Laments of Broken Strings (Arte del Amor #1)

Chapter 21

"Good morning, sleepyhead..." Ashriel said when he noticed me wake up from my deep slumber.

The car is currently moving at hindi ko masabi kung nasaan na kami. Nasa backseat ako ng sasakyan, doon niya ako hiniga para siguro ay makatulog ako nang maayos.

"I want to move there, nagmukha ka tuloy driver ko." sabi ko sa kaniya. At dahil tinatamad na akong bumaba pa ay pilit nalang akong tumayo nang kaunti para makalipat sa front seat.

"Lyrica." he scolded my sudden action.

Dahil sa ginawa ko ay ipinarada niya muna ang sasakyan at hinawakan ang baywang ko para maalalayan ako.

"Careful..." May kamay din siya na nakaalalay sa ulo ko para hindi ako mauntog.

"Thanks." I said when I successfully transferred from the backseat to the seat beside him. Napatingin ako sa kaniya, mukha siyang pagod. I want to ask him to sleep first but I do not know how to drive...

He noticed my stares and raised his eyebrow at me, questioning the look on my face. He handed me a burger, "Kain ka muna. Medyo malayo pa tayo."

"Oo nga pala, I talked to your parents and they told me that it's okay even if we don't go back there just yet..." seryoso niyang sinabi.

"Nakausap mo na sila?" tanong ko.

"Oo, kahapon nung pinuntahan kita."

Ngayon ay unti-unti kong naaalala ang lahat ng mga pangyayari kahapon at kanina. I can't decide whether to call it a nightmare or not.

"What were you even doing in Manila?"

He chuckled. "Gusto lang naman kitang makita. Is that so bad?"

"You could have at least told me!" Gusto niya lang akong makita pero higit pa doon ang naabutan niya.

"I acted on impulse. At tsaka hindi kita isasama sa Tagaytay hangga't hindi ako nakapagpaalam sa kanila."

"They agreed?" medyo nabigla kong tanong. Even if my parents are very thrilled about me having friends, they still wouldn't let him go that easily.

Tumawa siya, "Syempre. Ako pa ba?" Sa sobrang yabang ng tono ng boses niya ay pinalo ko ang braso niya. "Seryoso nga, Ashriel!"

Hinimas niya 'yong parte kung saan ko siya pinalo at ngumiwi.

"Of course, they agreed. They even told me to get you out of Manila as soon as possible." napaos ang boses niya sa huling sinabi.

Tumango ako, that makes sense.

Sa kahabaan ng biyahe ang ilang sulyap ang ninakaw niya mula sa akin.

"What is it?" tanong ko nang mahuli ko na talaga siya sa akto.

"You alright?"

"I am."

His hands were fidgeting and tapping nonstop on the steering wheel, I could tell by his actions that he wanted to talk about it but decided to be silent about it.

Alam niya na rin naman, eh... Nakakapanghinayang lang na hindi niya pa mismo narinig galing sa akin iyon. But at least, that's a start.

"I'm going to talk about Railey."

"You don't have to talk if you don't want to. You can always tell me anything, anytime. We have all the time in the world."

Umiling ako.

I want him to know, I am ready to bare my soul to him because he has proven that he is not someone who would invalidate my feelings.

Ayaw ko na ring magtago pa ng kahit ano sa kanya. He's trying to be completely honest with me and I should do the same.