Wind and Sail

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Dayn’s PoV

“Oh my gosh, that was so good!” I exclaimed when we got back in the car. He smirks and nods while he put on his seatbelt. “I am going to bring Papa here. He’s going to love it. How did you know that place and the tinderas are so nice!”

He started the engine, puts his hand on the steering wheel and turns to me. “Well, it’s a secret,” he says.

Pabiro ko siya na inirapan. I crossed my arms and put my one leg on the seat.

“Hoy, paa mo.” Tinapik niya ang binti ko. Natawa ako at inalis iyon. Pinagpagan ko pa ang upuan.

“Oh, ayan ha,” I said, patting the seat.

“Goods goods,” sabi niya.

Inirapan ko na lang siya at nanahimik na. Itina-type ko sa notes ko sa cellphone ang mga pamimilhin namin. Iniisip ko rin kung ano na ulit kakainin namin sa meryenda kahit na katatapos lang naming mag-lunch.

Lomi is one of my favorite foods to eat. I always ask Dad to cook for me whenever they come home, sometimes I don’t even have to ask. He’ll just knock on my door and ask me if I want one. Of course, I always say yes. Although Dad and I have some disagreements and arguments every so often, I can still feel his presence. It doesn’t last long, usually, if we argue in the morning, at night he’ll come in my room and talk to me. Then, tomorrow everything’s fine. That’s how it always works for us, I don’t know if he does the same to Clint and Clein. One night, I heard Ate crying in his arms and Dad was calming her down. I think it was when Liquor got seriously ill, and she was worried sick. Well, she’s a mom, I can only imagine her pain, I don’t think I will ever understand mothers unless I become one. That’s what Manang and Mama always say to me, which Ate always agreed on. Clint likes to hang out with Ate’s husband, they go to arcades with Chivas every time Clint is here for summer break. While mom, well, mom loves to do deserts, that is her field of expertise. If she is not a businesswoman, she’d be a good baker or pastry chef, she said. Despite that, she always makes time to bake and cook for us. I love my family, even if my parents are always out of the country. Ate is always here for me, she makes a good support system, even if she’s makulit and her mouth does not stop from talking. I wonder if all teachers are like that.

“What are you doing?”

Napatingin ako kay Sxan noong nagsalita siya.

Iniwas ko ang phone ko, inilapit ko iyon sa akin at kunwari na itinago. “Hmp, none of your business,” I said, shows hostility in my voice.

“Ah, ganon.” He stopped the car in the middle of open road. “Then, get out if it’s none of my business.” He is whimsical, he is laughing subtly. Tiningnan ko lang siya, I am saying what? with my face. “Nah, just kidding,” bawi niya at pinaandar na ulit ang sasakyan.

“Para kang nasisiraan na ng ulo, Sxan,” sabi ko sa kaniya.

“Oo nga, nasisiraan na ako sa’yo.” I almost choke on my own saliva when he dropped that line. Pangisi-ngisi siya habang ang mata ay nasa daan.

“Who could’ve predicted it?”

“Not you, obviously,” he chuckled. I am stunned. Hindi naman ako kinilig sa sinabi niya, more on nagulat talaga ako at natawa.

“Oh my gosh.” I looked away in disbelief. “Ikaw ha, bumabanat ka na, edi nabawasan na angas mo niyan?” natatawa kong biro.

“Hindi kaya, totoo kaya iyon,” sabi niya habang nakangisi pa rin nang nakakaloko. “Walang wala angas ko sa angas mo, hoy. Ubos na nga ang akin, e, nakuha mo na, may bayad iyon, Dayn.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Aba parang kasalanan ko pa, ha. Ano namang ibabayad ko sa iyo ha?”

He glanced at me. “Kahit pagmamahal mo na lang.”

I suddenly burst out laughing. He’s good with jokes, I am impressed. I don’t know where he gets them, but surely, from somebody who has been doing this for quite a while.

“Tawa ka nang tawa, nasisiraan ka na rin ata sa akin, e.”

I pointed my finger at him while still laughing at his jokes. “Hoy, lalaking naka- Ford Ranger, na naka jeans at black polo shirt, mababaliw na ako sa lahat, sa’yo lang hindi,” I said.

“Hmm, siguraduhin mo lang na hindi mo kakainin iyang mga sinasabi mo, babaeng naka-white tank top, flannel jacket, jeans, at Air force na puti,” he opposed. He didn’t stutter, he said that while still looking at the road.

