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#NY14 Chapter 14

I thought the call would be dropped, but at the very last second, I heard Eli's voice from the other end of the line.

"Bakit?" he asked.

"Can we talk?"

"Pwedeng bukas na?"

"Okay..." I replied. "I'm already outside, though," I continued. I know it's wrong to make people guilty for the choice you willingly made, but in this instance, I'd do the wrong thing... because I really didn't like this kind of silence between us.

I could last a whole week without hearing his voice, as long as I knew that we're good. But this kind of silence? I wanted to clear the air as soon as I possibly could.

What Eli and I have... it's a really good thing.

I'd protect it as much as I possibly could.

"But... I can go home if you really want to talk tomorrow," I added because I really couldn't guilt-trip this guy. He's too good. I just wanted to be good to him, too.

As I was waiting for a response from him, I heard the door opening. I looked at him and smiled a little. He was wearing a white t-shirt with the name of the school he graduated from and a navy-blue pajama bottoms.

"Hi," I said when he walked towards me.

"Bakit nandito ka?"

"I wanna talk."

"Pwede naman sa phone."

"Eli..." I said. "I'm sorry for how I acted the last time. I know it was wrong of me to be mad at you when you were only thinking about me. I'm really sorry."

He simply nodded. "Okay lang naman... Naiintindihan ko naman. Sasabihin ko sa 'yo agad lahat."

I shook my head. "You don't have to tell me anything."

His forehead was creased. "Kapag tungkol kay Sammie... hindi ko sasabihin?"

"Only when you think I have to know," I replied.

He stayed silent for a few seconds. "Paano ko malalaman kung—" he said, but we both stopped when we heard sounds from inside the house. "Gusto mong maglakad-lakad muna? Safe naman dito."

I nodded as we began to walk. It was already just 10pm, but there were no people outside. I looked up and saw that there were stars. The wind was cool against the skin, too. It felt perfect with Eli by my side.

"Kelsey."

"Hmm?"

"Paano ko malalaman kung dapat mong malaman?" he asked. And then I heard a deep sigh coming from him. "Mahal kita, alam mo 'yan, kaso... hindi ko anak si Sammie. Kayo ni Sean iyong magulang niya—"

I halted.

And looked at him.

I placed both hands on his shoulders and stared intently into his eyes. I saw his lips parted.

"Elias Jose," I called his name. He blinked. "I love you," I continued, enunciating each word clearly so that he'd hear them and hopefully... know that I meant them.

"Sean is Sammie's father and he's here to stay... but know that I love you and only you. Do you hear me?"

A small smile was starting to appear on his face.

I couldn't help but smile, too. His smile... it's infectious.

"Okay..." he said with a grin on his face.

I rolled my eyes. "Won't I get an I love you, took, Kelsey?" I asked and he laughed before he placed his hands on my waist, stared intently into my eyes, and placed a soft kiss on my lips.

"I love you, Kelsey..." he whispered against my lips. "Thank you sa pagpunta dito. Ayoko nung hindi tayo okay."

I nodded. "I know. I hate it, too."

"Sabihin mo na lang sa akin kung kailan ako pwedeng magsabi sa 'yo... o kung ano mga pwede o hindi pwede kong gawin..." he said. "Mahal kita... syempre mahal ko rin iyong anak mo... pero syempre alam ko rin na hindi naman ako iyong tatay niya kaya may mga bagay na hindi ako pwedeng gawin... Gusto ko lang na sabihin mo para alam ko kung saan ako lulugar."

I wrapped my arms around his waist.

I leaned my face against the crook of his neck.

"You stay by my side."

I felt him relaxing. "Given na 'yun, doc."

I chuckled. "Oh. Sorry."

He chuckled, too. "Ayoko lang na ma-offend si Sean," he replied. I just nodded. Tomorrow, I'd introduce them to one another and hopefully, after that, Eli would feel more at ease.

Because there's really nothing between Sean and me.

We have Samantha... and we love her both, but that's it.

We broke hug and continued strolling across the village. We were just holding hands, but I felt so at ease. With him by my side, it felt like everything's right with the world.

"What did you do in Quezon?" I asked.

"May pina-kuha lang si Ate."

"Did you get it?"

He nodded. "Oo... pina-kuha kina Trista." My head snapped at his direction. He looked like he was on defense mode. "May kinuha lang ako talaga, Kelsey. Saka nandun kaya iyong kinakasama niya."

I remained silent, but I guessed that my silence was unnerving because Eli kept on talking and explaining himself even though I asked nothing.

"Alam mo ba, niloko pala siya nung pinalit niya sa akin noon."

"Karma?"

Eli laughed. "Grabe ka," he said. "Hindi naman. Pero kasi nung niloko siya, pinuntahan niya pala iyong babaeng pinalit sa kanya. Tapos nag-away sila. Pina-kulong siya. Tapos asawa niya na iyong pulis na dumampot sa kanya."

My lips parted. "What?"

He nodded. "Ang saya nga niyang tignan, e. Tapos nagsorry din siya sa akin sa nangyari dati, pero sabi ko lang okay na."

We continued to walk in silence.

