Artamiel: The Black Angel

Chapter 17| Someday

"Baby, do your really prefer to always be by yourself?"

I looked up from the book I'm reading. Kusa nang lumabas ang masuyong ngiti sa aking labi nang makita ko si Artamiel na naglalakad palapit sa akin. Tahimik na hinintay ko s'ya hanggang sa makaupo na s'ya sa tabi ko.

"I'm not alone. Alam ko naman na pupuntahan mo ako dito," malaki ang ngisi na sabi ko at inihilig ko ang ulo ko sa balikat n'ya.

I closed my eyes when he pressed his lips on my forehead.

Nakaupo ako sa kahoy na sahig ng basketball gym at nakasandal ang likod ko sa isa sa mga bleachers. Hindi ko alam kung paano nalaman ni Artamiel na nandito ako, pero alam ko na hahanapin n'ya ako.

Dahil finals na next week, libre kaming gawin ngayon ang gusto namin. At pinili ko na dito mag-aral dahil naiingayan ako sa mga kaklase ko. Imbes kasi na gamitin nila ang oras nila sa pag-aaral ay pakikipagharutan ang inaatupag nila.

"I brought snacks for us. Dito na ba tayo hanggang mag-uwian?" Artamiel asked while taking things from his bag.

Tumango ako sa kanya at iniabot ko ang inihanda ko na sandwich para sa kanya. Kumain na muna kami at nag-kuwentuhan. Nang matapos kumain ay nagpatugtog s'ya ng mga classical na music at sinimulan na namin ang pag-aaral.

Next school year ay college na kami at napagdesisyunan namin na sa RUA mag-aral, kaya naman kailangan namin ng mataas na grado ngayon para makapasok kami. Mataas kasi ang grade requirements para tanggapin doon.

Hindi ko alam kung matatawag ba na relasyon ang sa amin ni Artamiel, ngunit mahigit isang taon na kaming ganito. May pagkakaunawaan, ngunit walang pangalan.

I once asked him, and he said that he doesn't want to add further damage to Nixon. Gusto n'ya daw munang hayaan na makahanap ng bago si Nixon bago n'ya gawing opisyal ang sa amin. Ayaw n'ya daw pamukhaan pa ang pinsan n'ya.

Nixon never talked to me again. Kapag nagkikita kami ay tipid na tatango lang s'ya, o minsan ay mag-iiwas pa ng tingin. Nasasaktan ako pero alam ko naman na deserve ko 'yon. Nasaktan ko s'ya kahit pa hindi ko ginusto 'yon.

Hindi na din ako dumadalaw sa bahay nila. Madalas na nagkikita na lang kami ni Artamiel sa clubhouse ng subdivision namin, o kaya ay sa mall na malapit.

Ten minutes bago ang uwian ay bumalik na kami sa mga assigned rooms sa amin. Pinauna na ako ni Artamiel at s'ya na daw ang bahala na magligpit ng mga pinagkainan namin.

"S'an ka galing?" tanong ni Rebecca sa akin.

Ngumiti na muna ako sa kanya at umupo sa upuan sa tabi n'ya. "Sa gym ako nag-review. Medyo maingay kasi dito," nahihiyang sagot ko.

Ngumuso si Rebecca. "Puro naman aral, Pru. Minsan, masaya din naman na mag-enjoy. Pwede naman mag-aral mamaya sa bahay. Saka pa-graduate na tayo. 'Yong iba hindi na natin makakasama next time, kaya dapat sinusulit na ang panahon."

Nahihiyang ngumiti na lang ako. Gusto ko sana sabihin na wala namang kaso sa akin na hindi ko na sila makakasama, dahil wala namana akong attachment sa kahit kanino dito sa room, o kahit pa dito sa school. Sila Nixon at Artamiel nga lang ang kumakausap sa akin, at ngayon ay si Artamiel na lang.

Ang sabi sa akin ni Miel ay kasalanan ko din daw naman, dahil ayaw ko subukang makipag-usap sa iba. Pero minsan kasi, kahit na ano'ng isip ko ay hindi ko magawang makihalubilo sa iba. Pinangungunahan ako ng takot na ayaw nila sa akin.

"Take care, okay?" bilin ni Miel at humalik sa noo ko.

Hindi ko na pinigilan ang sarili ko na yakapin s'ya. "I'll be missing you," I murmured on his chest.

He rubbed my back then kissed the side of my lip. "I'll miss you as well. Mamaya, 'pag uwi ko, miss na nga agad kita e," he chuckled then squeezed me more.

He kissed me on top of my head before he let go. "Enjoy your vacation, okay? Let's meet at Amsterdam," he winked at me.

