Chapter 06

I was like a hawk watching Chester's every move. Mabuti na lang at nakatalikod siya kaya hindi niya ako nakikita. I hope hindi totoo iyong naffeel mo na may nakatingin sa 'yo kasi if oo? I was dead sure na kanina niya pa ramdam! Bakit naman kasi sa lahat ng bagay na kakakiligan ko pa, iyong paghuhugas niya pa ng plato?!

"Tapos ka na?" I asked although obvious naman dahil nagpupunas na siya ng kamay niya.

Nung humarap siya sa akin, nakita ko na walang bakas ng tubig sa shirt niya. In fairness, sanay nga siya maghugas ng plato. Si Rhys kasi marunong naman pero laging labag sa loob niya kaya kapag naghugas iyon, kulang na lang isipin mo na nagcarwash siya sa sobrang basa ng damit niya.

"Dito ka lang ba?" he asked.

My forehead creased. "What?"

"Di ka pa babalik?"

"Oh..." I said. Hindi naman ako usually ganito ka-slow kapag may ibang kausap ako. For some reason, kapag si Chester ang nasa harap ko, nagugulo and nagmamalfunction talaga ang system ko! "Kaka-kain ko lang, e," I added. "I'll probably stay here for a while."

He gave me a small nod. I thought he'd excuse himself kasi based sa mga naging pag-uusap namin, we'd talk for a while and then he'd excuse himself. Ganoon iyong pattern, e. So, I was expecting him to bid me good night and to tell me na babalik na siya sa room niya.

"Ikaw?" I asked, applauding myself sa kapal ng mukha na meron ako. "Aakyat ka na ba?"

He looked at me and gave me a shrugged. "Kaka-kain ko lang din."

I frowned. "Ginagaya mo 'yung sinabi ko."

"Nauna akong kumain sa 'yo."

Sometimes, hindi ko gets si Chester like minsan mabait siya, minsan nagjojoke naman siya but very dry talaga iyong humor niya. As in mas gusto kong titigan siya kaysa tumawa sa jokes niya. Same sila ng kapatid niya na minsan kailangan mo pa iinterpret iyong jokes. But even then, natutuwa pa rin ako sa kanya! Delikado na talaga ako.

We both went inside. For a while, tahimik lang kaming dalawa habang naglalakad. I knew that we're in the province, but seeing the stars up above? It was like I was reminded na nasa probinsya na nga talaga kami. Wala na kasing ganito sa Manila dahil sa kapal ng usok.

"I think fiesta ngayon dito," I said after minutes of just pure silence between us. Hindi naman totally silence kasi maririnig mo iyong buzz ng mga insects sa paligid.

"Nadaanan ko nga," he replied.

"Paano ka pumunta rito?" I asked. "Nagdrive ka?"

He nodded. "Hindi naman ako marunong lumipad."

I frowned. Ayan na naman siya sa joke niya na mas dry pa sa Sahara desert. Oh, well, at least he's trying!

"I mean kasi baka nagcommute ka, 'di ba?" I asked. "Bakit sa paglipad agad napunta 'yung sagot mo?" I asked again but he just shrugged. I already met Cha and Chester, pero hindi sila ganito! Pati iyong tatay niya hindi naman ganito. Siguro mahilig sa corny jokes iyong nanay ni Chester kasi saan niya naman mamamana 'yan?

"Balik na lang tayo sa fiesta," sabi niya.

I rolled my eyes, but I was also fighting a smile. Bakit niya binalik iyong usapan? Gusto niya siguro na may pinag-uusapan kami! Tsk! Ayoko lang mag-assume kasi mahirap mag-assume, pero baka sinundan niya ako rito kasi hindi naman daw siya free tapos biglang nandito na siya!

"Alam mo 'yung perya?" I asked.

"Parang Enchanted Kingdom?" he asked.

I nodded. "Kinda... but less rides," sabi ko sa kanya. "Nakapunta ka na?"

Umiling siya. "Ikaw?"

I pouted. "Hindi pa rin," sagot ko sa kanya.

