When Summer Ends (Four Season Series #1)

WSE-Kabanata 2

Kabanata 2

Resilient

"I didn't know it was you. Until now, hindi ko maimagine na ikaw iyon. Para kang si Professor na nagtatago, takot mabuking." Mahina akong tumawa, tumitig pabalik kay Zachary na may nakadisplay na galak sa mukha.

"I'm a good actor. Am I?" His brow raised.

"Yeah! You deceived me! How's the feeling of deceiving someone, huh? Siguro tuwang-tuwa ka 'no, dahil wala akong kaalam-alam na inuuto mo ako?" ani ko sabay pabirong sinuntok ang braso niya.

Pagak siyang tumawa sa kuro-kuro ko at mabilis na hinalikan ang kamay ko.

Magkasalikop ang kamay namin habang nilalaro ng isa niyang kamay ang pulseras kong unang niregalo niya. Na ngayon ko na lang isinuot muli dahil request niya.

He said he wants to see me wearing this bracelet. As Always. Even though I am beyond his sight. For once, out of curiosity, I asked him about the bracelet he gave. Sa dinami-raming alahas bakit pulseras pa?

And he said....

"Ikaw ang unang naisip ko pagkakita ko sa bracelet na ito. I thought this would be perfect and suitable... only for your hands, so I bought it. This precious stone sapphire is just like you." He breathed pleasantly and looked up to met my gaze. He smiled sweetly. "You're my sapphire, Leighrah Dawn. Hard to look for... but consequential and precious."

"This is expensive, Zachary, and I am cheap. Hindi bagay sa akin," sabi ko na di niya sinang-ayunan at umiling-iling.

"You are more precious and expensive than this sapphire bracelet, love. I can justify that," and he plastered a pleasure smile. Tinitigan ko lang siya, walang masabi. I awkwardly cleared my throat and switched position to change my view and just look at the ravishing landscapes outside the cafe.

"You always give me present. At first, masaya ako pero habang tumatagal kinikilabutan ako. Lalo na't wala pa akong kaalam-alam sa kung sinong estranghero ang secret admirer ko." pagbasak ko sa katahimikang namagitan sa amin. Napangisi siya sa minutawi ko.

"Because I want you to feel my presence even if I'm far away from you, watching you secretly and admiring you from afar. I find it dumb and stupid but I actually love it." His devilishly grin grew more. "Kaya palagi kitang pinapadalhan ng regalo kasi gusto kong maramdaman mo ang presensya ko. Na kahit hanggang pagtanaw sa malayo lang ang kaya kong gawin... sobrang saya ko na. Lalo na't nakikita kong masaya ka sa tuwing binubuksan mo ang mga regalo ko." Madamdamin niyang saad. I got to see his eyes flicker in joy in a fleeting moment.

"You're cheesy. Very unlike you." I grinned.

"Uhuh. Nakakabakla mang pakinggan pero totoo. And it's your fault." Ngumuso siyang tumingin sa akin, nagpapacute kaya dinutdot ko ang nguso niya. Tinanggal niya ang kamay ko sa labi niya at hinawakan ito at pinagsalikop ang kamay namin.

"And why is that?" I tilted my head to give my full attention to him as I asked that.

Mas hinigpitan niya ang hawak sa kamay ko at matamang hinahagod ng kamay niya ang palad ko. It's making me perturbed but I still tried to act normal even though my hands are sweating and in heat despite the coldness from the centralized aircon of the cafe.

"I've been dreaming to hold your soft hands like this. I want to feel your warmth as you caress the roughness of my hands. In spite of its roughness... you still safeguard and hold on to my hands tightly like you cherish it. You don't know how happy I was when I finally got to hold your hand at nahahawakan na kita ng malaya without asking your permission anymore."