Her Unheard Weeps

Comfort

Chapter 11

I hissed when the cold stinging liquid met my skin. Mariin akong napakapit sa balikat ni oliver na ngayon ay nakaluhod sa harapan ko.

"Baby relax. It's just alcohol" he chuckled at nilapit ulit ang cotton sa aking tuhod na may sugat.

"Ang hapdi kaya!"

"Besides, you're the one who was all excited when the game was announced"

"So basically what you're trying to imply is that it is my fault?" Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

"I love you and all. But yes" he laughed.

I dramatically gasped.

"Break na tayo!"

Instead of a glare, what i get was a loud laugh and an unseen pair of eyes.

He got up from his knees but later on leaned, kissed me still on the forehead habang ako ay sinasamaan pa din siya ng tingin.

"No one's breaking no one" he said.

"Mr. Tan"

Napalingon kami sa nagsalita at hindi na ako nagulat na isa iyon sa mga faculty staff dito ng school.

"Is...your girlfriend okay?" Nilingon ako nito.

Oliver chuckled making me groan.

"Yes. I think she just had enough sack race for the day"

I rolled my eyes. "Kasalanan mo naman kasi talaga e. Hindi ka kasi marunong tumalon" I murmured. Pinasadya ko talagang iparinig sa kaniya.

Hindi niya ako pinansin at nagpatuloy lang sa pakikipag-usap sa staff na 'yon. Tumagal din iyon kaya i just settled myself watching the others participating on some fun activities.

Ilang minuto pa ay naramdaman kong tumabi na siya sa akin ng upo. He pulled me by the waist closer to him.

"Gutom ka na ba? Do you want me to grab you something?"

Umiling lang ako. Nananatili pa din ang tingin sa mga naglalaro. Hindi nila alintala ang init, we were in the middle of an open field after all, hindi kinaya ng quad ang sobrang dami ng tao, tumabi lang din kami sa bleachers nang madapa ako.

Siguro napansin niya ang tinitingnan ko kaya kumunot ang noo niya at sinundan iyon ng tingin.

"Anong tinitingnan mo diyan?" Tanong niya.

Hinilig ko ang ulo ko sa kaniyang balikat.

"Ang saya nila" i whispered, felt a slight bitterness in me.

"Ano? Sino?"

"Them" i said referring to the families playing and bonding.

"Baby...i'm here"

"I know. And thank you" i forced a smile and hugged him sideways by his waist.

"Then What's the problem?" Tiningnan niya ako sa mga mata. Tila binabasa ang nasa isip ko.

"Wala." Iling ko. "Wag mo na lang akong pansinin"

"No, tell me." Umiwas ako ng tingin. "I know what you're thinking. You wished you have a picture perfect family like them" it was more than a statement, not a question.

Umiling ako. "You're wrong. I have already had peace with the thought na hindi na mabubuo ang pamilya ko. My father is gone after all"

"So why are you sulking?"

"I am not sulking. No" i chuckled. "I just wished that you know, i could have a bond with them...with my mom. As easy as theirs" nguso ko sa isang pamilya.

"There is no such thing as a picture perfect family baby. Kahit ang pamilya ko hindi din perpekto. Hindi din kami nagkakasundo minsan. Yearning is just making you believe false images."

"But Atleast they're trying...to be perfect i mean." I bit my lip. "Naiinis ako sa sarili ko dahil hindi pa ako nasasanay—kailan pa ba ako masasanay?" i chuckled coldly.

Hindi siya nakapagsalita. I just felt his hand on my back, slowly drawing circles, like he was calming me.

The corner of my lips slightly rose.

"You know, The worst feeling isn't being alone. It's being surrounded by people who makes you feel alone."

"I'm here. I'm just here. I see you" he whispered back.

"Sure you do" i chuckled after planting a small and quick kiss on his jawline.

"Hiya lovebirds" ani ni nissy na kakarating lang. Kasama si tori.

"Hi" oliver chuckled.

"Nadapa ka daw?" Tanong ni tori. Tumango ako at tinuro ang sugat sa tuhod. "Ayan. Lalampa-lampa kasi" irap niya.

Aba!

"Don't you have better things to do other than annoying the hell out of people?" Irap ko din.

"Actually meron" aniya

"Ano?"

"Ipa remind sa kanila kung gaano sila kalampa" She said making me groan.

Binalingan ko na lang ang isa pang kaibigan na mas may sense kausap.

