Wind and Sail

Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Dayn’s PoV

“Come on, let’s eat. It’s past eleven, Denzel’s probably waiting for us. Well, for you,” I said, not minding any Sxan’s related business.

Clarene giggled and said, “Yeah, we uhm... we should go na.”

Nauna akong lumabas ng room, nasa tabi ko si Clarene habang nasa likuran naman namin si Sxan.

“Do you want us to have another table? Hihiwalay nalang kami?” mahinang tanong ko kay Clarene. Humagikgik siya at tumango-tango sa akin habang nakaangkla sa braso ko.

“Yeah, sounds good. Galit ka pa rin ba sa kaniya?”

“Hindi. Hayaan mo ‘yang siraulo na ‘yan, magdusa siya riyan,” sagot ko.

“Ano ba kasing nangyari?”

Kinuwento ko sa kaniya aang nangyari kanina. She’s on my side naman, but she also said, “Huwag mo na pahirapan gaano, tingnan mo, oh, gaganiyan-ganiyan lang ‘yan pero deep inside, broken na ‘yan.”

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya at mabilis na nilingon si Sxan. Napansin niya ako at ngumiti sa akin. Iniripan ko siya.

Noong nakarating na kami sa resto ay sinalubong kami ni Denzel. Dinaluhan siya agad ni Clarene kaya naiwan akong mag-isa— hindi pala. Nagkamali ako dahil sunod naman na hinawakan ni Sxan ang kamay ko. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin at sinubukang alisin ang kamay ko pero mas hinigpitan niya ang hawak noon. Hinila niya ako sa table nila Clarene.

“We’ll have our own table, if that’s alright with you two,” sabi niya.

“Yeah, sure no problem!”  sagot ni Denzel. Clarene agreed with him and winked at me discreetly.

Umalis kami roon, hila-hila pa rin ako ni Sxan. Umupo kami, tatlong table ang agwat namin kila Clarene at Denzel. He sat across me. Sumandal ako at huminga nang malalim.

“Hey,” tawag niya sa akin. Tamad ko siyang tiningnan, Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko nasa table. “Are we good now?” he asks with pleading eyes and pouting mouth.

Umirap ako sa hangin at tinanguan siya.

“Really? E, baki parang naiinis ka pa rin?”

“Isa pang tanong mo, maiinis na talaga ko. Tigilan mo muna ako,” sabi ko. He nodded then behaves himself.

“Mahal,” he spoke then taps my hand. Hindi talaga siya matahimik.

Hindi ako sumagot pero tumingin naman ako sa kaniya.

“Look behind you, there’s a bee,” sabi niya at may itinuro sa likod ko.

“E, ano naman ngayon?” masungit kong sagot.

“Just look, it’s going to somebody, I think it’s going sting that man,” he said then laughs secretly. “Look! There’s the bee!” he exclaimed. What’s so funny about a bee? My gosh, this man.

Magkasalubong ang kilay ko na tumingin sa likod ko. Tiningnan ko ang lalaking tinuturo niya, wala namang bubuyog na umaaligid. Hinanap ko rin sa iba dahil baka naroon, wala naman.

“Where’s the bee that you’re saying? There was no bee at all!” galit kong sabi sabay na humarap sa kaniya.

Humupa ang inis ko noong may isang pirasong sunflower siyang hawak sa harap ko.

“Nasa harap ko kasi. There’s a bee-autiful woman in front of me. Sinasabi mong wala diyan,” sabi niya.

Sumilay ang ngiti sa mukha ko at tumawa sa kilig na nararamdaman. Umangat ata ang dugo ko sa pisngi ko at nangangalay na. Kung ano-ano talaga naiisip nitong laalaki na ‘to.

Kinuha ko ang bulaklak sa kamay niya.

“Iyon, napangiti ko rin,” he said. He held my hand and kissed the back of it.

“Mga pakulo mo talaga, Sxan Atticus, ang cheesy!” sabi ko habang tumatawa. “Saan mo naman ‘to nakuha, ha?” tanong ko, inangat ko ang bulaklak.

“Obviously, from here. Nasa sunflower farm tayo, mahal. Siyempre secret na kung paano. Bilis ‘no?” sabi niya. “Let’s eat.”

Dumating na ang mga pagkain sa mesa kaya kumain na rin kami.

“Let’s rest nalang for the whole afternoon and eat outside. I want to sleep,” I said while eating.

“Yeah, sure. We’ll check out at six in the afternoon, then we’ll be home before midnight,” he replied. He’s done eating and he’s just now watching me eat and waiting for me. “Do you think Clarene’s coming with us after lunch or will she be spending the afternoon with him?”

I glance at them. They’re laughing and talking, seems like they are having a good time with each other’s company.

“I think she’ll go with him. They clicked immediately, do you think it’s gonna last? Or it’s just going to be a vacation fling?”

He takes a sip from his drink and answered, “Hmmm. Maybe? I don’t know. If based on what you told me, definitely not. But if she’s serious, I mean, if both of them are serious, then I think it’s going to last. It’s up to them.”

“Does she look serious?” he asks.

“I don’t know. But look, they are happy, and Clarene seems to be interested for real. Look at them... they are talking,” I said. “We’ll see. Let’s just watch.”

He nods. “Are you done eating?”

I looked at my plate. I was done, I didn’t even notice eat. “Yup, looks like it,” I said.

“Just message Clarene kung nasaan tayo, or if she needs backup,” sabi niya.

I agreed with him. Kinuha ko ang phone ko at itinext si Clarene. Alam ko naman na hindi siya makakapagreply. Tumayo na kaming dalawa, tumingin ako kay Clarene para kunahin ang atensyon niya. Sana ay mapansin niya ako. Ilang segundo lang ay lumipas ay nagtama na sa wakas ang paningin namin. Sinenyasan ko siya na mauuna na kami, ngumiti siya sa akin at tumango bilang sagot.

Humawak ako sa braso ni Sxan habang inaayos ang pagkakasukbit ng strap ng sandals ko. Noong natapos na ay hinawakan ni Sxan ang kamay ko at saka lumabas ng resto. Malakas ang hangin sa labas at hinahangin ang buhok ko. Nakatingin lang ako sa paligid at hindi sa dinadaanan. Bumagal ang paglalakad ko dahil sinusubukan kong tandaan at itatak sa isip ang itsura ng farm. If he ever leaves and I decide to come back here, every single thing that I will see here will remind me of him... Will remind me how his touch feels like as the wind touches my skin.

Sa labas kami at umupo sa sofa. Tumayo siya at pumasok sa kwarto niya. Paglabas ay may dala-dala siyang kumot at unan. Ipinatong niya ang kumot sa akin at umupo sa tabi ko. The blanket smells like him. He wraps his arms around me so I lean on him and he rest his head on top of my head. I feel drowsy and I will fall asleep in just a matter of seconds.                             

“I’m sleepy,” I warn him.

“Then let’s take a nap,” he replied. Inayos niya ang unan at inalalayan ako sa paghiga. Inayos niya ang kumot at tinabihan ako. Inangat niya ang ulo ko at pinatong sa dibdib niya. He hugged me and sniffed my hair then kissed my head. “See you later, my little daisy,” he said and kissed the top of my head once again.

I’m falling, I am aware, and I can’t stop myself. I am... falling in love with this guy.