All Over Again

CHAPTER 27: Starry Starry Night

Venice's POV

I should get up. Isang araw na lang kaming nandito, dapat lang na maglublob man lang ako bago kami lumayas. I opened my eyes nung nag-sink ung thought na yun. I immediately looked at the clock.. 5:45... I've been sleeping for two hours and 45 minutes. Kakatayo ko pa lang nang biglang bumukas ung pinto at sumilip ang ulo ni Jerwin..

Jerwin: Hey, you're awake.

Ako: *yaawwwnnn* Yeah -__- Akala ko humiga ka rin kanina?

Jerwin: I woke up 30 minutes ago. Anyway, we're having a bonfire later. We gotta shop for a few things to BBQ and panggawa raw ng s'mores, sabi ni Mr. Gordon. C'mon, get dressed!

Get dressed?

Napasilip ako sa suot ko. O___O

My golay. I'm still wearing the swimsuit. No wonder ganito na lang ang pagkapulupot ko sa kumot. Malamig ang aircon. Malamang kailangan ko rin ibalik 'to no?

Ako: Give me five minutes. Mag-sshower lang ako.

Later...

May nakita kaming maliit na store just less than 10 minutes away from the villa. Di naman sya kalakihan, pero parang may mabibili naman kami. I took a basket and handed it to Jerwin. Hindi ako magpapakahirap magdala ng mabigat noh.

Jerwin: Hey, look, Venice..

Eto nanaman kami.. -__-

Jerwin: They're selling chicken feet! Why are they selling chicken feet?? Can we get some chicken feet??

I don't think Jerwin has ever gone grocery shopping before. Abah, dinaig pa ang six-year-old sa pagka-amused sa halos lahat ng "abnormal" na bagay eh!

Ako: No. We don't need it.

Jerwin: But it's chicken feet!

Ako: Uh-huh. And we. Don't. Need. It.

Ilang beses na yang exchange na yan..

Ano kayang iniisip ni Mr. Gordon at eto pang si Jerwin ang pinag-shopping niya? Pano na lang kung hindi ako sumama? Eh di inuwian sila nitong unggoy na toh ng natto---mukha raw kasing dikit-dikit na tadpoles. Dried shrimp, dahil mukha raw madaling kainin, tuyo--hindi ba raw na-BBQ yun? at ang chicken feet, simply because it's chicken feet....

-___-

Jerwin: Venice..

Ako: Hm?

Jerwin: Tignan mo oh...

Tumingin ako dun sa tinitignan nya..

May pusa na natutulog dun sa ibabaw nung isang lamesa..

Ako: Oh? Pusa.. Ano?

Jerwin: Can we buy that?

Aray.. sumasakit yata ang ulo ko. T-T

Ako: At bakit naman? Anong gagawin mo sa pusa?

Jerwin: Hindi ba gawa ang siopao sa pusa?

Hindi ko na-carry.. -___-

May kung anong sparkle ung eyes nya na parang nagsasabi na gusto nya talagang bilhin ung pusa para gawing siopao.. T^T

Napatitig na lang ako sa kanya...

If ever man, curiosity will really kill the cat.

Pak!

Jerwin: Aw! Okay, fine... We're not buying the cat. -_- We don't need it.

Josko, Lord... T-T ... Ang reasoning skills ni Kuya... T^T

Ako: Just carry the basket, okay? And don't--

Tumigil sya dun sa kinukuha nyang isang tali ng kangkong..

Ako: -- DON'T put anything in the basket.

Binalik nya ung kangkong na hawak nya..

Ako: Now, let's go and get the marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.. Maloloka na ko sayo pag nagtagal pa tayo.

Sumunod naman si Jerwin sa'kin.. He's still darting looks from one thing to another, pero at least, hindi na sya naglalagay ng kung anu-ano dun sa maliit na basket namin--or so I thought..

Pagpunta namin dun sa starstruck na cashier, at nung nilalabas ko na yung mga binibili namin dun ko lang na-realize na ang daming unnecessary items ang pinuslit nung mokong.

Ako: *sa cashier* Ah.. hahaha sorry ha, yung iba dito hindi naman namin kailangan..

Binibigay ko sa kanya yung mga kailangan lang namin, and then binabalik ko ung mga puslit dun sa basket..

Jerwin: What?? We're not buying the natto??

Ako: I told you, we don't need it.

Jerwin: But... I wanna see what we can do with tadpole-looking ingredients..

Pak!

Ako: You don't experiment with food!

Napahawak sya dun sa noo nyang hinampas ko nung pinuslit nyang pechay.

Jerwin: Okay. T_T Why are you so abusive of me today?

Natatawa na sa'min si Ms. Cashier.

Pasimple pa sya sa pagtago nya..

Obvious naman..

Jerwin paid for our purchases -- kahit na wala ung mga mala-alien nyang gustong-gustong bilhin..

Much much later...

