Chapter 14
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#MY14 Chapter 14
Yup.
I should've done my research.
I woke up at around 6am and when I looked out the window, it was still pitch-black. And according to Google, mamaya pa raw mga 10am lalabas si Mr. Sun. Wala naman akong dalang laptop or libro para pampa-lipas oras. Shit. Wala pa rin akong simcard!
Pagdating ko sa baba, thankfully may breakfast na. Hindi naman ako naka-ranas ng jetlag dahil na rin siguro wala akong tulog sa eroplano at kumpleto naman ang beauty rest ko... Well, aside from the fact na inisip ko kagabi iyong sinabi ni Levi sa akin.
His timing, really! Magsasabi siya ng ganon sabay ibababa ako as harap ng hotel. Literally, I had no chance to say anything! Ganoon pala iyong feeling na wala sa 'yo iyong last word! Nakaka-frustrate na hindi mo maintindihan.
'Where do I buy sim card?'
I texted Levi using iMessage. I knew I could just ask the reception, but I wanted a reason to talk to him. It's not like I got off in seeing him beg! It was just that at that time, I wasn't open to any explanation. All I knew was that he lied to me and I really didn't like being lied to. Mabilis mawala ang tiwala ko at mahirap ibalik.
'Ask the receptionist.'
'I'm asking you.'
'I don't owe you anything.'
'Really? Ibabalik mo lang ba lahat ng sinabi ko sa 'yo?'
He didn't reply.
I saw him typing something. He typed for almost a minute. Then he stopped. My message just read as seen.
'I already apologized. What more do you want?'
I saw him typing again. I waited to read his message again. But I received nothing again.
'Fine. I'm sorry I asked. I'll just wing this vacation.'
I tossed my phone back inside my bag at saka nagsimulang kumain. I was angrily biting on my croissant na hindi ko man lang ito ma-enjoy without thinking of Levi. Tsk. This vacation would've been better kung 'di niya ako sinungitan kagabi tapos doon siya sa room ko natulog. Sobrang pagod ako, so we wouldn't have sex, but we'd cuddle and that would've been really nice.
Tsk.
Bibig mo kasi, Yanyan! Dami mong sinabi na 'di mo na mabawi ngayon! Kailan ka ba matututo? Isip muna bago magsalita! Gosh!
Though I tried to take my time, at around 7:30, natapos na rin akong kumain. Madilim pa rin sa labas. Pero safe naman siguro dito. Sa Pinas lang naman nakaka-takot na ma-gripuhan sa bawat sulok.
I asked the receptionist and they were accommodating naman. They even helped me set up the sim card. I thanked them. Finally, makaka-ikot na rin ako! 'Di naman siguro ako mawawala... May Internet naman na.
I looked up the schedule of Louvre and it said that it'd open ng 9am. Tinignan ko kung paano makaka-rating doon. I needed to go to a bus station and then ride a bus and then transferred. Okay. Mahaba-habang lakaran 'to. Tama nga si Niles na pilitin akong bumili ng bagong walking shoes dahil marami pala talaga akong lalakarin dito.
I got out of the hotel and began walking. Iyong isang kamay ko ay nasa loob ng coat pocket ko dahil sobrang lamig! I literally couldn't feel my fucking face dahil sa lamig!
"Ang tagal ng araw!" I said while I was alone, walking. Naka-tingin lang ako sa phone ko para sundan iyong direction. Mabuti na lang talaga nag-install si Niles ng maraming app sa phone ko na makaka-tulong para magnavigate. Nanay ko talaga 'yun, e.
I stopped. I was confused kung saan ako liliko. I probably looked so helpless kaya naman kinausap ako bigla nung katabi ko. I was about to tell him that I didn't need any help—mahirap na—but when I saw his face, I bit my tongue back.
"Besoin d'aide?" he asked.
"Pardon?" I asked back. Ubos na iyong baon kong French.
"English?" tanong niya ulit. I nodded, a little too enthusiastically because damn, nanonosebleed ako rito! "I asked if you need help. You seem lost."
I smiled, shyly. Fuck. This guy's hot! As in he's that classic hot white male. Complete package ng blonde hair, striking blue eyes, and that accent? Fuck.
"Oh, yes," I replied, laughing. "I need to go to the bus station. I'll go to Louvre."
"The Louvre? You're a tourist?"
"Yup."
"You're a... Filipino?"
Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Yes! Have you been to the Philippines?" I asked. Kwento kasi ni Niles, based sa experience niya, dito raw sa West, kapag Asia, it's either Japan or China lang ang alam nila. So, it's a pleasant surprise na alam nitong kausap ko ang Pinas!
