Perfect Pieces

06

"Anong meron sa inyo?"

I was just laying comfortably on the couch when all of the sudden, my brothers went inside the house and sat in front of me. Ako lang naiwan dito sa bahay and some maids kasi may ginagawa sina mama at papa sa kompanya namin.

I sat up. "Who?" pabalik kong tanong kay kuya Apollo.

"Don't act like you don't know who we are pertaining to, Lani." kuya Arch shook his head. "Now tell us what is happening between you and that Lavigne." I pouted when I heard the authority in his voice. Alam ko namang hindi sila galit at gusto lang nila magtanong but I suddenly felt nervous. Sino ba namang hindi kinakabahan na para akong iniinterogate dito?

"We're just friends," I shrugged casually.

"Just friends?" kuya Kyler raised his brow at me and I nodded. Friends lang naman talaga kami ni Luan! Maissue lang talaga tong mga kapatid ko!

"Just friends? Wala nang friends with something?" kuya Apollo's brows furrowed at me.

I sighed and massaged the bridge of my nose because of frustration. "Kuyas, there is nothing happening between me and Luan. We're just friends! Bakit ba parang gulat na gulat kayo when I said that we're friends?" 

Maissue talaga masyado 'tong mga kapatid ko. Parang tanga lang kasi... bawal na ba kaming magkaibigan ngayon? Is he that really bad that he didn't deserve a friend? 

"You're judging him so bad," I disappointedly looked at them.

"We're not." Kuya Apollo crossed his arms over his chest and leaned in on the couch.

"I know how your three minds work," I glared at them. "Just because he had his surname glued to him, you're judging him so fast. The person isn't even here to defend himself." I leered and stood up. Rinig ko ang pagtawag nila sa aking pangalan pero tumalikod na ako at dumiretso sa aking kwarto for me to relieve my stress.

I know that we just knew each other for a few weeks and shouldn't give him my trust that easily but with that little week we shared with each other, I just knew that he was genuine. He was... soft. Despite him, being a Lavigne, he was nice to me and cant they just thank him for that? That he didn't sold me to the devils that there is?

Nagbihis nalang tuloy ako ng damit and just wore a white nike sports bra at pares non na white nike leggings tsaka nike na sapatos bago ako bumaba. Naririnig ko ang boses nilang nag uusap sa kusina and just left a note sa bintana ng mga sasakyan nila sa labas na aalis ako. I used my motor today kasi hindi naman masyadong mainit at pumunta ako sa boxing place na malayo layo sa bahay. Bumaba na ako sa motor at pumasok sa loob.

Nakikita kong may away pala ngayon at maraming tao kaya nilagay ko ang aking duffel bag sa locker room and tied my hair in to a high ponytail and scheduled myself for a fight. I started stretching and people were looking at my direction because they knew who I am. Kilala nila kaming magkakapatid pagdating sa boxing.

Whenever I step inside this boxing ring, it felt like... the whole humanity vanishes from my body. I let myself free inside the ring and let go on all of my stress.

Nung tinawag na ang pangalan ko, I step inside the ring. Completely erasing any emotions from my face because they will treat me inside by my emotions.

"Yonah Keziah Caceres!" I stiffened but hid all my surprise when I heard a familiar name... and truth to be hold, it was Luan's friend. Keziah. I managed to hide my surprise using my emotionless face. Siya naman ay ganoon rin ang mukha na mukhang hindi pa gulat sa presensya ko.

Gods, mukhang siya pa ang mabuntunan ko sa lahat ng frustrations ko!

When we heard the bell, that's when I look at her but I was feeling nothing. Nothing but the itch to punch something... anything. I wasn't there to show off but I was there to release all the stress in me. I was so lost in the fight, swinging of fists, ducking, the pain that she was giving me and the blood that was on my brow. Gods, she's good.

I was so lost in the fight that someone had to drag me down the ring. Hindi ko namamalayang nakaluhod na pala ako habang sinusuntok ang mukha niya. I blinked and I saw... Luan before me. He was also wearing gym clothes but he was checking me out. He was looking at my brow where Keziah had cut me and my arms where she punched me.

"Are you okay?!" he panickly asked me... probably because I wasn't answering his questions kanina pa.

