"Adrian, ano ba, tumigil ka nga!"

Panay ang harang ni Annara gamit ang kanyang mga palad sa video recorder na tinututok ni Adrian sa kanyang mukha.

"Don't hide your pretty face! Dali, kukuhanan lang kita ng video. I am making a film reel montage," said Adrian while taking her hands out of her face.

"Ano ang naisipan mo at panay ka na naman kuha nang kuha ng video. You're supposedly reviewing by this time. Malapit na ang college entrance exam mo, 'di ba?" Naglalakad na si Annara pabalik sa apartment na pinauupahan nila.

They've been resting under the tree and sitting down the lawn grass half an hour ago in their backyard. Tamang-tama kasi ang lilim at preskong hangin na nalalanghap nila mula roon lalo na ngayong mainit na ang panahon. It was summer and the air is not as it breezes than before. Kahit pa malamig ang nakasanayan nilang klima sa Fawnbrook ay iba pa rin ang init na dulot nito.

"I have my very own review time, my review schedule specifically. Kaya't 'wag ka ng kill joy r'yan, dali na!"

"No!" she declined. "Adrian, stop it!"

Gustung-gusto ni Adrian ang kulitin at inisin si Annara ngayong araw. He wanted to put her in his video montage. Lalo na't naka-save pa ang ilang litrato at video nila roon simula pa nang elementary sila.

"Annara, just take a pose and smile. That's all I ask!" paghingi niya ng pabor dito.

Sinamaan niya ito ng tingin at tumitig sa camcorder nito. Napapangiti si Adrian habang pinanonood siya mula roon. Hindi mapagkakaila ang ganda ni Annara mula sa camcorder na iyon. It's currently recording and he's saving every movement she's making.

"Saglit lang, ah. Marami pa akong gagawin!"

"Oo, this'll be quick. 'Wag ka na kasing magtakip ng mukha."

Annara poses in front of his camcorder. She smiles and twirl and flips her hair. Bagay na bagay sa kanya ang ganoong paggalaw dahil nakasuot siya ngayon ng puting bestida. She's gorgeous and delicate.

Adrian finally shut off the camcorder and close it when he saved some of her clips.

"Saan mo pala nahalungkat 'yang camcorder mo? Parang ang tagal na simula nang huli mong ginamit 'yan, ah. Are you that bored to do things like this? Ang akala ko nga nasira na 'yan kaya hindi mo na ginagamit."

"I found it at the apartment's attic. Maraming kahon-kahon doon noong naglinis ako at binuksan ko para tingnan ang mga gamit doon. And I saw this covered with dust, but it is still working and usable. Videos here were beautiful memories of ours. I saw your clip here when you slipped down the creek. Remember—" Hindi pa natatapos magk'wento si Adrian ay humagalpak na ang tawa niya.

"Delete it! Ginagawa mo talaga akong katatawanan, ano?"

He chuckled. "No. The video was just perfect for the montage I am making. Ipapapanood ko sa 'yo iyon kapag natapos ko na." He's making a full episode length video through the clips it had.

"Bahala ka sa buhay mo!" Umirap ito.

"Gusto mong sumama sa akin sa attic? Noong sinilip ko 'yong old cassette projector na naroroon ay mukhang maayos pa naman. We can watch the clips in this camcorder."

"Adrian, bukas na, may gagawin pa ako."

"You better go with me first. Halika na, sandali lang 'to!"

Wala nang nagawa si Annara nang hawakan ni Adrian ang kamay niya at hilahin siya patungo sa taas ng apartment.

They opened the attic hatch and climbed up to the wooden ladder until they got into an old apartment attic, seems storage by now.

"Sigurado ka bang nilinis mo na 'to?" Annara asked him with a wince in her face. "Mukhang hindi pa nawawalisan 'yong sahig at ang daming agiw sa paligid."

"I am not done cleaning it yet. Natuwa kasi ako sa camcorder na 'to kaya mas inuna ko ang pagkalikot dito kaysa tapusin ang paglilinis dito sa attic."

"It had been years since I came up here again. We usually play princes and princesses here. Minsan naman gusto mong maging pirata," she told him with a touch of nostalgia in her smile. "Tapos magkatabi tayong natutulog dito. Papa had been so worried when he found that we were gone missing. Hindi niya alam, nakatulog lang pala tayo rito sa attic. Ikaw kasi, isinarado mo pa 'yong attic hatch. Ang akala tuloy nila, walang tao rito."

"I didn't lock it. Ikaw ang nag-lock no'n, kasi ang sabi mo, ayaw mong malaman nila na naglalaro tayo rito."

"So I am the one who to blame here now? Ako pala ang may kasalanan kung bakit muntik nang ma-ospital si Papa noon dahil sa sobrang pag-aalala sa atin?"

"Yeah, it's your fault. And since I am older than you, so I held the responsibilty. You know nothing how Uncle Jordan beat me up that night. Galit na galit siya sa akin noon, idagdag mo pang walang tigil sa pag-iyak si Thea."

