What Went Wrong

Ikapito (New Light)

I woke up with a hangover. Ganito pala feeling ng magka-hangover. I hardly drink back in Manila kasi nga di talaga ako palainom. Tumingin ako sa paligid ko. This isn't my room. Where am I?

The room looks neat and tidy. Mukhang organized na tao ang may-ari. Kahit nahihilo pa ay lumabas ako ng kwarto na yun para alamin kung nasaan ako at sino may-ari ng bahay na yun. The last time I remember was I was in the reunion drinking some tequila.

Luminga-linga ako para hanapin kung sino may-ari which I regretted after dahil mas lalo akong nahilo.

I decided to check outside. I went to the patio at doon ko nakita ang hinahanap ko.

"Ikaw?" Anong ginagawa ko sa bahay ni Matt?

"Gising ka na pala. How are you feeling?" Tanong nya.

"Why am I here? I was in the reunion last night. I don't remember coming here," sagot ko.

He smirked which I noticed he keeps on doing. "I guess you don't remember kissing me then."

What? What's he saying?

"I kissed you?! No! No! No! Why would I kis-" then I remember the dare. To kiss the first guy I'd see. It was him! He's right. I kissed him!

Ngumisi ulit sya. "Naalala mo na?"

"Manyak!" Sigaw ko saka nagmamadaling lumabas ng gate ng bahay nya.

Nakakahiya!

"Wait!" Narinig kong hinabol nya ako pero di ko sya pinansin.

"Well, you're wearing my clothes. Uuwi ka talaga ng suot ang damit ko? My name's written behind the shirt, though," dagdag nya. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad.

Nakakainis!

Bumalik ako dahil wala akong choice. I checked my undergarments. I'm wearing them. Hinubad ko yung T-shirt at shorts na suot ko saka inihagis sa harap nya.

"Okay na?" Tanong ko.

Napansin kong nagpipigil sya ng tawa. Lalo akong nainis.

"Do you really undress yourself in front of strangers?"

Tinaasan ko sya ng kilay. Di ako magpapatalo sa pang-iinis nya.

"Well, you already saw me in my swimsuit, I already kissed you, and I assume na ikaw rin nagpalit ng damit sa akin kagabi so, it doesn't matter," sagot ko.

Napailing sya saka sumeryoso ng tingin.

"Get inside. Ayoko mag-isip nang masama sa'yo ang ibang tao," he said while picking up the clothes I took off. He sounded sincere and I don't know what got into me but I went back to his house.

Hinintay nya akong makapagbihis saka niyayang mag-almusal. I took the offer dahil nagutom ako bigla nang makita ko ang nakahain sa lamesa. Noon ko lang din napansin nang maigi ang loob ng bahay nya. He seems to come from a well-off family. Malayo sa itsura nyang parang happy-go-lucky. Mag-isa lang ba syang nakatira dito? Kakaunti lang kasi ang mga gamit. Bago ko pa makalimutang naaasar ako sa kanya, nagsalita sya.

"I'm sorry about the other day."

Yung tinutukoy nya ba yung sa dagat?

"Tapos na yun. Hayaan mo na," sagot ko. The food calmed me down I guess.

"But you cried that time. You must've been scared," sabi nya ulit.

Di ako sumagot.

"By the way, I told your tita na dinala kita dito," sabi nya maya-maya.

"Tita Beth knows I'm here?" Gulat na tanong ko.

"You were really wasted last night," sagot nya.

Tumango-tango lang ako dahil sa hiya. Di ko maimagine itsura ko kagabi. "T-thank you," sabi ko na lang.

Napaangat ako ng tingin nang di sya sumagot. I saw a hint of smile on his lips. Di na ako nagsalita.

Tapat ng dagat ang bahay ni Matt. Bago ako tuluyang umuwi, I decided to go to the shore to breathe in fresh air. Nahihilo-hilo pa rin ako so I sit on the sand. Sinundan nya pala ako. Naupo rin sya sa tabi ko.

"So when are you leaving?" Tanong nya.

Napatingin ako sa kanya saka nagbalik ng tingin sa dagat. Oddly, the view of the ocean calms me down, too. I don't feel like picking a fight with him.

"In two days," sagot ko.

"Di ka na ba ulit babalik?" Tanong nya ulit.

"I actually didn't want to come here. I won't be here if not for our reunion," sagot ko.

"Why not? Your grandparents are here."

"This place reminds me of a lot of bad memories," I answered with honesty. I don't know why I'm being honest with him. Hangover siguro.

"So, di na pala kita ulit makikita?"

Napalingon ako sa kanya. Nakatitig sya sa'kin. Noon ko lang napansin na hazel brown pala ang mga mata nya.

His gaze makes me feel weak. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. I picked up a shell in front of me and started writing on the sand. I wrote my name.

"You know my friend, Cherry? She likes you," pag-iiba ko sa usapan. I feel bad for spilling Cherry's secret.

"I like you, Toni," sabi nya na nagpatigil sa'kin.

Di ko sya nilingon dahil alam kong nakatingin sya sa'kin. Instead, I took that playfully.

"You like me because I undress in front of you? O dahil hinalikan kita?" Tanong ko without looking at him. I just write anything on the sand.

"I like you the first time I saw you," sagot nya.

The first time he saw me? In the resto?

"I know you have a bad impression of me and I'm sorry for that," dagdag nya. Bago pa sya makapagsalita ulit, inunahan ko na sya.

"I can't reciprocate your feelings, sorry. My friend likes you and I'm not gonna ruin her happiness. Second, I'm leaving in two days."

"I'm not asking you to like me back. I just- I just want us to be in good terms," sagot nya.

I looked at him. He looks very different up close. I don't want to admit it, but he's goddamn handsome. Like the bad boy type handsome.

"Okay," sagot ko saka ngumiti. Ngumiti rin sya.

This is my first time to actually see him smile. I'm starting to feel like being nice to him.