Blade Slip

Blade Slip is a loss of propulsive power from a propeller caused by the differences between geometric and effective pitch.

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"Gusto ko lang tanawin 'yong New York from here. And also, I wanted to feel the wind, 'yon lang," I answer with a light laugh.

"Winter na ngayon dito kaya malamig. Baka mas lalo ka magkasakit." Mas hinigpitan niya ang yakap niya sa akin, parang prinoprotektahan niya ako mula sa lamig. His body is still warm, and the difference between the two of us is apparent.

Sana hindi ko naramdaman 'yong difference na iyon sa pagitan namin. Nandito siya ngayon, pero parang ang layo niya pa rin sa akin.

"I was looking for you," he mumbles and shivers slightly, potentially from how cold I must be now. "Akala ko tumakbo o umalis ka na."

"Aalis? Pero—"

Bakit niya naman iisipin iyon?

Gusto kong tanungin siya tungkol doon, pero hindi ko naman nagawang itanong din. Natatakot ako na baka kung ano pa ang masabi ko at baka maging iba pa ang pagkakaintindi ni Sage tungkol doon. Tinawanan ko na lamang iyon. "Gusto ko lang talaga makita ang New York ng ganito, kaya lumabas ako rito sa may veranda."

"Liar."

"Huh?"

"Look me in the eyes and say that again." He pulls away a little and stares fixedly at me, obviously seeing through the front.

Bahagya kong iniwasan ang tingin niya at bigla akong nataranta, pero bago ko pa magawa ay hinigpitan niya lang ulit ang yakap niya.

"Hindi mo kailangan magpanggap na matapang ka sa harapan ko..."

"Sage..."

Hindi ko talaga siya maloloko, ano? I tried to act self-assured, pero mas lalo ko lamang siyang pinag-alala. Not much of a girlfriend, am I?

Habang iniisip ko naman kung ano ang dapat kong sabihin sa kanya, kaagad na humina lalo ang boses ni Sage noong sinabi niya sa akin, "Naiintindihan ko kung ano ang nararamdaman mo."

I blink. "Naiintindihan mo?"

"Alam ko na nag-aalala ka lang din kagaya ko. Maging 'yong pag-aalala mo about sa akin... Kung gaano ka-deep 'yong pagmamahal mo sa akin... It's so beautiful that it is blinding..."

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat sabihin ko sa kanya dahil based sa mga sinabi niya... hindi lang ako itong praning. Dahil maging siya... ayaw niya rin ako ma-disappoint. We're practically just on the same cautious page. Kung sa libro man, nasa disclaimer kami pareho.

With that in mind, hindi ko magawang hindi ngumiti. I look back a little to try and get a better view of Sage's face. "Hey, Sage?"

He blinks and looks at me. "Yes?"

"Can I turn around? Gusto kong makita ka ng maayos."

"Yes."

This time, we face one another, arms encircling the other's waist in a second embrace. Habang nakatingin kami sa isa't isa, 'yong taranta at pangamba ko ay unti-unting naglaho.

"Ang dami kong bagong nalaman tungkol sa iyo, Sage," I say. "Pero parang hindi pa iyon ang lahat-lahat. Kaya, kung papayagan mo ako, mas gusto pa kita lalong makilala. At gusto ko rin na mas makilala mo pa ako."

"Me, too. In that case..."

"Sage?"

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at parang may naalala siya bigla ay hinatak niya ako pabalik sa loob.

"Wait, Sage? Anong mayroon?" nangangamba kong tanong sa kanya.

"Just come with me for now." Hawak-hawak niya pa rin ang kamay ko, hinatak niya ako patungo sa bedroom. Naguguluhan pa rin ako kung bakit, pero noong narating namin ang kwarto ay linagay ni Sage ang kanyang mga kamay sa balikat ko at pinaupo ako sa kama.

Nagkaroon na naman ba ulit kami ng misunderstanding? Hindi ko magawang maintindihan kung ano ang nais niya iparating sa akin pagkatapos kong sabihin na gusto kong mas makilala pa siya...

"Here." Sage pulls out his phone from who knows where and hands it to me. "143489."

Kinuha ko ang phone niya at hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung ano ang gusto niyang gawin ko. "Okay?"

Ano ito? Is he speaking in code now?

"That's the password for my phone. As well as my PEL number. Easy to remember." He nods his head towards the phone currently om my hands. "You can take a look."

Bakit? Anong mayroon?

I enter the numbers like I'm handling a bomb. '143489' sabi niya; something clearly unexpected as a passcode. Sino ba mag-aakala na gamitin ang PEL number nila as such? And it really does unlock.

"Tignan mo contacts ko," he urges.

Tinitigan ko naman siya ng maigi. "Sure ka ba na hahayaan mo akong tignan ang contacts mo?"

