm so beside myself with joy as I take in every detail, at hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na I'm sharing a bed with someone na siyang crush ko ever since. Gusto kong sabihin sa high school version ko ang lahat ng ito, as well as sa skeptical version ko noong nag-reregister ako sa app.

Binigyan ko ng chance 'yong Venus Match dahil gusto ko rin maniwala sa so-called 'destined romance'. Regarding sa 'soulmates'. Ayaw kong mauwi lang sa wala itong nararamdaman ko para kay Sage, at gusto kong isipin na hindi lang kami hanggang dito. I want to think that this feeling could become something more.

Ganito rin ba ang nararamdaman niya? Sana trine-treasure niya rin 'yong naging reunion namin kagaya ko.

I put my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. The steady rhythm and warmth I find there slowly pulls me under.

Sana hindi lang talaga panaginip ang lahat ng ito. Sana, pagkagising ko, nandito pa rin si Sage. Sana hindi lang mauwi sa isang magandang panaginip lahat ng ito.

"Goodnight, Sage," I murmur, putting all my hopes into a single kiss on his cheek and close my eyes. I allow myself be enveloped by Sage's warmth, the lullaby of his heartbeat and steady breathing, to lull me into a joyful slumber.

———————————————

A/N: So... I am still waiting for the released of my PPL. And funny enough that Alpha was asking me if I've already paid for it, and I've told them that I've already paid for it right after the check ride. In short, mukhang nagbakasyon din talaga ang mga papeles namin sa Elyu. With that being said, it is already negative for me to return back with training before my aunt (whose favorite niece is me, and had allowed us to borrow money for my flight training) has her vacation by June. But, nothing to be worried about; because, it feels like I am truly meant to test the effectiveness of the Garmin D2 Air X10 that I've asked my aunt to buy.

Yes, the Garmin D2 Air X10 is the latest aviator watch released by Garmin. To be honest, I've been thinking about it and an iWatch, but Garmin is a known brand when it comes to aviation. I mean, most of our computer console are Garmin-made. It puts a Garmin watch on edge due to that; maybe when I have it on my hands already, I can share how powerful it could be against an iWatch. Based on the latest reviews though, it seems equivalent to an iWatch which is less expensive and has a longer battery life. And, of course, for an aviator watch, does an iWatch has the power to read altimeter, HSI direct, METAR conditions, and airport information, etc.? I guess, not. When the Garmin watch also function as a smartwatch.

Anyway, nothing much to share about it but just the hurdles of this week had been that. Vote, comment and share! 👀 Also, follow me on twitter @23meraki for more updates, trivia about the story, aesthetic boards, and etc. Love, love, love! <3

UPDATED: 29 May 2024 | 1118H

#FLIGHTseries02 || #FSFlightDeck