I tiptoed to kiss him on the lips then I run inside our gate. When I looked back at him, he seemed surprised but a sweet smile curved his lips.

"Sweet dreams, my baby," he waved then he got into his car.

I locked the gate then I run to the veranda to see his car leaving. Pumasok lang ako sa kwarto ko nang hindi ko na matanaw ang kotse n'ya.

It's already twelve in the midnight and my parents we're already asleep. Wala kaming guards sa baba kaya hindi naman mahirap lumabas-labas.

Hindi ko alam kung paano nakakatakas si Artamiel sa kanila na dala pa ang sasakyan n'ya. Paano n'ya kaya natatakasan si Tita Courtney?

Tito Nate gave Nixon and Artamiel their own car. Nixon got himself his own driver, while Artamiel chose to drive himself around.

As for me, Mom and Dad gave me my own condo unit near RUA. Si Ate kasi ay pinili na bumukod nang mag-college s'ya, kaya iniisip nila na gan'on din ang magiging desisyon ko.

Hinintay ko na mag-text si Miel na nakauwi na s'ya bago ako natulog.

Kinabukasan ay maaga akong gumising dahil maaga din ang flight namin papuntang France.

(Ingat sa byahe,) bilin ni Artamiel nang tawagan ko s'ya. Halata ang antok sa tinig n'ya. (Mag-online ka na lang 'pag dating n'yo d'on. I'll keep you updated on my whereabouts as well.)

Nixon, Artamiel, and Calix will be having a European tour. Ang sabi ni Miel ay sasamahan lang nilang magpinsan si Calix para sa art event na dadaluhan nito.

"Okay po. Ingat din. Mag-pack ka na din ng mga gamit mo, baka may maiwan ka," bilin ko bago ko ibinaba ang tawag.

"I love you," I sighed.

Gusto kong sabihin iyon kay Artamiel, pero gusto ko sana na s'ya ang mauna na magsabi n'on.

I don't know if it was just my wishful thinking, but I can feel that he loves me. He's not telling me the three sweet words to me, but I can feel it through his actions. I can see it in his eyes, and I can her it from his heart beats.

Maybe, he's just waiting for t he perfect timing. Baka kapag okay na si Nixon, pwede na kami.

And for now, all I can do is to wait, and to love him in my own way.

"Why my baby is so quiet?" Artamiel asked then snatched my hand.

I tried to pull my hand back but he wouldn't let it. Huminto ako sa paglalakad kaya napahinto din s'ya.

"I'm always quiet," I whispered.

Artamiel caught the hint of irritation on my tone, so he pulled me towards him.

"Prudence," he cooed on my ear.

For my eighteenth birthday, I asked my parents to let me have this vacation all by myself. Matapos ang isang linggong bakasyon ko kasama ang buong pamilya ko, hinayaan na nila ako na pumunta sa mga gusto kong lugar hanggang sa bago magpasukan.

On my first day, I met up with Artamiel and we toured Amsterdam for three days. Nobody knows about it. It's a secret between the two of us.

Artamiel supposedly spend those days with Nixon and Calix, but he somehow managed to convince the two to cover up for his absence. Hindi ko alam kung paano, pero masaya ako na nagawa n'ya.

Two days ago, naghiwalay kami ni Artamiel sa airport para makabalik na s'ya kila Nixon sa Madrid. Ang plano ay sa Pilipinas na ulit kami magkikita matapos ang bakasyon, ngunit nagbago iyon at ngayon ay magkasama na naman kami ni Artamiel.

Ang sabi ni Miel ay may nakilala s'ya na babae nang pabalik na s'ya sa Madrid. At sa tingin n'ya ay iyon na ang hinihintay namin na babae para kay Nixon. Sana nga iyong Castiel na iyon na nga ang babae para kay Nixon.

What irritated me was... why did Artamiel has to kiss her to provoke Nixon?

"Baby," Artamiel sweetly called then wrapped his arms around my body.

Artamiel and I were not intimate with each other, but there are times that he's like this. Mostly, kapag nanunuyo s'ya o alam n'ya na may kasalanan s'ya. He'll pull me for a hug, or sniff on my neck, or rub the back of my palm. At kapag gumaganito s'ya, wala akong magawa kundi ang hindi na magalit. 

I'm so weak, specially when it comes to him. 

"I'm sorry for kissing her. I just did that because Nixon was looking," Artamiel sighed. "Kahit ano kasing deny ni Nixon, there's a big part of him that still cares for you. And my plan worked. He went after Castiel because he thought that I might follow that girl." 

