Chapter 13: Drowned

Don't hold back and give me all of you. I want every piece of you-every you.

"You did great, miss. Want to thank your hot instructor?" Magnus teased me while we are taking a break. Bahagya akong natawa dahil mukha siyang tutang nag-aantay ng reward sa kaniyang amo.

"Nah. It's all on me. All you did was annoy me all the time," I answered, smirking.

Sumimangot naman siya at humalukipkip. "You are annoyed but why I always caught you looking at me dreamily? Why does your heart beat that way?"

Natulala ako. "I-in what w-way?" I asked, nervously. I can't even help but to stutter because of his intense stare. Did he notice it? Am I too obvious?

"Forget it, miss. I'm just joking around. Let's go now and fetch Pheliz." He laughed but I can see that he wants an answer. Hinayaan ko na lamang iyon at sumunod na sa kaniya.

Gusto kong sagutin ang mga tanong niya pero natatakot akong hindi niya magustuhan ang kaniyang maririnig mula sa akin. Sa kaunting panahon, nakuha niya agad ang loob ko at mas lalo akong nababahala dahil alam kong malapit na akong malunod sa estrangherong damdamin na ito. Baka hindi na ako makaahon pa.

I remembered that Dad used to tell me how he fell in love. He said that love has the ability to drown you but at the end of the day, that feeling will save you and make you realize that this love is worth dying for.

Ang nagmamahal ay sinusubok ng mundo pero ang pagmamahal ay nagtatanggol at nagliligtas.

"Are you happy?" he suddenly asked.

Am I happy? Kahit sino siguro ang magtanong sa akin nito ay sasagutin ko ng 'Oo'. I know that the end is near and just waiting for the most appropriate time but I'm happy that I get the chance to spend this lifetime with him. He made me feel emotions that are new to me and its actually making me alive.

"Yeah. More than happy," bulong ko, nakangiti at kuntento sa mga nangyayari.

Nilingon niya ako at sinuklian ang aking ngiti. " I'm happy for you, too."

He had done so much for me yet I am doing nothing for him. Naging selfish ako dahil hindi ko na inalala ang pangako ko kay Memphis at Tita Germaine. Now that I got my freedom, I forgot to give Magnus his. I have to set him free from his doubts and pain.

"Ate Red! Kuya! I'm here!" Sinalubong kami ni Pheliz pagkalabas namin ng sasakyan.

"Kamusta? Nag-enjoy ka ba?" tanong ko pagkatapos niya akong yakapin. Hindi matanggal ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi habang nagkukuwento sa akin. Tahimik naman na nakikinig si Magnus sa aking tabi.

"Halika, Ate! Ipapakilala kita sa teacher ko!" I chuckled when she grabbed my hand and pulled me. Nakangiti naman kaming pinagmasdan ng ibang tao doon sa loob. Naiwan nga lang namin si Magnus dahil may lumapit sa kaniya at nakipag-usap.

When we arrived at a multi-functional room, Pheliz called someone familiar to me. With her big ribbon, she approached us and gave us a warm smile.

"Hello, Pheliz. Hindi ka pa nakakauwi? Gusto mo tawagan ko si Tita para masundo ka?" she said with a soft voice.

"No need, Teacher Jazz. I just want to introduce Ate Red to you. She is my friend. You are both beautiful, Teacher."

Natawa naman si Jazz at bumaling sa akin. "Your taste is not that great, Pheliz. She's just an... ordinary face. Nothing special," she said, smiling but her eyes are dim. Matalim siyang nakatingin sa akin. Ngumiwi ako nang mapagtantong hindi siya katulad ng inaasahan ko.

I awkwardly stretched my lips for a smile. "Y-yeah. I am not that pretty, Pheliz."

She is the girl in the audition! Kaya pala hindi na nakakapagtaka na magaling siya kumanta dahil music teacher pala siya. Hindi talaga nawawala ang ribbon niya. Kapag nakikita ko siya ay iyon lagi ang napapansin ko.

"Sinong susundo sa inyo, Pheliz? O may sasakyan ka, Red?" tanong niya, ngayon ay malumanay na at namumungay ang mata nang bumaling kay Pheliz.

"Kuya Magnus is with us, Teacher. Oh! There he is!"

Napalingon ako nang itinuro ni Pheliz si Magnus. Nakasuksok ang kaniyang mga kamay sa kaniyang bulsa at preskong naglakad papunta sa amin. Napansin ko rin na nag-iba ang itsura ni Jazz nang makita siya. Mas naging maamo iyon at aakalain mo talagang anghel siya.

Tumikhim siya. "You're here?"

"Yup. I'm here for Pheliz," Magnus answered, casually.

They seem very familiar to each other. Dati na sigurong napapadpad dito si Magnus dahil kay Pheliz. Nakangiti akong yumuko nang kinalabit ako nito.

Umupo ako para magpantay kami dahil nakita kong gusto niyang ibulong iyon.

"Kuya and Teacher Jazz have a past, Ate Red. Please don't tell Kuya that I told you about that."

Napansin ko namang narinig iyon ni Magnus dahil bumaling siya sa amin pero nagkibit-balikat lamang ako.

So, they have a past. That explains the familiarity and Jazz's reaction to Magnus. I think that she can't get over him. Magnus is hard to forget, I can say. He has the characteristics of a man every woman thought impossible.

"We will go now, Jazz. Thank you for taking care of Pheliz," Magnus said.

"No problem, " sagot ni Jazz na malumanay ulit ang boses.

Tumalikod na ako at handa nang maglakad palayo nang marinig ko ang pangalan ko. "Red," tawag sa akin ni Jazz. Matalim ang titig niya.

Wala akong nagawa kundi lumingon pabalik. "Please, don't come here again. And don't get close to Magnus."

Umawang ang bibig ko at hindi makapaniwala siyang tinignan. Inirapan niya ako nang hindi ako sumagot. Magnus came to us and her expression changed. She's like a devil in disguise.

"Hey. Let's go," aya nito sa akin.

Inalalayan naman ako ni Magnus pabalik sa parking lot. Tahimik lamang ako kahit ramdam ko ang titig niya sa akin.

"Ang ganda ni Teacher Jazz, 'di ba Ate Red?" biglang tanong sa akin ni Pheliz habang nasa kalagitnaan ng biyahe.

Lumingon ako sa bintana at mapait na ngumiti. "Sobra." Kahit gusto ko nang masuka sa pag-uugali niya.

No wonder, she caught Magnus' attention. Aside from having the looks, she is also talented. But... something is wrong with her.

"My stranger is much prettier, though. What do you think, miss?" singit ni Magnus.

Nabigla ako kaya nilingon ko siya. Nakita ko namang diretso ang tingin niya sa daan. Wala akong naisagot kundi walang-buhay na tawa.

"Who's your stranger, Kuya?" Pheliz asked. Magnus didn't answer her and continued driving. Nanatili na lamang din akong tahimik.

"Mauna ka na sa loob, Pheliz. Ihahatid ko pa si Red," sabi ni Magnus nang makarating kami sa kanila. Tumango na lamang si Pheliz at dumiretso sa loob. Ako naman ay parang tuod dito sa sobrang kaba.

Magnus looked at me seriously. "Please, don't act as if you are jealous. I'm slowly losing my grip and about to fall. 'Wag mong hayaang umabot sa punto na maging ikaw, hahatakin ko rin pababa para sa sabay tayong mahulog at magpakalunod."

At that moment, he is not yet starting but I am already drowned. Totally.