War in Katipunan

Kabanata 8

KABANATA 8.

Sanity.

“YOU don’t have to do this, you know. I can book a grab.” Kabado akong naglakad sa likod ni Luthor habang tinatahak ang daan pabalik sa sasakyan niya.  Masyado niyang sineryoso ‘yong pakiusap ng mga traydor kong kaibigan kaya ngayon ay kinakabahan ako ng bongga! ‘Di ko rin alam kung bakit ako kinakabahan. Siguro kasi nangangamba ako na baka may gawin nanaman akong katangahan. Juscolored wag naman po.

Nang makarating kami sa tapat ng kotse niya ay pinagbuksan niya agad ako ng pinto. I looked at him as he opened the shotgun seat for me. Hindi muna ako pumasok doon; I turned to him. He was also looking at me. Oh boy. Don’t look at me like that, Luthor.

“Hindi mo naman ako kailangang ihatid, Luthor. I’ll just book a grab—”

“It’s already midnight, Spica. It’s not safe anymore.” He cut me off. I was about to say something but he cut me off again! Attitude ka sis?!

“And you’re not going anywhere wearing a wet skirt, Spica.” He said. His dark eyes was looking at me intently. Parang wala talaga siyang balak na pasakayin ako sa ibang sasakyan. And I realized that he’s right. I can’t commute while I’m like this. At kahit na magpumilit pa ako ay ‘di rin naman ako makakapag-commute dahil halata namang hindi papayag ang isang ‘to. I just sighed and entered his car. I saw his smile while closing the door. Lumibot siya para makapasok na rin sa sasakyan.

He’s still wearing that killer smile when he opened the engine of his car. Binuksan niya rin ang stereo ng sasakyan niya. Pwedeng co-mo-nnect sa Bluetooth doon kaya’t kinuha niya ang phone niya na nasa dashboard ng kotse at ikinonnect iyon sa stereo ng sasakyan niya.

Napatingin ako sakaniya nang ini-abot niya saakin ang phone niya. He was handing it to me. I looked at him with questioning eyes.

“Open the spotify, you can choose the songs.” He said without looking at me. I smiled and grabbed his phone.

“Any specific genre that you like?” I asked while opening the spotify. Taray naka-premium, Sana all!

“You can choose.” My smile grew bigger at what he said. I checked if he have saved playlist in his spotify. At meron nga! Marami! I opened the first playlist and I almost jumped in glee when I saw the songs. OPM! Nang tignan ko ang pangalawang playlist ay mas lalo pa akong sumaya. We listen to the same type of music!

This may be a small thing for others but this is a big thing for me. Seeing someone with the same music taste as mine makes me happy. At least ‘di ako nag-iisa ‘no!

Still smiling, I clicked Sanity by Lola Amour. The nice beat of the song echoed in his car. Sumabay rin ako sa kanta and I smiled when I heard him singing along too! Nagpatuloy lang ang biyahe namin papunta sa condo. We were singing along to the songs that were being played. Para lang kaming nag-roadtrip. We were not talking but I felt happy.

Things like this makes me happy. Just merely listening to my favorite songs makes me happy. What more if I shared the song with someone, right?

Nakarating kami sa tower kung nasaan ang unit namin ni Fita after thirty minutes. Kinuha ko ang plastic bag kung nasaan ang basa kong damit at ang stiletto ko. I looked at Luthor when he opened the door for me. I just smiled at him and get out of the car. Nang isinara niya ang pinto ay tumingin ako ulit sakaniya.

“Thanks for dropping me off and letting me borrow your shirt. Lalabhan ko muna ‘to at isasauli ko nalang.” I said, smiling.

“You can keep my shirt.” Tipid niyang sabi. He looked sleepy and his voice is deep so I assumed that he’s really sleepy.

“Um, you should go. Baka malayo pa ang uuwian mo.”

“Sa condo ako ng tito ko sa BGC uuwi. It’s near.” He said with more energy this time. Natawa nalang ako dahil halata namang pinipilit niya lang ang sarili niyang magising kahit ang totoo naman ay antok na talaga niya.

