Wind and Sail

Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Dayn’s PoV

“Hmm, this is delicious, here taste it,” I said with food stuffed in my mouth. Pumiraso ako ng barbecue at inilagay sa plato niya. Tinusok niya iyon ng tinidor at sinubo sa bibig niya. “What? How did it taste?” I asked.

I thought I wouldn’t like it here but here I am, enjoying like a kid. We ordered variety of foods from different stalls so that we can try almost everything.

He nods his head while chewing it. “Yeah, it’s a bit chewy though, but it is flavorful,” he answered.

“The last time I went to something like this was back in States. Not like this though, but both have the same vibes but at the same time different. Do you get it?” I ask him while looking around.

When our eyes met, he just smiled and didn’t reply.

“Like, there were food stalls as well, but mostly colleges students ang nandoon. It wasn’t that long time ago. I just remembered sneaking out in the middle of the night just to go to parties and just end up ditching it and going to another place.” I chuckled.

“Saan ka naman nagpupunta?” tanong niya. Inabot niya sa akin ang tissue. Kinuha ko iyon at pinunasan ang kamay ko. Patapos na kaming kumain, nagliligpit na si Sxan ng pinagkainan namin.

“Places I always used to go to and places I’ve never been too, it depends. Now, I realized bakit pa ba ako tumatakas noon para sa party kunwari, e, samantalang sa ibang lugar din naman ang bagsak ko.” Natawa rin siya. “Baka excuse ko lang iyon sa sarili ko.”

“Saan namang lugar iyon?” tanong niya ulit. He seems interested in my sneaking out series.

“Going out for a drive? Like just anywhere my motor and my body takes me, for example in the city, or maybe by the beach, twenty-four seven stores, ramps, rivers. Just anywhere, sa awa ng father, the son, and the holy spirit, hindi pa naman ako naliligaw na to the point where I can’t go home because I don’t know where I am. It’s like, I am gone but I’m everywhere.”

“You’re reckless,” he uttered.

—“But I know what I’m getting into, I am aware, careful. Two different things. Contrast each other, a yin and yang. I’ve got both of them, gosh, I am so perfect. Who wouldn’t like me?”

He chuckled. “Careful? You almost bumped into a cart filled with pots back in the market last time!”

“Not about that! Just you know, in some other things you’ve got to be careful about, like for real. No joke, no cap, no hopia, peanut, popcorn.”

“I think sometimes getting lost is good,” he said while we’re walking around the area where there are not so many people.

I glanced at him and sighed heavily. “I agree with you. I don’t think you are lost until you realized that you are. It’s fun, going to places they warned me not to go. I find beauty in abandoned places, the peace it gives. How the floor board creaks when you step on the front porch. Cobwebs everywhere and bird’s nests up in the rain gutters. Untouched furniture, walls that witnessed all the good and bad things that had happened there, and the ceilings that watched after them. Never found them scary,” I said.

“And oh!” pahabol ko. “Ocean, sea, beach, how the ocean waves kisses the shoreline and heals the pain unrelentingly, it’s like telling somebody you love her for every single second of your life, never gets tired. How about you?” I asked him.

“I like it when it rains,” he answered.

“Is there any reason why?”

“Just rain, washes away everything just like how your ocean heals wound and abandoned places gives you peace,” he uttered.

“Wow, that has got to be more explanation with that.” I chuckled.

He chuckled too. “I don’t know.”

“Maupo nga muna tayo, kanina pa tayo lakad nanag lakad, are we burning alcalories agad? Hinila o siya sa pinakamalapit na bench at umupo kami. Dumikit siya sa akin at hinawakan ang kamay ko, isinandal iya sa balikat ko ang ulo niya.

Naghikab ako at sinabi na inaantok na nga ako. “Ang sarap na matulog after kumain,” dagdag ko.  Nagulat ako noong bigla siyang umalis at tumingin sa akin. Magkasalubong ang mga kilay niya.

“I get it, pero huwag kang matutulog mamaya sa byahe ha? Baka mamaya mahulog ka pa,” sabi niya. “Sa akin ka lang pwede mahulog.”

Dios ko, akala ko naman kung ano na.

“Oo na, I know, I know. Hindi ako natutulog sa byahe, hindi mo na kailangan pang sabihin,” sagot ko. Tumabi ulit siya sa akin at pumwesto kagaya nang kanina.

Tumahimik na at nakatingin lang ako sa kalangitan at pinanonood ang mga tao sa kanilang mga ginagawa.

“Dayn.” Nag-salita siya.

“Hmm?” sagot ko.

“Let’s have a real dinner,” he said.

“What? Pero kakakain lang na’tin, ha?” tanong ko sa kaniya. Nahihibang na ba siya?

He sat properly and looked at me. “Yes. But not that, can I please take you out for a formal dinner next time?”

My mouth parted and I chuckled.

“You’re asking me out? Like, a real date?” I asked.

“Yes, I am asking you out because I like you and I want to take things seriously with you. I love you, Dayn,” he said.

I was shocked but I managed to cope up easily. He loves me?

“What? Why?” I asked.

“Oh, Dayn. I don’t have reasons. I just love you and it would be nice if you agree going to dinner with me. It would make my heart flutter, well, right now, I think it already is. I love you, Dayn. Ugh, it feels so nice to say this. I am sure, no joke, no cap, no hopia, peanut, popcorn.” he said.

Natawa naman ako sa huli niyang sinabi. I observed him for a good minute. I put my hand on his chest to feel his heart, it is thumping hard and fast. His lips are dry and he is taking short and fast breaths. He is kinakabahan. His eyes are waiting for my answer. This man is indeed in love and is asking me out to go to dinner with him. Unbelievable.

“Yes, sure. I’ll have dinner with you. Ikaw pa ba,” sabi ko sa kaniya at kinindatan siya.

His eyes widened and a smile as wide as his eyes flashed across his face. Kumawala ang hininga na kanina ay nakakulong at saka niya ako niyakap.

“Okay, enough enough, I can’t breathe,” sabi ko. Binitiwan niya ako at pinagdikit ang mga noo namin. Nakapikit siya at nakangiti. Tumingala siya ulit sa akin at hinalikan ako sa noo.

“Thank you,” he said. Tinanguan ko lang siya. Kinabig niya ulit ako para yakapin, damang-dama ko na naman na parang hinahabol at nagmamadali ang puso niya sa pagtibok. Kumawala ako sa yakap niya at tumawa nang mahina.

“You’re heart, calm it down, Sxan.”

He chuckled too. “I don’t think I can. It has its own life you know. I can’t control it but I do know who’s it beating for.” He then grinned and winked at me.

My god, this man.