"Ang galing, no? Ang daming nangyari... pero ganon siguro talaga... kung ano iyong para sa 'yo, dadating din. Minsan, maiinip ka siguro sa tagal... o mapapa-tanong kung may dadating ba talaga... o kung may para sa 'yo ba talaga... pero dadating talaga." He looked at me and smiled. "Kasi kung para sa 'yo... para sa 'yo talaga."

* * *

We just walked around in circles until we reached the front of their house. Eli's hold on my hand tightened when we saw Elena outside. It seemed like she bought something from the store because she was holding a plastic bag.

"Hi," I greeted.

Elena just nodded at me. Well, at least, she acknowledged my existence. I thought she would just walk past us and get inside the house, but my eyes widened a little when she face Eli and me. Her eyes darted for a second on our hands.

"Reunion sa linggo," she said. My forehead creased. "Punta ka kung gusto mo," she continued before she headed back.

I looked at Eli, my eyes wide. "What... was that?"

Eli looked shocked, too. "Yun na ata iyong version ni Ate ng welcome to the family?"

"Oh..." I said. "Oh. Do I go to the reunion?" I asked because I wasn't sure if Eli would want me there. I'd totally understand if he didn't want me to go there. The reason why I was introducing him to my family was because I knew they're all curious. But just because I was introducing him didn't mean that he have to introduce me, too.

We're headed in the same direction, but we didn't have to take the steps at the same time.

In our own time.

In our own pace.

In our own convenience.

"Gusto mo ba?"

I shrugged. "Only if you want me there."

"Maingay doon... saka maraming bata... saka sure ako magpapa-consult mga tita at mga lola ko sa 'yo..."

I chuckled. "Okay?"

"Totoo nga. Baka imbes na mag-enjoy ka e maging mini medical mission iyong sa reunion," he said.

"It's okay," I said. Not everyone has the privilege of going to the hospital. I know a lot of people would rather stay at home and endure pain because the thought of going to the hospital would automatically mean spending money.

"Sure ka?"

"Yes," I replied. "Although I'm not sure I can be of much help. I'd more likely refer them to a specialist."

His lips parted. "Wag na... hindi mo naman trabaho."

I smiled. "Happy to help."

"Sure ka?"

I nodded. "Should I bring anything?"

He shook his head. "Nako, 'wag na. Marami ng pagkain. May lechon pa nga, e."

I nodded. "Okay."

"Sure ka talaga? Kasi bukas may blessing na sa apartment mo. Baka mapagod ka."

"Do you not want me there?"

His eyes widened. "Grabe naman!" he said, sounding defensive. "Syempre gusto ko nandoon ka para ipapa-kilala kita sa lahat. Nakaka-proud ka kaya. Isipin mo? Ako? Si Eli? Ganito ka-bait at ka-ganda ang girlfriend?"

I rolled my eyes and he just laughed at me. He's too much sometimes.

I wanted to kiss Eli, but I wasn't sure if his family's watching us. I just got in the car and bade goodbye. But after a few meters, I stopped. Eli was watching me leave, so when I stopped, he jogged towards me. I unlocked the door. He went inside.

"Bakit ka huminto—"

As soon as I unbuckled my seatbelt, I grabbed him and kissed him. I felt him stiffen in surprise, but it only lasted for a few seconds. I felt him laughing while we were kissing.

"You can get out now," I said after a full minute of kissing.

He laughed. "Grabe. I feel used."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I don't think so," I said as I looked at the tent on his pajamas.

His eyes widened. "Wait lang naman. 'Wag ka munang umalis. Paano ako papasok sa bahay nito?"

I shrugged. "Walk around the village for a while."

"Napaka naman nitong si Kelsey! Pagkatapos mong gawin 'to, iiwan mo lang ako?!"

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from laughing at his reaction. This was the reason why I hated unwanted silence between us. If I do something that warrants an apology, I'd immediately apologize. My desire to have him in my life is way bigger than my ego and pride.

I'm always having fun with him—it doesn't matter what we do, if I'm with him, it's always fun.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked. "It's not like we can have sex in my car in the middle of your village."

He groaned. "Wag ka ngang magsabi ng ganyan. Pinapalala mo lang."

I looked at his boner again.

And then I looked at the time.

His eyes widened when I placed my hand on top of his pajama and then I began rubbing my hand against it. Eli looked surprised, but he was having too much fun to even ask me about it.

I just looked in front of me and kept on rubbing my hand against it. I didn't want to look at his face because that would just tempt me to recline my seat and do things I should never do in the middle of the public road.

And when I heard his labored breathing, I fastened the pace.

"Here," I said, handing him the box of tissue and wipes.

"Kelsey," he said. I looked at him, but he just quickly kissed me. "Hindi 'to dahil sa handjob, pero I love you talaga."

I laughed. "I love you, too."

"Uuwi ka na ba talaga?" he asked, almost pleading. "Wala pang naka-tira doon sa dulong mga lote..." he continued, and I just chuckled at his suggestion.

"Maybe next time," I said. "It's already almost 11. I left Sammie with Sean."

I looked at his face through the rearview mirror. He just nodded upon hearing Sean's name, but I made no comment. Tomorrow, they'd meet and Eli would finally be at ease. 

*** 

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