“Park your car. Sumama ka sa’kin sa taas.” Agad naman siyang tumalima at pumasok sa sasakyan niya para i-park iyon ng maayos. I waited for him at the lobby, thinking about my decision on inviting him on our unit. There’s nothing wrong with that, right? I will just give him coffee para naman gising siya kapag nag-drive siya pauwi. Iwas na rin sa aksidente.

Ilang minuto pa ay nakita ko nang pumasok si Luthor sa lobby. Lumapit ako sakaniya at sabay na kaming naglakad papunta sa elevator. I pushed our floor button and the elevator door closed. Walang nagsasalita saamin ni Luthor. I looked at him through the mirror and I saw his sleepy face. I chuckled at that. Even with his sleepy face, he still looks good. 

The elevator opens when we arrived at our floor. I motioned him to follow me and he obediently followed. I pushed the code when we arrived on our unit’s door step. Medyo tumagilid pa siya para hindi makita ang code ng unit naming. I smiled at that.

“Come in, make yourself comfortable. Magtitimpla lang ako ng kape.” I said while entering the unit. Mabuti naman at malinis ito. Nakakahiya namang papasukin dito ang kauna-unahan kong bisita maliban kina Rafa at Adi kung marumi itong condo ‘no.

“You are supposed to change your clothes first, right?” His voice was small and he looks so big inside our sala. I chuckled on how he looked so innocent in front of me. His features were dark and rough most of the time and his only soft feature is his voice. But this time, he looks so soft. His eyes were no longer dark, he was looking at me softly. Like I am a cute kitten.

“Ipagtitimpla muna kita ng kape at saka ako magbibihis.” He just nodded and didn’t say anything. Umupo na siya sa sofa. I get the remote from the center table and opened the TV. I gave him the remote before going to the kitchen. I can hear the sound coming from the TV, he’s watching Netflix.

Kinuha ko nalang ang coffee maker at nagsimulang gumawa ng kape. I don’t know if he like it black or with cream. I just made a black coffee and got the cream ang sugar ready if he wants to put some. Pagkatapos ay bumalik na ako sa sala para tawagin siya. I was about to call for his name when I was his head resting on the hand rest of the sofa. Is he sleeping? Lumapit ako doon. His eyes were shut close.

“Luthor?” I called him but he didn’t answered. Tinapik ko rin ang braso niya but he didn’t even budge. Tulog na nga talaga siya. In-off ko na ang TV dahil tinulugan na niya. Hindi ko rin siya masisisi. Maga-alas dos na ng madaling araw at marami rin ata siyang nainom kanina. Tapos ng drive pa siya, malamang pagod ‘to.

I let out a sigh. Gigisingin ko ba siya? Pero kawawa naman, mukhang antok na antic na talaga siya. Kung dito naman siya matutulog, paano ‘to aayusin? Hindi maayos ang pagkakahiga niya sa sofa. Baka sumakit ang leeg niya pagkagising niya.

Kahit nahihirapan ay sinikap kong ayusin ang pagkakahiga niya sa sofa. Shit! Ang bigat niya! But I have to do this. Medyo may ambag din ako sa pagod niya ngayon kaya dapat lang lang na tulungan ko siya. Nang maiayos ko ang higa niya sa sofa ay na-realize ko ulit kung gaano siya kalaking tao. Halata naman dahil hindi siya kasya sa sofa namin. He looked like a cold puppy in our sofa. At hindi man lang siya nagising kahit inayos ko na ang pagkakahiga niya! Tulog mantika pala ang isang Luthor de Leon.

Pumasok ako sa kuwarto ko para kumuha ng extrang unan at kumot. Nilagyan ko ng unan ang ulo ni Luthor at kinumutan na rin. Medyo lumalamig na rin kasi dahil alas dos na. Pagkatapos ay bumalik ako sa kusina para iligpit ang kapeng ginawa ko. Nag-effort pa ‘ko sa paggawa nito tapos tutulugan niya lang?! psh.