"Bakit hindi kayo sumali sa mga palaro doon? Teka, nasaan mga magulang niyo?"

Sabay silang nagkatinginan at nagkibit balikat.

"Wala" sabay din nilang sabi.

"Anong wala?"

"Edi hindi pumunta. Ano bang ine expect mo kay gregoryo?" Ani ni tori na siyang nagpatawa sa amin ng katabi. He was again making fun of his father's name.

"Ikaw nissy?"

"Wala din. Busy si daddy. While tita would rather shop than exposing her skin in this humid heat" she jokingly rolled her eyes.

Well what do you know? Looks like hindi naman pala ako nag-iisang estudyante dito na walang dalang mga magulang. Magkakaibigan nga talaga kami.

"Aren't you girls hungry?" Tanong ng katabi.

Bago pa ako makapagsalita ay nauhan na ako ni tori. "I am actually"

Inirapan ko siya. Walang hiya talaga.

Tumango si oliver. "I'll be back then"

"Sandali lang" pigil ko.

"Hmm?"

"Pwede bang doon lang kami?" Turo ko sa field. "Nababagot ako kaya maglalaro ako ulit...kami"

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. "But your knees"

"My knees are fine. Gasgas lang naman. It's not like i can't walk"

Ilang segundo niya din akong tinitigan at bumuntong hininga na lang.

"Okay...fine. Just be careful." He said. "And no running" bilin niya na tila tingin niya sa'kin ay bata.

"No running. Copy" i saluted making him shook his head.

Tumalikod na siya para bumili nga ng makakain habang ako ay hinila na ang dalawang kaibigan papuntang field.

"Hindi! Ayoko! Kaya nga ako lumapit sa inyo dahil gusto kong magpalibre tapos yayain mo naman akong maglaro" reklamo ni tori.

Walang hiya talaga...

"Nissy?" Baling ko.

She smiled. "What game are we talking about?"

"Just like the host announced, egg relay"

"That's boring. Doon lang ako" kita sa mukha ni tori ang pagkabagot. Tinuro niya ang bleachers at walang sabing iniwan kami.

"Hayaan mo siya. Magtatandang dalaga 'yon" ani nissy na nagpatawa sa akin.

"Halika na" hila ko.

At 'yon nga. We registered ourselves on the next game batch.

Later on, we just found ourselves wearing a wrist band with our team color on it. A spoon that was placed intact in between our lips.

"Look there"

Nilingon ko naman ang tinuro ni nissy. "What?"

"Puro lalaki at gwapo ang ka team natin" hagikhik niya.

I just laughed and shook my head.

So basically, what we're trying to do is race till the last of a group member which is the guy behind me. They have to pass the egg to him at maglilibot kami...siya doon sa may upuan.

We were squealing, shouting for our group member to like fasten their pace. I began to feel competitive on the game. Mabuti na lang din talaga na hindi na sumama sa'min si tori dito dahil alam ko na masisinghalan niya lang ang isang lalaking member doon na ilang beses ding naibagsak ang itlog. Making the other teams catch up.

"Ang bagal naman" bulong na reklamo ko.

Nagulat ako ng marinig ang bahagyang tawa ng lalaki sa likod ko. Bahagya naman akong nahiya dahil baka narinig nga niya ang sinabi ko, lalo na't lumingon ako at nakatingin siya sa akin.

He flashed me a smile. "I know right? Pagpasensyahan mo na."

"Kaibigan mo?" Kagat labi ko.

"Yeah" he chuckled.

"Oh"

Sunod na naglibot ay si nissy. I laughed on how her face looked like, trying her best to keep the egg in contact with the ground.

And next was me. Nissy, thankfully, succeeded to pass the egg on my spoon at naglakad takbo na ako. Mas binilisan ko ng liningon ko ang kabilang group at nakitang patapos na din sila.

Nang makarating sa line ay ipapasa ko na sa lalaking gwapo ang itlog. Our spoons slightly made a clink sound when came in contact.

Bahagya na akong nafu fustrate dahil hindi ko magawang mapasa sa kaniya iyon. Dagdagan pa ang malakas na sigawan at tuksuhan galing sa mga audience at team namin. Lalo na't sobrang magkalapit na din ang mukha namin. Bahagya nag nangangawit ang panga at ngipin ko.

Eyebrows furrowed, hindi sadyang napatingin ako sa mga mata niya at halos mamula ako ng makitang nakatingin siya sa akin. Sobrang lapit na talaga ng mukha namin.

