My eyes flew open, and I found myself staring at the ceiling of my room. The sunlight from the only window in my room was peeking through the curtains. I couldn't hear my alarm ringing in the background so I must have woken up earlier than seven o'clock.
I stayed in my bed, still trying to make sense between the dream I had and real life. Hindi ko masyadong maalala ang panaginip ko.
I remember going to the studio and dancing to exhaustion, receiving a text message from Summer, and Zeno coming in to say those things that I never imagined hearing from him.
Was it all just a dream?
There was no way it happened, right? Bakit naman ako pupuntahan ni Zeno para lang sabihin sa akin na 'wag na akong magpa-miss?
As if destiny really wanted me to wake up, my alarm clock began to ring. Huminga ako nang malalim. I rolled over and reached for my phone.
Pagkapatay ng alarm ay lumabas ang notification sa screen ko. A text message from Zeno.
Bubu 🥰:
Good morning.
Napabangon ako sa kama at kinusot ang mga mata ko para makasigurado na tama ang nakikita ko. WHAT IS DA MEANING OF THIS?!
I quickly opened my inbox. Hinanap ko ang thread namin ni Summer para ikumpirma ang nangyari kagabi na akala ko ay panaginip.
My hand flew to my mouth when I saw the text message from Summer. It was exactly what I read in my dream. I held my head and tried my best to remember what happened last night. The continuation of my dream, or so I thought.
"Ano 'to? Scam?" those were the first words that came out of my mouth.
Zeno's lips parted to say the first thing on his mind, but then he let out a sigh and shook his head. "No, Rei."
"Prank 'to 'no?" sabi ko sa isang maliit na boses.
Napapikit siya at matapos ay bahagyang humalakhak. He opened his eyes and smiled. "It's not a prank either."
"Weh?" pagdududa ko.
Zeno laughed and grunted. He surprised me when he pulled my arm. I stilled as he wrapped me in a hug, my face pressing against his chest.
Halos kumawala na ang puso ko sa dibdib ko. Kung hindi kami magkayakap ngayon ay baka bumagsak na 'yon sa sahig sa sobrang pagtibok. I bet Zeno could feel it through the hug.
Is this really? Is this really happening? Is Zeno really hugging me right now? Or did I just grow fatigue from all the dancing, and I am hallucinating right now?
I slowly raised my arm with the little room that I could move it to and slightly pinched Zeno's waist. He kept me in his embrace.
"What are you doing?"
"Check lang kung nananaginip ako," I mumbled against his chest.
"Shouldn't you be pinching yourself then?"
Oo nga naman. May point siya.
Inangat ko ang kamay ko at plano sanang pisilin ang braso ko pero hinigpitan niya ang yakap ko kaya hindi na ako nakagalaw at halos hindi na rin ako makahinga sa higpit ng yakap niya sa akin.
"There." Then he loosened the hug. "Does that feel real?"
Umiling ako. Humalakhak naman si Zeno at binitawan niya na ako. "You're too cute."
"Bye. Uuwi na ako," paalam ko at tinalikuran na siya para damputin ang mga gamit ko.
"What?"
"Nanaginip lang ako. 'Wag kang magulo," sabi ko at pinatay na ang speaker pati ang aircon. I unplugged the speaker and headed out.