Pagkatapos magligpit at masigurong maayos na ang tulog ni Luthor ay pumasok na ulit ako sa kuwarto ko para maligo. Nilabhan ko na rin ‘yong mga basa kong damit at ‘yong shirt ni Luthor. After freshening up, I wore my blue pajamas and get out of my room. Hindi ko alam pero biglang nawala ang antok ko pagkatapos kong maligo.

My eyes darted on the man peacefully sleeping on our sofa. Naglakad papalapit doon. Lumuhod ako para magpantay ang mga mukha namin. Tulog na tulog siya ay medyo nakaawang pa ang labi. Napangiti ako. He look like a baby. Hindi naman pala masyadong nakakatakot ang mukha niya kapag tulog siya. Unconsciously, I counted the gap of our age. Is it five years or four?

Teka, ano ba ‘tong iniisip ko? Why am I even concerned with our age gap? I sighed and stood up. Baka kung ano nanamang pumasok sa isip ko kapag nagtagal pa ‘ko kung saan siya malapit. I was about to walk away when his phone beeped. Nasa center table iyon. I noticed that someone texted him.

Ate Lilac?

Hindi ako chismosa pero hindi ko alam kung anong sumapi sa’kin ngayon at kinuha ko ang phone niya para basahin ang text. You are so fucked up, Spica. Nangingialam ng gamit ng iba!

Walang password ang phone niya kaya’t madali kong nabuksan ang message.

Luthor istg I’m going to punch your freakin face! Asan ka? Bat di ka umuwi dito? Umuwi ka ba sa condo mo?

Kumunot ang noo ko nang mabasa iyon. They seem close, basing on the text. I don’t know any Lilac. But I have a hunch that she is his cousin or sister maybe? Ilalapag ko na sana ulit ang phone sa center table nang mag-simula itong mag-ring! Nataranta ako kaya’t agad kong napindot ang receive button. Oh your stupid ass is acting up again, Spica. Great!

“Luthor? Where the hell are you?!” I was welcomed by a voice of a woman. Luthor’s Ate Lilac is on the other line and I am nervous as hell! Ano nalang sasabihin ko kapag tinanong ako nito kung bakit ko hawak ang phone ni Luthor? Oh my gosh. Luthor, wake up!

“H-hello?”

“Who are you?” napangiwi ako. Ano bang sasabihin ko? Luthor’s friend? Teka, friends ba kami? Alangan namang sabihin kong, hello po ako po ‘yong kainuman ni Luthor. Parang ang weird naman no’n ‘di ba.

“Hi po. I’m Spica. I was with Luthor earlier.”

“Oh, sorry. Hi spica, si Luthor?” her voice softened. I can easily distinguish the similarity between her and Luthor. Pareho silang soft magsalita.

“Um, the thing is, h-he drop me off to my unit but he fell asleep on my sofa. So yeah, he’s sleeping.” Halos malunok ko na ang lahat kong laway pagkatapos kong sabihin ‘yon. Nakakakabang kausap ang Ate ni Luthor kahit halata namang mabait. Feeling ko malalagutan ako ng hininga!

“He… drop you off to your unit? Si Luthor? Hinatid ka?” she sounded like she can’t believe what I just said. I heard her murmur something but I didn’t hear it. Parang kinakausap niya ang sarili niya. Ang weird.

“Ah, opo.”

“Ay hehe. Sige Spica, pakisabi nalang kay Luthor na tumawag ako. Sige, enjoy!” she ended the call. I looked at the screen of Luthor’s phone. Ang weird ng Ate niya. Kasing weird niya. Pero mukha namang mabait ang Ate niya dahil hindi naman ako tinarayan or what. I just sighed and put the phone back to the center table.

Pumasok na ako sa kuwarto ko at nahiga na sa kama. This is a very long day for me. But I enjoyed it anyway. I closed my eyes and before I dozed to sleep, a smile escaped my lips.

I am happy.

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Sanity by Lola Amour on the media section.