Glimpses of Yesterday (Isla Contejo #2)

Chapter 20

MARARAHANG haplos ang nakapagpagising sa akin kinabukasan. I slowly opened my eyes and found Arsen staring at me through his soft and innocent eyes. A beam of sunlight from the window was reflecting on his face -- making his eyes looked a bit lighter than its usual dark color.

The slow strokes of his fingers on my bare back stopped when he saw me opening my eyes. I smiled at him as I lifted up the white blanket covering my nakedness.

"Mornin'," he greeted in a low voice.

I smiled at him. "Morning, Langga."

His stare remained at me. I did the same except that I was smiling while he wasn't. I was even seeing a glint of sadness in his eyes. He looked too soft and vulnerable this morning. I wondered why.

Muling nagpatuloy ang mararahang paglalandas ng mga daliri niya sa likod ko. Para akong hinehele at parang gusto ko na lang ulit matulog at magsumiksik sa kaniya. Nagbaba ako ng tingin sa matipuno niyang dibdib. Inilabas ko ang isang kamay ko mula sa kumot at magaang tinusok-tusok ang hubad niyang dibdib.

Nang muli akong mag-angat ng tingin sa kaniya'y mabilis na nagdikit ang mga kilay ko nang makita ang pamumuo ng luha sa mga mata niya. I immediately got worried.

"What's wrong?" tanong ko.

Nang kumurap siya ay tumulo ang mga luha sa pisngi niya. Parang kinurot ang puso ko nang masaksihan iyon.

This wasn't the first time that I saw him crying, so it wasn't very shocking for me, but every time I saw him cry, I felt like crying also. It pained me so much seing him hurt and sad. It was breaking me.

He always looked like a soft, injured little boy whenever he's sad.

My hand reached for his face to carefully wiped his tears off. Napapikit siya at hinuli ang kamay ko. Mariin niya 'yong hinawakan at hinalikan.

"Why's my baby crying?" I asked in a small voice.

Umiling-iling siya at imbes na sagutin ang tanong ko ay mas lumapit lang siya lalo sa akin. He hugged me tighter as his forehead pressed against mine. The tip of our noses were touching. He closed his eyes before he gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Mahal kita, Jaeda..." he gently uttered.

I immediately formed a smile. I lifted my hand to touch his cheek. I gently caressed it and simply wiped his tears away.

"Let's not make away na, please?"

Mabilis siyang tumango-tango at hinuli muli ang kamay ko na nasa pisngi niya upang halikan.

"H-Hindi na," humihikbing saad niya. "Hindi na, hindi na. I'm sorry..."

The apology that I had been anticipating since yesterday finally came from his mouth. I wasn't expecting it anymore, but I knew deep down myself that I still wanted to hear it. Because I knew that it would somehow ease the pain and frustration I felt the other night when we had our argument.

Kahit naman hindi na siya mag-sorry ay ayos lang. Kakalimutan ko na lang 'yong nangyari. Kakalimutan ko na lang na hindi siya nagalit at hindi ako sinigaw-sigawan. Ayos na sa 'kin na niyaya niya akong mag-date at kahit hindi na niya sabihin ang salitang sorry, ramdam ko naman kahapon na pinagsisihan niya ang lahat ng nasabi niya sa akin.

Pero ngayong para siyang batang umiiyak sa harap ko at nagso-sorry, labis na kakontentuhan ang nararamdaman ko. Para akong biglang nakalma.

I breathed a silent sigh as I bit my lower lip to suppress the tears that were already forming in my eyes. Lumunok ako bago siya pinatakan ng halik sa labi.