Wind and Sail

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Dayn’s PoV

“Lunch muna tayo before tayo mamili?” tanong sa akin ni Sxan. Ako ay nasa cellphone ko lang at naglalaro ng Slap and Run. Sasampalin mo ang mga taong madadaanan mo tapos hahabulin ka nila, nakakawala ito ng stress at inis.

“Sige.”

“Saan mo gusto kumain?”

“Kahit saan,” tipid na sagot ko. Seryosong seryoso ako sa nilalaro ko, mataas na rin ang level at palagi akong nasa top five ranking.

“Anong kahit saan?”

I hissed. “Kahit nga saan.”

“Ano bang kinaiinisan mong babae ka?”

“Wala, magdrive ka nalang diyan.” Bumuntong hininga ako.

Tumingin siya sa akin. “Dahil ba na-late ako?”

Tumama rin ang gago. Hindi ako kumibo sa tanong niya. Ibinaba ko ang cellphone ko at sumandal sa upuan. Itinapat ko ang aircon sa akin para mapalamig naman ang ulo ko.

“Ah, okay,” tatango-tango niyang sagot.

I looked at him anong okay?

“Pasensya na po. Anong oras ka ba pumunta?” He pressed his lips together.

“Nine twenty.”

His face went what? His eyebrows raised, but now drawn together and his mouth is slightly open.

“Bakit naman parang kasalanan ko na ang aga-aga mo dumating tapos sa akin mo isisisi ang paghihintay mo, e ang usapan na’tin ay ten?”

Ako naman ngayon ang napataas ang kilay. “That doesn’t give you an excuse to be late for almost thirty minutes! I will be just fine if you arrived on time, on time,” I emphasize the last word. I knew that my voice went up.

Hindi siya nakasagot agad sa sinabi ko. Humalukipkip lang siya. “Sorry,” he murmured.

“Are you saying something?” I asked, pretending that I didn’t hear what he just said.

“Sorry,” he said in indistinct voice. I totally heard everything. I laughed inside and took pride.

“What? Speak loudly,” I ordered.

“I said sorry,” malakas na ngayon ang boses niya.

“You should be, tsk,” I uttered. Hindi ko na siya kinausap pa.

“I don’t feel like eating,” I said breaking the silence when he slowed down to turn to McDonald’s drive thru.

“What? So, you’re telling me that you don’t want to eat lunch?” he just rephrased what I said into a dumb question.

I nodded, not uttering a single word.

“Are you not going to talk?” he asked.

I didn’t respond.

“I didn’t know you’re the kind of person who hold grudges.” He still turned to the drive thru.

“Now you know,” I answered.

He just chuckled.

I am all past his late thing. Naka-move on na ako, I don’t hold grudges, I just have the trait of making people guilty about what they had done even if I already have forgiven them. It will look like I am holding one, but I am not, really. Then, I just hope that they will never do it again. Clever but a toxic one, I know.

He rolled down his window when it’s his turn to order. His order, because I am not going to order anything, not at all. “Hello, one double cheeseburger with drink and six pieces of nuggets, please,” he spoke to the person behind the microphone.

“Is that all, Sir?”

“Yup, thanks.” Pinaandar na niya ang kotse papunta sa window kung saan kukunin na ang order. Nang bumukas ang bintana ay nalanghap ko ang amoy ng pagkain. Napalunok ako at iniwas ang tingin kay Sxan na kinukuha ang inaabot na brown paper bag noong staff. Naramdaman ko ang mga mata ni Sxan sa akin, hindi ko iyon pinansin at nagkunwari na walang pakielam.

Kung hindi naman ako nakaamoy ng pagkain ay hindi naman mat-trigger ang tiyan ko. Nakatingin lang ako sa bintana habang si Sxan ay ipinapark ang sasakyan sa parking lot para makakain siya. So, ano? Panunuorin ko siyang kumain habang ako, ay nako.

“Love.” Napalingon ako agad kay Sxan noong nagsalita siya. Nasa harap ng mukha ko ang kamay niya at may hawak iyon na isang pirasong nugget. “Oh,” alok niya. Nakangisi siya sa akin.

Nakatingin lang ako sa kaniya, magkasalubong ang mga kilay ko at pinipigilan ko ang sarili ko na mangiti. My cheeks feel hot, and I am really having a hard time here maintaining my moody face.

“Dali na, kain na alam ko na natatakam ka,” sabi niya. “Ahhh…” He opened his mouth, convincing me to open mine too and take the nugget.

Kukunin ko na sana ang nugget gamit ang kamay ko nang inilayo niya iyon. Umiling-iling siya. Mas lalong nalukot ang mukha ko at humarap ulit sa bintana sa side ko.

“Love,” tawag niya sa akin. Umirap ako sa hangin at tiningnan ulit siya. Hindi pa rin nagbabago ang pwesto niya. Nasa harap ko pa rin ang nugget. “Ahh.” He doesn’t want me to eat on my own! Oh my god.

I gave up, I took a bite from the nugget his holding. He smiled at me widely and raised his brow quickly.

“Love ka diyan.” Inirapan ko siya habang ngumunguya.

He chuckled. “Kapag kasi tinawag kita sa pangalan mo lang, alam ko na hindi mo ‘ko papansinin,” he explained.

I reached for the drink, but Sxan got it and handed it to me, but he shook his head when I tried to get it from him.

“I know how to feed myself, Sxan,” I said to him. Inagaw ko ang inumin sa kamay niya.

“I know, but this is my drink.” Kinuha niya ulit ang drink sa kamay ko bago pa ako makainom. “Akala ko ba ‘I don’t feel like eating’?” he imitated what I said earlier.

I scorned at him. I feel attacked.

“Bwisit ka talaga.” I reached for it again, but he keeps on raising it away from me. So, I just stopped.

He laughed and gave me the drink. Kinuha ko iyon at inirapan siya habang umiinom.

“Huwag mo akong ubusan ha.”

I nodded at him. He took a bite from his burger and gave me the rest of the nuggets.

“Yie, thanks!” I giggled.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya noong uminom siya sa ininuman ko. Well, isa lang naman iyon pero nag-expect kasi ako na tatanggalin niya ang straw at sa rim mismo ng baso iinom. He took a sip using the straw that I used. Ako kasi ang unang nakainom kahit hindi naman ako ang bumili.

“What? Do you need to drink?” he asked when he noticed that I’m looking at him. Iniabot niya sa akin ang inumin. “Here, I am not thirsty, ubusin mo na.”

“No, no. Hindi naman ako nauuhaw. Go, finish it na,” I said to him.

“You sure?”

“Yup.” I nodded.

Tumango siya sa akin at uminom na ulit. Ibinaba niya iyon sa cup holder na nasa harapan ko.

“I left some for you, hindi ka pa tapos kumain, baka mabulunan ka pa,” he said, wiping off the sauce on his hand. After that, he put the wet wipes in front of me. He signaled here, if you need this.

“Thanks.”

“No worries, just eat, my love.”

Natawa na lang ako sa pagtawag niya ng love. Hindi ko alam kung seryoso bai yon o nagloloko lang siya, pero seryoso naman kasi ang pagkakasabi niya. I just looked at it as a joke.

I feel so good now that I’ve eaten. Nagd-drive na siya ulit.

“Aren’t you mad at me anymore?” he asked.

I looked at him and watched him drive. “Mad? No,” I answered.

He murmured something but I didn’t hear it because a song that reminded me of a moment took over the stereo. It’s Tahanan by Adie.