"Once," he said. "Attended a friend's wedding."
"Oh," I replied, still smiling. "So, did you visit—"
Pero bago pa man matapos ang sinasabi ko ay naka-ramdam na naman ako ng kamay sa bewang ko. I needed not to look para malaman kung sino iyon.
"What are you doing?" I asked Levi who was standing next to me. Mukhang nagulat din iyong kausap ko.
"Je vais le prendre d'ici," sabi ni Levi at biglang ngumiti sa akin iyong lalaki at umalis. What?! I looked at Levi after I removed his hand on my waist. "You're welcome," he said.
My lips parted in disbelief. I blinked in a mixture of confusion and frustration. "What?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"Don't talk to strangers."
"Levi, I'm in a fucking foreign land. Everyone here is a stranger!" inis na sabi ko habang nanghihinayang pa rin. That guy was nice! And hot!
He merely shrugged. "I'm not a stranger."
"Are you fucking kidding me? After mo akong literal na sabihan ng ganoon tapos iwan sa hotel? And bakit ka nandito? You're stalking me!" I accused him.
He shrugged again. Aba! Hindi man lang nagdeny!
"What are you doing?!" I asked nang magsimula siyang malakad. I hated how my feet automatically followed him.
"This is the way to The Louvre," sabi niya habang tahimik na naglalakad. The guy... ang gulo rin niya minsan!
"Have you eaten breakfast?" tanong niya bigla.
"Di ba you're stalking me? Bakit 'di mo alam if nagbreakfast na ba ako or what?"
"We're here," biglang sabi niya. Agad akong napa-tingin sa harapan ko. Oh, my god! This was the famous triangle! I wanted to ask Levi to take a picture of me—remembrance lang hindi ko naman iuupload, but nahihiya ako kasi inaway ko na naman siya.
"Come on, strike a pose," sabi niya habang nilalabas iyong phone niya. Hindi na ako nag-inarte pa at saka umayos na ako ng post sa harap nung triangle. Pina-kita sa akin ni Levi iyong picture. In fairness... magaling talaga siyang kumuha ng picture!
After kumuha ng picture, bumili kami ng ticket. Kanya-kanya kaming nagbayad. Thankfully, wala masyadong tao roon kaya naman naka-pasok agad kami. To say that I was in awe would be an understatement! Sobrang ganda ng infrastructure! If I were an architect, baka naiyak na lang ako kasi sobrang ganda talaga rito!
"Do you know where Mona Lisa is?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"Yeah. But there are lots of other artworks aside from her," he casually said while we're walking. He's right, though. Ang daming ibang magagandang art works dito, but I really wanted to see Mona Lisa.
I didn't expect na ganito pala kalaki sa loob. If it weren't for Levi, baka naligaw na ako!
"Coffee, you want? My treat," sabi ko nang may makita akong Starbucks.
"No, thanks," he replied. "Tired already?"
I nodded. "Kanina pa tayo naglalakad."
Natawa siya sandali. "Okay. Let's get coffee."
Levi ordered for us. I wanted to know kung paano siya natuto magsalita ng French, but then I hesitated because that was a personal question... And hindi naman ako dense para mapansin na inis sa akin si Levi. I couldn't blame him. Nakaka-inis naman talaga iyong mga sinabi ko sa kanya.
He's probably just here because he's a genuinely nice guy. 'Di siguro kaya ng konsensya niya na may Julienne Salvacion na naliligaw dito sa Paris.
"Thank you," I said when he handed me my coffee. "I'll treat you lunch," dagdag ko pa dahil siya na iyong nagbayad ng coffee.
"It's fine," he replied, crossing his legs and quietly sipping his coffee.
Tahimik ko ring ininom iyong akin. But as I was enjoying my coffee, I couldn't help but look at him. Siguro kung ngayon kami unang beses na magkikita, I'd throw away any inhibitions and just introduce myself to him...
Because he's that guy.
At least to me.
He's that kind of guy that you'd want to know kasi kung hindi? You'd end up regretting it because deep inside, you just know that he's a great guy and there's no harm in trying to have something great with a great guy.
And that's exactly what I did when I first saw him.
I introduced myself.
We had a great story...
But maybe it's just that—a great story.
"What?" he asked when he caught me staring.
I awkwardly smiled as I shook my head. "When's your flight back?" I asked instead.
"Friday," he replied.
"So you still have 2 days."
"Yeah."
"Samahan mo akong umikot?"
"Sure, why not."
