IT was already midnight ng matapos ang concert. Kagaya ng mga naunang concert ng Rebel ay naging successful din iyon. Nang mapansing kakaunti na lamang ang mga tao ay nagdesisyon na siyang lumabas ng concert hall. Sinadya niyang magpahuli para makaiwas sa dagsa ng mga nanood. She spotted a vending machine while walking on the deserted hallway and decided to buy a drink. Kanina pa siya nauuhaw.
Nabitawan niya ang nabiling bottled water ng biglang umalingawngaw sa katahimikan ang ringtone ng cellphone niya. She took out her ringing phone from her mailman bag. It was her sister.
“Hello?” aniya.
“Charmaine? Nasaan ka?”
“Ate, 'di ba ang sabi ko sa text may pupuntahan akong event at gagabihin ako ng uwi?”
Bumuntong-hininga ito. “I know. But, I was trying to call you earlier. Laging out-of-coverage. I got worried.”
“I’m fine, Ate. Pauwi na ko.” She could clearly imagine her Amanda’s worrying face right now. Madalang nga naman siyang gabihin sa labas.
“Mag-taxi ka na. Text me the plate number. I’ll call you on your way.”
“Okay. Sige na, Ate. Bye.” She hang up. “Now, where is that drink...”
Sinilip niya ang ilalim ng bench kung saan gumulong ang bottled water. Lumuhod siya at pilit inabot ang pasaway na inumin. “Please, sumuko ka na. Nauuhaw na ko.”
Nakakahiya ang posisyon niya ng mga oras na yun. Mabuti na lamang at naka-maong siya. Ilang sandali pa ay naabot na niya inumin. “Gotcha!”
Patayo na siya ng biglang may lumitaw na kamay sa kanyang harapan. Napasigaw siya sa sobrang pagkabigla at napaupo sa sahig. Tinignan niya ang nakalahad na kamay. Kamay ng lalake. Then, her eyes made their way to the man’s face. And her gaze met a pair of familiar blue eyes. She tried speaking but her brain won’t cooperate. She just sat there staring at Dwight’s serious face.
Namalayan na lamang niyang umangat ang kanyang katawan sa lupa ng alalayan siya nitong tumayo. Natagpuan na lamang niya ang sariling nakatayo ng malapit sa binata.
Gone was the beautiful boy she first met and fell in love with. It was now replaced by this ruggedly handsome man. Lalo din itong tumangkad. Sa taas nitong anim na talampakan, hindi man lang siya umabot sa balikat nito.
But, he still has this mysterious and untouchable aura around him.
Naalala niyang hawak pa rin siya nito. Tila napapasong binawi niya ang mga braso.
“Long time, no see... Charmaine.”
“D-Dwight—” She stopped when he gently touched her hair.
“Why did you cut your hair? I almost didn’t recognized you.” He looked at her straight in the eyes, his fingers playing with the soft strands.
She was speechless.
“Well... This style looks good on you, too.” Then, he gently touched her cheek. She shivered. “I could see your face more clearly.”
“Dwight!”
Napaigtad si Charmine. Inilayo ni Dwight ang kamay sa kanyang mukha. Nilingon nila ang direksyon ng tumawag. Kaagad niyang nakilala ang tatlong lalakeng naglalakad palapit sa kanila.
“Kanina ka pa namin hinahanap. Nandito ka lang pala,” ani Raffy.
“Inaantay na nila tayo sa bar,” singit ni Ben. “Nakita mo na ba yung hinahanap mo?”
Dwight turned to her. “Yes.”
Kumabog ang kanyang dibdib.
Napatingin na din ang tatlong lalake sa kanya. Anjo stepped forward and looked at her intently. He smiled as recognition dawned on his face.
BINABASA MO ANG
Snow Dwight
Romance"The apple was thus considered, in ancient Greece, to be sacred to Aphrodite, and to throw an apple at someone was to symbolically declare one's love; and similarly, to catch it was to symbolically show one's acceptance of that love." - Wikipedia Te...
