When The Rain Stops

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Napuno ang bulwagan ng mga college students at mga fresh graduates na kaibigan, kakilala, at mga kaklase ni Archer. We immediately joined them, the lights are dim and the music is in a blast, the DJ is inenjoying himself with the equipment in front of him making different sounds that makes the crowd go crazy and jumping, dancing while holding a glass with colored liquids on their hands.

Archer pulled me closer to him as we pushed through the swarm of moving bodies. Several ladies and men are stopping us to greet Archer and talk to him, more like shouting because of the loud music. Karylle is just following us, I’m not sure if she also has friends here aside from Archer. But that question inside my head was immediately answered when two ladies approached her.

“Omg Karylle is that you?” maarte ng dalagang naka yellow sundress, nakipag beso si Karylle sa mga ito.

“I’m back?” tugon lamang nito habang nakangiti ng malawak sa dalawa. Nagsimula na silang magkuwentuhan ngunit hindi ko na rinig ang mga ito dahil sa lakas ng musika.

“So, I’ll leave you here now?” tanong ni Archer kay Karylle.

“Yeah, I’ll see you later Archie.” Malakas na bulong nito sa tenga ni Archer.

Pumunta kami sa bar counter dahil mas mahina ang musika roon kumpara sa gitna kung saan nagsasayawan ang mga tao.

“Are you alright?”

Sa totoo lang ay first time kong makapunta sa ganitong party dahil gaya nga ng sabi ko ay hindi ako lumalabas dati. Nakikita ko namang masaya ang party na ganito ngunit mas pipiliin ko parin ang manatili sa tahimik.

“Yeah. They’re loud.” He handed me a glass with pineapple juice which he ordered from the barista. I wonder if Lea is here as well or is it their day off?

“Do you wanna go somewhere else? I bet it’s your first to be in this kind of crowd.”

“No, it’s fine. You also have to accommodate your friends. It’s your birthday.”

And I don’t even have a gift for him. How stupid of me.

I don’t know if it is just me or not but I find it difficult to get a man a gift, especially a man like Archer who has everything and can get everything he wants. I don’t know what else he doesn’t have so I could get him one, but I think he already has everything.

So I don’t know what to give.

“Let’s go.” He grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the place towards the shore.

“Why? Birthday mo dapat nandoon ka.”

“They’re already having fun. They won’t notice my absence.” Aniya saka tumawa ng mahina. Siguro nga dahil medyo nalasing narin ang mga nandoon kanina na nagsasayawan.

Tahimik kaming naglakad sa dalampasigan at dinama lamang ang mahinang hangin at tunog ng tubig. May mga ilang estudyante rin ang narito na nagkakasiyahan sa kani-kanilang grupo.

“Kean! Happy birthday”

“Bro! Happy Beerday!”

Sigaw ng ilang mga estudyante sabay taas ng kanilang mga hawak na bote ng beer o ano mang alak iyon. Tinutugunan lamang ni Archer angmga ito ng mga salitang ‘enjoy, thanks bro, knock yourself out, not too much’ o ano mang mabanggit ng kanyang bibig.

Naramdaman ko ang pagbabang kanyang kamay mula sa aking beywang papunta sa aking mga palad at pinagsalikop ang mga ito. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad dahil sa kakaibang kuryente na dumaloy sa aking braso na siyang nagpabilis ng t***k ng aking puso. Aaminin ko, ngayon lamang may humawak sa aking kamay ng ganoon. Tumingin ako kay Archer at tahimik na nginitian lamang ako nito saka kami patuloy na naglakad at tinahak ang daan patungo sa paborito kong pwesto rito sa resort. Hanggang ngayon namamangha parin ako sa mga ilaw na nakasabit sa mga puno ng niyog, ang ganda nilang pagmasdan sa gitna ng dilim.

Nang makarating kami sa pwesto ay pinaupo ako ni Archer sa duyan at sa buhanginan naman ito umupo, sa tabi ng aking mga paa.

“Are you enjoying your birthday?” tanong ko matapos ang ilang segundong katahimikan. Tumango lamang ito bilang sagot saka isinandal ang kanyang ulo sa gilid ng aking tuhod.

“Really? Then why do you look like you’re not.” Biro kong sabi sapagkat hindi naman ito nakangiti nang sumagot.

“I am. I’m with the girl I like on my birthday. Who wouldn’t be happy on that?” mahinang tawa nito. Hindi ko mawari kung talaga nga itong masaya dahil may bahid na lungkot o pag aalinlangan sa kanyang boses.

“What’s wrong, Archer?”

“Hmm. Nothing.” Nakatingin lamang ito ng diretso sa dagat. I looked down at him but I cannot clearly see his face. I started playing with his raven black hair, it is so black, really like a raven.

“You can tell me what’s bothering you.” I feel like I want to ease his mind on what’s bothering him. I haven’t seen Archer like this before. I’ve seen him have difficulties understanding case studies but he doesn’t look like this bothered or problematic, and he always can find an answer to the problems he couldn’t solve.

“I don’t know.”

“You’re smart, Archer.”

“Yeah, but—“

“Jeez, alam mo talagang smart ka no? hindi man lang nagpakahumble.” Putol ko sa kanyang sinasabi saka tumawa. Tinignan lamang ako nito ng masama.

“Okay, okay ituloy mo na.”

“It’s my first time to like someone, Rain. And I---“

“Talaga? First time mo?”

“Isang putol mo pa itatapon na kita sa dagat.” Diretso niyang sabi sa tagalog at masama itong nakatingin sakin ngunit tinawanan ko lamang ito dahil minsan lang siya mag tagalog at ang linis ng kanyang pagkakasabi at ang ganda sa pandinig.

“Nag tagalog ka?”

“Do you want me to continue or what?” ang sungit!

“Go on birthday boy.” He rolled his eyes on me, which I find it cute but I stifled my laugh instead baka itapon talaga ako sa dagat..

“I’m… not sure if I’m doing the right thing, and… I might hurt you.” He admitted.

And it’s my turn now to be scared of what he said. I know that we cannot avoid getting hurt when we love, it is part of it. But thinking that it is Archer who could hurt me pains me more… but maybe it will be worth it?

At the same time, it reminds me of what Tita Karmina told us earlier. The young Archer Kean Saavedra, scared, afraid that he might hurt the baby Amy.

Still so adorable my Archer.

“It’s part of the process, Archer. You know that when a person starts liking someone, they could either hurt or be hurt. Like, Love, Pain. They all come in a complete total package and can never ever be separated.”