"Kasi... friends?" I asked.
"Sure," he replied, merely nodding as he continued his cup of coffee.
After that, sinamahan ako ni Levi na hanapin si Mona Lisa. He took a picture of me. For some reason, nagawa niyang lumaki si Mona Lisa because in person, it's just a tiny frame. Ewan ko. Baka 'di lang ako mahilig talaga sa painting.
"Do you know any place for lunch?" I asked.
"What's your itinerary?" he asked instead.
"Why?"
"So that you can make the most out of this vacation," he replied.
I shrugged. "Wala naman. I'm just here to relax and to do sightseeing."
"Okay," he said, nodding. "Just here in Paris?"
"No. I plan to go to Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Italy siguro," I replied, already feeling excited kasi dream ko talaga 'tong Europe trip, e! At least siguro medyo okay na rin na ngayon lang ako naka-punta. Meron na akong pera so 'di ko kailangang magtipid talaga.
"Jesus F. Christ," he uttered. "That's a lot. Did you plan? Research?" tanong niya at umiling ako. Nagresearch naman ako! Grabe siya! Tho hindi lang as in sobrang detailed kasi paano naman ako makakapagplano e busy din naman ako sa work? Plano ko talaga ay i-google dito lahat.
But the way Levi's face was turning red in... anger? Bakit siya galit?
"What's the plan here, Julienne?" he asked, sounding really frustrated.
"I told you—wing it."
"Wing it," he repeated, as if mocking me. "Like you talking to the guy earlier?"
I shrugged. "Maybe."
Saglit na napa-pikit siya at napa-hugot ng malalim na hininga. "God, lady, you're frustrating me!" sabi niya at saka inilabas iyong phone niya at saka iyong papel na nakuha namin kanina sa The Louvre.
"Do you have a pen?" he asked.
"Of course," reply ko dahil lagi naman akong may ballpen talaga. Habit na dahil sa work.
"Did you book any ticket?" tanong niya at umiling ako. I was pretty sure I heard him curse. "Okay. I'm gonna make you an itinerary and write down where you'll get the tickets, okay?" he asked and I nodded like an obedient child.
For almost an hour there, we sat as Levi made me an itinerary. He asked me kung saan ko gustong pumunta and when I said nothing, he's the one who suggested places I'd visit and food I'd eat.
Mas okay sana if magkasama kami... but then kailangan niya ring bumalik sa Pinas dahil hindi naman lilipad iyong eroplano kung wala siya.
"Thanks for this," I said when he handed me the paper full of information. It was really... touching. Ramdam ko na worried talaga siya sa akin. It's either dahil mukha talaga akong hopeless na maliligaw dito or may feelings pa siya sa akin.
But he was very clear.
I should just respect that.
"No problem," he replied. "If you think you're getting lost, call me."
"Talaga?"
"Yeah."
"Di ka na galit sa 'kin?"
He rolled his eyes. "I'm not heartless—of course I'll still help you."
Alangan akong ngumiti. Of course this was just him being nice. It's just... confusing. Kaya ayoko talaga nakiki-friends sa mga ganito, e. Minsan 'di mo alam saan ka lulugar. Minsan kasi mabait lang talaga sila. E malay mo ba, right?
After lunch, naglakad-lakad lang kami. Kahit maglakad lang dito, sobrang ganda na. Nakaka-relax. Maybe I'd make this at least every other year? Basta gusto ko ulit bumalik kapag pwede.
"Meron ka pa bang hindi napupuntahan?" I asked while we're sitting on one of the benches in the middle of the bridge. Nandito iyong parang mga padlocks ng mga lovers. Huh. Kung kami pa rin siguro—never mind. 'Di naman ako naniniwala sa ganon.
"Iceland," he said.
"Dun 'yung Northern Lights, 'di ba?" I asked and he nodded. "Bakit hindi ka pa pumupunta 'dun?"
His back was resting against the wooden bench. Naka-tingin lang siya sa river na Seine daw ang pangalan according sa tour guide ko. Ilang beses na kayang naka-punta rito si Levi? Para kasing kabisado niya na talaga lahat, e.
"I'm reserving that place for my wife," he said, making my lips part in surprise. "Could've been you," he said, looking at me, slightly grinning.
"Levi—"
But instead of letting me finish, he stood up, and looked at me. "Let's go. I'm hungry," he said, cocking his head to the side. Pero hindi ako naka-galaw. Nawala iyong maliit na ngiti sa labi niya. "It's okay, Julienne. We did break up, sure, but I'm still glad that we happened."
***
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