Chapter 12

I've been staring blankly for more than thirty minutes. Kanina pa akong gising pero hindi pa ako bumabangon sa loob ng aking tent.

I knew this was an act of laziness and unproductiveness. But I have this urge to stay inside this tent and think.

What happened last night? Pilit kong inalala ang nangyari kagabi, nag inuman kami, nagkwentuhan, tumitig sa mga bituin at nagkaroon ng kaunting usapan.

Biglang bumalik sa alaala ko ang mga salitang binitawan ni Commander kagabi.

The moment his hands held mine and his soft lips touched my skin, I felt the strangest feeling I had ever experienced. It was like a sudden volt all over my body, a feeling of tension, nervousness, and uneasiness that left me frozen. Making me stare at his deep blue eyes without making any movement.

I have never been kissed before, not on the lips, cheeks, or even on the back of my hand. No man dared to come and approach me after I had learned how to manipulate an aircraft. After I have devoted all my attention to aviation.

They are now avoiding me, not just because of my high goals but also because of the attitude I set as my wall against them.

I vowed to myself that I wouldn't ever make myself be enslaved by that thing called love. Because it will just make me weak and fragile, my love and attraction for airplanes is enough.

"Oh god, your words...your mind..it's so beautiful..it's so beautiful Behati. How can I have you? Tell me, how can I have you baby?"

I tried to calm myself and I thought of something else, I needed to process my mind to divert it away from his words.

But..but his eyes.. his killing blue eyes can't keep my eyes away from him.

I tried to pull my hands from him, but his grip tightened.

"My hand, commander."

"Look at me Lieutenant, you keep avoiding my eyes."

"I am looking at you Commander." How can I damn avoid it? There is something about his blue eyes.

"Now can you recognize me?" He started to get up.

Ngayon nasagot na ang katanungan sa sarili ko, I knew him from the very start. We've met before, but that was from the past that I want to forget forever.

"I can't understand you, Commander."

"What are you talking about Behati? You admitted it. You knew me."

"You are just imagining things Commander, wala akong sinabi." Inagaw ko na ang aking mga kamay sa kanya.

"You are so cruel Behati,"

"If life is cruel, how come I can't be cruel?"

"I didn't know that UASA's best pilot this year is a beautiful liar."

"Now you know Commander."

Pansin ko na iritado na siya sa akin dahil nagsisimula nang mangunot ang noo niya sa akin.

We are now face to face and I can smell the hard liquor from his breath.

"Bakit hindi mo na ako binalikan?" natigilan ako sa sinabi niya.

"What are you talking about Commander?" I was about to stand up when he stopped me.

"I am still talking to you. Sit down, that is a damn order!" Shit. He's using his authority.

Bumalik ako sa posisyon ko at diretso akong tumitig sa kanyang mga mata.

"Answer me,"

"Because coming back for you is not a responsibility, from the very start I told you I never wanted to know who you are. I never wanted to know the person behind that voice, I never wanted to know the man who heard my fragile voice, the weak Behati. Matagal nang patay ang Behati na nakilala mo." Diretsong sabi ko sa kanya.

"Behati.." iniwas ko ang mukha ko nang tangkain niya akong hawakan.

"Let's face the present and forget the past, I am your Lieutenant and you are my Commander. I hope you're already satisfied with my answer, goodnight sir."

May gusto pa siyang sabihin sa akin pero pinilit ko na itong hindi pakinggan. Nagmadali na akong bumalik sa tent ko at pinilit ang sariling kalimutan ang nangyaring pag uusap sa pagitan namin.

Hindi ko akalain na mabibigyan ng pagkakataong magkita kami ng lalaking nakasaksi kung gaano ako kahina noon. Bagay na matagal ko nang ibaon sa limot sa nakalipas na napakaraming taon.

Matapos kong maayos ang sarili ko ay lumabas na ako ng tent. Nahihirapan kaming makipag komunikasyon sa UASA dahil wala pa rin sapat na supply ng kuryente sa bayang ito.