"You should ask Keziah that." I transfixed my gaze to Keziah who was now looking grumpy and her nose and brows were bleeding and she was limping. "Ohmygod..." I whispered and ran to her.

"I'm so sorry! I... I didn't mean to!" I blinked my eyes when tears started to form on the corner of it. Hindi kami humihingi ng patawad ng mga kapatid ko kapag nagkakaganito. This was my first time saying sorry to someone because... I knew her? 

Marahas niyang tinanggal ang kamay kong nakahawak sa siko niya and glared at me. "Seriously?! You ask me that when you're the one who made me like this?!" she snapped and walked away while limping.

My mouth parted. "I'm sorry..." I whispered and my tears fell. Jusko naman, I went here to relieve my stress pero nadagdagan pa yata.

"She'll be okay, her ego's just hurt. It's her first time losing on a fight." I heard Luan said beside me at naramdaman ko ring nandito ang mga kaibigan niya na palagi kong nakikitang kaniyang kasama.

"I should have backed off the second I heard her name.." I barely said that kasi nagiguilty talaga ako!

"Her ego will still be hurt otherwise." Luan shrugged beside me.

"I... I almost killed her if no one stopped me." My eyes widened of the thought. Kasi kanina, while I was dragged down, I saw her p**e blood on the floor! 

"But you didn't! Think of the good side!" we all turned to Luan's friend, who I believe whose name is Rusev. I saw how Luan and his other friend, Killian glared at him. "Sabi ko nga..." lumayo siya konti sa dalawa, looking scared.

I sighed at tumalikod bago ako pumasok sa shower room to wash myself and change clothes. Medyo mahapdi nga 'yung sa kilay ko and my body was already sore because of the punches that Keziah gave me earlier. I stayed under the shower for a few minutes to ease my tenses muscles and then changed in my mom jeans and white fitted crop top.

"Where are you headed to after this?" nagulat ako nung nakita kong papalabas si Luan sa gilid ng shower room ko. He was also drying his hair with a towel.

"Maybe, grab lunch." I shrugged and opened my duffel bag to brush my hair so I can detangle it.

"Lunch it is, then" 

I turned to him. "Huh?"

"Let's grab lunch," he gestured me to follow him kaya dali dali ko namang pinulot ang duffel bag ko at sumunod sa kaniya. He gestured me to get inside his car pero umiling ako.

"I have my motor with me," I informed him at tinuro 'yung motor kong nasa gilid pala ng sasakyan niya.

He raised his brow. "Let's just come back for it later," he suggested and I nodded bago ako sumakay sa sasakyan niya na kaniya nang binuksan.

"Your friends?" I asked him kasi hindi ko na nakita 'yung mga kaibigan niya after kong pumunta sa shower room kanina. 

"They have their own feet. They can grab lunch on their own." He leered. He was playing with his lip using his fingers while his other hand was on the steering wheel.

"Don't you have your own feet too? Cant grab your own lunch?" I joked and he smirked.

"I have but I wanted to ask you out for lunch." The side of his lips curled making it a lopsided smile.

Napailing nalang ako and adjusted my seat para maayos ang pagkakaupo ko habang hinihintay namin na umusad ang mga sasakyang nasa aming harapan because of the traffic. Sobrang init pa kaya nung mabore ako ay kung ano ano nalang ang tinataw ko sa loob ng sasakyan niya at saktong may lollipop sa dashboard kaya binalatan ko iyon at kinain.

"If ever may free 24 hours ka tapos pagka tapos non ay wala kanang free day buong buhay mo, saan mo gustong pumunta?" I asked him and comfortably leaned on the window para makaharap ako sa kaniya.

"Any country where I can see the northern lights," he answered me with a small smile. It must have been his dream, huh? "You?" he glanced at me.

"At home. I want to sleep." He loudly laughed at my answer and I amusedly looked at him. It was my first time seeing him laugh like that. It made my heart soft... it made me smile knowing he let me see this side of him.

Kung tatanungin ako ulit kung saan ko gustong pumunta sa free day ko, at home. I still want to be at home... but instead of sleeping, I wanted to relive this moment.

