SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION [Cloud and Skye Story] (Completed)

CHAPTER 37 - WHAT HAPPENED TO HOTEL!?

CHAPTER 37 – WHAT HAPPENED TO HOTEL!?

The meeting ended at 6pm. Tsk gabi na ako makakauwi nito. It will take probably 3 to 4 hours para makarating ako sa condo. Okay lang sana mag-check in na lang muna kaya lang wala akong dalang mga extrang gamit. And Cloud’s going home so might as well eh sumabay na lang ako sa kanya total siya naman nag-insist na I ought not to bring my own car.

We were stuck in traffic. What the heck! Balak ko pa naman puntahan si Gerald. Kaso for sure, paguwi ko, tulog na yun.

“This world is so small...” Biglang sabi ni Cloud. Halos hindi na kasi gumagalaw yung kotse niya dahil sa sobrang traffic. Maybe he was just trying to make a conversation here. Tutal wala rin naman akong magawa, I’ll talk to him na lang.

“Oo nga eh.” Seriously, yan na ba ang talk sa’yo, Rain? Ehh bakit ba, wala akong ibang masabi eh.

“You know what, I was really shocked to know that Ghem and Gerald are...well, they are siblings.” Sabi niya.

“Same here.” Matipid na sagot ko. Kung kanina ehh ako yung daldal nang daldal sa kanya sa opisina, ngayon naman ehh siya. Pareho ata kaming moody nito eh. Ay, hindi lang parang, pareho talaga.

“Rain...”

I looked at him. “What?”

Nakita ko yung hesitation sa mga mata niya. “Ahm...nothing.”

Then there was silence.

After an hour, nakalusot din kami sa heavy traffic na’to! Sa wakas! Kala ko mabubulok na kami ni Cloud dun eh! Pero maya-maya, umulan naman nang sobrang lakas! What the fudge! Oo nga pala, may paparating na bagyo raw ayon sa radyo kanina. The fudge! Wala pa naman akong baong payong! From where I was seating, nakikita ko rin yung iilang lightning sa ulap. Paminsan-minsan ehh kumukulog rin. Okay, hindi ako takot sa kulog at kidlat ahh. Just saying.

*BOOM (Tunog ng kidlat)

“Ay kabayo!” Omg! Oo na, takot na’ko. Psh. Pero hindi naman ako yung tipong iiyak pa. O kaya magtatago sa sulok. Saan naman ako magtatago dito sa kotse ni Cloud? Sa compartment? Ha-ha-ha. Okay, ako lang ata tumawa sa sarili kong joke.

I saw Cloud smirk. “What!?”

“Nothing...it’s just that...I figured out you’re afraid of thunder.” Patuloy lang siya sa pag-drive.

“Whatever.” Kinuha ko yung jacket sa bag ko kasi nagsisimula na akong ginawin. Sobrang lakas ng ulan kasi. Ang nakakatakot pa ehh baka abutan kami ng baha. Medyo tumataas na kasi yung tubig, and the fudge! We’re still miles away from Manila!!! “Can you please turn off the air conditioner?” Sobrang ginaginaw na kasi ako. Parang binabalot yung katawan ko ng snow. Psh.

Nakita ko naman na sinunod yun ni Cloud. Nung nag-stop na yung stoplight, may kinuha si Cloud doon sa likod ng kotse niya. Ano yun? Malay ko. I did not bother looking. Bigla na lang ehh may nilapag siya sa lap ko. Ano yun? Jacket. “What should I do with this?” Tanong ko.

“What are you supposed to do with jackets?” Medyo iritang sabi niya.

“Ahm...” Let’s play dumb. “Ipamunas at gawing basahan?” Sarkastikong sabi ko.

“Ha-ha. Funny. Just wear it.” Seryosong sagot niya.

“I don’t need it.” Then I shove it on the back of his car. He just glared at me. Kahit pa ginaw na ginaw ako, I won’t take that jacket! Kahit pa sobrang kailangan ko, I won’t accept any help from him.

