SEE YOU

Chapter 12

Joreign's POV

It's been half an hour since Miss Ella left me here, she said she had to meet someone and nagsorry din siya. She didn't have to. In the end, I thanked her for the proposal and for her advice. She really is amazing. I'm glad we're friends.

"Is it done?" Hindi ko na malayan na nakaupo na si Vin sa tabi ko while handing me a glass of water. Right, I had too much wine earlier.

"Oo." I said after accepting the glass of water. I placed my elbow on the table and my face on the palm of my hand. I taught him the basics earlier so he knows oo at hindi.

"Then let's go." Vin was making a direct eye contact and I can't help it but be amazed how his eyes sparkles everytime.

"Where?" Wala naman kaming mapupuntahan bukod dito sa party, besides, yung suot namin ay hindi casual. It's impossible to go somewhere else with this kind of outfit.

"Outside, it's too noisy here." Ah. Akala ko kung saan. He held my hand like the gentlemen that he is. Mukhang nasasanay na rin ako sa pag hawak ng kamay niya.

I was expecting for boredom to strike again when we walked out of the party but guess what? It was raining! Hindi naman ganoong kalakas pero it was still raining. Yung mood ko kanina na bored na bored ay napalitan ng excitement. I love rain!

[I suggest you play Fearless by Taylor Swift as you read...]

Nagulat ako nang biglang tumakbo si Vin sa ulan. He was wearing a white tuxedo for goodness sake! I am still standing near the exit while Vin is enjoying his precious time under the rain. Gabi na pero hindi naman madilim, so I can still clearly see him. He literally meant to take me outside, akala ko kasi sa veranda lang or somewhere else pero nandito kami sa parking lot.

Mukhang napansin ni Vin na naiinggit ako kaya lumapit siya. His hair was soaked in rainwater, kung kanina ay kitang kita ang noo niya ngayon ay natatakpan na ito nang kaniyang buhok. He was smirking at me. I rolled my eyes, he knew I love rain. Iniinggit lang ako nito lalo eh.

"Come on." He was inviting me to step outside, but I just shrugged. People are going in and out and they were eyeing him. Partly because he's drenched but mostly, I'm sure because he's handsome.

"But you love rain." Napa buga naman ako nang hangin at itinuro ang dress.

"I do but look at me." Inayos ayos ko pa yung dress.

"You're astonishingly beautiful." I can feel his eyes on me and I can't seem to look at him, so I was basically staring at anything other than his eyes. His deep blue ocean eyes.

"Sure, thanks but I was talking about the dress and besides there are too many set of eyes looking." Itinuro ko yung mga taong nadaan na nakatingin kay Vin. He is drenched in the rain but he was still radiating hotness. Marami na ang gusto siyang iuwi, alam na alam ko na agad sa mga tingin palang. I'm tipsy what am I even saying?

"So?" He spread his arms and looked at the people. Hindi ko alam kung mahihiya ako o matatawa sa ginagawa niya.

"Anong so?" My brows both raised as I refuted. I saw a smile forming in his lips.

"Let them look. They have to see how beautiful you are." He suddenly kneeled infront of me.

"Aba, hindi ko alam na bolera ka pala?" I mumbled to myself.

"Life is a moment we get to live. Don't let them hinder you from enjoying the things you love. Besides, they have their own life you have yours...live it." From that moment, I was hit with a realization. Bakit nga ba ang laki nang paki ko sa kung ano man ang iniisip ng iba tungkol sa'kin? It's not like I have to live up to their expectations anyway. A free man is a man who's unbothered like the rain that falls, like the wind that blows, and like the thunder that sings.

I then smiled, he's right. Itinaas ko nang kaonti ang laylayan ng dress para mahubad ko ang sapatos ko at inalalayan naman ako ni Vin.

"Wear this." He says. Infront of me were a pair of slippers. Pink slippers to be exact.

"How did you?" His eyes were sparkling, he looked like a dog wagging his tail wanting to be caressed by its owner. Hindi ko mapigilang tumawa. Honestly, he's radiating such a golden retriever vibes.

"I did good." He says to himself but I heard it anyways. Mukhang proud na proud siya sa sarili niya...

"You did, now you're it!" Tinaya ko siya at dali-daling tumakbo palayo, mukhang na-gets niya dahil sumunod din siya sa'kin. Tatawa tawa pa ako kasi nakahead-start ako pero hindi na ako mapakali nung kaonti na lang ay maaabutan na niya ako. He ran in big strides! Nakalimutan kong ang lalaking ito ay may mahahabang legs!

I passed through a little opening in between the cars that was parked, muntik pa akong madapa do'n sa puddles of water. I was panting as I breathe for air, my heart racing. The area was an open parking lot and it is huge. Pero i'm sure na madali akong makikita dahil sa suot ko na dress. Nahirapan pa nga akong tumakbo dahil may kabigatan ang dress ko, hindi pa nakatulong na nabasa ito kaya mas lalong bumigat.

My dress was all soaked up pati na rin ang buhok ko, it was kinda cold, but it was heartwarming inside. I'm glad he got me running under the rain, in this no roof parking lot cause this is much better than sitting at the party. Sinilip silip ko pa yung harap bago ako dahan dahang lumabas, I was walking slowly while keeping my head low as I roamed the area. Wala akong makitang lalaking naka-white. Nasaan si Vin? Mabuti na lang at may mga poste nang ilaw kaya hindi nakakatakot maglakad.

The rain is pouring so medyo maingay pero agad akong lumingon nang nakarinig ako nang sunod sunod na yapak. It was him! Para akong natauhan sa kinatatayuan ko at muli ay tumakbo ako palayo. I couldn't help but laugh.