We decided to eat at at this place sa Makati pero sa loob lang kasi aminit sa rooftop nila. We both ordered steak with a wine for the steak accompanies. Sobrang galante pa nung interior so mukha akong naliligaw. Good for Luan because nadadala lang nung gwapo niyang mukha.

Nabasa ko rin na may mga post it note na nakalagay doon kaya nakaisip ako ng ideya. Kumuha ako nung sticky note nila and nanghiram ng ballpen bago ako nagsulat at dinikit yun sa board.

'Luan and Lani was here

I chuckled before going back to my seat at nakipag usap kay Luan habang hinihintay ang order namin. "Tingin ka," pagtawag ko sa kaniya at itinutok ang cellphone ko sa mukha niya and he just smiled a little before getting his phone from his pocket too.

"Smile," he said kaya I smiled and made a peace sign with my fingers kaya natawa siya at ibinulsa ang cellphone niya.

Kumain nalang kami nung dumating na ang order namin at kung ano ano ang pinag uusapan naming dalawa. Minsan mga walang kwenta pa ang mga tanong ko pero tumatawa nalang siya at sinasagot ang aking mga tanong. 

"Anong favorite mong number dun sa pangkuryente ng lamok? Ako three." Tanong ko bigla kaya ay nasamid siya kakatawa.

"There's no number there. You just turn it on and off" he answered me.

"Talaga? Samin may numbers eh. Anong favorite mo?"

"Ikaw," he smirked.

"I'm not one of options" 

He nodded. "I know. You deserve to be the only answer," he swiftly said at ayun nanaman ang puso ko.

The following days are fine but stressful. Nagkikita pa naman kami ni Luan minsan sa university pero nagtatanguan nalang kasi parehong finals week namin kaya busy talaga. 'Yung mga blockmates ko, napapaiyak na sa gilid pero habang umiiyak ay gumagawa pa rin ng presentation at nagaaral. Napapaiyak na rin ako pero tumatahan kaagad kasi wala namang maitutulong 'yun sakin tsaka nahihirapan pa akong makakita. 

Sobrang pressure talaga.

"Are you okay?" may humawak sa siko ko and I turned to Luan and he immediately let go of my arm.

"Oo," sagot ko kaagad at napapikit trying to calm my breathing and hugged my book tighter. Pero hindi... hindi iyon nakatulong kasi mas lalo akong nahirapang humingia

"Hey... hey..." he touched my shoulders but it wasn't tight. "Deep breaths... can you name 3 things you can feel and 3 things you can feel, Lani?" 

I nodded and opened my eyes. Kahit may luha ang mata ko ay sinubukan kong maghanap ng makita. Naginginig na rin ako."I... I can see the... the hallways, the stairs... and you..." I trailed off.

He nodded, encouraging. "Ahuh... and then?"

"I can feel the wind... I can feel your presence.. and... just you." I looked up at him and he smiled and looked down to me.

"Good. Can you close your eyes for a minute?" he said and ginawa ko naman and it helped...a little. "I heard you love the beach and the spring season... spring, just like your name. Beach seems like a good idea, hm? You know what? I think I like a vacation... I needed one. At the beach, under the sun..." he said and my brain visualized the beach that I was longing for.

Naramdaman ko nalang na inakay niya ako palabas sa parking kaya ay binuka ko na ang aking mga mata. "Is this okay?" he asked me when he put a hand over my shoulder up to my head.

"Oo," mahinang sagot ko and I immediately felt him massaging my scalp. Honestly, it made me at ease. His presence made me at ease.

Palagi nalang. Siya ang dahilan kung bakit naghaharumintado 'tong puso ko pero siya rin ang dahilan kung bakit ako kumakalma. How can someone do that? How can someone so dangerous gave me that comforting feeling that I needed?

"Where are we going?" I asked him when he gestured me to go inside his car. Napansin kong hindi naadjust and upuan simula nung sumakay ako ditio nung isang linggo. Okay lang ngayon kasi nagpa hatid ako sa driver kanina kaya ay wala akong dalawang sasakyan.

"At the beach," he shrugged calmly and buckled his seatbelt and my jaw dropped.

"In the middle of finals week?" I frowned.

"You guessed it right," he smirked and started driving away.