Over the Mountain

CHAPTER 11: THE VILLAGE

CHAPTER 11: THE VILLAGE

I am nervous for an unknown reason. Millimeters away and we will finally reach the village gate. I don’t know what I look like. If I still look like a human, a girl, or maybe I look like a ghost already. Leo is still holding my hands while my free hand is busy fixing some strands of my hair. That’s why when Leo stops walking, I bump into his bulky back.

“Ouch,” I whisper because my nose hits his hardback.

Leo immediately turns around and checks my nose. “You, okay?”

“Yeah. Go step backward,” I said because I could already feel his breath because of how close he is to me.

But Leo just gives me his smug look. “What if I don’t?” he asks and bites his lips seductively.

I swallowed the large lump on my throat, and I look away. I just can’t stand his seductive presence! Oh my! I’m burning! I could feel my cheeks burning again, my breath hitching, and my palms sweating!

When I heard Leo chuckles, I immediately looks at him with daggers in my eyes. But the closeness between us just made my eyes look…begging. Begging of what? I don’t know. I shut my eyes when Leo didn’t even move any muscle. He just watches me, blushing.

“Relax, Sierra,” he whispers. “Not yet,” he meaningfully said.

I open my eyes and pout at him. “You are bullying me,”

“Am I?” he innocently asks which makes me roll my eyes. “Come on, they are waiting for us,”

I’m nervous! Malalim ang naging paghinga ko nang maramdaman ko ang panlalamig ng aking palad. Hindi naman ito ang unang beses na makikita ko ang pamilya ni Leo pero ito ang unang beses na tatapak ako sa village nila. Tanda ko pang tatlong taon ko ring hinintay ang pagkakataon na ito. Tatlong taon kong inimagine ang makarating dito. And now, it’s finally happening.

Dala ng kaba ay naging mahirap para sa akin ang paghakbang. Nang matanto iyon ni Leo ay mabilis niya akong tinawanan. Nang simangutan ko siya ay mabilis naman siyang huminto sa pagtawa at lumapit sa akin para sabayan akong maglakad. The wide gate of the village is close yet not lock. Madalas lang talaga na nakasara upang ang mga batang maliliit ay hindi agad makalabas ng basta-basta.

Pagbukas ni Leo sa gate ay sabay kaming humakbang papasok sa lupain ng kanilang village. The mountain wind blew, and it suddenly embraces me. Palihim aong napangiti dahil pakiramdam ko ay niyayakap ako ng bundok. It feels like the mountain is happy to welcome me.

“Your village is really beautiful,” I commented.

“Your village is also beautiful,” he commented as he closes the gate.

“I know. But your village isn’t the modernized village. The design and the set up is like in ancient times, and it looks expensive in the simplest way,”

“You are complimenting us too much,” he said and chuckles.

“Because it’s worth complimenting!”

“Like you,” he whispers before guiding me to walk on their village ground.

The village is clean. Flowers were landscape on the surroundings and the house was aligned perfectly. The houses sizes were all the same, except for the one in the middle. And Leo was quick to answer who owns that house.

It’s their family’s house.

Pagma-may-ari ng kaniyang Lolo ang bahay at dahil iisang anak lamang ang ama ni Leo, siya na ang agad na nagmana ng bahay. Kaya naman imbes na magpatayo ng sariling bahay ay sa bahay na minana na lang nito sila tumira. Aside from that, Leo’s grandparents are also the mayor of the village. That explain why their house is the biggest one.

Iba’t ibang mukha ang nakasalubong namin habang naglalakad kami sa kanilang village at bawat ay pinakilala sa akin ni Leo. At ang bawat pangalan nila ay sinikap kong tandan sa abot ng aking makakaya. Until we finally reach their doorstep.

“Is this how you felt when you visited our house?” I ask Leo before he opens the door.

He looks at me and his brows furrowed. “What feeling are you referring to right now?”

“Nervous?” I said, not sure.

Leo softly smiled at me. “Yes,” he answered. “I’ve been in your house a lot of times but when your grandma told me that you will arrive, that’s the first time I got nervous about visiting your house,” he honestly said. “I was nervous because…”

“Because?” I insisted.

“Because it’s a secret,” he said and winks at me right at the moment when he opens the front door.

From him, my head turns to look inside the house. And I was rooted in my place when I saw his whole family, standing there, waiting for us.

Marahan akong napalunok at hindi alam ang gagawin habang nakangiti ang kaniyang pamilya sa akin. Si Leo naman ay umayos ng tayo sa aking tabi. Hindi ko alam kung ano na ba ang itsura ko. Kung sana ay sinabi ni Leo na ngayon kami aakyat at bibisita sa kanilang village ay nakapag ayos pa sana ako!

I blink thrice and immediately goes back to my reverie. Mabilis akong ngumiti sa kaniyang pamilya at tsaka bumati na siya naman nilang mainit na tinanggap. Just like what her mother always does, she hugs me and comoplimented my beauty.

“Magandang araw po,” bati ko sa kaniyang Lolo at Lola sabay mano sa kanilang kamay.

“Welcome to our home, Sierra,” Grandma Lucia said.

“Feel at home, hija,” Grandpa Jose said after I greeted him.

“Oh, let’s eat everyone,” Leo’s mom said.

“Leo, bring her to the dining area,” his father said, and Leo nodded.

“Are you still nervous?” he asks, whispering.