Fuck it! Nananadya ba siya? Sinasadya niya ba 'to?

After a few tries, naipasa ko na din sa kaniya ang itlog but midway frowned when the host announced na nanalo na ang kabilang team.

"This game sucks" ani ko kay nissy habang hinihila na siya pabalik sa bleachers. We stopped para tanggalin ang wrist band na suot.

"A True winner knows how to accept defeat" ani ng tao sa likod ko.

Nang lingunin namin ay grupo iyon ng mga lalaki na grupo din namin kanina sa laro. The guy that spoke was the same person na nasa likod ko kanina at ang nagpatalo sa amin dahil ang kupad.

I wanted to roll my eyes but chose not to because I didn't want to come out arrogant and rude.

"I know. Hindi ko naman sinabi na tayo dapat ang nanalo" i smiled.

He just chuckled and nodded.

"Uh..aalis na kami" ani ko at tatalikod sana ng bahagya ko pang nakita ang pagsiko ng kasama niya sa kaniya.

Tinaasan ko iyon ng kilay.

"Yes?" I said in a friendly even though i already had an idea on what their motives were.

"I-if you don't mind. I was watching you from afar since you came in to the field with your friends and i thought that you were...beautiful"

Oh diba? Sabi e.

There is never a day that boys aren't unpredictable.

Bago ko pa maibuka ang bibig ay naramdaman ko na ang braso na pumatong sa balikat ko.

Of course, he's always right on time. He can smell a flirt from a mile away. Most especially when the person that they want to hit up on is me.

"I think maybe you should stick on just watching her from afar" my jealous boyfriend said in a calm town.

Kita naman ang gulat at taka sa mukha ng mga lalaki.

Binalingan ako ng lalaki. "May boyfriend ka na pala? Hindi mo naman sinabi" kamot nito sa ulo.

"Maybe because it would come out cocky when i say to all the guys that would come up to me that i'm already in a relationship, wouldn't it?"

The guys chuckled awkwardly. And maybe thinking that they wouldn't stand a chance with oliver despite their number, ang mga kasama niya na mismo ang humila doon sa lalaki paalis while uttering their sorries.

"Well that wasn't a sweat" i chuckled turning to oliver and seeing him already staring a blame at me.

"What? Don't tell me kasalanan ko 'yon?"

Pagtingin ko sa gilid niya ay doon ko pa lang natanto na wala na pala si nissy. When i took a step sideways, nakita kong nandoon na pala siya sa may bleachers katabi na ni tori. When she saw me looking, she just smiled and waved a hand at me.

Napasimangot ako. She left me here? Traydor! Siguro umalis siya kanina ng makitang paparating na si oliver.

"Those guys were not your fault of course"

"Yon naman pala e. Halika na! Bumalik na tayo doon. And init-init dito" paypay ko sa sarili.

"But really? The f*****g spoon?"

"That was part of the game" i chuckled.

"At ang magkalapit niyong mukha?" Taas kilay niya.

I laughed loudly.

"You saw that?"

"I f*****g wished i didn't" he rolled his eyes.

"Sorry na" malambing kong kawit sa kaniyang braso.

He just sighed. "It's not like i can endure you" he murmured.

I smiled cutely at him. He eyebrows rose up. I widen my smile and raised both my arms at his direction.

He sighed loudly nang matango niya ang ibig kong iparating.

He moved and kneeled both knees in front of me ,back facing me, careless that his pants would get dirty.

I wheezed and jumped happily in his back for a piggy back ride while he chuckled and got a hold of both my thighs in a hard grip. He started to get in his feet, careful not to drop me.

He started to walk while my head was rested on his shoulder. We were both careless by the stares that we received from a lot of audience.

Maingat niya akong nilapag sa tabi ng mga kaibigan ko na kung makasimangot ay tila gusto ding magpakarga.

Nagtaka ako ng lumuhod siya ulit sa harapan ko.

"Magpopropose ka?" I joked making him laugh.

Akala ko ay ano na pero pinalitan niya lang naman pala 'yong band aid ko sa tuhod.

"Hindi ba masakit?"

"It's just a scratch doc. Chill. Hindi ba malala pa ang nakikita mong sugat sa ER?"

He just smiled.

"Hmm...Ikaw na bahala sa anak natin pag nagkasakit ha?" Hirit ko pa.

He stilled for a moment but later on grinned.