My Friend is beside Me

#10-Y

"AIRES!!!!!! AIRES!!!!!" Umalingaw-ngaw ang boses ko sa kabuuan ng kweba.

Pagkakuha ko ng consolation prize ay agad na nagpalit ako ng damit at nang sapatos dumeretsyo kaagad ako sa kweba. Hindi ko na binura ang make-up ko.

I'm just excited to tell him. That I won.

Nakailang tawag ako pero walang sumagot at hindi ko siya makita kahit nakaflashlight ako.

Patuloy ako sa pagtawag hanggang sa pumunta na ako sa kwarto niya. Where is he?

Bigla akong nakaramdam ng kaba.

Pagbukas ko ng pinto ng kwarto niya ay madilim. Akmang bubuksan ko na ang ilaw sa kwarto ng bigla itong bumukas.

Napatalon ako sa gulat ng biglang pagsabog ng confetti. "CONGRATULATIONS DILI!!!!" Sigaw ni Aires.

Gulat na gulat naman ako. I don't know how to react. I saw a banner at the back. Nakasulat doon na congrats Ms. East Timor.

Is he plan for this? How did he did this? He knows that I would probably win. He trust me that much. What the hell?

"Oh? Hindi ka na gumalaw dyan? Shocked ka?" Natatawang sabi niya at hinila ako papasok sa kwarto niya. Agad ko siyang niyakap.

I didn't expect this. That there is someone who will willing to celebrate my victory. Aires always here to support me. I don't want to celebrate any of my victory but knowing Aires was here to do that with me. I fucking want to celebrate that.

I did not cry. I just want to hug him. I don't know why.

He hug me back so tight. I felt that he kissed my temple. I admit it. His embraced is feel so good.

"Congrats, I know you would probably won" He whispered.

"Why you suprise me....I hate this" Yeah. I hate surprises. I don't want to be shocked for the suddenly actions of someone's prepared.

"I like you" Agad akong kumawala sa yakap niya at tsaka siya tinignan.

"What?"

"Let's eat" He smiled then gesture me to seat. He sat beside me. I saw a lot of food on the table. How he buy this all? "Mabuti nagmadali kang pumunta rito, kung hindi lumamig na'to" Aniya habang pinagsasandukan ako ng ulam.

"Excuse me! Hindi ako nagmamadaling pumunta rito no!" Tanggi ko at tinarayan siya.

Nilingon naman niya ako sabay turo sa make up ko. "Kaya pala fully make up ka pa" Natatawang sabi niya.

Napatakip naman ako ng mukha. Oh yeah right! What a nice lie Dili? Napapikit ako ng mariin.

Habang kumakain kami ay nagtanong ako.

"Magkano kaya ang tao?" I suddenly asked. Kaya nasamid si Aires sa kinakain niya. Agad siyang uminom ng tubig. Tapos ay hindi makapaniwala akong nilingon.

"What? You mean, you asking how much a human?" He confusedly asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm planning to buy one ......or two?" I shrugged. Then he laughed. What the hell? Inis ko siyang nilingon.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Is this the reason why you joined the pageant? For the consolation prize because you're planning to buy a person?" He amazely asked still laughing.

I nodded. "Yeah" nilabas ko yung pera na napalanunan ko. Binilang ko ito. "It's five thousand, magkano ba ang isang tao?" I asked again.

Umiling iling si Aires. "Yung totoo, sino ba talaga ang nakakulong sa kweba sa ating dalawa? Parang ikaw e." Natatawang sabi niya. "You're still innocent, Dili" Tumigil na siya sa pagtawa at tinitigan ako.

"What? I'm serious--"He cut me off.

"People didn't buy by money, how much rich you are.....you can't buy them by money" He said while staring at me.

My brows furrowed. "Why? I can't understand? I thought money can buy  anything in this earth?" I asked again.

"No, not money but love can please anything in this world" He corrected me.

I can't understand this man. What the hell is he talking about and why love suddenly mentioned to our conversation?

"I don't think so" I just said.

Tumikhim siya. "Bakit mo ba gustong bumili ng tao?" He asked.

"Well, I want to have friends, so I'm planning to buy some" I shrugged.

"Am I not enough?" He asked in a soft voice that gives shivers into my spine. What the...

I looked at him and he also staring at me that's why our eyes meet. His ash gray eyes reflect my figure.

I don't know what to say. Do I need to answer his question?

"Am I?" He asked again.

"You........you.....well......you--"My stuttering voice stopped when he laughed. But it's faked. I can sense it.

"It's okay. You have your best friend, right? I think she or he is enough to you, tho" He said then continue eating.

I keep looking at him.

"You're enough" I said that's why he stopped from eating.

"Don't say that if you just forcing to--" I cut him off.

"Why do I always go here if you're not enough? If you're not enough then I should find my new friends and play with them but I'm not, because I'm contented here. I'm contented with you" I said that's why he looked at me.

Napauwang pa ng bahagya ang labi niya. Is he can't believe what I said? Well, I also can't believe for what I said. It's just like my mouth had his own brain. I can't even tell to myself if I'm telling the truth.

"Dili......"He trilled off.

Nagiwas ako ng tingin. "Let's eat!....bago pa 'to lumamig!" Pagiiba ko. I can't take the awkwardness between us.

Tumango tango siya. "What do you want?" He asked. I'm relieved that he did not ask me more about that. Gosh! 'Cause I don't know the answer.

"Turon!" Turo ko doon sa turon. Nilagyan niya ako sa plato ko. "Wait! Ikaw ba ang nagluto ng lahat ng 'to? Paano?" Nakakunot noo ko siyang nilingon.

Umiling iling siya. "No, pinabili yung iba tapos yung iba niluto sa bahay" Aniya.

"Kanino ka nagpabili?" Tanong ko at nagsimula na kumain.

"Kina Mommy at Daddy, i said my friend won to a pageant so we need to celebrate that here......they already know about you" Sabi niya kaya nasamid ako sa kinakain ko.

"What?!" Gulat ko siyang nilingon.