Second Time Around • SB19 Ken [On-going]

CHAPTER 20

Chapter 20

I flinched when I suddenly woke up. Shit, panaginip lang pala. Pumikit ako at huminga ng malalim para kalmahin ang sarili. I was just about to hug the pillow that I have beside me when I realized that it's far from a pillow.

My dream... It was real. Kael was really laying her head on my arms while hugging me, making our bodies feel the warmth of each other. I mean, nanaginip talaga ako. At pagkagising ko, totoo palang nangyayari ang nasa panaginip ko. The only difference is she's not awake.

Just like in my dream, my heart also raced. Seeing her forehead leaning on my chest, her lips parted a bit, and her messy hair, even the feeling of her legs against mine, it all contributes to the wild pumping inside my chest.

I was just staring at her and didn't know what to do. Mas lalo pang lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko nang mas lumapit ang katawan niya sa 'kin at mas humigpit din ang yakap niya sa bewang ko. Not only her forehead, but also her nose is now touching my chest. I am only wearing a thin shirt and I could feel her skin against it. She looks, I don't know, comfortable? Calm? At ease? I don't want to assume, but that's what I see.

Hindi ko na naman napigilan ang sarili ko at para bang kusa na lang gumalaw ang kamay ko para hawiin ang buhok niya palayo sa kaniyang mukha. I kept caressing her hair while staring at her. She has such a long, straight, silky, and very healthy hair. No one asked but I like this part of her.

I am a quiet type of person, but I am very straightforward too. When I like someone, I am not shy to show that I'm happy around them, that I care for them. I am not embarrassed to show them how I really feel. And when I don't like a person, I can tell them without speaking, they would easily get it through my actions.

But with Kael, I don't know, I'm confused. Perhaps because we met in such an unusual way? Isa pa, we barely know each other in fact. We barely talk about each other's personal businesses, kahit na magkasama kami sa loob ng ilang linggo na ngayon.

Well, maybe I'm just feeling this because we've been staying on the same roof for quite a while. Siguro dahil siya lang ang tanging tao na hindi ko pa close personally, pero close na agad kami in terms of space. Yeah, maybe...

Hindi niya nalaman ang pangyayari kaninang umaga dahil hindi ko siya ginising. Hinayaan ko lang siya sa pwestong iyon at nag concentrate na rin para matulog. When I woke up, she's not on the bed already. At hindi ko na alam kung ano ang pwesto namin nang magising siya, wala rin naman siyang nababanggit.

She was busy with her work so I didn't bother her. Nakaupo lang ako sa couch hbang gamut ang cellphone. Ito ang maganda pag walang kahit anong event, sched, o ano. Nakakapag pahinga kami ng maayos at nagagawa ang lahat ng gustong gawin.

While I was scrolling on Facebook, I saw her shared post, a memory from 10 years ago. It was a photo of her when she was just high school I guess, ang pangit pa ng quality ng camera nung panahong 'to. Nasa classroom siya sa litratong ito at naka peace pose pa ang parehas na kamay. Batang bata pa ang itsura niya dito. Higit sa lahat, maiksi ang buhok.

"Maiksi pala buhok mo dati?" I can't help but to ask.

She looked at me with confusion at first, then she realized it afterwards.

"Ahh, nakita mo yung shinare ko?" Tanong din niya.

"Hmm," I hummed while still looking at her photo.

"Short hair talaga ako noon mula pagkabata. Ngayon lang ako nagkaroon ng chance na mag long hair." Sagot niya.

Tumango-tango ako. "Bakit ka nag long hair?"

"Ikaw? Bakit ka nagpapakulay ng buhok?" Tanong niya rin.