I woke up with a very heavy head. I rolled over the bed with my eyes close. i was on that position for about 1 minute if I’m not mistaken. However, I suddenly realized that the smell of the room weren’t familiar to me.
Did I changed the scent of my room? Mukhang hindi ko naman naalala na binago ko ‘yong room scent. It’s more of like the smell of men.
Then suddenly, a scene of me kissing Lucas pops up in my head. My consciousness had quickly gotten into my system as I was trying to recall what happened. Literal talaga akong napabangon sa higaan na parang isang cadet nagte-training sa army.
I get up in bed and walk through the door. There I saw him at the counter to preparing a coffee. His masculine back and his biceps looks really good. Though his hair was a total mess, it suits him well.
Lumakad ako papunta sa kanya at tumukhim para maramdaman niya ang presensya ko, agad naman siyang napalingon sa akin.
“Good morning.” I said. I then darted my eyes on the table and that there a lot of foods he prepared. There was soup, bacon, eggs, lettuce, and toasted bread.
Sinenyasan niya akong umupo and so I did. Umupo ako at nagsalin mung tubig. Doon ko lang napagtanto na sobrang dry pala ng lalamunan ko.
“You cook these?” I asked and tasted the soup. It tastes good and it supress my hangover a little dahil mainit pa nang itry kong tikman. It soothes.
“Hmm…” he nod. “Does it tastes good?” he added, and I nodded because it was true. It’s good. Sumubo pa ako ng ilan because I was still contemplating if magtatanong ako sa kanya about kagabi or manahimik na lang.
Pabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa kanya at sa niluto niya. Until such time na nahuli niya akong nakatingin sa kanya. Agad namang umarko ang kilay nito na tila nagtatanong gamit ang kanyang mga mata kung may gusto ba akong sabihin.
I smacked my lips and scratch my chin. “Uhh…about last night?” sabi ko.
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Did I like...like do something bad or unusual? Something I wouldn’t do?” I pretend like I didn’t remember anything that night. He looked at me with his left brow raising and have his questioning look.
“Wala kang maalala? Anything a bit?”
umaandar na naman ang kanyang pagkamasungit. Bagay na bagay nga sa kanya maging isang abogado. He had this kind of innate intimidation.
I even sighed hard for him to believe more of my acting skills. I ran my fingers don my hair to make it look like I was a bit frustrated about remembering nothing. Oh come on, just believe me.
“Hindi talaga eh. Can you tell me what happened? And why did you bring me here instead?” nagtatakang tanong ko. Oo nga, alam niya naman ang condo building ko ah? Hindi ko lang maalala kung naibigay ko nga ba talaga iyong password o susi?
“I uhh…actually we’re outside of your condo. I kept asking what’s your password or you key so I could open it but you keep on punching me and was about to shout…I had no choice so I decided to just brought you here, that’s why.” He explained which all make sense. Paano nga naman siya makakapasok sa loob kung walang susi at hindi niya naman alam ang password ko?
“Thanks a lot, really.” I said. Gusto ko na lang takpan ang sarili ko at maglaho dahil sa kahihiyan na ginagawa ko sa kanya.
“And…I’m really sorry for being stubborn too. Hope you’d forgive me for that.” I apologetically added. It’s embarrassing, para akong pakawala kagabi.
“Okay. I like it anyway.” Bulong niyang sabi kaya hindi ko masyadong naintindihan. I had to ask him again but he didn’t give me an answer. Sa halip ay nagkibit balkat na lang siya at nagpatuloy sa kinakain.
We finished our meal together. Ako na rin ang nagpresentang maghugas ng pinggan. Nakakahiya naman kung siya pa, I mean buong gabi akong naging sagabal sa kanya. Nakakahiya pa naman ang mga pinaggagawa ko.
Habang naghuhugas ay naalala ko na anman ang ginawa ko kagabi. Maximo is certainly my first kiss, then my second kiss comes after with Lucas. Like, what the hell? I kissed two men on that same night! Ni hindi ko gustong iproseso sa utak ko na nagawa koi yon lahat in just one night. I didn’t know I was capable to do such thing!
