A Kiss to Life

Chapter 18: Selos

“Hi,” I greeted after Noah answered my call–it’s a video call. I went to mom’s office after leaving the quarter. Mom isn’t here, she’s probably doing her rounds and as of the moment, I wouldn’t really care if anyone would find me here.

“Hi. Napatawag ka? Hindi ka busy?” He asked, I can see his background and based on it, he’s in his classroom. I can see some of his classmates; some were busy on their drawing table and some were just having a chitchat.

“Not really. You? Are you busy?” I asked because no matter how much I miss him and want to talk to him, I still would not want to disturb and distract him from doing his school activities.

“Hindi naman. Tinatapos ko lang itong plates ko. Pasahan na sa lunes, e.”

“Is that the same plates you were doing a few weeks ago? ‘Yung sabi mo last na for this semester?”

He nodded. “Oo. Kunti na lang naman ‘to, malapit ko na matapos,” he answered.

“Is it hard?” I asked and Noah arched his brow to me. “I mean, how hard is it to finish one plates?”

Noah shrugged and put his polo on his shoulder. He’s in his plain white t-shirt now. “Depende sa design na pinapagawa. Pero ito ginagawa ko ngayon, okay lang. Medyo mahirap pero kaya naman,” he answered.

“Can I see it?”

“Syempre naman. Ikaw pa ba?” He answered, grinning. He then flipped his camera to show me his drawing and my mouth hung open seeing how great his drawing is.

“Wow! That was beautiful, baby! Ang galing mo,” I said, I cannot hide my admiration. I am amazed!

He flipped back his camera and showed me how he’s grinning from the compliment I just gave him. “Syempre, kailangan kong galingan para sa future,” he said and winked.

I chuckled and shook my head. “I don’t think you have to exert more effort, though. You really are made to be an architect, baby. It will be the industry’s loss if you don't continue pursuing that.”

Noah smiled more but before he could speak I heard some voices from the background, teasing him.

[Ngiting-ngiti na naman ang Kuya Noah namin, ha? Sinong kausap mo d’yan, huh?] someone said.

[Sino pa ba? Edi, si Amaris Romana. Licensed Nurse. Med. Student sa UST!] another one said and I cannot help but arched my brow.

“Manahimik nga kayo!” Noah called them out but his classmates just laughed and forced themselves to appear on the screen.

“Hi, miss Amaris!” one of them greeted me, he even waved at me.

I smiled and waved back. “Hi.”

“Ang ganda mo po, Ms.! Bagay talaga kayo ng Kuya namin,” another said and I answered thank you will smiling so wide.

“Tumigil nga kayo!” Noah said and stood. “Sorry about that, baby. Ang gugulo nila.”

[Oy! Baby raw!] someone teased him. I chucked.

“Tumigil na kayo, ha!” Noah scolded them but that didn’t stop them.

“It’s okay, Noah. I’m happy to meet some of your friends,” I assured him.

But he shook his head and said, “Nah. These kids are just messing up with me.”

[Huy, hala! Englishero na ang Kuya natin!]

“Tumahimik na nga kayo!” he told them again but they still didn’t listen until someone–a girl spoke behind the camera.

“Ang ingay niyo naman! Pasintabi naman sa mga nag-aaral dito, oh!” The girl said, she wasn’t shouting but she sounded so authoritative that everyone went silent.

Noah arched his brow and smirked before he turned to me again. He then said, “Bati nga sa kanila.”

“Who’s that? Your class representative?” I asked and Noah nodded.

“Oo,” he answered shortly, but then I heard what his classmate said from the background.

[Sungit naman ni boss Michelle bigla, ‘di naman ‘yan ganyan kanina.]

“...Hanggang anong oras ang free time mo?” Noah asked again.

I was distracted from what I heard that he had to repeat his question twice.

“Oh, sorry. May nag page kasi, pinakinggan ko lang, baka emergency,” I reasoned out when he asked me if I’m okay. “About my free time, I’m free until lunch. You? Free cut nyo?” I answered his question.

“Parang oo, na parang hindi,” he answered.

“What do you mean?”

Noah shrugged and said, “Hindi pumasok ‘yung professor namin, pero pinatapos naman niya ‘tong plates na ‘to.”