We were constantly running around while laughing like crazy. Tumatakbo ako habang buhat buhat ang laylayan nang dress, I feel like a runaway bride and Vin was chasing me from behind. People were walking while looking at us, they must think we're out of our minds but...I don't care anymore. I get to live my life for me and not for anybody else. This is mine.

"Jo!" I heard Vin shouting my name so I stopped running and looked back at him. He was pointing something in my head kaya naman ay hinawakan ko ito, hinihingal pa ako as I checked. He ran to me then stopped a few inches before he leaned in his face a few centimeters from mine. He was panting and I held my breath in.

"You have something on your hair." He whispers and taps my head gently. Rain dripping from his eyes down to his cheeks as he spaced himself three steps away.

"And?"

"And that doesn't change the fact that you're taya!" Tatawa tawa siyang tumakbo palayo at ako naman ay nawindang sa sinabi niya. Ang walang hiya ay pinatigil ako para lang ako ang maging taya! Inis kong binuhat ang laylayan ng dress ko sabay habol kay Vin.

"Ang daya mo!" Pagsigaw ko. Ugh! Malamang ay hindi niya naintindihan I was chasing him as he runs away pero mukhang ang loko ay na-guilty medyo binagalan niya yung takbo niya dahilan para maabutan ko siya. Tinaas ko na agad yung kamay ko ready na para abutin siya para siya naman ang taya pero hindi ko inaasahan na aabutin niya ito. Bigla niya akong hinila papalapit, hawak na niya ang kaliwa kong kamay habang ang isa naman ay naka alalay sa beywang ko.

"Life is unfair, don't you know that?" He was again whispering near my ear. Agad ko siyang hinampas sa dibdib. Napa hawak naman siya sa parteng hinampas ko.

"And people who cheats dies first." Dugtong ko. He chuckles softly.

Pero teka?

"So naintindihan mo pala yung sinabi ko?" I said. He nodded. Pinalo ko siya ulit sa braso. Tumatawa siya at hindi man lang niya sinasalag yung mga palo ko sa braso niya.

"Nakakaintindi ka nang Filipino?!" Gulat kong tanong. He again nodded. Mischievous grin plastered on his lips.

"Ay walang hiya ka! Inuuto mo pala kami ni Dalta!" He accepted all the punches I threw at him as he surrenders. I was stomping my feet on the puddles of water. Kung hindi naulan at hindi gabi baka sobra na ang pamumula nang mukha ko sa asar.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to include you but it was kind of fun teasing Dalta." Pag-amin niya. Asar ko lang siyang tiningnan, though agree naman ako na masaya talagang utuin si Dalta.

"Edi marunong ka mag salita nang Filipino?" I asked. He shooked his head and nodded. Mukhang nagdadalawang isip kung alin ang isasagot niya.

"Ano ba talaga?" Pangungulit ko pa.

"No, i'm still learning so I can't confidently speak the language yet. But I do understand Filipino."

"Aish, okay fine. Atleast hindi na duduguin ang ilong ko sa'yo." We are walking side by side, feeling every drop of rain that touches our skin. It would've been perfect if the moon and the stars was not hiding behind a blanket of clouds.

"May I have a dance with you?" he again knelt on the ground and offered his hand for a dance. Pansin ko lang ang hilig niyang lumuhod. Siguro maraming pagkakasala 'to no'ng last life niya hanggang ngayon ay tuloy parin ang luhod niya.

"And if I say no?" I was eyeing his hand.

"I believe it's a yes." Mukhang wala akong laban kaya tinanggap ko na 'yong kamay niya. Now, his hands are interlocked with mine...the other is placed on my waist. We were close as we started to sway from one side to the other. It's ironic how our skin touches and there is no shivering on my part. I laid my eyes on our hands intertwined. His hands perfectly guides mine. He knows how to dance.

"This is crazy." I uttered. Blue eyes starring at me and the corner of his lips raising. I had to look up just to see him clearly. He's tall alright. Matangkad din naman ako pero bakit gano'n? Hanggang balikat niya lang ako.

"Dancing without music? yeah..." I shook my head in amusement...aminado rin naman siyang mukha kaming baliw na sumasayaw sa gitna nang parking lot habang patuloy ang pagbagsak ng ulan.

"I wonder who suggested this?" He lifted his arms for me to twirl around. It was easy spinning around cause I am wearing the slippers he brought. Medyo mabigat na 'yong dress kaya mabagal lang ang pag-ikot ko. Yung laylayan nito ay puno na nang putik at gano'n din ang pants ni Vin. Pareho pa kaming nakaputi.

"I wonder who accepted it." He's teasing me! I didn't know he has this side of him?

He was careful in his every step and so am I. I didn't want to step on his foot especially since it's raining madulas ang sahig. A couple of minutes passed and we were silently dancing in the middle of the parking lot, under the rain, with our formal clothes, and fully drenched in rainwater.

"Were you always this playful?" I curiously asked out of nowhere. He looked down to see me. Grabe, butas nang ilong niya ang nakikita ko. ngayon ko lang nagsink in sa akin na matangos rin pala ang ilong niya.

"No. I didn't know I have this side actually. It's interesting how you keep bringing a new side of me." His hands switched places as we turn around.

"You?" He asked back.

"Hmm?"

"Am I bringing something new to you?" He asks.

"Yeah, you kept on making me speak English." I joked. But now that I think about it, I wanted to say that he was able to make me trust again. Not fully, but enough for me to take a risk again. A side that I've completely forgotten, but it's also a side that he easily brought back. Just like that we ended the dance as we both bowed.

I didn't knew that I could trust someone again. And maybe Ate Ella was right. As much as I hide, I can never run away from the fact that...maybe I do have a heart, maybe it's here and I'm just too afraid to let it beat again.