I saw him in the living room, and he looks like he was about to leave, and that also prompt me to fix myself because I know my bed misses me. Pero huli ko nang napagtanto na suot ko pala ang tshirt at boxer niya na ikinamula ng pisngi ko.
“Got to go for a while. I’ll pick your clothes and hatid na kita after.” Pagpapaalam niya.
“Okay! I’ll wait here then. Thank you.” I smiled to him, hindi man lang hinintay ang pag-bye ko sa kanya.
Nang umalis siya ay napag-isipan kong libutin ang buong condo niya, ang ganda ng loob ng sobrang minimal lang din ng mga designs at gamit dito. Noong last na punta ko rito ay noong gumawa kami ng digests ay hindi ko masyadong nalibot ang kabuoan nito. Hanggang sa pumasok ako ulit sa kwarto niya. Nakita kong hindi pa pala nakaligpit iyong hinigaan ko kagabi kaya inayos ko na muna.
After that, pumunta ako sa side table niya. There, I saw a picture frame of his famiy. I flashed a smile, his face in the frame looks so irritated and bored, his usual face even until now. her mom looks so elegant and classy in the photo, his dad on the other hand is quiet cool and of course good-looking, may pinagmanahan nga siya.
“Pati sa picture ang sungit tingnan, pero cute pa rin, no doubt.” I said and giggled a little. Malapit sa side table nito ay may nakita akong maliit na box.
For some reason, I’m curious to open it. Hindi ko lang alam kung bakit may parang nag-uudyok sa aking buksan iyon.
When I finally opened it, there I saw an old photo. I was literally shocked when I saw myself there together with Lucas, kinusot ko pa ng aulit-ulit ang mga mata ko dahil baka imahinasyon ko lang o namali lang ako ng tingin sa litrato, but it wasn’t – it was still what I saw. Ang daming tanong sa isipan ko yet my head hurts suddenly.
“Ah…” Napadaing agad ako at biglang napaupo dahil sa sakit na naramdaman ko sa parteng bahagi ng aking ulo.
An unfamiliar glimpse of a certain scene pops in my head. It was the 7 year old girl which is technically myself, a braided hair, genuinely smiling in front of a boy that’s the same age as I. The pain I felt in my head was growing even more to the point that I thought my head would burst in any moment.
It was Valentine’s Day. I saw a boy playing at the swing alone outside of my room's window. The playground was near at our house. I immediately grabbed the rose I picked in our garden to finally give it to the boy. Lumabas na ako ng bahay at dali-daling naglakad papunta sa direksyon niya.
“Lucas! I like you!” sabi ng batang babae bago nito binigay sa kanya ang isang pirasong rose, pikit pa ang mga mata nitong dahil nahihiya. Tinanggap niya naman iyon nang hindi nagsasalita.
"When we grow up, I will marry you and you will marry me too okay?" A braided little girl said with her utmost smile to the boy who looks bored and irritated.
"We're too young for that. Ang bata mo pa, saka hindi naman kita gusto bakit magpapakasal tayo?” the boy exclaimed. Agad namang sumimangot ang batang babae.
 
"Sinasabi mo lang iyan but you'll like me eventually. And tita Zena told me may crush ka daw sa akin!!" The baby girl shouted and pouted. Halatang iiyak na nga dhil namumuo ang luha nito sa mga ata. Bakas naman ang gulat sa mata ng lalake peo agd namang nakbawi kahit namumula ito.
“And you exactly believe her? Tsk. Bahala ka nga dyan." The boy left after that, and the girl sat under the tree with a sad face, tears fell down eventually on her cheek.
"Someday, you'll realize it." She said to herself while wiping her tears and immediately ran back to their house, but before she could get in, suddenly a car bumps to the girl.
A bloody road pictures the scene.
"Help...” That's the last word the kid muttered before she lost her consciousness. Nagkukumahog naman sa pag-alis ang nakabangga sa batang babae bago nagsidatingan ang mga tao.