Lumungkot ang mukha ni Annara dahil ni minsan ay hindi niya nalaman ang tungkol sa pambubugbog ng uncle nito rito. Adrian has always been smiling and happy and she couldn't know what is real and fake. Everytime they were in each other's company, he's just faking all those smiles.

"Bakit mo kasi palaging inaako ang mga bagay na ako naman ang may kasalanan? I should've punished too! Kaya hindi ako natututo dahil alam ko, kapag kasama kita . . . you've always there for me. You have always protecting me even if I didn't deserve your security at all. I'm sorry for being my defense when I have none. Call me whatever you want, pero kasi ikaw lang 'yong nag-iisang kaibigan ko noon."

Adrian wavered a genuine smile. "It doesn't matter. Matagal na 'yon! I know you have learned your lessons now. Lalo na't malapit na akong mag-college at hindi na kita makakasama palagi. Kaya dapat mas maging responsable ka na sa lahat ng bagay. Dapat palagi mo nang iingatan 'yang sarili mo," pangaral niya.

"Kaibigan kita at hindi magulang para pangaralan ako. Malaki na ako at kaya ko na ang sarili ko. Kung makapagsalita ka naman, parang iiwanan mo na ako, ah."

"That's not my point. What I mean is whether I am here or not, you should do all what's best for you. Okay ba 'yon?"

Annara curved a smile to him. Tumango siya habang kaharap ito. "Yes, Sir!" Sumaludo pa ito kanya at nagtawanan silang dalawa

They cleaned their favorite spot at the attic. Inayos nila ang lumang projector na naroroon at umupo mula sa malambot na cushion doon. Magkatabi silang pinanonood ang old clips na naka-save sa camcorder ni Adrian.

Napapangiti sila habang nakikita ng kanilang mga mata ang mga pangyayaring naganap na. Maaari nila itong panoorin at balik-balikan kung gusto nilang sariwain ang mga alaalang ito.

The nostalgia rose in their hearts while their eyes darted to the white wall. Masaya sila, tunay ang mga ngiting namumutawi sa kanilang mga labi.

Nang matapos ang mga clip na napanood nila ay bahagya silang umayos ng upo. Punung-puno ang mga puso nila ng saya sa mga nakita mula roon. Most of the clips are half decade old and some recent records were just a while ago.

Bago nila tuluyang lisanin ang attic ay naisipan nilang ituloy na ang paglilinis doon. Dusts shrouded the whole area as they are rearranging and cleaning the area as tidy as it was before.

Nang matapos at makapagpahinga, humarap si Annara mula sa isang human-sized mirror na nakasandal sa dingding. She's staring at her whole standing body. The reflection of her along with Adrian's is what her heart satisfies. Iba talaga ang pakiramdam niya kapag kasama niya ito. Kahit pa may kulang, pakiramdam niya ay buo pa rin siya.

Lumapit sa kanya si Adrian. He had brought his camcorder with him and record it in front of the mirror. They pose together.

Ilang saglit lang ay sumandal si Annara sa kanya. Adrian secured her back with his arms.

No one dares to speak. No one have the guts to break the moment.

Mayamaya ay umilig si Annara sa dibdib ni Adrian. She's not pretending to be shocked when she felt the beating in his heart. Adrian just stood there and be the strong post for her. He's still recording their position from the reflection in the mirror.

Matapos ang ilang minuto mula roon ay ginagap ni Adrian ang kamay ni Annara at ibinaba ang camcorder na hawak niya mula sa katabing lamesita.

Annara looked up to his face. There's a gleam in his eyes that can't define by her. Para itong nangungusap, subalit hindi niya maipaliwanag ang nais nitong ipahiwatig.

Nakatitig lang ito sa kanya. Right straight to her eyes. Hindi nito nagawang kumurap, tanging ang buong atensyon nito ay ibinigay na sa kanya.

Kahit pa gustong magsalita ni Annara ay walang boses ang gustong kumawala sa kanyang bibig. The heat intensifies between them. Her cheeks flushed. His heart tugged in so much emotion.

Wala nang nagawa si Annara nang bigla siyang halikan ni Adrian sa labi. It was soft and real. Kahit isipan pa niyang panaginip lang ang lahat.

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa ginawa nito, ngunit unti-unti na rin itong pumikit dulot ng hipnotismo ng halik na iyon.

She got stoned in her feet. She held his hand tighter. It was another real kiss from him. Bigla na lang niyang naramdaman ang konekyon ng halik na ito tagos sa kanyang kaluluwa. An almost never felt like feeling.

A moment after, Adrian pulled out his lips. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Napailing-iling ito at nag-iwas ng tingin sa kanya.

Hindi na nagawang makapagsalita ni Annara nang makita niya ang sarili sa harap ng salamin.

Adrian wasn't there anymore.

It was just her, all alone.

She touches her lips, feeling the softness of his lips when it devoured hers before. But now it's gone. The feeling doesn't matter at all.

Adrian is living in her head, even though he's not coming back home.