Pursuing from the Shore

CHAPTER 22

Alapaap by Eraserheads

Chapter 22

"H-Huh?" my lips parted, we are now few inches away from each other. Davin's totally towering his height over me, making me lost my words as I looked at him directly.

"What, Red?" he gulped, hopeful. "Hindi mo ba ako yayakapin?"

I was unable to hear my surroundings. Only I could hear was my racing heartbeat that seems taking forever to calm down. I took a half step forward, getting more closer to him. When I couldn't stand his siren gaze anymore, I bumped my forehead onto his chest, slowly wrapping my hands around his waist.

"Davin!" I exclaimed when he pulled me closer to him as he embraced me for a warm and tight hug.

Nakatagilid na ang ulo ko ngayon. My ear was directly pressed against his chest, and I was finally able to hear his heartbeat. Sobrang lakas ng tibok ng puso niya.

"Ngayon alam mo na," bulong ni Davin, yakap-yakap pa rin ako. "Tangina, sobrang saya ko."

Being so close to him makes me feel warm. His ceaseless and reassuring heartbeat sounds carefully in my ears. My doubts vanished as we hugged each other in a matter of seconds, my thoughts attained peace and silence. Wrapped in his arms, I feel completely safe—I feel secured, warm, comforted, and completely contented just by being with him.

"I've heard it already," I muttered. "Aren't you going to let me go now?"

"Not yet," sagot niya agad.

Tumingala na ako sa kanya. He's looking at my eyes. Sobrang lapit ng mukha namin sa isa't isa. With millisecond passed, I was getting drown by his gaze and found myself leaning more closer as I looked at him from his eyes down to his lips.

I gulped.

"Nasaan na ba si Davin? Nawawala 'yong birthday celebrant natin!"

Binitawan agad namin ang isa't isa. Kinabahan ako nang may marinig akong yapak sa green grasses na sa tingin ko ay hinahanap na si Davin. 

"Uhm, I'll just walk through here. Magpakita ka na sa kanila. I have to go," sunod-sunod kong sabi sa kanya.

He looked at me first, a bit hesitant, but he nodded carefully.

"O-Okay," ngumiti siya sa akin. "At thank you. . . sa regalo mo."

Magkaiba kami ng direksyon na nilakaran. He probably went to his friends who were looking for him there. While me, I walked through the opposite as I carefully taking my steps. Mahirap na, baka may makahalata pa.

Matiwasay akong nakabalik sa table nina Renz. He looks surprised when he saw me, natigil pa nga siya sa pag-nguya ng pagkain.

"Twinnie!" he called me. I just nodded before taking my seat next to him.

"You're Redler, right? Saan ka nanggaling?" tanong sa aking ng kaibigan ni Renz. She's Janna, I think. Classmate silang dalawa.

"I had an upset stomach earlier, sorry, I needed to find a restroom," I nervously reasoned. Mabuti naman at tumango lang siya at hindi na nagtanong.

We stayed there for a while. Nanatili kaming kumakain doon. Habang papatagal nang papatagal, mas dumarami pa ang dumadating na bisita. They are, no doubt, Davin's aunt and uncle. 'Yong iba ay baka bisita na nina Ma'am Eve at Atty. Velazco dahil sa mismong loob ng bahay sila dumiretso. 

Maingay pa rin ang paligid dahil sa videoke. Renz suddenly nudge me to get my attention. I cast him a glare when he bumped my hand with a spoonful of food.

"What?" mahina ngunit madiin kong tanong.

"What happened?" he muttered. Tsk, nagising na naman ang pagiging chismoso niya.