“Hmm. I see. When’s your next class?”

“Mamaya pang 3pm.”

I arched my brow hearing that. “That’s 3 hours and 30 minutes from now.”

“Vacant na kasi namin ang 12pm hangang 3pm.”

“What will you do while waiting for your next class?”

“Tatapusin ko na lang siguro ‘to para mag re-review na ako simula bukas. Finals na kasi namin sa Thursday hanggang Tuesday next week,” he said.

“You will be really busy pala,” I said, realizing that it’s already the end of the semester.

Noah’s going to his last semester as a college student.

“Not really busy when it comes to you,” he said, winking at me.

I chuckled but shook my head. “Ang kulit mo,” I said, which made him chuckle as well. His dimples showing off again.

“Bakit ka nga pala napatawag?” He asked, I thought he had forgotten about it.

I shrugged, “Wala lang. Miss lang kita,” I said and the moment that went out, his background started to make noise again.

[Sana all miss!] his classmates yelled that more than one.

“Jesus Christ!” I blurted in embarrassment.

Noah just chuckled, biting his lower lip. “I miss you more, baby,” he said, which made his classmates even wilder. They kept teasing Noah until someone shouted for them to stop.

[Ang KJ naman ng Ate Michelle. Katuwaan lang ay.]

[Sus. Selos lang ‘yan.]

[Oo nga! Kanina pa naman tayo maingay pero ‘di naman siya nagagalit. Ngayon lang kasi alam niyang kausap ni Kuya Noah ang bebe niya.]

“Huwag na kayong maingay para wala nang masabi,” I heard Noah tell his classmates. Sumunod naman agad ang mga ito at nanahimik na.

I arched my brow and he saw that.

“Huwag mo na lang pansinin,” he said, but my brow stayed arched. “Baby…”

I sighed and shook my head. “Hindi niyo pa ba lunch?” I asked instead.

“In ten minutes,” he answered, he was watching my every expression and I knew there’s something going on in my head. “Ikaw hindi pa ba pa mag la-lunch?”

I shook my head again. “I will wait until mom comes back. We’ll eat together with dad at his office,” I said. I waited until Noah spoke again but he didn’t. He was just watching from the screen of his phone, probably checking if my mood will change from what I heard.

Honestly, it bothered me. Everytime I think about Noah and other girls, I cannot help but be worried. I am worried that what happened before might happen again–those times where I had no idea what’s happening behind my back; those times that Kairus betrayed me by falling in love with Isla. I’m afraid another Isla will come and steal Noah away from me.

I don’t think I can survive that easily when it happens.

“Noah?” I called when he still remained silent. “Is there a problem?”

Noah blinked more than five times, shook his head, before sighing. “I want to see you now,” he said.

I smirked and replied, “We’re seeing each other now, Noah.”

“No, no, no. I want to see you, hug you, and kiss you now,” he said, biting his lower lip again.

I mirrored his expression and said, “I can skip lunch with mom and dad and meet you instead. But I have to go back fifteen minutes before 1pm.”

Hearing that Noah started gathering his things. He put all his drawing materials on his back and put his plates on its tube case. “Wait for me. I will be there in 15 minutes,” he said before he stormed out of his classroom.

He did not end the call, so I can see how he ran until he reached his school’s parking lot. “Anong gusto mong kainin? Bibili na rin ako on the way,” he asked when he got in the car.

“Ako na lang ang bibili. Anong gusto mo?” I asked instead.

“I’m fine with anything,” he answered as he maneuvered the car out of the parking lot. Seconds later, he’s already on the road, driving his way to me.

And while waiting until he came, I already ordered our food from the nearest fast-food chain in the hospital.

“Oh, you’re early, sweetie,” mom said, seeing me inside her office. I immediately stood and walked to her.

“Mom, I won’t be waiting with you and dad today,” I told her.

“Why? Do you have plans with your friends?”

I shook my head. “Noah’s coming over.”

“Noah? Wala ba siyang pasok?”

“Vacant niya raw po ng hanggang 3pm,” I answered, grinning.

Mom sighed before pulling me for a hug. “Hay… Ang baby ko sobrang in love,” she said.