On my opinion, Nixon wanted to get even with Artamiel. He's the type of person who knows how to hold grudges. He'll pursue that girl because he thought that Miel wants that girl, and he wants to get even by getting that girl. The same way Artamiel got me from him. 

I sighed then I smiled at him. "Let's not talk about them anymore."

He stared at me for some moment before he smirked. "Okay, my princess. Let's just enjoy this."

Artamiel snatched my hand then we started walking down the street of Paris. We still have a week to enjoy this vacation. 

"Where's Calix by the way?" I asked. 

"He's with Marron. Umuwi na s'ya at sa hacienda na lang daw n'ya gustong ubusin ang bakasyon n'ya."

I feel sad about the Amate siblings. I'm not too attached with my parents, but I know that it will be hard without them by my side. 

"Baby," Artamiel started, "Kapag bumalik na tayo sa Pilipinas, puwede ba na dadalaw na ko sa inyo? Gusto ko na hatid-sundo na kita. Or better yet, let's live together." 

I feel the heat on my cheeks. I lightly jabbed my elbow at Artamiel. 

He chuckled, but I can see the blush on his face. "I'm serious, Prudence. I want to make us real. Not just between the two of us, but I want everybody to know."

I felt weird twists on my stomach. I feel like throwing up because of too much excitement, too much happiness, and to much... love? 

The smile on his face slowly faded. "But of course, Nixon has to be stable at first. To not further rub salts on his wounds." He sighed. "I do hope that Castiel will be the one for him."

I lifted my hand to caress his cheek. It was cute watching him struggling to be selfless when he really wants to be selfish. He's trying to put Nixon first before himself. Mas iniisip n'ya ang mararamdaman ni Nixon kaysa sa gusto n'ya. 

And I love him more for that. 

My selfless, considerate and compassionate Artamiel. 

Hindi ko na pinigilan ang sarili ko na yakapin s'ya. "I want that too," I murmured.

We spent the whole day shopping for clothes. 

"Hindi naman kailangan, Miel. Madalas naman na naka-uniform tayo," I giggled while he picks clothes from racks to racks. 

He raised a brow on me. "Baby, I don't expect you to wear your uniform while we're out on our dates."

I pouted my lips to hide my smile. 

By afternoon, puno na ang magkabilang braso ni Artamiel ng mga paperbags. I offered him some help but he declined. 

"My princess shouldn't be burdened by these," he winked. 

I rolled my eyes on him, then I giggled.

"Damn, baby. You're making me giddy with that smile," he smoothly delivered. 

Inirapan ko pa ulit s'ya at nanguna na ako sa paglalakad. Kinagat ko pa ang ibabang labi ko para mapigilan ang malawak na ngiti. 

After depositing the shopping bags at my room, we ended up in a cafe to have a light snack.

"Baby, smile for me," Artamiel said then raised his phone in front of me. 

After snapping a picture of me, he fidgeted with his phone then he started a new topic to talk about.

"Good night, my baby," he murmured then he pressed his lips on my forehead. 

I smiled at him. "Good night, Artamiel," I replied then I opened the door behind me. 

I got inside the room then I slowly closed the door. Artamiel blew a kiss on me before I completely shut the door. 

That night, I fell asleep with a beautiful smile. 

A knock on the door woke me up. I'm still half-asleep when I opened the door. Ang nakangiting mukha ni Artamiel ang bumungad sa akin. 

"Hey, we still have long list of places to visit!" he laughed then pushed me slightly so he can enter the room. 

He made me sat on the couch and he started fixing things around me. Tiniklop n'ya ang kumot ko at inayos ang hinigaan ko. Antok na antok pa ko kaya humiga ako at muling nakatulog. 

Nang magising ako, nakahanda na pati ang isusuot ko at nag-aayos na si Artamiel ng mga pagkain sa lamesa sa gilid ko. 

"Wake up, my baby. Madami pa tayong papasyalan," he gently said then pulled me up. 

We ate our breakfast then he pushed me inside the bathroom. Nang matapos ako maligo ay nakaupo lang si Miel sa kama at naglalaro sa cellphone n'ya. 

"Let's go?" he smiled.

I nodded at him. Mabuti at natuyo ko na ang buhok ko sa loob ng banyo. 

Si Miel na din ang nag-handa ng bag ko at s'ya na din ang nagbitbit. 

We toured the city like any other tourists. We took photos and I posted a picture of our clasped hands while he's leading the way on my IG. I captioned it 'Someday.' 

"I'll order our foods," he smiled then pressed a kiss on my temple before he left me on our table. 

I reached for his phone on the table. I felt a warm caress on my heart when I saw his lock screen photo. 

Someday, we can show the world our affection for each other.