Every time kasi na may med mission, natatapat sa fiesta. Ilang beses ko na talaga gustong pumunta, pero walang gustong sumama sa akin. Hindi ko naman sila mapilit kasi alam ko naman na pagod din sila sa check-up sa umaga and all they wanted to do at night was to rest (and sometimes drink, but not my choice of leisure talaga). Hindi ko rin naman kaya pumunta mag-isa. Ayoko rin naman itry na pumunta mag-isa.

"Bakit?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Wala akong kasama."

"Dapat ba may kasama ka?"

I chose to just give him a shrug because I really didn't want to talk about the past at this moment. It was such a beautiful night with the stars above and the sound of the crickets around us. I just wanted to enjoy this beautiful night with my crush beside me.

"Malayo ba 'yon?" he suddenly asked.

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "Bakit?"

Nagkibit-balikat din siya. "Curious lang."

"I think medyo," sabi ko. "Hindi kayang lakarin, so kailangan magdrive," I added. Hindi rin talaga ako makakapunta since iyong mga sasakyan na gamit namin ay nasa other side ng ilog. Ang meron dito ay iyong Jeep na hindi naman ako ang may-ari and manual ata iyon, so hindi ko na agad kaya idrive.

"Alam mo 'yung daan?" he asked again.

Napahinto ako at tumingin sa kanya. "Why are you asking?" I asked, eyeing him, kasi sa line of questioning niya ay parang may plan siya na pumunta sa perya.

He shrugged. "Curious lang."

"Curious ka sa daan papunta sa perya?" I asked because he had to hear how his question sounded. Kasi at this point, feel ko hindi na ako assumera because he's giving me this... weird signal!

Humarap din siya sa akin. I felt my cheeks heating up dahil magkaharap na kami ngayon. He was taller than me, so my head was tilted up para makatingin ako sa eyes niya. And ayan na naman iyong chinito eyes niya! So unfair! Ang ganda-ganda ng eyes niya!

"Gusto mo ba?" he asked.

"Gusto ko na...?" I asked kasi based on track record, ang dami ko ng ewan moments sa harap niya. I just wanted to make sure sa tanong niya before ako magbigay ng sagot!

"Pumunta sa perya."

"I just told you na hindi pwedeng lakarin."

"May sasakyan naman."

"Can you drive manual?" I asked.

He scoffed like I just insulted him. "Of course," he said like he was proud.

"Sigurado ka?" I asked kasi si Rhys din ganyan, e. Hindi marunong magdrive ng manual iyon—ang reason niya ay may automatic naman, so why bother? I mean, at one point, tama naman siya.

"Are you doubting me?" he asked while eyeing me, e singkit na siya, so medyo nakapikit na ata siya.

"Hindi, ah," I said, waving my hands. "Hindi naman kasi lahat marunong magdrive ng manual," I told him. "For instance, hindi ako marunong magdrive ng manual."

"Madali lang naman."

I pouted. "Hindi kaya. Saka masakit sa paa," I said and then told him about the story of how I tried to learn how to drive manual before, but I always ended up na namamatayan ng engine. I gave up like halfway—tsk. Tama nga si Rhys na may automatic naman! Minsan, may point din talaga siya.

"Hindi naman kapag sanay ka na," he said.

"Manual ba iyong sasakyan mo?" I asked.

He nodded. "Mas madali 'yung maintenance," he replied.

I just nodded kasi hindi ako masyadong maalam sa ganyan kasi may schedule sa casa iyong car ko saka sila Mama iyong nagbabayad ng insurance ko kasi nga wala akong pera. I didn't know Chester's situation, but if I'd guess, it's not good kasi si Cha rin as much as possible hindi nagsasabi 'yon tungkol sa family life niya.

"Pero kay Kuya Orlie iyong Jeep, e," sabi ko. "I don't know if papayag iyon na ipahiram."

Tumango si Chester. "Kapag pumayag, ano'ng mangyayari?"

My eyes widened for a bit. "Uh... I don't know?" sabi ko kasi ayoko talaga magjump sa conclusions but he's making it really hard not to!

"Ano ba'ng meron sa perya 'dun? Ano'ng pagkain meron?" he asked.

