Up Where We Belong

Chapter 25

Sound

"You're making an impact on someone's life, Tiff."

Nagulumihan ako sa narinig. Naumid din ang dila ko at nakalimutan kong nguyain ang maliit na piraso biscuit. Muntik na akong nabulunan dahil doon. Ngunit di ko napigiling maubo.

"Hey. Are you okay?" nagmamadali itong lumapit sa akin at marahang hinimas ang likod ko. "Here's the water."

Dahan-dahan niya akong pinainom. Pinatong ko ang baso sa counter at humihingal na hinawakan ang dibdib ko.

Ang tanga lang! Ako lang yata ang nabulunan dahil nakalimutang ngumuya.

"Thank you," nakangiwing sabi ko. Bumalik siya sa kanyang upuan.

Umiling-iling na nakangiti. "What was that?"

"Nothing. May bumara lang sa lalamunan ko," I didn't want to explain why. I might give him the real reason... that I was taken aback again...by his mere remark! "Now, let's start this silly talk show-game!"

Nakangiti pa rin ito nang inalog ang laman ng bote at kumuha ng isang capsule.

"Do you like bubble baths?" basa nito nang mabasa ang nasa papel at bahagyang kumunot ang noo.

"Really? That's the question?" tanong ko at kinuha sa kanya ang papel. Totoo nga. Iyon talaga ang tanong.

"This is so random," komento niya at sumulyap sa akin. He parted his lips while touching his chin using his thumb. "So... do you like bubble baths?"

Napakurap ako ng ilang beses. "Yeah. Of course," sabi ko at tumango-tango. "Don't we all?"

Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kanyang mga labi na mas lalo yatang pumula.

"Well, I don't." He sounded cocky when he said it.

Doon ulit ako napasulyap sa kanya. I wrinkled my nose. "Why?"

"I never had the chance to do it so I really couldn't tell if I like it." He shrugged.

"Do you really have to experience it before knowing if it's good or not?"

"Yeah. I think so. Maybe, I'll come to like it if I do it. But I never had the time. It's a waste of time, too. Also, I personally think it's not a best thing to do to conserve water," saglit itong tumigil sa paghimas ng kanyang panga at mapanuksong tumingin sa akin. "Not unless I have someone to do it with."

"Yeah. It'd be a great bond," balewalang sabi ko.

His eyes widened. "You think so?"

"I mean, for couples, yes."

"Aren't we a couple?"

"In your dreams."

Oh my gosh. Kung hindi ko lang siya kilala ay gusto kong isipin na naglalandi siya!

Humalakhak ito. "Okay. Next question."

Salamat naman. My knees went wobbly and my heart was pounding like crazy. I couldn't help but feel my stomach turning into a zoo. Marahas kong kinuha ang bote at nagmamadaling binuksan ang capsule na nakuha ko. Pero sa halip na ako ang magbasa ay mabilis niyang naagaw sa akin ang papel.

Why so excited, huh?

"If you were drunk, would the person you like take care of you?" basa niya at sumulyap sa akin. "Have you ever been drunk?"

"Yeah, too drunk. In my own room," that was after my break up. "I'd wake up with a hangover and I'd recover from it by sleeping it off. No one took care of me. You can imagine what happened. The last thing I wanted is to upset or frighten Mom," I shared.