Kabanata 2
1224 Words
Nakabibinging ingay ang sumunod. Hindi na magkamayaw ang lahat nang umakyat sa makeshift platform ang mga lalaki.
Napunta ang mga mata ko sa lalaking naka-all black. Among the guys, he stood the tallest. Maputi siya at litaw na litaw iyon sa kanyang kasuotan. Seryoso ang kanyang mukha na tila palagi siyang galit. He had a deep set of ruthless eyes that reminded me of gorgeous foreign actors. His nose was pointed, so sharp like it could cut. His upper lip was thin while his lower one was plump. His prominent jaw added to the regality he exuded. He was lean, all in the right places. Agaw-pansin din ang cleft chin niya. He looked like those typical snob guys in romantic novels.
Holy s**t.
Was he the Iñigo? Naalala ko ang paglalarawan sa kanya ni Samantha. She did not exaggerate. She did describe him honestly, no more, no less.
He was gorgeous!
Iñigo proceeded to the microphone stand and adjusted it. Kanya-kanya na ring punta sa puwesto ang iba.
Para akong tanga na sinusundan ang bawat galaw niya. I never knew I would meet a god in my life. He was the most handsome guy I had ever seen! Walang-wala ang celebrity crushes ko!
“Hi! This is Raffy of ArFa,” the guy in a beanie introduced himself with a wireless microphone. The crowd roared once more. He smiled. “Thank you very much for inviting us here. Where is . . . Miss Hazel Lagrada?”
Natuon ang atensyon ng lahat kay Hazel. Some pointed her. Hazel, who was still amidst of absorbing what was happening, stupidly pointed herself, too.. Natawa ang ilang nasa paligid namin.
Raffy chuckled and nodded. “Yes, you, Hazel. Happy, happy birthday. We wish you all the best. We learned that you are a fan so we prepared some songs for you which are some of your favorites, we were told.” He chuckled again. “Sana magustuhan mo.”
The place suddenly dimmed. The noise suddenly faded.
Hindi ko inalis ang mga mata kay Iñigo. He had a deep yet angelic voice. Habang kumakanta ay pumipikit siya at kung hindi naman ay nasa lupa ang kanyang mga mata. Hindi siya tumitingin sa mga tao.
Napahawak ako sa dibdib. Bakit ang guwapo-guwapo niya?
Nasa ganoon akong pag-iisip at pagkakatulala nang bigla niyang binuksan ang mga mata at tumitig sa akin pabalik.
My heart went wild. His cold eyes were penetrating my soul. It seemed like he could see through me and he knew my deepest secrets.
He wasn’t glaring or what but the way he looked at me was like promising misery is a beautiful paradise.
Kahit mahirap gawin ay nagawa ko ring iiwas ang mga mata sa kanya. Dahil kapag tumagal pa, pakiramdam ko ay hihiling ako sa mga tala ng mga bagay na pagsisisihan ko sa huli. Ibinaling ko na lamang ang atensyon kay Hazel na nakikisabay na sa pagkanta gayong maluha-luha na.
Napalingon ako sa aking tabi nang may humawak sa kamay ko. It was Benj who was smiling ear to ear. I returned the smile. He did great today.
Inakbayan niya ako at hinalikan sa sentido. Hindi sinasadyang napatingin akong muli kay Iñigo. Ang suplado niyang mga mata ay wala na sa akin. Nakapikit na siyang muli.
“Magpinsan kayo ni Raffy?” hindi makapaniwalang ulit ni Hazel. “Wow, small world!”
The band was finished with their performance. Kaya narito kami ngayon at kasama sila. Ipinagdugtong namin ang dalawang mesa para magkasya kaming lahat.
Before we were able to settle down, almost all the guests came to the band and asked for pictures and all. They were really popular! Kinailangan pa naming singhalan ang ilan para magsitigil sa pangha-harass sa ilang miyembro.
And as expected, most of them flocked to Iñigo. Humanga ako sa pagiging kalmado niya gayong halos hilahin na siya ng mga babae at dalhin kung saan.
Kanina pa nagpapa-cute ang mga kasama ko sa mga poging lalaki. Kung tutuusin, kayang-kaya ko ring gawin iyon kesehodang narito si Benj at ang pinsan niya.
But I was a bit conscious with my actions tonight.
“Hazel has a crush on Iñigo,” pambubuking ni Ditas. “Actually, pati si Sam ay may crush din sa kanya.”
“H-hoy! W-wala namang laglagan!” namumulang sita ni Hazel kay Ditas.
Napatingin ako kay Iñigo. Nasa tapat ko siya. Ever since we sat here with them, hindi pa siya nagsasalita. Tahimik lamang siya at panaka-naka ang pag-inom ng wine.
I had been watching him in awe for awhile now. I heard his father was of Spanish descent so that explained his atypical look for a pure Filipino.
“Hay, naku. Kung ako sainyo, h’wag na kayong magka-crush dito,” natatawang sabi ni Matt saka inakbayan si Iñigo na noon ay parang wala pa ring pakialam. “Masasaktan lang kayo. Allergic ‘to sa babae!”
Allergic?
Naputol ang pagmamasid ko sa kanya nang naramdaman ko ang pagpisil ni Benj sa aking balikat.
“Alam mo, Seraf,” napatingin ako kay Raffy, “my cousin is an ass. Babaero ‘yan.”
“Stop badmouthing me in front of my girl, Raffy,” protesta ni Benj na nagpatawa sa ilan. “I’m serious with her, okay?”
I heard my friends clear their throats in sync. Naghiyawan naman ang mga lalaki, except for Iñigo who was still in his own world. Bigla akong nailang sa usapan.
“You better be. Seraf looks amazing. Hindi mo basta-basta makikita ang ganyang mukha sa tabi-tabi,” sabat ni Lance habang nakatitig sa akin.
Napatayo ako at lahat ng tingin ay napunta sa akin. “Bathroom lang ako.”
Hindi ko na sila hinintay na magsalita. Naglakad na ako papasok ng bahay. Matapos marating ang lugar ay napabuntong-hininga ako.
Fuck! Why was I feeling so damn guilty?
Nang tuluyang kumalma ay lumapit ako sa fridge at binuksan iyon. I picked one bottle and a glass.
Ano kayang iniisip ng lalaking iyon sa akin ngayon?
I was busy drinking water when Iñigo entered the kitchen. Sa sobrang gulat ay nasamid ako. f**k!
Napatingin siya sa akin. Napalunok ako.
Ni hindi man lang nagbago ang ekspresyon niya. His eyes were still ruthlessly cold.
“A-ano ‘yon?”
Huli na para bawiin ang tanong ko. Gusto kong batukan ang sarili!
“I’m here to get a bottle of water.”
Even his speaking voice was cold! My goodness. What was he? A god of ice or something?
Napakurap-kurap ako at dahan-dahang tumango-tango. Of course, he did not follow you, Serafina! Who are you to him, anyway?
Umusog ako nang lumapit siya sa fridge. Hindi nakawala sa akin ang pamilyar na amoy ng isang mamahaling panlalaking pabango. Pinigilan kong singhutin ang hangin para mas maamoy siya.
My heart was beating crazily again which I feared that he might hear it.
This wasn’t good.
“How old are you?”
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa biglaang tanong niya. “Ha? I-I mean sixteen.”
His eyes went to mine. Then, to my body. I almost shivered the way his gaze coldly grazed my entirety. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang pamumula ng buo kong mukha!
“Count checks on your test papers. Not boyfriends.”
Napakurap-kurap ako. Bago ko pa man maintindihan ang ibig niyang sabihin, tinalikuran niya na ako at umalis.
- Writer