Mayaman sa stars ang sky ngayong gabi. Everybody is busy sa pag-BBQ or sa tsismisan nila habang nag-iinit nung marshmallows para sa s'mores nila..

Ako naman, mag-isang nakaupo dun sa a few feet away from the fire, nag-sstargazing.. Ang alam ko, may kung anong belief, na pag namatay raw ang isang tao, napapasok sya sa exclusive club ng stars in the nightsky.

I touched the silver ring na nandun sa ring finger nung right hand ko.. I wonder if G is an honorary member of the stars now..

"Yo!"

Na-distract ako from my chain of thought nang tumabi sa'kin si Jerwin, carrying a plate of fresh s'mores.. He carefully plopped himself down on the sand and handed me the plate. Chocolate & marshmallow sandwiched between graham crackers.. what more can a girl ask for?

Ako: Thank you.

Jerwin: You know, you should go and heat your own marshmallow.

Ako: Eh bakit ba? Nandyan ka naman.

Jerwin: Geez... I can just imagine the horror of being married to you..

Ako: Aww.. aren't you glad we'll break up eventually?

Jerwin: Tell me about it. I feel sorry for the guy who'll be your husband-s***h-slave.

Ako: At sino naman may sabi na magpapakasal ako?

Jerwin took one of the s'mores dun sa plate and casually looked at me.

Jerwin: Ano, magmamadre ka?

Ako: Hala.. tingin mo, tatanggapin ako dun?

Jerwin: *kagat sa s'more niya* That's what I thought. Wala ka pang 24 hours, ma-rrebuke ka na.

Salbahe. -__-

Jerwin: So, bakit di ka magpapakasal?

Ako: Hmp! Magpapakasal lang ako sa kung sinong makakapag-arrange sa stars ng: "Marry Me."

Jerwin: Ohhh.. How are they gonna do that?

Ako: Bah, malay ko. Basta, ma-spell nya un sa nightsky, kasal na kami.

Jerwin: *smiles* You're gonna end up as an old maid.

Bago ako makasagot, bigla nang tumalon sa tabi namin sina Anton tsaka si Sheena..

May sariling mga bitbit na mga plato nila..

Sheena: Hello, young lovers! Long time no see!

Ako: Haller...

Napatingin ako sa plato nya..

BBQ...

Mukhang bagong luto.. -__-

Mukhang masarap....

Ako: Sunshine....

Jerwin: Anong "sunshine" ka nanaman dyan?? Kakakuha ko lang ng s'mores mo ah!

Ako: Kuha mo rin ako ng BBQ~ Sige naaa~

Jerwin: Eh kung tumayo ka kaya to get it yourself?

Ako: Yabang nito. Sige na, nandun lang naman eh.

Sheena: Anton, ako rin.. Pakuha rin ng isa pang stick.

Anthony: Hala.. Nandun lang tayo kanina eh! bakit kasi isa lang kinuha mo?!

Sheena: Eh gusto ko muna tikman eh..

Ako & Sheena: Pleaassseeee..

Nagtinginan si Anthony tsaka si Jerwin.. and then, dahil hindi nila na-take ang aming charm, tumayo na sila para kumuha ng BBQ -- with matching one paragraph of reklamo pa yan..

Ahihihi..

Sarap utusan ni Kuya.. sunod ng sunod. Nung wala na sila, biglang umusog sa tabi ko si Sheena.

Sheena: Uy, best prend, you're smiling~

Ako: Eh bakit??! Masama ba ngumiti eh sa naaliw ako.

Biglang ngumiti si Sheena -- yung sincere smile talaga na hindi nang-aasar.. Tinignan nya ko sa mata, which usually means na may kasunod na best friend moment ito.

Sheena: I just haven't seen you smile like that in a while. Jerwin's doing a good job.

Huh...

I looked at Jerwin na nanghihingi ng BBQ kay Mrs. Gordon. Naglolokohan pa sila ni Anton -- nag-pplot yata ng kung anong revenge. So I guess, what Sheena means is...

I look genuinely happy..

It's been two years since I felt something like that..

"V..."

O__O

I froze. I thought I heard Gerard's voice but, that's impossible, isn't it? I looked around, nonetheless as if naman may makikita talaga ako..

There's no one else here who would have called me by that nickname..

No one..

Ako: Shee... I feel like I'm cheating..

Sheena: Cheating? Kanino?

Ako: Parang akong nagtataksil kay G...

Sheena: Best prend.. Paano ka naman magtataksil? Eh wala na nga yung pinagtataksilan mo. No offense. But I'm sure Gerard would have wanted you to be happy.

I looked at her and then back at Jerwin na naglalakad na pabalik sa'min..

Deep inside, I know she's right..

Jerwin: O, BBQ.. This is the last time I'm getting up to get you something.

I forced a smile as I took the plate. Jerwin's been a pain, but he's a nice guy...

He makes me laugh and smile..

That should be good..

I gazed up at the stars those little speckles of light in the vast, black sky..

Why do I suddenly feel guilty?