Serenity

28th

May nagpapabigay

"Did you bring your car?"

May pag-iingat sa bawat pagsambit niya ng salita. Even the way he looked at me was filled with care and tenderness. Ngayong nahimasmasan na ay ako itong hindi makatingin sa kanya.

"No.." paos na wika ko.

I looked away. I just realized I left my car at Aaron's building! Sa sobrang pagkawala sa sarili ay nawala rin iyon sa isip ko! I completely forgot about it! I just acted upon my instinct by getting away from that one hell of a place as fast as I can! Napa-taxi pa ko nang wala sa oras! Halos murahin ko ang sarili sa isip.

"What's wrong?" ani Aki nang mapansing napapikit ako. "Where's your car?"

Tumikhim ako.

"Pinapa-repair ko. It's gonna take a while so.." I shrugged.

There's no way I'm telling him I left it at some guy's place after almost getting raped! Atleast not at this very moment. It's already been such a long day. I can't take another emotional outburst.

"You don't look so well when I got here.." ang malalim niyang mga tingin ay hindi ako nilubayan. "What happened?"

Nag-iwas ako ng mata.

"Nothing... I was just.." lumunok ako. "Feeling under the weather,"

I almost scoffed at myself for such a lame excuse. As if anybody would buy that.

His gaze lingered on me but he didn't ask any further. Sa huli ay nag-taxi kami patungo sa tinutuluyan ko. May mga tanong din sa isip ko ngunit hindi mahanap ang lakas upang isatinig iyon. I must have really drained all my energy for today. Ni wala na 'kong ganang tanungin siya kung nasaan si Maddie at kung anong nangyari sa kanila.

I'm slowly getting conscious by the silence when we got to my place. Pinanood ko siyang buksan ang ilaw at i-adjust ang aircon. Ngayong medyo kalmado na ako ay saka lang ako nakaramdam ng ilang.

"Have you eaten yet?" tanong niya habang paupo ako sa couch.

Natigilan pa 'ko nang patungan niya ng blanket ang balikat ko na hindi ko namalayan kung kailan at saan niya nakuha.

"Hindi pa.. but I don't really feel like eating anything right now... I had a heavy meal for late lunch," wika ko. "I guess I just need something warm to drink.."

Tumango siya. Pinanood ko ang pagtungo niya sa kitchen counter para ipagtimpla 'ko nang maiinom. The way the lights are dim on his spot melts something in me.

I still couldn't fully process the situation. A part of me doesn't really want to. Because I know I'd overreact again.

We didn't really talk much the whole time. Alam kong hindi kapani-paniwala ang palusot ko kanina tungkol sa kung bakit niya 'ko naabutang nanginginig sa parking lot ngunit hindi niya na ulit binuksan ang usapang iyon. He didn't ask anything. I can't help but feel relieved since I don't really wanna talk about nearly getting molested right now. Hanggang ngayon kasi ay may munting takot pa sa dibdib ko.

"Should I text Einj? Para masundo ka?" tanong ko nang mapagtantong kailangan niya na marahil umuwi. "Gabi na,"

Dalawang kamay ko ang nakahawak sa cup habang humihigop. Naka-indian sit ako sa sofa habang balot ng blanket.