Wind and Sail

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Sxan’s Pov

I watched Dayn do poses like wacky and smile at the camera whenever it lands on her. She is walking beside Clarene whose arm is clinging into he. They are talking nonstop since we got here.

I was pretty startled when Dayn suddenly turned to me and told me to catch up because I was walking too behind from them. She’s thoughtful, though she doesn’t want anybody telling her so, i hope she know that she is a pretty nice and badass woman.

I don’t how to tell her. I’m pretty sure she know something about me, she’s found out who I really am since Alexie had probably told her about it. I was the one who replaced her. I am about to ruin her life, is she aware?

“Hello po! The bees we keep here are not aggressive but that doesn’t mean they are not aggressive. They won’t try to sting you, and please do not panic when they approach you. For safety, we are going to be wearing nets to cover our head,” the old woman explained. She handed us the nets and we put it on. I helped the girls put it on.

“So, what are we going to do?” Clarene asked.

“Today, we will be harvesting honey.”

The ladies giggled so I took some pictures of them.

Naglakad na kami papunta sa kung saan naroon ang mga hives. Nasa wooden boxes sila at may mgaa nagliliparang bubuyog sa gilid-gilid. Marami ring mga iba’t ibang uri ng bulaklak ang nakapalibot. Dumating ang isa pang staff na babae na may dalang container. Pinanood namin sila na kuhanin mula sa box ang hive at kunin ang mga honey combs. Tuwang-tuwa silang dalawa na hawakan iyon. Pinakita nila sa akin at agad ko naman silang kinuhanan ng litrato. Nagtira sila ng iilang honey combs para sa mga bubuyog.

“Wow, that was really fun. I’ve always thought that bees always sting when they see you. Well, apparently that is not the case and they really doesn’t want to sting you!” Clarene exclaimed. Dayn agreed with her.

Sa labas din kami pinaupo pero medyo malayo na sa mga bubuyog. Nakaupo sa tabi ko si Dayn at nasa harap namin si Clarene. Kinuha ko ang hair tie sa bulsa ko at itinali ang buhok ni Dayn. Lumingon siya sa akin at ngumiti. I’ll take that as a thank you. Hindi naman mainit dahil nasa lilim kami ng puno. Binigyan nila kami ng honey na nasa comb pa mismo para makain.

Nilantakan nilang dalawa iyon. Sobrang lagkit pero parang wala lang iyon sa kanila. The honey was dripping from the comb. It’s really rich and sweet.

“Gosh, I am taking home a lot of these. They will like it,” she said, licking the side of her lips. Kumuha ako ng wet wipes at inabot sa kaniya iyon. She took it and wiped her mouth.

I am aware that Clarene is watching me. She always does.

Nagk-kwentuhan na naman sila about sa lalaki kanina.

“Ano? Did you spot him ba?” Dayn asked.

Really? Why are you interested?

Umiling si Clarene at sumimangot. Napangiwi naman ako sa mukha niya. Hindi naman siya mamamatay kapag hindi niya natanong ang pangalan noong lalaki. What’s so special about him anyways? Gaano ba siya ka-gwapo (disgusting) para lagi nilang pag-usapan sa harap ko?

Dayn chuckled. “Ikaw ba, nakita mo?” tanong niya pa sa akin. Ako pa talaga ang tinanong niya.

Umiling ako at walang buhay na hinalo-halo ang honey na nasa garapon. Nakita ko ang mukha niya, well, more on nasulyapan lang pero kung makakasalubong ko man siya, tingin ko ay makikilala ko naman.

“Mamaya malay mo pagbalik na’tin makita na’tin ulit. I mean mo, kasi ikaw lang naman ‘yung nakakita sa kaniya,” sabi niya at sumandal palapit kay Clarene. “Pogi ba talaga?” bulong niya pa.

I scoffed. Naagaw ko ata ang atensyon nilang dalawa dahil sabay silang napatingin sa akin.

“Alam mo, Clarene, hanggang dito ba naman? As far as I know we are here to relax not to find a boyfriend for you,” I said then took a sip of lemonade sweetened with of course, honey.

Inirapan niya ako. “You only say that because you’ve got someone na!” She hissed.

Dayn gasped and her eyes widened. “Oh, my god! Really? Who?” I was dumbfounded when she asked that. Is she playing tricks on me? “You didn’t tell me naman pala, who was it?” she asked me, smiling.

I am so done with them. Bumuntong hininga ako at tumayo. Nakatungo sila pareho sa akin at naghihintay ng sagot. Umiling-iling ako at naglakad paalis.

“Ooooh, someone’s mad,” I heard Clarene sang.

“He’ll get over it...”

I’m just going to pretend that I didn’t hear it.

I stayed outside the restaurant and ordered myself a cocktail. I texted Clarene my whereabouts and asked her how’s Dayn doing and she replied this:

She’s fine and having sm fun w/o u. Cry abt it!

See that? What a good friend.

Napatingin ako noong may nagbaba ng pagkain sa harap ko. It’s shrimp, similar to the one Clarene ordered, and guess what. Speaking of the devil, it was the waiter who delivered food at our room.