Unang tumama sa aking mga mata si Commander Armstrong na nakikipagtawanan sa ilang mga kalalakihan at nang tumama ang kanyang mga asul na mata sa akin ay bigla siyang tumigil sa pagtawa at humigop na lang ng kape.

Habang hinihintay ko ang balita mula sa UASA, tumutulong na akong muli sa mga volunteers. Kalahating araw na ang lumipas hindi na nagtatangkang lumapit sa akin si Commander pero ramdam kong parang may laging nakatitig sa akin.

Katulad ngayon, katabi ko ang mga babaeng sundalo na nagpupunas ng mga baril.

Someone is damn staring. Agad hinanap ng aking mata ang taong nagmamasid sa akin, nahuli ko ang asul niyang mata. He is currently resting on a military hammock near our tent.

Fastly, he covered his face using a book. Baliktad.

Pinipilit ko ang sarili kong hindi ngumisi, what is wrong with him? I thought he's avoiding me. I can't help it, I am already grinning. Shit, am I happy?

I continued my work and positioned myself behind someone, avoiding his eyes. Ayokong pinapanuod ako.

Nakakailang baril na ako nang sulyapan ko ang pwesto ni Commander, kumunot ang noo ko nang makita kong katabi niya ang sikat na artista. Buong akala ko ay wala na ito dito.

Yes, she's still here. Flirting with Pedro.

I thought he's mad at her or something, sinabi pa nito sa akin na susuportahan niya akong basagin ang mukha ng artistang mapansamantala sa sitwasyon ng mga tao.

But here, Pedro, his blue eyes and his hands on her legs. Si Pedrong mapansamantala. He's staining the image of UASA people.

"Tell me..how can I have you baby?" Tang ina mo Pedro." Bulong ko.

"What?" tanong sa akin ng babaeng sundalo.

"Oh nothing," sagot ko na lamang.

Hindi umiinit ang ulo ko dahil may kasama siya babaeng, wala akong pakialam kahit dumami pa ang isakay niyang babae sa duyan at kahit ilang babae pa ang hawakan niya. Umiinit ang ulo ko dahil sinubukan niya akong biktimahin kagabi.

He even included our past, na wala namang halaga sa akin. No one can ever make fool of Flight Lieutenant Behati Azalea Monzanto.

Nang muling nagtama ang aming mga mata ay parang nakuryente ito at mabilis inalis ang kamay niya sa hita ng artista.

Lumapit sa akin si Commander Thanh San na ikinagulat ko at sinabi nitong kung maaari ay tumigil muna ako dito hanggang bukas dahil gusto daw akong pormal na pasalamatan ng kanilang presidente.

Pumayag na ako at ako na lamang ang bahalang makiusap sa susundo sa amin. Marami pa akong ginawa sa buong maghapon hanggang maisipan kong pumunta kung saan inaayos ang jet figher na ginamit ko.

Abala lamang ako sa pagtitig dito habang inaasikaso ito ng ilang sundalo nang maramdaman kong may tumabi na sa akin. Hindi ko na inabalang lumingon sa kanya.

"About what happened, nadulas lang ang kamay ko kanina." Why is he explaining?

Hindi na lang ako nagsalita. At pinagpatuloy naming dalawa ang panunuod sa pag aayos ng mga mekaniko sa eroplano.

Alam kong lumapit siya sa akin dahil sa mas mahalagang bagay at alam kong hindi lang ang nakakapansin nito kanina pa.

"UASA got a serious problem."

"Yes Commander, they should be here after that air fight."

"Yeah, it might be because of the failure satellites." Isa rin ito sa rason kung bakit nagmadali nang makaalis ng mga kasamahan namin.

It was not just our uneven devices and instruments, but there discoveries. Kilala ko ang ilan sa mga mananaliksik ng UASA, kahit alam nilang magiging delikado ang buhay nila sa isang lugar pipilitin nilang manatili dito para lamang mas makadiskubre pa ng mga mahahalagang kaalaman.

