SEE YOU

Chapter 13

Matapos nilang sumasayaw ay pareho silang nag-bow bilang respeto. It was a rainy night, there weren't any stars visible in the night sky but they both stood there looking each other in the eye as if they see a spark wanting to be a flame.

And Cluvin knew, he always knew...though hindi pa sila ganoong magkakilala after all, they just literally met a few days ago. He knows his heart is beating, for this moment...for this woman in front of him. But he also knows, na it's not the right time to feel this. Alam ni Cluvin that deep inside, she's incomplete...and he knows all too well how she's still dwelling on the past. Joreign don't want to ever be in a relationship again, he's been reminding himself of that fact. Over and over again. But his heart is shouting loudly, opposite to what his mind decides. He likes her and he's trying to hold it back. The question is, until when?

Meanwhile, Joreign stood there staring straight into his eye. The phrase 'you have a heart, you're just too afraid to let it beat again.' resounding in her mind. She longs for it to beat again. To feel the drumming of it within her, but everytime she tries the past haunts her like a time bomb in rewind. She wants to be love and to love again, but she holds it back. The question is, will she be able to let go of her past?

"I think we should go over there." Ani ni Cluvin. He was pointing over the small roofed space in the parking. Joreign quietly tagged along him, debating with her heart and mind as she walks with him.

"Aren't you hungry? Cold?" He asks.

"No, pero malamig at wala akong pamalit." Cluvin turned his back and faced her while handing her a towel and a change of clothes. He didn't mention but the moment na sinabi ni Dalta na siya ang kasama ni Joreign sa party he rushed up to take a quick bath and immediately packed the things na alam niyang kakailanganin ni Joreign.

"Oh?" Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Joreign nang makita ang damit. It was Vin's hoodie and some new pajama. Nakangiting tinanggap ni Joreign ang damit mula kay Cluvin na dahilan naman para siya ring ngumiti si Cluvin.

"What?" Pagtanong ni Cluvin. Tiningnan niya lang ang binata at tumawa tawa nang mahina.

"Let's go get changed." Ani ni Joreign.

"Together?" Pilyong tanong ni Cluvin. Kunot noo at tinaasan pa siya nang kilay ni Joreign sa kaniyang nasabi habang nakapameywang ito kahit pa ang pareho niyang kamay ay may bitbit. Umatras naman si Cluvin nang makita ang ekspresiyon nang mukha ni Joreign. Awkward pa siyang ngumiti. Sa isip-isip ni Cluvin ay maganda naman ang mood kaya nakuha pa niyang magbiro pero naalala niya na sensitive si Joreign cause she's still on her period, she's on her first day at that! Kalmado niyang tinanggap ang reaksyon nang dalaga at inintindi na lamang ito. Tumango tango na lang si Cluvin habang ang parehong kamay ay nakataas, he was surrendering to her without complaints.

"Aba! Aba! Tsk!" Yo'n na lang ang tanging lumabas sa bibig nang dalaga at tumalikod na ito sabay lakad papalayo. Ngumisi naman si Cluvin as she walks away from him, he finds her cute. Sumunod na ito at sabay silang pumasok sa building.

Naunang matapos magpalit si Cluvin, he waited for her outside the women's comfort room. It took a few minutes bago tuluyang lumabas si Joreign. As she walks towards him, he felt his heart beating loudly again but he retained his facial expression. He scanned her from head to toe, her hair is wrapped up in a towel, she even washed the make up away revealing her natural skin and she was wearing the slippers that Cluvin got for her. Sa paningin ni Cluvin she was effortlessly beautiful in her comfortable clothes, sure inisip ni Cluvin na Joreign really has some sides where she has to dress up and she's stunning when she does pero ang mananatiling nakatatak kay Cluvin ay ang Joreign na pagala gala sa loob nang bahay ni Dalta wearing only either simple t-shirts or hoodies paired with long pajama and some cute slippers. Kung minsan magulo pa ang buhok ni Joreign at hindi man lang niya 'yon aayusin, minsan lang din siya mag make up at wala siyang arte sa katawan. She's simple and that is where her true beauty lies. Her simplicity is making a rumble in his heart.

"Hoy namumula ka d'yan?" Pag aalala ni Joreign. Pansin niya kasi na ang pisngi nang binata ay namumula na naman, maging ang tenga nito ay pulang pula. Para siyang sinampal sa magkabilaang pisngi at kinurot sa tenga. Napatayo naman si Cluvin nang maayos nang marinig ang tinig nang dalaga. He immediately took the drenched clothes from Joreign and puts it in a bag.

"Come on." Sabay silang naglakad palabas nang building at nag diretso sa parking lot kung saan naroon naka park ang kotse.

Pinagbuksan ni Cluvin si Joreign nang pinto bago ito umikot at sumakay sa loob. Pansin ni Cluvin na mas magaan na ang pakiramdam ni Joreign dahil siguro sa mas kumportable na ito sa suot. Binuhay na niya ang makina at nag-drive. Tahimik silang dalawa sa kotse kaya binuksan ni Cluvin ang radyo sakto namang ang kantang nag p-play ay tumutugma sa gusto niyang iparating.

