Chapter 33

Saan naman kaya kami pupunta ngayon?

I've been thinking about it for the whole day. Kung dadalhin niya ulit ako sa ibang lugar, it would be fantastic pero wala kasing pumapasok sa isip kong lugar na maaari niya akong dalhin. And the funny thing here is we still hangout even after the training. I don't know what I should feel about that or should there be?

Bahala na!

"Will you be going home late?" Kuya Henry asked.

I shrugged off. "I have no idea. He didn't tell me where we would be going so I guess it's a surprise—and I'm sure, he's not going to ask me to be his girlfriend because in this lifetime I don't think that'll ever happen."

Napataas ng kilay si kuya kaya naman kumusot ang mukha ko.

"What's with the look?" I questioned.

He shook his head. "I wasn't thinking about that. I was just testing you."

I rolled my eyes. "Mukha mo, kuya."

"And look who's coming..." aniya.

Nang tiningnan ko kung saan siya nakatingin ay bahagya akong napangiti. He just changed his shirt. Nakangiti rin naman itong naglakad papalapit sa amin. I immediately get out of the truck and met him on the ground.

"Is your shift over?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, are you ready to go?'

"Where are we really going?" I wondered, creasing my forehead.

"Somewhere else," tipid nitong sagot sa akin. "Just don't ask, I know you'll like it. I know you will."

I squinted my eyes saka niya ako tinawanan lang. Nang magpaalam kami kay kuya at Rasha ay binalalaan naman ni kuya si Valerio na kapag ginabi kaming dalawa ay kailangan niya akong ihatid sa bahay. It doesn't seem like it was a problem for him dahil pumayag kaagad ito.

"What are you feeling now?" he asked while we're heading towards the parking lot where he parked his bike.

Napakibit balikat ako. "I'm feeling good... I think I'm satisfied with the decision I made and all the things I did."

"Good for you," he commented.

"What about you? What are you feeling now? Why do I sense that something is going on?"

He smirked, shaking his head. "Nah... nothing, just a normal feeling."

"Hm... is that so?" Tumango pa siya sa akin para panindigan iyon. "But I most wondering where we would be going today. Are we gonna fly to Queensland?" I jokingly said.

"What if we do?"

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya saka ako bahagyang natigilan. "You must be joking, right? I was just joking."

He laughed and wrapped his arms over my shoulder. "We may be not going to Queensland at any moment now, I can assure you that someday we will be on that trip and you'll be able to experience Irwin's zoo there."

"Maybe next summer," I suggested. "We can do it by then."

"Or maybe on your another school break?"

I chuckled. "I don't know about that. Maybe summer is better so I can save up some money. A lot of things happened lately and I cannot afford any ticket go to Queensland. But that's gonna be a date. Let's settle it sooner."

"Sure and maybe after that, we'll go to the Great Barrier Reef."

"What you are suggesting is all far from where we are," I said to him.

"But that's the exciting part, right? We'll get to explore the places we've never been into."

"Whatever. Maybe after three years, we'll settle going to the Great Barrier Reef."

He laughed. "That would be good for me."

Hindi rin nagtagal nang marating namin ang parking lot. As usual, he helped me putting the helmet on my head. Kahit alam ko na naman kung paano isuot iyon, he will still manage to do it for me. Inalalayan niya akong makaupo saka siya sumunod at pumewesto sa harapan ko.

Hahawakan sana ako sa may likod dahil may makakapitan naman ako pero kinuha pa rin nito ang kamay ko at hinigit para ikapit sa baywang niya. Natawa na lamang ako sa kanya at hinayaan ko na lang din.

Pinatakbo niya ang motor palabas ng Bondi. Wala pa rin akong ideya kung saan kami pupunta, but as along as kasama ko at hindi niya ako ipahahamak, I would be fine with it.

Pero habang tumatagal ay nagiging pamilyar sa akin kung saan kami papunta. From the moment he stopped the bike on the footpath and realized that we're in his house, namuo naman ang pagtataka sa isip ko kung anong ginagawa namin dito.

"Did you forget anything? Are you going to pick up something before we go somewhere?" I asked.

He get off the bike, taking off the helmet from his head and shake his head a little to brush his hair with his fingers. Dahan-dahan niya rin namang inalis ang helmet sa ulo ko at kinuha ang kamay ko saka ako inalalayang makababa ng motor.

"We're already on our destination," he said. "We won't be going anywhere else because we're already here."

"Oh... okay... so what are we gonna do here?"

"You'll see." Kindat pa nito sa akin.

He grabbed my hand and then we walk towards his house. He didn't even get a key to unlock the door. He just open the door and then we proceed going inside.

Ano nga ba talagang meron?

"Are you with someone else?" tanong ko. Nang maalala ko iyong sinabi ni Robbie sa akin na may dini-date si Valerio, agad kong hinila ang kamay ko mula sa kanya. Hindi naman niya nahalata iyon kaya hindi niya pinansin.

I know Robbie was talking about me when he mentioned that Valerio and some girl went to Sydney Harbour on new years day. Ako lang naman ang kasama nito, but if he was right that he was dating someone else, I should turn my back now and run away.

"Yup... and you're gonna meet him."

At that moment, I realize that it was not someone he is dating with. "Him?"

"Yeah. Pa, where are you?"

I gasped when I've heard that from him. Saglit lang ay biglang bumungad ang Awstralyanong ama nito na tumatakbo papunta sa amin. Malaki ang ngiti nito sa labi at hindi ko naman maipinta ang mukha ko. Bigla akong binalot ng kaba. I looked at Valerio and he's not getting it.