“Mom, I’m not a baby anymore,” I told her but I hugged her back, I even snuggled on her neck. Mom’s arms have been my comfort zone ever since.

Mom pulled away and said, “Aba! Pag kami ng daddy mo, hindi na pwede tawagin kang baby. Pero pag si Noah, gustong-gusto mo. Kinikilig ka pa.”

“Mom!” I blurted, shocked at how vulgar my mom could be.

“Oh, bakit? Totoo naman? I heard you two once, kilig na kilig ka pa nga nung sinabihan ka ng, ‘I love you, baby’.”

“Oh, God, Mommy!” I called her again, scandalized.

Mom laughed and pulled me for a hug again. “But I’m very happy for you, anak ko. I never saw you this happy. You are so much happier now with Noah, more than you were when it was Kairus. And your dad and I didn’t regret bringing Noah to our family. We are so glad that we were able to bring someone in our house that makes our precious baby girl so much happier. If we only knew it, we would have done that a long time ago already,” she said.

“Mommy, don’t make me cry.”

Mom chuckled and hugged me tighter. “Iyakin ka pa rin hanggang ngayon.”

“Mom!”

“Oh, sige na. Ako na ang bahala magsabi sa daddy mo. Tignan mo at baka nandun na ang boyfriend mo,” she said, pushing me to her office door.

I pouted and said, “Thank you, mommy. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, baby girl. Sige na,” Mom replied while motioning me to go.

I did. I went out of the hospital and waited until Noah came. He came after 3 minutes, exactly 15 minutes since he left his school.

I immediately got in the car and the moment I settled myself, Noah grabbed my face and crushed his lips to mine.

“I missed you,” he said after the kiss.

“We were just together this morning, Noah,” I replied, biting my lower lip.

Noah watched me do that before leaning on me again. “I miss you every seconds that we are apart,” he said before he started kissing me again, but this time it’s in a different way. The way he’s kissing me now is full of hunger and desire. His eyes are showing it, too.

“Noah…” I said, stopping him from kissing more.

“Hmm?” he asked, eyes dazed.

“I need to take this call,” I answered in a hushed voice, showing him an incoming call from my phone. “It’s our food.”

“Okay,” he answered huskily. He rested his head on the headrest sideways, still looking dazedly.

I took a deep breath before taking up the call and talked to the delivery guy.

“Okay po. Papunta na,” I answered the delivery guy.

Noah cleared his throat and said, “Ako na ang kukuha.”

I agreed. “He’s in the entrance.”

“Okay. Just wait here,” he said before getting out of the car to get our food. He went back after a few minutes.

“Ang dami naman nito,” he commented, getting in the car.

“I don’t know what you would like so I ordered those,” I answered.

“Pang limang tao na ata ‘to, baby.”

“You can take the rest and give it to your friends,” I just said. It’s true that I ordered too much, I intentionally did that, so he can take some and give it to his friends.

Noah sighed and I knew he was about to say something, so I waited until he said it, “Iyong tungkol pala kanina, huwag mo sanang isipan ng hindi maganda ‘yun.”

“Alin do’n?” I asked although I already knew what he was pertaining to.

“Tungkol kay Michelle.”

I arched my brow. “What about her?”

He reached for my hand and squeezed it a bit. “Huwag mo sanang isipin ‘yung mga sinabi ng mga classmates ko.”

I nodded and sighed. “Does she like you?” I had to ask.

“Parang ‘di naman. Hindi naman kami nag-uusap nun,” he answered, shrugging.

“Your classmates said so. They even said that she’s jealous because we’re video calling.”

“Nag aasar lang ‘yung mga ‘yun,” he said. He put the paperbag of our food at the backseat before pulling me closer to him. Halos kumandong na ako sa kanya. “At wala rin naman akong pakialam kung sino man silang mag se-selos sa atin, huwag lang ikaw ang mag selos.”

“Hindi naman ako nag seselos,” I said, trying to deny it but I know that Noah knew I was lying.

Noah smirked, he reached my my cheek and looked at me straight in the eyes. “Dapat lang dahil wala ka namang dapat ipag-selos. Sayong-sayo lang ako, mismam,” he said, giving me small kisses on my cheeks, chin, nose, until it settled on my lips.