Cruise In Paradise

CHAPTER 7

Pabagsak syang humiga sa kama nya at napahawak sa dibdib na sobrang bilis ng t***k ng puso nya. Nagmamadali kasi tumakbo pabalik ng makatakas sya sa usapan nila ni Ruther. Gulat na gulat talaga sya ng makita ang binata kanina. Hindi nya inaasahang makikita nya ulit ito. Nang tumingin sa kanya ang magagandang mga mata nito ay halos mawala na naman sya sa sarili. Sa pagkataranta nya ay nagpanggap tuloy sya na di nya ito kilala. Sana lang ay gumana ang acting drama nya. Hindi nya kasi alam kung paano nya ito pakikiharapan pagkatapos ng mga nangyari sa kanila.

Shet! Shet!

Sa lawak ng mundo, parehong cruise ship pa ang nasakyan nila. Nakatakas nga sya sa daddy nya pero kay Ruther naman ay hindi. Sa laki ng barkong ito, kailangan ko lang sya iwasan. Madali lang naman siguro yun. Tutal nagpanggap na sya na di nya ito kilala kaya lulubus lubusin na nya ang pag arte nya. Buong umaga syang nagkulong lang sa kwarto nya at gabi na nya naisipang lumabas. Naging malikot ang mga mata nya sa paligid para kung nandun ang binata ay madali syang iiwas. Pinili nya ang kainan na pang bata dahil siguradong di yun pupunta dito. A Canadian family with two teens joins her table and she had a good conversation with them. They even invited her to tour around the ship with them tomorrow, but she politely declined. Nang matapos syang kumain at nagpaalam na sya sa mga ito at lumipat sya sa katabing bar. Gaya kanina ay tumingin tingin muna sya sa paligid bago pumasok ng masiguro na wala ang iniiwasan nya. She ordered piña colada, her favorite drink saka lumabas at pumwesto sa may deck area for a fresh air. She opens her phone pero hindi nya kinabit ang sim card para di sya matawagan ng parents nya. Mabuti nalang at free wifi kaya naka chat nya ang pinsan at mga kaibigan. She sends them her pictures and videos. She saw her mom's chat at sinasabing umuwi na sya kung ayaw nyang mapahiya ang pamilya nila. As if she cares. Sana may kapatid nalang sya para hindi sya lagi ang pini pressure ng mga magulang nya sa mga gusto nilang mangyari.

"Are you avoiding me?"

Halos mapatalon sya sa gulat ng may biglang magsalita sa likod nya. Galit na nilingon nya kung sinong herodes yun at ang nakangising mukha ni Ruther ang nakita nya.

"What the hell! Are you trying to give me a heart attack!" Galit na sigaw nya dito.

"Of course not! I didn't know you're that jumpy."

"And you're annoying."

"I've been looking for you all day, and here you are hiding from me."

"Hiding from you? Excuse me! Why would i do that?"

"Maybe because you're afraid in something."

"You're crazy." Saad nya at mabilis na iniwan ito.

Paikot na sya sa isang kanto ng madulas sya, mabuti nalang at agad syang napahawak sa pader pero nauntog naman sya.

"Aray! Peste naman! Pag minamalas ka nga naman." Hinimas nya ang medyo masakit na noo. "Sana pala na amnesia nalang ako at makalimutan ko na lahat lalo na ang hambog na Ruther na yun" Saad nya sa sarili habang inaayos ang magulong buhok.

"Aha! I knew it! You remember me. Nagpapanggap ka lang talaga."

"Ikaw na naman! Sinusundan mo ba ako? At paanong marunong ka mag tagalog? Pinoy ka?"

"Yes, baby girl. Half Pilipino, at malinaw kong narinig at naintindihan ang mga sinabi mo." Nakangiting saad nito.

Oh shet!

"No way!"

"Yes way! Why do you need to pretend that you forget about me?"

"Because i really do."He just smirk of what she said.

Buko na sya!

"Fine! I remember you! Hindi ko naman akalain na magkikita pa tayo."

"Yeah, small world isn’t it? After you ditched me?"

"What?"

"You left me when you only said that you just need to pee."

"Oh, don't tell me you wait for me?” Taas kilay nyang tanong.

Natigilan naman ito sa tanong nya.

"No!"

"Really? Coz you're not going to act that way kung hindi."