“Sigurado pa ako sa sigurado, Mr. del Montecillo.”

“We’ll see, Mrs. del Montecillo—este Ms. Marsilion,” he said, flashing a grin.

I rolled my eyes back and leans backward to the seat. Hindi na ako nagsalita pa sa byahe papuntang dry market. Inaayos ko pa lang ang mga gamit ko, si Sxan ay nasa pinto ko na para pagbuksan ako. He does these things so casual. As if, this is one of his habits and he doesn’t really care if somebody might misinterpret his acts. He is nice, has a good sense of humor, he is different from the person I have met on the first day of school, though I can sense that the ‘bathroom behavior’ is still there. He is silly, playful, and… yeah, I will admit it, he is handsome as hell.

I don’t like him though, or… do I? No, I don’t. He’s just nice, that is all. I’m sure he can be pretty dominant if he’d want to. I haven’t seen him all mad yet, so who knows. I mean, moments with him are not awkward and boring. He surely knows how to make a girl head over heels about him.

“Matagal ka pa ba riyan? Bilisan mo kaya, ang init kaya dito,” he demanded.

“Sino ba kasing nagsabi na maghintay ka sa initan? Kung hindi ka ba naman isa’t kalahating tanga. Hindi ba?” I said to him. Inirapan ko siya pagkababa ko.

“Sungit mo talaga,” he whispered.

Siguro akala niya na hindi ko iyon narinig. I stopped walking, I slowly turn to him and gave him a death glare. “May sinasabi ka?” I asked.

He took a step back and fear is visible on his face. “Wala po, Madam, halika na po,” sagot niya. Naglakad-takbo siya papunta sa akin. Hindi ko na hinintay na makatabi siya sa akin dahil binilisan ko ang paglalakad. “Tingnan mo, suplada talaga,”

I stopped again. I did the same thing I did earlier but now I walked towards him. Nakita ko ang paglunok niya ng dalawang beses na sunod. Nang nasa harap na niya ako ay umatras siya ng isa. “Anong sinabi mo? Pakiulit nga, bulong ka kasi nang bulong diyan. Pwede mo naman sabihin sa akin, hindi ba?” I say to him. Nakataas nang kaunti ang kilay ko at nagtatanong.

“Wala, alam mo,” he expressed. I turned my head slightly as response what? “---ang ganda mo, tara na.” He grabbed my wrist and started walking. Hindi marahas ang paglalakad na ginawa niya. Hinintay niya na maka-catch up sa lakad niya bago niya medyo binilisan nang kaunti. He withdrew his hand that was on my wrist and then proceeds to hold my hand. My hand, not my wrist, not my arm. My hand. My palm is touching his’, my fingers are inside his hand.

Nakatingin lang ako sa kamay namin na magkahawak habang patuloy na naglalakad. Ano ba? Hindi ba siya nakakaramdam na nakatingin ako? Nagugulat na lang ako sa mga ginagawa niya, unpredictable. I wonder if he does this to everyone.

Nagtatalo sa isip ko kung hahayaan ko ba siya o aalisin ko ang kamay ko.

I was startled when he forcefully pulled me closer to him. Napatingin ako noong tumikhim siya, umiling-iling siya sa akin na may halong pagkadismaya.

Kumunot ang noo ko at lumingon sa dinaanan namin kanina, nakita ko ang lalaki na nagmamadali na makaraan, may dala itong trolley na may lamang mga paso. Kung hindi niya pala ako hinigit palapit sa kaniya ay tiyak na tatamaan ako noong trolley na dala-dala noong lalaki. Hindi ko napansin dahil nga ang utak ko’y nasa ulap at lumulutang dahil sa katotohanan na magkahawak ulit kami ng kamay.

“Oh, Dayn!” Umangat ang boses niya, tiningnan ko ang nasa harap ko at may nakasabit na mannequin doon. Kung hindi ulit ako napatingin ay baka tumama ang ulo ko roon. “Huy! Ayos ka lang ba? Tingnan mo naman ang dinadaanan mo,” pagalit niya.

I shrug off a little bit. Damn it, Dayn. “Oh, sorry, I was j-ust”---

---“Saan ba iyung bilihan ng mga gagamitin na’tin?”

Nairita na ako, hindi sa kaniya, kundi sa akin. I pulled my hand away. “Akin na nga kasi ‘yung kamay ko. Hawak ka nang hawak, e, akala mo siguro hindi ko napapansin, ha. Ikaw ha, nakakailan ka na,” I said, looking at him suspiciously.

