Kiss of Sunset

Kabanata 8

Kabanata 8: Paper Heart

"Kyrie!"

Mahina kong naitulak si Ms. Carson dahil sa gulat nang marinig ang boses ni Rich kasabay nang pagbukas ng ilaw. Nagpapalit-palit ng tingin sa amin si Rich. Questions are forming into his head, based on the expression given by his face.

Ngayon ko lang din napagtantong basa ang damit ni Ms. Carson, as well as, her brother.

"A-ate..." he looked directly to his sister. "What are you doing here?" He added.

Napansin kong walang makapang sagot si Ms. Carson kaya nilapitan ko na si Rich para maibaling sa akin ang atensyon niya. "Maupo ka muna, Rich. I'll get towels for you two." I smiled at him and pinched her nose.

"You good?" He asked, worriedly.

"I am," I said as I nodded my head slowly. "Maiwan ko muna kayo rito. Kukuha na rin ako ng pamalit niyo." Sabi ko pa bago nagpaalam sa kanilang dalawa.

Nang makapasok sa kwarto ay agad akong huminga nang malalim. I held my chest after feeling this anomalousy beating of my heart. I feel terrified yet her kiss liberated thousand of flowers from being planted with the dirt. I'm no vocal person but, my emotion speaks for me.

I looked at myself in the mirror. From my eyes to where Ms. Carson's lips landed. I could still feel her gentle movement. The warmth that embraced me, when her arm snaked around my waist. The sweet sensation, the sudden unrealistic feeling, all of that. What was the meaning of that?

"No, not this time, Kyrie." I reminded myself. "You're here because you want Rich to see the beauty of life. You want him alive after this. You want," I paused for a second, "you want him to recognized you, not as a friend but, as a woman." I whispered to myself.

But, why the hell am I feeling these?

Damn, Ms. Carson!

"Akerson," nagulat na lang ako nang marinig ang boses ni Ms. Carson. I turned my back on her. "Rich is freezing. He's prone to illness." She said, worriedly.

"How about you?" I calmly asked.

Shock is written on her face. "I-i'm good." She answered before diverting her gaze to her right side. "He's waiting for you." Halos naging pabulong na lang 'yon pero sapat para marinig ko.

I nodded my head before getting some extra towels from my drawer. I walked towards her and spread the towel and carefully snaked it to her freezing torso. "Mauna ka na. I'll just get some clothes." I uttered.

"K-ky, about the-"

I casually smiled and nodded my head slowly. "Rich is waiting." I said plainly to shift the topic. "Heat yourself, too. Baka magkasakit ka."

She nodded her head gently again before turning her back at me. My eyes were glued to her until she's out of my sight. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako bago naghanap ng kanilang susuotin.

Nang makahanap ay dali-dali akong bumaba. Naabutan ko silang nag-uusap tungkol sa isang bagay na hindi dapat pinag-uusapan. They are literally talking about what happened earlier and why Ms. Carson is here.

"Of course, she's my best friend-"

Ms. Carson crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I get it. You wanna be the super hero and will help his best friend because there will be an extreme voltage drop that may lead to a total power outage." She sarcastically said while nodding her head. "In your stand, you're not helping Kyrie, you're giving her another thing to worry about. Mabilis kang magkasaki-"

"And, why are you here?" Rich cut off her words, still haven't noticed my presence.

"Elysha, her cousin, contacted me to look for Kyrie while she's gone." She answered with her proud voice.