The Flames in her Heart

Chap 4

Ocean

Sa sumunod na sabado ay mas naging maaga ako. Kahit stress na stress pa din ako the past few days na pangangapa sa online class ay parang napawi lahat ng 'yon dahil sa wakas saturday na ngayon at makikita ko na siya. When my alarm rang 2 hours before tutor time ay agad akong bumangon at pumuntang bathroom. After that ay pumwesto na sa vanity like how my usual routine.

"Wow! ang ganda naman ng prinsesa ko!" si tatay na nasa living area hawak ang kinagatang sandwich, tinatanaw ang pagbaba ko sa hagdanan.

"I'm always pretty kaya tatay, what are you sayin'?" I said sarcastically and rolled my eyes.

"Ofcourse princess, pero may kakaiba talaga sayo ngayon anak, parang sumubra..." Kunot noo niya ngunit natatawa.

"Sumubra sa ganda?" I blink my eyes multiple times with a wide smile.

"Sumubra... sa sarap pasensya na!" Malakas niyang sabi kasabay ng halakhak niya at nagmadaling tumakbo papuntang sasakyan kasi alam niyang hahabulin ko siya. Binibiro niya kasi ako palagi sa line na yun because he knows that I hated it. I first heard it when he's watching his favorite show that helps people and the guy in a suit said those lines one time promoting a food business. I don't know I find it cringe eh.

Dahil maaga kaming umalis  ay expected na na maaga din kami nakarating sa bahay nila Ice. When we're still in the car, Tatay Dulfo asked me why maaga daw ako and I just reasoned out na maaga ako nagising because of mom's call which isn't true... well, white lies won't make it to hell anyway.

"Oh nandito kana pala iha, ang aga mo naman" si Nanay Lilia na naabutan kong nagdidilig ng halaman sa bakuran nila.

"Ah opo maaga po nagising eh" sabay kamot ko sa ulo. 

"Goodmorning po Nanay" at nagmano ako. 

We don't really do mano in our house because we used to beso but I learned mano because of Tatay Dulfo and Nanay Teri way back when I often go to their house and we are always together kasi dati that's why I learned so many things that I don't get to experience in my usual life.

"Magandang umaga din anak" she smiled sweetly.

Pagkatapos ay pinapasok na ako ni Nanay Lilia sa loob ng bahay dahil magdidilig pa raw siya ng halaman at baka daw mainip ako. Ayuko sana kasi masaya namang tingnan yung ginagawa niya ngunit alam ko rin namang I lowkey wanna see someone so...

Nang nakapasok na ako sa kanilang bahay ay walang bakas ng tao at tanging ang ingay ng mga yapak ko lang ang  naririnig.

Where is he?

"Nay, where is Ice po?" Bumalik ako sa hamba ng pintuan upang magtanong kay nanay.

"Ah wala ba riyan? Nako baka nasa likod ng bahay sa may dagat iha, palagi kasi yun doon. Puntahan mo nalang iha, ayos lang ba sayong mag-isa?" Aniya sa malumanay na boses.

Oww a beach?!

"Yes po, I can do it naman don't worry po" I assured her.

Pagkatapos ay nagpaalam na ako at agad na pumunta sa likod ng bahay nila. Dumaan ako galing sa likurang pintuan nila at doon ay natanaw 'di kalayuan ang likod ng pamilyar na lalaki nakaupo sa may buhanginan kandong ang kulay kahoy na gitara tinatanaw ang payapa at kulay asul na karagatan.

Nagsimula akong humakbang sa batong hagdanan. Hindi kasi sa actual na sand nakatayo ang bahay nila. It's elevated kaya hahakbang ka pa sa mga batong ginawang hagdanan bago maka apak sa mismong sand ng dagat. It's not that deep naman, siguro nasa 4ft lang ang pagitan ng bahay at mismong sand ng beach. 'Di kasi halata na malapit sila sa dagat kasi yung soil ng area nila is covered with grass. Yung mga katabi din nilang bahay is elevated. When you look from the road you can see the wide ocean like a beautiful scenery blending with the local houses.

Dahan- dahan akong naglakad papunta sa direksyon niya. My heart starting to beat fast again kaya't nagpakawala ako ng buntong hininga nang nasa likuran na niya ako. 

Dammit, I need to calm

"So... we be chillin' huh?" I said while looking at the beautiful ocean in front of us, avoiding eye contact.

I saw him at my peripheral vision glance at me.

I cleared my throat.