He snickered and rolled his eyes back. I am so surprised here; my mind is having a hard time processing all these new behaviors. He just rolled his eyes back!

I brushed the thoughts off and went back to the reason why we’re here.

“Tara, dito ang bilihan, follow me, huwag kang aalis ha.” Tumalikod na ako.

“Okay,” he answered. I nodded then started walking to the store where Manang has brought me once to buy these kinds of things.

“Ang mahal pala niyan, two hundred fifty ang isa, two hundred na lang, sampu naman ang bibilhin namin, Ate,” tawad ko sa matandang nagtitinda. Naramdaman ko na siniko ako ni Sxan kaya sinadya kong apakan ang paa niya para sabihin sa kaniya na tumigil siya.

“Hija, hindi pwede, o, sige, hanggang two hundred thirty na lang.”

“Ate, dito naman kami lagi bumibili ng mga walis, tsaka hindi naman isa lang ang bibilhin namin, sampu kaya. Hindi naman araw-araw may bibili sa inyo ng sampung walis, ‘diba?”

Naramdaman ko ulit si Sxan na siniko ako. Hinarap ko siya ng kaunti, tama lang para makita niya ang mukha ko. “Tumigil ka riyan, Sxan, tatamaan ka sa akin,” I warned him quietly. Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata bago humarap ulit sa matandang babae nang nakangiti.

“Sige na po kasi, Ate, two hundred na lang.”

“Two hundred fifteen, last na talaga iyan, malulugi na ako,” sabi niya.

Lumawak ang ngiti ko at inilabas na sa bag ko ang pera para makapag-bayad. “Oh, sige ho, two hundred fifteen, sampung piraso.” I looked at Sxan saying Ano ka ngayon, ha? He shook his head and snickered.

“Eh, Ate, ang dustpan at kada tali ng walis tingting niyo po? Magkano?” tanong ko.

Nakita ko si Sxan na umiiling-iling ulit sa akin, he’s saying don’t Dayn, no, don’t do it.

“Ang dustpan ay treinta ang isa, ang kada tali naman ng walis--- ang ibig mo bang sabihin ay isang bundle?” Tumango ako bilang sagot. “Tatlong daan ang isang dosena, hija.”

Uh, no, I am going to do it. “Ate, limang pirasong dustpan, pwede bang bente singko na lang ang isa? Tapos dalawang daan at sitenta na lang sa walis tingting?” Yas, girl, I did it.

Bumagsak ang mga balikat ni Sxan at napahawak sa noo niya. Lumapit ako sa kaniya habang hinihintay na ibalot ng mga kasama ni Ate ang ipinamili namin.

“Grabe ka naman tumawad, Dayn. Lulugiin mo ata itong tindahan niya, e,” mahina ang boses niya na sinabi.

“Tangeks, hindi papayag ‘yan kung alam niyang lugi siya. Mura lang iyan sa Divisoria at Baclaran, hoy,” I said to him, minimizing my voice too, afraid that they might hear it.

“Sa totoo lang kayang-kaya mong bilhin itong buong tindahan niya, triple pa ang presyo. At saka, sobra-sobra iyang pera na matitira,” sabi niya sabay turo sa bag ko.

“Oo nga, ibubulsa ko na ito, gusto mo hati tayo?” I leaned onto him a little to whisper it to him.

He pulled away quickly. “I am just kidding!” I chortled.

“My god, you’re insane,” he says then shakes his head. Lumapit kaming pareho noong tapos na nila ibalot ang mga pinamili. Binitbit niya ang walis tambo, ipinatong niya ang mga iyon sa balikat niya. Tinulungan siya ng mga boy o bagger ni Ate para dalhin ang mga iyon sa sasakyan. Samantalang naiwan ako para makapagbayad.

Pabalik na ako sa sasakyan nang makita ko siya na papalapit sa akin. “Oh, bakit ka pa bumalik? May naiwan ka ba?” tanong ko noong nakalapit na siya sa akin.

Tumango siya. “Oo, ikaw,” sagot niya at lumipat sa tabi ko.

Inilapat niya ang kamay niya sa likod ko at marahan akong tinapik para sabihin na gumalaw na. My cheeks are hot and flushed, and my heart is racing, I am aware of that, but I don’t know how to contain it. When his hand touched my back, it had sent a euphoric spark in my body, my throat feels dry, and my upper abdomen feels weird. I’ve felt this before, I recognize this feeling.