Holding on to His Promises

Chapter 26: Argument

I was calling Dylan but he wasn't answering, I didn't know where he was. He texted me earlier that he couldn't drive me home so I went home to his pad alone. But it was now midnight, yet he wasn't going home.

"The number you have dialed is out of coverage area . . ."

Asar na binaba ko na lang ang cellphone ko at umupo sa kama. I leaned my back against the headboard of the bed; then, I closed my eyes. I felt a little bit dizzy. I heaved a sigh and was about to lay down when I heard the door creak open. It was Dylan; and in the way he moved, I knew that he was drunk. Napapadalas ata ang pag-inom niya.

"Dylan." Napatayo ako at sinalubong siya. "You're drunk," I told him. His face was tinged with red but he still looked fine, but his eyes looked tired. I supported him because he might fall down.

"I'm sorry. I went to my friend's party." He held me. "Did you miss me?" He kissed me on the cheek. He smelled alcohol.

Bahagya ko siyang tinulak palayo sa akin. "Why you didn't tell me?" Hindi ko pinansin ang tanong niya.

He looked at me and heaved a sigh. "You don't need to be there. No girls were allowed." He walked past me and went straight to bed. He lay down. I just sat on the bed and stared at him. He opened his eyes and looked at me. "Come here." He beckoned to me. "Lay down beside me. I've missed you." He looked stupid but he still looked handsome, so I found him cute.

Napailing lang ako sa kanya. "I don't want your smell. You smell alcohol," nakasimangot na sabi ko.

Nagtaka ako nang bumangon siya at dumiretso sa banyo. It took a few minutes before he went out of there and then he removed his sweater and now he was just wearing a shirt. Nang muli siyang bumalik sa kama, amoy mouth wash na siya.

"Do I still smell alcohol?" he asked. Lumapit siya sa akin at hinila ako palapit sa kanya. He hugged me.

Napatawa ako ng mahina. "Nag-effort ka pa talaga, no?"

He didn't talk again. When I lifted up my gaze to him, his eyes were closed. I caressed his face. "Hey, matutulog ka na?" I asked him.

"Hindi, gigising na," sagot niya. Napanguso naman ako. Ayan na naman siya sa pagiging pilosopo niya.

"Adik ka talaga," sabi ko.

"Adik sayo." Tumaas ang sulok ng gilid ng labi niya.

"Talaga?" Pinisil ko ang pisngi niya.

"Stop it," reklamo niya habang pikit pa rin ang mga mata niya. "Or else . . ." dugtong niya.

"Or else?"

"We will not sleep tonight."

"Baliw."

"Sayo."

Napatawa ako at muling pinisil ang pisngi niya. Napatigil ako nang hawakan niya ang kamay ko at bumukas ang mata niya.

"You thought I was kidding?"

The last thing I knew was, he kissed me passionately.

***

I couldn't focus my attention to my professor because of my headache and I felt weak like I was so tired. I coughed so I took my water and drank it. Hindi ko maiwasang kabahan sa nararamdaman ko ngayon. Iba na ang pakiramdam ko. There was something wrong with my body.

Nang magring ang bell bilang sensyales na break time na namin, Keith, my classmate, approached me before I was about to leave the classroom.