Salem's Eyes (COMPLETED)

30 Salem

Para akong tangang nakatitig sa orasan. I have been staring at it for thirty minutes now. I wasn't sleeping yet because it was Caius' birthday and I wanted to text him exactly at twelve midnight. I know it was high school shit but who cares.

The short message was already composed an hour ago or so. It wasn't long and sappy. It was just simple because I already wrote him a letter. I inserted it in the gift that I bought for him.

Happy birthday, baby. I'm sorry that I don't get to celebrate it with you this year. I'll make it up to you when you come back. I love you and I miss you so much.

I sent it right after the clock turned 12 midnight. Nagitla pa ako nang biglang tumunog ang cellphone ko.

I bit my lip when I saw from the screen that he was calling.

We don't get to talk everyday because he was busy there. Apart from babysitting, he was helping his dad on harvesting some fruits everyday. Tapos kasama pa s'ya sa delivery. Madalas ay gabi na s'ya nakakauwi at agad na nakakatulog dahil sa pagod. One more thing, they didn't have wifi connection there and the signal was poor. It was really frustrating that I only get to talk to him seldom. It was making me miss him terribly.

"Happy birthday!/ Happy birthday!" sabay pa naming sabi noong sagutin ko 'yung tawag n'ya. I pursed my lips and quietly listened to his laugh.

"'Di ba palit tayo ng birthday?" natatawang tugon n'ya noong matapos s'yang tumawa.

I sighed and leaned my back against my bed's headboard. He wouldn't be here until few weeks. I have been spending my summer with my cousins and Tony. I volunteered on looking after him. Dinala s'ya ni Caius dito bago sila umalis kaya tuwang-tuwang 'yung mga pinsan ko. Whenever I feel bored, I talk to him. Tony liked me but not as much as he loves Caius. Pinakikisamahan lang naman n'ya ako tuwing may pagkain akong dala para sa kanya.

"Silly." I replied while stopping myself from smiling. I have never been this away from him this long. Ang pinakamatagal na yata naming hindi pagsasama ay one week lang.

This was completely different. It was torturous in every freaking level. I couldn't even talk to him on the phone everyday. Hindi pa kami makapag-video call. I just wanted to see his face and smile for once. Kahit na malapit na s'yang umuwi, pakiramdam ko ang tagal pa rin.

Napaisip tuloy ako kung paano natatagalan ng iba ang long distance relationship.

"I thought you'd be asleep by now."

"Akala ko nga din tulog ka na, eh. Thank you pala dun sa text mo, ah? Sana kasama kita. Miss na miss na talaga kita."

I closed my eyes and imagined him next to me. That was the closest thing that I could be with him. I was pathetic, I know. But being away from him was just really hard.

"How are you?" tanong ko. The last call we had was two days ago. I got to talk to him for ten minutes.

"Pagod? Pero okay lang. Sabi kasi ni tatay lalakas ako kapag napu-pwersa ako."

"Don't force yourself too much, okay?"

"Ikaw? Kamusta ka na?"

I wanted to tell him that I wasn't doing okay because I miss him so much. But I also didn't want him to feel bad so I just kept my real answer at the back of my tongue.

"I'm fine. I'm spending a lot of time with my cousins and Tony."

Nahiga ako at niyakap ang isa sa mga unan ko. God, if I could just drive all the way there, I'd do it. Pero alam kong hindi ako papayagan dahil malayo at delikado. Atsaka ilang linggo nalang naman, eh. I could wait a little more.