When Love Grows (COMPLETED)

Chapter 30

When Love Grows (30)

"Hi, Maya!" I made her rise so I can replaced her from the swing because I wanted her to sit on my lap. She was busy with my phone playing some barbie make over game. Alam kong nakatingin sa amin si Miguel habang nakatayo hindi malayo sa amin. "Maya tara ligo?" I gently said. She excitedly nodded and gave me back my phone.

"Ate Prechut indi sasama Kuya ko?" Hawak ko 'yung kamay niya habang naglalakad kami sa mababaw.

"Baka hindi." I held her in my arms habang nasa tubig na kami. She was enjoying with me. There were tiny flowers on the side kaya pinagdikit dikit niya tapos she wanted me to pretend like a princess and I gladly played along with her. She wanted us to go to somewhere deeper but I told her we can't, hindi naman ako matangkad tulad ng Kuya niya kaya hindi ko siya kayang kargahin sa shoulder ko.

"Ate Prechut ganda ganda ka na!" she's getting her cheeks reddish. I struggled to press my phone's button dahil medyo basa pa 'yung kamay ko.

"Tara picture tayo. Para may remembrance."

She was so amazed when she saw us on the front cam. "Ay! Ate Prechut ganda ko rin, oh!" Her color looks so beautiful on her, too. Just like her Kuya. She was hugging me while I was fixing her hair from covering on the side of her face.

"You like it?" I asked.

"Po?"

I chuckled. "Sabi ko nagustuhan mo ba?" I embraced her when she happily nodded. She's one of my happy pill. Pumunta kami sa malalim na part. We didn't dipped and stayed their to feel the water on my legs. Sinabihan ko naman siya na 'wag siyang tatalon habang naka-upo kami.

"Ate Prechut, balik na tayo kay Kuya sa duyan." I tried not to show my pained face from her while she was waiting for me get up too habang naka sawsaw pa ang mga binti ko sa tubig.

"Mauna ka. Susunod nalang ako mamaya. Kunin mo na 'tong phone ko. Maglaro ka na ulit," sumunod naman siya sa sinabi ko at naglakad na siya pabalik sa duyan.

Oh, gosh. I felt the muscle cramp in my feet and I can't stand up when it would suddenly occur like this. Buti nalang hindi ko na hawak si Maya dahil baka mabitawan ko siya. I wouldn't be able to hold her in my arms because I'd definitely struggle from stilling. I remembered on our P.E subject we had this swimming practicum and I almost get drown while exhibiting this butterfly stroke and my toes experienced the same.

Sobrang ramdam na ramdam kong namimilipit 'yung toes ko! "Precious, bakit ang tagal mo?" I heard Miguel said. My face were probably distorted from pain and didn't want him to see it.

"I'll dip for a bit!" I said loudly not looking at him. He'd only seen my back habang naka-upo ako dito. Fudge...ang sakit! "S-Sandali nalang!" I was staring at my toes, looked like it will not straighten just yet.

I bit my lips when I felt the twisting pain inside. I was calming myself and trying to breath normally habang nararamdaman kong sobrang sakit na talaga. My legs were dipped in the water so he couldn't notice what's happening under. My tears had fell and he exactly made me faced him. I wipe the tears away.

He sunk himself in the water and straightened my toes. "Bakit 'di mo sinasabi."

"H-Hey! Masakit!" I said crying. How did he noticed it?

"Dapat sinabi mo agad." He was in the water and still trying to stretch my toes. I felt the muscles had calm already. Ramdam ko pa naman pero kaya ko naman na maglakad.

"Thank you...tara na." Agad kong sinabi. I stood up and turned my back at him. Gusto kong maglakad pabalik, paalis mula sa kanya. My mind was telling me not to ignore him. I blew a short breath giving in to what I finally decided to do.

Bumalik ako sa kanya. He was still there looking at me. "Tara na," I offered my hand.

He didn't accepted my hand. I averted my eyes into something when he effortlessly got himself out of the water. His expression didn't change. He didn't smile or smirk. I didn't hear him chuckled. Sana nauna nalang pala ako. Naglakad na ako pabalik habang nakasunod siya sa akin.

"Maya, tama na 'yan. Lumapit ka na sa'kin," I heard him said. I started fixing our things. Ibinalik ko na sa eco bag na hawak ko 'yung lalagyan na dala ko. Miguel was drying her already. I got my towel from my bag para hindi ako lamigin. Kinuha na ni Miguel 'yung gamit pati 'yung eco bag ko.

"Kuya, buhat..." She yawned. She almost drop my phone kaya kinuha ko na sa kanya. Binuhat naman niya agad si Maya. He doesn't have a towel wrap around him. He was still topless and I could clearly see the droplets of water falling behind his back. Sobrang tahimik. Yung mga naatapakan lang naming dahon ang naririnig ko habang naglalakad kami. Wala talagang balak kausapin ako.

Malapit na kami sa bahay niya and I already planned staying at his house. Sana, kasi okay naman kahapon. That's what I had told him just like usual, but I wouldn't want him like this around me, silent and cold. Pipiliin ko nalang umuwi, "I'll go ahead...bye Maya."

Maya was grumpy. She wanted to sleep already but she needed to get bath first. "Maliligo ka muna nga. Ako ang magliligo sa'yo." I waited for them to get done. Mabilis lang naman siyang natapos. Habang pinapalitan siya ni Miguel ng damit ako na ang sumunod na maligo. I used their soap and shampoo. Wala naman kasi akong dala. Ang hirap magpalit sa loob ng CR. Nag-aalala ako na baka mahulog ang isa sa mga damit ko.

Paglabas ko ng banyo si Miguel naka abang sa labas.

I went to their room dahil nandun si Maya I thought I would see her playing on my phone pero hindi. I lied beside. My presence must've awakened her. "Sorry, sorry..." I said gently and patted her back her para maibalik niya 'yung tulog niya. We were on the left side, not so close to edge naman dahil nasa gitna ako. In the middle of patting her back...I fell asleep.