Lumapit siya sa kanyang ama at nag-akapan ang dalawang ito. Saglit na nag-usap ang dalawa at sunod na nabaling sa akin ang atensyon nilang dalawa. I tried to give a wide smile, but I know my lips are shaking and they could see that visibly.

"So, dad, this is Aesthesia Carseldine," pagpapakilala nito sa akin.

"Hi, sir," pagbati ko rin. Inilahad ko ang kamay ko upang kamayan ito pero hinila nito ang kamay ko at ikinulong ako sa yakap. Nagulat pa ako sa ginawa niya, but that's what Valerio usually does. Namana niya nga iyon sa kanyang ama.

"Call me Joey, and I've heard you're a Filipina?"

I nodded. "Yes... I'm half and my father is also an Australian."

"Oh, same as Valerio! Her mother—my wife is a Filipinas so he's half Filipino and Australian. Do you live nearby?"

"Yeah, but I live on the Brassier St. Maybe a few kilometers away only."

"Good to hear that, well this is a surprise for you, isn't it?"

I chuckled, nodding my head. "Well, it does..." Sabay lingon ko kay Valerio saka ito napangisi.

"Well, at least you've got to know each other now," Valerio said, shrugging off.

"I gotta take a quick shower, for now, I'll be back soon."

Nagmadali namang umalis si Valerio at iniwan niya ako kasama ang tatay niya. His father then invited me to the kitchen where he was spending his time cooking. Pinakita naman niya sa akin iyong niluluto niya at kumuha pa siya ng plato para ipakain sa akin.

While he was preparing, he's asking me a lot of questions and all that is related to Valerio.

"How long have you known my son?" he asked.

"More than a month now I guess..." I answered. Napakunot nmana ang noo niya so I had to explain it further. "I joined the lifeguard training last December, I passed, but I didn't pursue it. I'll be back in college in less than two weeks."

"But you two are dating, right?" he questioned.

My eyes widened when he asked that question. I know that question has been asked to me how many times, but every goddamn time, it shook me to the core.

Umiling naman ako bilang honest na respond. "No po. We're not dating or in a relationship. We're just good friends... I mean, Valerio's kind to me and all, but I think that's far from where we are right now. It's like... we're just hanging out together. We've gotten so much closer during the training."

"But both of you were looking good together. I just have to say that."

Napangiti na lamang ako.

"Now, taste this." Inilapag naman niya sa harapan ko ang plato na may naglalaman na specialty dish kuno niya. Hindi ko lang narinig nang maayos iyong tawag sa pagkain kaya kinain ko na lamang ito. "How was it?"

"It's good!" I said. "It's very tasty. I like it!"

"Wow! Thanks a lot, Aesthesia. I really appreciate that."

A moment later, Valerio showed up on a fresh bath. He's wearing an open side muscle tee and plain shorts. Pinaupo rin naman siya ni papa niya sa mesa at pinakain ito.

Kinuwento rin nila sa akin na biglaan daw ang pagbisita ng papa niya dahil may business trip siya ngayon dito sa Sydney at bumisita lamang dito sa bahay ni Valerio to spend a few days here. Nabanggit ko pa na sayang at hindi natapat ng bagong taon ang pagbisita niya, but they were both happy that they've got to see each other again.

His father then continued talking about how Valerio and I look so good together. I don't mind it. Hindi rin naman ako nag-a-assume na darating kami sa puntong iyon. I don't even see it on Valerio. I don't think I'm his type of girl.

So, when I told them about what I've been hearing on the beach about Valerio dating some girl, he immediately bunked it off and honestly confessed that he's not dating anyone else—when he said that, I'm not sure what to make up.

And then his father said that Valerio likes Filipinas as well—like him—that's why when he saw me and immediately thought that we were dating or in some kind of relationship. Nagkatitinginan kaming dalawa ni Valerio, but we don't talk about it.

When his father left us in the living room, he immediately apologizes for whatever his father said to me.

"He was just way out of mind thinking I end up with a Filipina as well."

Napangisi naman ako sa sinabi niya. "Maybe, you will meet that woman soon."

"Maybe... or maybe I already did." I wasn't able to hear what he said at the end kaya napakunot ang noo ko. "Yeah, so what do you think? I've got to meet your family and you've got meet my father."

"Right. It's fair now. Thank you for bringing me here... I didn't expect it though."

He smirked. "I know it would."

I stayed until six in the evening there. Masaya kausap at kasama ang tatay ni Valerio. Both have something to say and I couldn't stop laughing at some point, but then he also has to give me a ride back home. Isinakay niya muli ako sa motor niya. Mabilis lang din naman ang naging biyahe kaya mabilis ding nakarating sa bahay.

"Thanks for everything..." I smiled as I get off of his bike.

He smirked, shaking his head. "Don't mind it. I'd love to have you around and..." He leaned closer to me and his face comes closer to me and then he just kissed me. Natulala ako sa ginawa niya. That kiss was just a few seconds until he parted away from me and rubbed his thumb on my cheek. "I would still love to have you around before you go back to college... is that alright?"

I was so speechless I only nodded as a response to him.

"Text me if you need anything," he said. "See you...."

I didn't get to say anything. He just went back on his bike and drove away. Natulala na lamang ako at nabato sa kinatatayuan ako. Napahawak ako sa labi ko. That's the thing I wasn't expecting... what was the real deal between us now?

Does that kiss mean something or it could also mean something else? I wasn't hopeful, but I also don't want to assume. Again, this is the craziest summer I have had. Wala nang makapapantay pa roon.

***

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