Between Your Lips and Mine (Cervantes Series)

15

thank you so much for waiting (个_ 个)

051223 #BYLAMwp Chapter 15

"Wait . . ."

I stop walking nang magsalita si Chio just before we get back to where he parked his motorcycle. He pulls me gently to the side and places both his hands on top of my head, then smooths down my hair.

Pinigilan kong makiliti sa daliri niyang gumuhit sa anit ko when he starts combing my hair. "Ano pa e . . ." He bites his lower lip to keep himself from grinning, pero it shows. And I don't really know how to explain it, but I can see him smiling kahit na hindi niya i-curl up ang labi niya. Maybe it's because it shows in his eyes, or talagang may ine-emit siyang something whenever he's happy.

He clears his throat. "Magulo pa . . ." he adds, referring to my hair. Wala akong dalang suklay. And after we . . . after we . . . uhm . . . . do things . . . kumain kami and then we just decide that it's time for us to go back dahil baka may magising at maghanap din sa 'min.

"Okay na," he says, putting his hands back down to his sides. He grabs the empty plastic cup na puno ng siomai kanina and throws it in the big trash bin at one corner. Then he pulls me near the shed. May nakaupong dalawang lalaki sa mahabang bench doon, who I assume are drivers dahil may nakaparadang dalawang tricycle sa may tapat.

Chio reaches for his pockets, then pulls out a few coins, then sorts them on his palm. He slips them into the coffee vending machine then hands me the small cup of coffee after. 

Akala ko uuwi na kami . . . pero sabagay, malamig pa naman. I don't know what time it is already, but it won't hurt to stay for a little longer.

Tahimik lang kaming dalawa. I don't feel sleepy yet, pero baka siya oo, dahil nahuli ko na siyang humikab. I don't flinch when he rests his wrist on my knee after setting his coffee on the spot on his other side. Sobrang init pa kasi ng kape kaya hindi mabawasan.

"Tulog ako nito bukas . . . or mamaya pala, maghapon," he whispers, laughing at the end of his sentence.

"Ako rin," sabi ko. Saglit ko lang naman siyang hinabol sa poolside kanina pero parang nabigla ang mga binti ko dahil hindi naman ako sanay na tumakbo. "Are you sleepy?"

I look up at him and catch him looking down at me. He's smiling when he nods, at kita ko na nga ang antok at pagod sa mga mata niya. His free hand reaches for my hair and pushes it away from my face. "Mej. Keri naman mag-drive," he says before looking away, grabbing his coffee cup, and taking a sip.

We stay there for maybe ten or fifteen minutes, unintentionally eavesdropping sa pinagkukuwentuhan n'ung dalawang driver na kasama namin sa bench. When they left, nag-aya na rin si Chio na umalis kami dahil parehas namang ubos na namin ang iniinom namin.

"Tara na, Aju." The nickname's new. "Natatae na 'ko."

I hit his face lightly with the bouquet I'm holding, careful not to ruin it. He merely laughs, pulling me with him para makauwi na kami. He drives a bit more slowly on our way back. Pagdating naman namin, mukhang wala namang nagising sa mga kasama namin.

"Where am I going to put this?" I ask, pertaining to the bouquet I'm holding, as he takes the helmet off my head.

Parang napaisip din siya. I don't feel comfortable bringing this inside our room. Magtatanong sina Eri bukas. And I can just say na Chio and I went outside to buy this . . . pero baka mang-asar si Sab.

"Sa kotse mo? Sa loob?" Chio suggests.

"I don't know . . ." I look around as if a place where I can hide the bouquet will magically appear. Chio reaches for the top of my head and fixes my hair again. "Pero wala nga yata akong choice."