He just glance at me and then back to his guitar like I'm a bother! what the-

I closed my eyes tightly.

Okay, easy, easy.

"So... you play guitar pala huh?" Humakbang ako upang maging kalebel na kami.

"Alam mo ba yu-" My eyes widened. 

I was about to sit right beside him pero hinawakan niya ang kamay ko pulling me.

Sa pagkabigla ko ay na out of balance ako at napasubsob sa kanyang dibdib. 

My hands is on his chest... 

...umm can I just say that it's hard?

"Tasha"

"Hmmm?" I responded still in a dreamy thoughts.

"Tasha?" 

Natauhan ako dahil sa pangalawang tawag sa pangalan ko.

"Ay joke! hehe what is it?" Napatalon ako at agad na inalis ang kamay na nasa kanyang dibdib.

Tumingin ako sa direksyon kung saan siya nakatingin at nakita ko na nandoon na ang kanyang itim na  tsinelas sa buhangin na dapat uupuan ko. Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa kanya.

Nagkatinginan kami. 

He looked at me from head to toe.

Ibinaba ko ang bodycon dress ko na tumaas sa kakagalaw kanina.

"You can sit now." Him, in a serious and low  baritone.

"So you play guitar huh?" I'm now sitting beside him.

Dude can I just say na nararamdaman ko yung tsinelas sa pwetan ko?

Nagsisisi na talaga ako sa suot ko. Bat ba kasi tash ughhh!

He just continue strumming the guitar not answering my question.

"What songs do you know pala?" Follow- up question lang baka sagutin na ako at maging kami na... practice lang hehe

No response.

"When ka natuto mag guitar?" Still no response.

Nagpakawala ako ng buntong hininga.

I give up.

Itinuon ko nalang ang atensyon ko sa karagatan.

Ang ingay ng dagat ay parang musikang pampakalma na sa tagal mong nakikinig rito ay manghihina ang iyong mga mata. 

The waves were carelessly dribbling onto the sand running back and forth like a free doves. It  feels like home... almost...

Oh, I bid farewell to the port and the land And I paddle away from brave England's white sands 

I look at him. His eyes are closed as he sing wholeheartedly. Ice voice covered the whole place. 

To search for my long ago forgotten friends. To search for the place I hear all sailers end

Tumingin muli ako sa karagatan. I smiled. 

As the souls of the dead fill the space of my mind I'll search without sleeping 'til peace I can find

I fear not the weather, I fear not the sea

His voice isn't loud, it's calming. It made me dizzy. It's guttural and husky at the same time. It sent shiver down my spine. It sounds familiar. I feel like I heard it before...

Napawi ang ngiti ko nang may maalala.

I remember the fallen, do they think of me? When their bones in the ocean forever will be

Their smiles below say I don't owe them my life

 As the souls of the dead fill the space of my eyes 

And my boat listed over and tried to capsize

The warm deep blue ocean made me feel at peace but frightened at the same time. 

I'm this far from drowning, this far from the sea, I remember the living do they think of me? When my bones in the ocean forever will be

I closed my eyes as tears fall down to my cheeks.

Ang kanyang ngiti habang sinasabuyan ako ng tubig dagat ay nakakahawa. 

As the souls of the dead live forever in my mind 

As I live all the years that they left me behind

 I'll stay on the shore but still gaze at the sea

 Hinabol niya ako ng sabuyan ko rin siya ng tubig mula sa dagat at nang nahuli niya ako ay agad akong binuhat na parang isang batang pasaway.

I remember him, did he also feel the same?

I remember the fallen and they think of me 

For our souls in the ocean together will be 

I remember the fallen and they think of me,

 For our souls in the ocean together will be

I miss him, I hope he miss me too...

"Are you alright?" I opened my eyes when I heard his question.

"Yeah, I am... I'm sorry" I smiled while wiping the tears  on my cheeks.

He just look at me seriously.

"Really, I am! nadala lang sa kanta mo. You sang really good!" sinabayan ko pa ito ng tawa upang mas mapaniwala siyang ayos lang ako.

Ilang minutong katahimikan.

"I think it's time already for tutor" I said looking at my apple watch.

He still looks at me seriously but nooded after few seconds.

"Right, lets go" sabay tayo niya.

Tatayo na sana ako but then he offered his hand to me.

 I stunned.

Nang nakitang hindi ko pa tinanggap ang kamay niya ay siya na ang kumuha ng kamay ko at inalalayan akong tumayo.

Oh damn this guy, don't made me false hope. I might fall too hard.