Something That Glitters

21 // Butterfly Maelstrom

Butterfly Maelstrom

"Arch?" I asked while my eyes were still closed. I heard his soft laughter.

"Why won't you see me? Snooki, please open your eyes."

Siya nga! I wanna ugly-cry na. Napangiwi tuloy ako lalo. Ang arte ko talaga! "Ayoko. Baka pagmulat ko, wala ka naman! Nananaginip siguro ako. 'Cause, hello, I haven't seen you in days!"

"Nagtatampo ka?"

Nahimigan ko sa boses niya ang pang-aasar kaya binuksan ko na ang mata ko para irapan siya. "Feeling. Bakit naman ako magtatampo?"

It was supposed to be a joke, pero namula siya. Ako naman ang tumawa. "Char lang!"

He was still in his corporate attire; a white long-sleeved polo and a black loose tie, and on his arm hung his black blazer. My eyes hunted for it, and there I found his hand on the side, holding a brown paper bag where the mighty burgers probably were.

"Pero dahil may dala kang food, sige, crush na ulit kita." I shrugged. He smiled and shook his head. Tumabi ako nang kaunti para magka-space sa pintuan. "Pasok ka."

He pursed his lips, and his cheeks flushed a faint red. He didn't move. Why was he hesitating?

"Arch?"

"Uhh, do you maybe want to go up the rooftop?"

My lips slowly formed into a grin. Umiwas siya ng tingin at nagpanggap na umuubo. Nahihiya na naman. Gusto lang naman pala ay may view kami habang kumakain! Para siguro romantic.

Sige, pagbibigyan ko siya. Wala, e. Mabait talaga ako, kaya 'di makatanggi.

I quickly dashed to grab my yellow hoodie before I dashed back to my dashing boy. It was a lot of dashing, but I was just so dashingly giddy because I'd eat a burger.

"Kauuwi mo lang ba?" tanong ko kay Archer habang paakyat kami sa rooftop. It was just two floors above ours.

Tumango lang siya at saka binuksan ang industrial na pinto at pinauna niya akong makalabas. Maaliwalas na outdoor area ang bumungad sa 'kin. Napatigil ako dahil hindi naman ganito rito. There were lighted string lights twined around the metal railings, vining entirely the border of the place. The hue of the light warmed the ambiance of one cold night set atop of a rooftop in a dozed-off NYC. It was just how I loved it!

Sa gitna ng lugar ay may carpet, at sa ibabaw noon ay may makapal na comforter at napakaraming unan.

I swallowed the butterfly on my throat before I slowly peeked at Archer. It was hard to tell because of the lights around here, but I was pretty sure that his cheeks turned red—like it always did.

"Uh, I don't know about the lights," mabilis niyang tanggi habang nakatingin sa itaas.

"Sure, you don't." Nakapikit ako at umiling-iling. Sinakyan ko ang pagtatanggi niya habang nangingiti.

He sighed and looked down, this time. "No, you're right. I do."

I grinned. Nakatingala ako sa kanya habang naglalakad kami papuntang gitna. Sinundot ko ang tagiliran niya gamit ang tintuturo. "What a romántico!"

Pagkaupo sa gitna ay pinailalim ko kaagad sa comforter ang ibabang parte ng katawan ko. Si Archer naman ay umupo lang sa ibabaw ng comforter. Takot sigurong magkasala. Super char! Kekeke.

"This is... uhh... Uncle Benj's idea," he nervously started. Hindi siya makatingin sa 'kin. "Para..." tumigil siya para pumeke ng ubo, "manuyo." At saka muli na namang umubo.