"I just taught something bad happened to you. Baka masisi pa ako dahil tayo huling magkasama."

"Wow! Such a caring guy. Should i thank you now?"

"Sure!"

"You wish!"

"Why are you so mad at me? Did I do something wrong to you?"

"Who told you I'm mad at you?"

"Are you?"

"Tsk! You're so annoying."

"I'm handsome."

"Thick head."

"Thick and hard yeah."

"What?"

"You already know that coz you experience it first hand."

"You! Oh my god! Im out here." Akmang aalis na sya ng pigilan sya nito.

"Wait! You're blushing."

"I'm not!"

"It's not really dark here so i can still see your face clearly."

"Whatever! But please stop mentioning about that!"

"About what?"

"About you know."

"I don't know."

"About what happened!"

"Why not, it's such a great night.”

"Oh c'mon, can't you see I'm not comfortable talking about that. Kung gusto mong kausapin pa kita."

"Okey! Okey!" Natatawa nitong saad.

"You're really enjoying this, no?”

"Yes, I'm glad you are talking to me now. You're drunk that night so let me introduce myself again to you, I'm Ruther at your service agape mou."

"I'm Xue."

"So, no hiding from me since i think we will be together for this whole week tour."

"Okey. Just behave."

"I promise not to do something you don't want."

"Good."

"Is your head okey?"

"Huh?"

"I saw you bump it in the wall. Let me see." Dahan dahan itong lumapit at tiningnan ang noo nya.

"It's getting red, you need to put ice compress."

"Okey lang. Hindi naman masakit."

"No, let's go." Maingat sya nitong inakay papasok sa bar at iniwan sa isang table at lumapit ito sa bartender at may sinabi. Nang bumalik ito ay may dala ng ice compress at dahan dahan tinapat sa noo nya.

"Thanks, I can do that my own."

"Just let me."

Napatingin nalang sya sa seryosong mukha nito habang abala sa bukol nya. She really loves his mismatched eyes.

"I'm really handsome right?"

"Yes." Natawa ito sa sagot nya at naisip nya na binuko pala nya ang sarili nya.

"I mean your eyes, their so beautiful."

"Thank you."

"This is the first time I saw someone with that kind of eyes."

"Yeah, it's very rare."

"Kahit saang angulo ka tingnan, hindi ka mukhang pinoy. Kung hindi ka nga lang nagtagalog ay di ko talaga malalaman."

"My dad was a Greek, halos namana ko lahat sa kanya at sa isang kulay ng mata. How about you? You don't look like a pure blood pinoy."

"My dad is Chinese while my mom is half Canadian and Filipino."

"You live in New York?"

"Yes. How about you?"

"I’m living and working in New York too. How old are you if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm twenty three. And you?"

"Oh, I’m glad you’re old enough, I taught i might get in jail."

"What? Do you think I'm a kid?”

"Haha! Not anymore."

"Shut up! I bet you're so old."

"Of course not!"

"Then how old are you?"

"I'm thirty years old."

"I see."

"Why? Am I too old for you?"

"Age is just a number." Natigilan sya sa sagot nya at biglang napatingin sa binata na nakangiting nakatingin din sa kanya.

"Good. Let's eat."

"Huh? Kumain na ako."

"Yeah, the kiddie meal?"

"What? Paano mo nalaman?"

"I saw you. Let's have a decent meal."

Tsinek pa nito muli ang noo nya, ng masigurong ok na ay muli sya nitong inakay papunta sa fine dining resto. Hindi na sya tumanggi, tutal mukhang libre naman nito. Bawal tumanggi sa grasya. Like what happened in the bar, she really enjoys his company. Maasikaso ito at masayang kasama. She's comfortable around him. Halos hating gabi na ng matapos silang magkwentuhan. Hindi na kasi nila namalayan ang oras. Hinatid sya nito hanggang sa kwarto nya.

"Thank you."

"You're always welcome."

Papasok na sya sa loob ng pigilan sya nito.

"Can I invite you tomorrow? I would love to tour you around."

"Hindi ba ako makaka abala sayo?"

"Of course not. I'll be glad to spend our days in this cruise together."

"Okey. See you tom then." Saad nya at agad ng pumasok.

Ang bilis ng t***k ng puso nya at hindi nya napigilang kiligin at mapangiti ng mag isa.

Shet! Ano bang nangyayari sakin?