Hindi ko alam kung anong binabalak niya or ano ang gusto niyang patunayan pero noong tumango siya at ginawa ko ang sinabi niya, sineryoso ko ang pagpunta talaga sa contacts niya. Isa-isa ko rin tinignan. Properly noted naman ang mga companies na pinagtratrabuhan if co-workers niya, maging friends and family niya ay kumpleto sa details.

It's pretty normal, actually. Almost too normal...

With each flick of the screen, I realize something. Unless I'm mistaken, except for those sa mga ka-batch niya na nakilala ko and sa mga ka-apelyido niya na panigurado'y mga kamag-anak, lahat ng pangalan na nasa contacts niya ay mga lalaki.

"Wait..." Ibinalik ko ang titig ko sa kanya, and mukhang gets niya na kung ano ang gusto kong sabihin.

"I got rid of every other woman's number I know." He nods.

"Seriously?!"

"Well, nandiyan pa rin naman 'yong mga kamag-anak ko and mga ka-batch ko na mga babae. So sila lang 'yong mga babae na naka-register diyan."

"Oo, I hope that you would... Pero bakit?"

"The key to this room, the food we shared... it's a special privilege only you have." He smiles softly before kneeling down in front of me, placing his hands on the bed on either side of me. "You're the only woman I ever need, Yvonne."

I almost gape out loud. The frankness with which he says that belies how genuinely sweet he's being. He seems pretty unused to confessions like this, but he still manages to charm me with that.

And also, sinabi niya lahat ng iyon para mawala ang pangamba ko, hindi ba?

Siguro dahil sa kawalan ko ng sagot kaya bahagyang nalungkot at nataranta si Sage para tanungin ako, "Hindi ka pa rin naniniwala?"

Pakiramdam ko ay tinapon ako sa kung saan sa pagiging totoo niya. He's so awkward when it comes to his own feelings, and yet he's doing this for me now.

Talagang nagbago siya. Hinaharap niya na talaga kung sino siya.

Dati, ang mayroon lang ako ay ang nararamdaman ko para sa kanya. Masyado akong focus sa kanya, pero hindi man niya ako pinansin. Ngayon, tinititigan namin ang bawat isa as equals.

"Look for your name sa contacts ko," he urges another time, desperation to make me see the truth. "The rest related to work are the 'Number Three' kagaya ng sinabi ko dati; and 'yong pagka-group ko sa family ko had been 'Number Two'. And then—"

My body had moved before my mind could process. I am already scrolling once again through his contacts for my name. Buong-buo ang nakasulat: Yvonne Jade Valencia Astilla. And ang nakalaan sa nickname ay "Number One".

Totoo na dati pinagselosan ko noong sinabi niya na tumatawag si 'Number Three', only to find out that it was his nickname for everything related to work and maging sa mga ka-trabaho niya. Here I am learning more that his family had been 'Number Two'; and that the 'Number One' ends up to be me.

Shit... I'm really going out with Sage Nathaniel Martinez... Oh, God...

I'm so overwhelmed with emotion that it spills out in the form of tears. And seeing that, his eyes grow wide with concern.

"Are you really that happy?" he whispers, drawing closer to my face.

"Oo naman..." Pinilit ko punasan ang aking mga luha pero mas lalo lang akong umiyak. "I mean, you're—"

"Okay lang. 'Wag ka na muna magsalita." His long fingers gingerely wipe the tears from my cheek, before he cups my face by placing his warm and tender hands against my skin. "Hindi na kita papaiyakin pa. 'Wag ka na umiyak dahil sa akin..."

I close my eyes for a moment, nod and smile. "Okay..."

His lips meet mine, granting me a sense of peace. Compared sa mga kisses niya dati na I consider to be parting gifts or a show-off of his arrogance... this is one I want to enjoy for as long as I can.

"Sage..." bulong ko noong bahagya siyang kumalas sa aming halik.

"I love that expression. It makes me want to kiss you forever," he whispers before stealing my lips another time.

Kahit ilang beses niya pa ako halikan ngayon, alam ko na hindi iyon sapat. The more we share, the more I want. A long, passionate kiss does wonders at warming up my body, but my still-wet hair is making my head cold. Para namang na-realize iyon ni Sage for him to pull me closer and rubs his hand along my back.

"I'll give you some of my heat," he teases with a smirk.

Nahihiya kong sagot sa kanya, "Ikaw naman itong lalamigin."

Kaagad siyang tumawa. "In that case, let me make you something nice."

"Ano naman iyon?" I search his face to look at me straight to the eye.

"Give me a minute." He winks and gently ruffles my hair before heading out of the room.

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A/N: We are down to the third to the last chapter of Flight Deck. With that being said, FLIGHT series' Book 3: Flight Path will be up on 1 August 2022, with the Prologue to be available on 2 August 2022. And as I've always said, despite my intention to have it be updated every Tuesday, my busy schedule will certainly not be able to keep up with those weekly updates. =.=

Also, aren't we nearing 1K followers? :> Thank you so much for all of your support!

Anyway, 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: 17 July 2024 | 1048H

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