"Meron," I replied. "Mayroong street food like fishball, kwekkwek, kikiam, samalamig," I continued.

"Kumakain ka nun?"

I nodded. "Back in high school, lagi kaming kumakain ni Iñigo sa may malapit sa school," I said, smiling a bit because that was a fond memory. I had lots of fun during high school because of Iñigo! Kaya minsan kapag nag-uusap kami about high school, sobrang tagal namin nag-uusap kasi ang dami naming pwedeng pag-usapan sa dami ng nangyari. Rhys would say na bad influence sa akin si Iñigo nung high school, but I'd always defend Iñigo because kung meron mang bad influence sa aming dalawa nung high school, ako 'yon. Ako kaya iyong dahilan kung bakit muntik na kami masuspend nung third year kami. Iñigo just took the blame kaya forever mabait ang tingin sa akin ng family ko. I wanted to come clean, but Iñigo said that what's done is done and that okay lang naman daw sa kanya.

"Right... Naging kayo nga pala."

My eyes widened. "Sino nagsabi sa 'yo?" I asked. He shrugged. "Si Iñigo, noh? Kasi weird naman if si Cha!"

He shrugged again. Hindi na siya nagsalita ulit.

"Anyway," I said, clearing my throat, "Meron din mga games doon like maghahagis ka ng coin tapos kung saan matapat, makukuha mo as prize."

"Anong prize?"

"Minsan baso or plates."

"Ano'ng gagawin ko dun?" he asked like he was seriously pondering kung ano ang gagawin niya sa baso at plato. As if naman nanalo na siya!

I shrugged. "Gamitin mo?"

"Meron na akong plato at baso," he said. Singular lang? As in isang baso and plato lang? I wanted to ask, but it felt too early, so I stopped myself.

"Uh... I guess you can keep it? If mabasag iyong plate and glass mo, at least may pampalit ka na?"

He nodded like he was seriously considering what I just said. Ang cute niya tignan while he was pondering! Bakit kaya ngayon lang kami nagmeet? Kasi minsan pumupunta naman iyong dad niya sa bahay namin... Never siya sumama... Or baka sumama and wala lang ako doon?

Either way, we could've met sooner.

But maybe we met now because now's the right time... which I guess was better kasi mas okay na 'yung you met the right person at the right time kaysa you met the right person at the wrong time.

"Okay," he said.

"Okay what?"

"Okay, punta tayo," he told me.

I bit my lower lip to stop a smile. "Tayo as in... kasama ako?" I asked because I needed verbal confirmation!

He gave me a slight nod while his hands were inside his pockets. He looked like he was nonchalant na inaaya niya ako. He looked super cool habang ako ay parang mauubusan na ng hininga. So unfair!

"Basta alam mo 'yung daan," he said. "Baka maligaw tayo."

"Diretso lang naman," I replied.

"Kahit na," he said.

"Tss. Magpaalam ka muna kay Kuya."

He nodded. "Sure na 'yon."

"Ang yabang."

He shrugged. "Magkano sa tingin mo magagastos?" he asked while we were walking again.

"Why?"

"Wala lang."

"I think hindi naman malaki unless may gambling addiction ka baka maadik ka sa color game," I told him.

"Color game?" he asked and I had to explain to him kung ano iyon. Seriously! I felt like ang dami kong pwedeng ituro sa kanya.

We were just walking and talking and he had so many questions. Mukhang excited na siyang pumunta sa perya kasi pati mga rides balak niya atang itry lahat.

"Dun na tayo magdinner," he said nung nasa labas na kami ng pinagsstayan namin.

"Tomorrow?"

He nodded. "Around 5PM iyong tapos natin and around one hour iyong byahe. Doon na lang tayo magdinner para mas efficient," he said. I bit my lower lip because... I liked that he was making plans for us.

I nodded. "Okay," I replied. "Magpaalam ka muna kay Kuya para sa jeep."

He nodded back. "Will do," sabi niya. "Good night—" dugtong niya tapos napatigil. "Today's Friday so... Good night, Graciella," he added before he did a little wave and walked back to his room... leaving me here with my heart going crazy inside my chest. 

**
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