[A Rocket to the Moon - Somebody Out There]

You deserve someone who listens to you

Hears every words and knows what to do

Sinilip niya ang tahimik at nakapikit na si Joreign at napangiti siya sa sarili habang nagmamaneho. She looked so serene in her position with her head leaning on the window. Hawak hawak pa niya ang towel na kanina lang ay pinupunas niya sa basa niyang buhok.

Mabuti na lang at hindi gano'n ka traffic kaya tuloy tuloy ang pagmamaneho ni Cluvin pero kahit na walang traffic binabagalan ni Cluvin ang pagpapatakbo nang kotse. Una dahil natutulog si Joreign, pangalawa dahil gusto niyang tumigil ang oras at manatili na lang silang dalawa na gano'n. Papunta na siya ngayon sa hotel kung saan doon sila magpapahinga.

When you're feeling hopeless

Lost and confused

There's somebody out there who will

Mahina niyang sinasabayan ang kanta para hindi maistorbo si Joreign. Pinahinaan niya rin ang medyo malakas na Aircon dahil baka sakaling lamigin ito.

You need a man who holds you for hours

Makes your friends jealous when he brings you flowers

Sinulyapan niya ang dalaga at muli ay naalala niya ang pinagusapan nila ni Dalta noong nakaraang araw.

***Flashback***

Cluvin's POV

"Cluvin Von, I'll ask you again...do you like Joreign?" I knew he'd ask me that, I just never thought he'd ask me sooner.

The ride on the car helped me collect my thoughts. And I must've subconsciously acted like my answer was a no by shaking my head but I've made peace with my heart.

"I don't," I looked up for a second and fixated my gaze at my friend, Joreign's cousin...Dalta. "but I have to admit..." I continued. I may not like her, yet, but if there's one thing that's for sure its that i'm-

"I'm attracted to her." I finally said. This is crazy I thought to myself. How the hell can I feel like this when I just met her, right? I don't like her yet...at the very least I don't like her enough for me to say that I like her in front of Dalta. But I can't dismiss the fact that she makes me feel something I hadn't felt before. I've been debating whether this is real or is it just my curiosity pushing me to her?

It just doesn't make sense how she makes me want to look at her, to be with her, and eventually love her. It's frightening, this feeling i'm feeling. But I want to know more. I want her.

"Don't." Dalta's voice shows how he's disapproving of this.

"You can be a friend, that is how far you'll get with her. As your friend this is the furthest I can allow you." Dalta made his words loud and clear. But the beating of my heart is overlapping with his remarks.

"As your friend, you know me most Dalta. I don't do love when I'm not ready." I stood my ground backing up the feelings with words thinking maybe he'll see my intentions.

Dalta gave a smirk and his eyes set on mine, he looks like he's about to roast me.

"And what makes you think you're ready?" He asks annoyingly to me.

"Well-" before I could even finish he cuts me off taking a few steps towards me and now he's grabbing my collar. I didn't dare to push him away.

"Cut the bullshit Cluvin! She's not a map for you to explore whenever you want. She's my cousin!" He yelled at my face holding me still at my collar. Fire in his eyes, bullets in his every word.

"And I care!" I shouted back.

"I care alright! I may not like her but I want to protect her. The same way you do." He let's me go. His fists curling into a ball and releasing it. He kicked some sand to his frustration and looked at me again.

"She deserves to be cared for." I firmly stated. After what she said to me when we talked late at night, she reminded me of my Mother. She's tough only on the outside but I can see through her. I may not know what she went through but she's still living with that pain. She's carrying her heart with heaviness. She deserved more. She deserves so much more.

***End of Flashback***

He'll take you dancing and pull you in close

Spin you around and won't let you go

Ibinalik ni Cluvin ang tingin sa kalsada. Just like Dalta he wants what's best for her. At the moment, the best thing for her is someone whom she can rely on. Which is why he is holding back. He's here bilang kaibigan na pwedeng maging pahinga ni Joreign. Kaibigan, ang salitang itinatatak niya sa isipan niya.

Till they turn the lights off and he'll take you home

There's somebody out there who will

After spending time with her like this, he's trying his best to hold back the emotions within his heart. Tulad nang sinabi ni Dalta, he wanted to be friends with her too. At 'yon ang paninindigan niya. Isasantabi niya muna ang nararamdaman kahit nagpupumilit rin itong kumalawa sa puso niya. He's concealing the fact that he likes her already and constantly reminding himself his position in her life, a friend. Isa pa, hindi rin gustong ipaalam ni Cluvin kay Dalta na may totoong nararamdaman na siya kay Joreign. He needs to make sure of it first.

There's somebody out there who's looking for you

Someday he'll find you I swear that it's true

He's gonna kiss you and you'll feel the world stand still

There's somebody out there who will

At tulad nang nasa kanta, he's thinking na may isang tao...isang lalaki na dadating sa buhay ni Joreign para punan ang mga malulungkot na bahagi nang puso nang dalaga. He's thinking na kung hindi man siya, sana mahanap ni Joreign ang lalaking kaya siyang mahalin sa kung sino man siya.

Tossing and turning and dreaming at night

About finding him praying and hoping you might

Cause you deserve someone who knows how to treat you right

He's thinking that someone will make her happy. That someone will stay by her side and that should be fine...as long as she's happy.

But in the back of his mind and in the depths of his heart he's hoping that he's that someone. Someone who'll love her and be loved by her.