Naguluhan ako dahil wala naman akong in-order na ganito. Tinuro niya ang babaeng nakaupo sa bar counter. She waved her hand in a tempting way, that doesn’t mean that I am tempted or attracted though.

“Tell her thanks, but no, I am not accepting this.” Inusod ko palayo sa akin ang plato. Tumango siya at kinuha iyon. Bago siya makalayo ay tinawag ko siya.

Humarap siya sa akin. Ito ba ang sinasabi nilang pogi? Bakit parang wala naman. Mas matangkad pa nga ako at mas muscular, ano ba ang nakita nila rito?

“May I ask what’s your name?” I asked him.

“Denzel, sir,” he answered.

Tumango ako sa kaniya. Tumalikod na siya at naglakad pabalik sa babae. Nakita ko na ipinatong niya ulit iyon sa counter at kinausap ang babae. Iniwas ko agad ang tingin ko noong sumulyap sa direksyon ko ang babae.

I finished my cocktail. I want another one so I went to the bar and asked for another one. Malayo naman ako sa babae kaya panatag ang loob ko na hindi niya ako guguluhin. If she does, I’m going to do what I have to do and it’s to tell her that I am not f*****g interested. I leaned against the counter while waiting for my drink. Pinagmamasdan ko ang lalaki na ang pangalan ay “Denzel”. What an ugly name he’s got.

He moves swiftly but I am better. He’s got a nice hair cut, but so do I. He’s surely aware that he’s got girls rolling up his sleeves by watching him move around girls who are giggling whenever he comes to them. What a flirt. Clarene should’ve witness this, both of them actually.

“Hey,” What the actual f**k?

The woman approached me. She stood beside me and she is looking at me. I’ve seen this look, this is the kind of look I get from girls whenever I am at the club. So sly.

There are few ladies who I think are in their early twenties who sat on the table in front of us. They were whispering and I saw them glance at me then to Denzel. What the heck? Are they comparing us?

“Yes?” sagot ko sa babae. She looks like in our age bracket. She’s wearing bright pink lipstick, mini skirt and a spaghetti strap.

Her fingers suddenly touched my hand, I immediately step back. Dumating na ang order ko kaya umalis na rin agad ako roon. Kumuha ako ng tissue sa table kung saan ako nakaupo kanina at pinunasan ang part ng kamay ko na nahawakan niya.

Ilang minuto lang ay nakita ko na sila Dayn na papasok sa kabilang entrance ng restaurant. Clarene is talking but Dayn’s eyes are screening the place and... and... uhm, I think she’s mad. Napalunok ako noong nagtama ang paningin namin. Tumaas ang isang kilay niya. Nakita kong sinulyapan niya ang babae kanina noong nadaanan niya habang naglalakad papunta sa akin. No, she didn’t see that. Did she?

Umupo siya sa harap ko, magkatabi sila ni Clarene. Nakita niya ang dalawang baso sa mesa at nagpapanic na ang loob ko noong bumalik ang mga tingin niya sa akin. She smiled at me but her eyes are saying otherwise and it looks so fake. She definitely saw something.

“You drank with someone?” Clarene asked.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya nang marahas. I cursed her in my mind. Why would she ask that? Ginagatungan niya pa ang apoy, e.

Umiling agad ako. “No, I had two glasses,” paliwanag ko.

Tumango-tango si Dayn. Parang hindi naman siya kumbinsido sa sinabi ko.

“Why are you so tense?” tanong ni Dayn.

I hissed. “No, I am not. Why would I be?” I answered.

She nodded again. “Okay, sabi mo, e.” Nagkibit-balikat siya.

“Oh my god! Look! It’s him!” Clarene exclaimed then pointed to Denzel. So, yeah, she spotted him. I face-palmed and sighed.

Lumingon si Dayn sa tinuturo ni Clarene. “What? Where?” Iginala niya ang paningin niya.

“You know what ladies, let’s get back to our room,” I said. Tumayo ako at humarang kay Clarene. Sinamaan niya ako ng tingin at tinutulak ako paalis.

“Get out of the way! I can’t see him!” pagalit ni Clarene. Inis na inis siya.

Lumingon ako sa likod ko para tingnan kung naroon pa ba ang lalaki. Umalis ako at umupo ulit noong wala na akong nakitang Denzel.

“Sino ba kasi ‘yon? Alam mo, Clarene, baka namali ka lang,” I say to her.

“Bwisit ka! Nawala na tuloy!” she cried. Inis na inis ang mukha niya at paarang kutsilyo ang lumalabas sa mga mata niyaa.

Si Dayn ay mahaba pa rin ang leeg kahahanap.

Tumayo ulit ako at hinila na silang dalawa paalis doon.

Clarene is stomping her feet on our way back to our room. “Maaga pa tayo bukas, let’s rest na,” I said to them. Binuksan ko ang pinto ng kwarto nilag dalawa at tinulak sila papasok at saka sinarado ang pinto. I opened it again and stick my head in. “I’ll tell you two when it’s dinner time. Rest well, ladies,” I said. I winked at Dayn then shut the door closed.