Then this thought just suddenly popped out from nowhere: that maybe I am still mad at him. For what he did.

No, I’m not. He just really annoys me. Ganun naman dati diba? Inis na inis rin ako sa kanya.

“Can you please turn on the radio?” Okay, ang demanding ko. Psh. Pero hindi naman niya sinunod, kaya ako na lang nagbukas. And for the second time today, he glared at me. And I glared back.

Sunud-sunod yung mga balita tungkol sa bagyo. According to the PAGASA report, Typhoon Hanna has already reached the Phillippine Area of Responsibility. Sinasabi na itong bagyong ito ehh isang Super Typhoon. Omg. Nagba-byahe pa naman kami ni Cloud. Huhuhuhu.

“Fvck!” Nagulat na lang ako nang biglang huminto yung kotse ni Cloud.

“Why? What happened?”

“We can’t go any further. Malalim na yung tubig dito. Masisira yung makina ng kotse.” When I was about to say something, he interrupted, “And don’t even ask me to continue driving. Kahit pa lumusong tayo sa baha, I doubt na makakauwi tayo ng Manila. Sobrang lakas ng ulan, at baha na sa mga kalsadang dadaanan natin.”

“So what do we have to do now???”

“We can stay on a hotel nearby.” And with that, he reversed his driving. Wala na akong nagawa, kasi alam ko namang tama siya. At tsaka, okay lang naman, it’s not as if magkasama kami sa iisang kwarto no. Oy, hindi yan ang iniisip ko ah. Psh.

.

.

.

“What!? No way! We can’t stay in just one room!” I said to the receptionist after informing us na isa na lang yung natitirang kwarto.

“Pero ma’am, there’s only one room left. I thought that since you’re a couple, maybe you can sleep in one room?” This is cliché. Hindi pwedeng mangyari to sa amin.

“Couple? We are a couple??? That’s impossible!” Sagot ko.

“Look, miss, we’ll get the roo—“

“No, we won’t!” Sagot ko kay Cloud.

“Pero---“ I didn’t let him speak. I stormed out of the hotel.

Basang-basa na agad ako nang makarating ako sa kotse. At ganun din si Cloud.

“What is wrong with you!?” Singhal niya sa akin.

“We can’t stay in one room. Maghanap na lang tayo ng ibang hotel. Marami naman diyan eh.” At ibinaling ko na lang yung tingin ko sa labas.

“You’re unbelievable!”

So far, no luck. Psh. Pangatlong hotel na pinuntahan na namin to ni Cloud pero wala na talagang vacant rooms. According to them, dagsaan daw ang mga tao dahil hindi rin sila makauwi dahil nga baha na sa mga dadaanan nila. Tsaka tourist attraction daw talaga yung place kaya maraming nagche-check’in na visitors.

At hindi lang yan, para na akong nag-swimming dahil basa na rin yung loob ng kotse ni Cloud dahil wala rin kaming payong kaya wala kaming magawa kung hindi ang sumugod sa ulan.

All of a sudden nagkatinginan kami. Nung makita ko na magsasalita siya, inunahan ko na siya, “Don’t you dare blame me!”

Then there was silence. Sinubukan kong yakapin yung buong katawan ko to give me warmth, pero giniginaw pa rin talaga ako.

“You’re cold.” Mahinang sabi niya.

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m scorching hot!”

“Yes, you’re cold! C’mon, just let me wrap this jacket around you.” Pero umusog ako nang ilalagay na niya yun sa katawan ko. Pero hindi pa rin ako nakaiwas. Hindi ko na inalis kasi naman ang sarap sa feeling nang medyo nabawasan yung lamig. But still...giniginaw pa rin ako.

“No, I’m...not.” I was stammering...probably because of the cold. I looked at him and I saw him smirking at me. “Okay fine, I’m cold! In fact, I’m freezing cold!” Then I glare at him.

“Wala na tayong matutuluyan. I guess...let’s just try to stay in there.” Then he pointed out the building just across the street.

“That’s a motel.” WHAT!?” We’re staying in a motel!?” Ugh, no. You’re kidding me.