“Kinda,” I admitted.

“Don’t be. Just feel at home,”

“I will,”

“Great. Let’s eat then,”

Katulad ng madalas na mangyari sa tuwing kasabay ko si Leo sa pagkain, pinagsilbihan niya akong muli. Sa dalas niyang gawin iyon ay nasanay na rin ako. Involuntary action happens when I unconsciously serve Leo too. I was unconscious to what I am doing, and I just realized what I have done when everyone’s eyes were on me, including Leo who had a playful smile on his lips.

Nahihiya kong ibinaba ang aking kamay sa ilalim ng lamesa at tsaka ako marahang napayuko. Hindi ko na mabilang kung makailang beses na bang namula ang aking pisngi ngayong araw. Pero sa pagkakataong ito, namula ang aking pisngi dahil nasaksihan ng pamilya ni Leo ang ginagawa kong pag-aasikaso sa kaniyang pagkain gayong kaya naman niyang mag-isa!

“Don’t look at her like that. Nahihiya na tuloy siya,” nakangising sabi ni Leo at kalaunan ay napuno ng tawanan ang busong hapag-kainan. “Kain na. O gusto mo ay subuan kita?” pabiro niyang tanong kaya pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata.

I could see how joyful his eyes are. And it’s sending me butterflies.

His family is warm. Ito ang unang beses na nakapasok ako sa kanilang tahanan pero hindi ito ang unang beses na nakilala at nakasama ko sila. They often visit out house, except for his grandparents because they are already too old to climb up and climb down the mountain. Unlike my grandma who is still very active. Pero si Lolo ay medyo mahina na rin ang buto.

Habang kumakain kami ay palihim kong pinagmamasdan ang kaniyang grandparents. Leo resembles both of his grandparents, but I am hundred percent sure that he got his grandfather’s smile. Which happens to be the same smile as with his father. But he got his mother’s expressive eyes. And Leo got his grandmother’s face figure. Serious at first sight but turns soft as you stare at her. Overall, his family is blessed with a good gene.

“I’m sorry,” I politely said after laughing hard when I saw Leo’s baby picture.

Well, he’s cute! Absolutely cute. But I just found it laughable because he used to pout at his baby pictures. While now, he’s all serious and poker face.

“You like my grandson,” grandma said that choking me with my own saliva.

I lifted my gaze from the photo album to see her face. She is deadly serious, and I am literally dead. So, what’s the point of lying?

“Yes,” I honestly admitted and bit my lower lip.

Grandma blessed me with her genuine smile. “He’s a good person. A very humble and kind person,”

I am brave to admit that I like it in front of his grandma because it’s just the two of us in their wide living room. His parents as well as his grandpa and Leo himself were on the outside, doing something I don’t know. And here I am, stuck with his grandma. But I’m not nervous anymore. After minutes of staying here, I finally made myself comfortable.

“I know, granny,” I said. “He is very patient too. I’m sure he already told you that it took me three years before I finally climb the mountain.” And then I laugh.

Granny laughs too. “I know. Ang totoo niyan ay matagal na niyang planong paakyatin ka rito,”

“Hmm, pero bakit ngayon lang niya ako pinaakyat?”

“Dahil nag-aalangan siya,”

“Nag-aalangan?”

Tumango ang kaniyang Lola. “Nag-aalangan siyang baka kapag naakyat mo na ang bundok ay makalimutan mo na siya,”

Napangiwi ako. Hindi ko naman sinasadya na iyon ang maging reaksyon ko pero kasi, ang pangit ng rason ni Leo.

“Napaka-labo naman po yata ng rason niya, lola,”

“Alam ko,” sabay tawa niya. “But Leo is too sentimental. And he cares for you so much,” granny said. “I could still remember how he look at your picture before. Noong unang beses ko siyang dinala sa bahay ng iyong lola, ang unang pumukaw sa kaniyang mga mata ay ang larawan mo. From that day, he often likes to visit your grandma’s house and always looks at your picture,”

“Are you trying to say granny that…he likes me?” I frankly ask.

Granny smiled widely and somehow…giggled? “Yes,”

“For real!?” I screamed that made granny wince.

My mouth formed ‘o’. As in, big ‘O’. My cheeks burned. My heart becomes crazy. My mind went celebrating and the butterflied inside my stomach was already partying!

I jump off to my seat and hug granny while the latter was giggling from ear to ear. I never imagine that he likes me too. But when something hits me, I immediately untangled in the hug and face grandma.

“But granny…how sure are you that he likes me? Paano kung dati lang iyon? Noong bata pa siya. Pero hindi na ngayon?”

Granny sighs and squeezes my hand. “I know my grandson. And the way he takes care of you means everything.”

“Ayokong umasa, lola. Ayokong umasa sa wala. Baka sa huli ay nag-a-assume lang pala ako,” malungkot na sabi ko dahil iyon naman talaga ang totoo.

What if gaya ni Celestine, naka-babatang kapatid lang din pala ang tingin sa akin ni Leo?

“Apo, you can see it with his action,” granny insisted.

“But he never said anything about it, granny,”

“But actions speak louder than words,” granny defended.

“But actions without words are misleading,” depensa ko rin. “And I don’t really like to assume. Ayokong umasa, granny. Ayoko,”

“Anong ayaw mo?” Leo’s voice echo in the living room and my heart went crazy again.