Sa maiksing panahon, alam kong may nalaman na sila.

"Then a series of earthquakes will occur in no time."

"Possibly Lieutenant."

"But we have no passenger plane enough for this people Commander,"

"I don't know what to do, but this isn't just the problem."

"Yes," kumuyom ang mga kamay ko.

"Since when did you notice?"

"30-45 minutes after we started to have our so-called dinner." Tumango ito sa akin.

This place has been being nested by terrorist dressed like civilians. Spying and looking for Myanmar Airbase weak points. Sino pa nga ba ang mag iisip sa mga terorista sa panahon ng kalamidad?

Habang nagpupunas ako ng baril kanina, gumagala na ang aking mga mata sa paligid. At isa isa nitong sinasagot ang mga hinala at pagtataka ko ng nakaraang araw.

Simula sa nangyaring labanan at ilan sa kahina hinalang reaksyon ng hindi lamang iilang mukha sa mga sibilyang napapansin ko.

"We'll definitely create a war in this country Commander." Mahinang bulong ko.

"Yeah," sagot nito sa akin.

"I damn ignited it,"

"No, alam mong hindi ikaw ang may dahilan. You prevented it baby, sinira mo ang plano nila. And you know that they are after you. The fvcks are after you baby."

"Yes, they are now after my head." I disregarded his endearment.

"That's why you agreed to meet the president? What is your plan?"

"I know that this is too risky Commander, but please look after the president."

"You and the president." Madiing sabi nito.

"We don't know when will be their next attack, yes we had numbers of planes from the US, and we had from different countries. But what can we do if they had planted bombs all over the place?"

Sa tuwing may dadaang sundalo mula sa Myanmar ay tumatahimik kami ni Commander.

"Soldiers in this country are in their fragile state Commander, hindi natin sila pwedeng kalampagin bigla at sabihin ang nalalaman natin. Lalo na at higit pa sa apat ang eroplanong magpapaputok sa atin."

"Yes, and the moment that the terrorist discovered that everybody is all aware, there's a possibility for their immediate attack. We should pretend that we know nothing while preparing underground." Tumango ako sa sinabi nito.

"I'll talk to the president, we'll ask the US Navy this time. If we can secure the air territory, we need to secure the water. We trap those terrorist inside."

"And we'll not let anyone enter this country again."

"Hopefully Commander, but look at their aircrafts. It is more than advance with this country, they even had skilled pilots." Mas magaling pa sila sa mga pilotong pinadala ng US kahit ang mga pilot mula sa iba't ibang bansa.

"But our skills are more than enough baby, this time I'll fly with you." Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya.

"Why are you allowing me to do this Commander? This is against the UASA law."

"Because your skills and beliefs are always against the law, no law will ever limit you from doing what is right in your own perspectives. Not even UASA and you were wrong about your wings baby. UASA didn't get your wings, instead, you Flight Lieutenant Behati got the UASA wings, giving this organization the right path to fly on."

"Commander.."

"You have enlightened me Behati that the organization that I have been involved with for a long year can even do better."

"You are risking your license with me, Commander."

"I don't mind, you are worth the risk baby. You fly, I'll fly. You fight, I'll fight."

Tipid akong ngumiti bago ako muling humarap sa eroplano.

"I never thought that the unknown voice who has been comforting me after that disaster is a pilot." Inabot ko ang kamay ko sa kanya na hindi lumilingon sa kanyang direksyon.

"You've been asking my name, it's nice to meet you again. It's Behati, the crying girl who wanted to be a pilot and luckily—yes, I am now a licensed pilot."

Ramdam kong inabot nito ang kamay ko.

"It's Peter and Pedro for you."

Humarap na kami habang magkadaop ang aming mga kamay.

"We fight,"

"We'll fight," madiing sabi ko.

"What will be my prize for helping you?"

"I can give you my whole salary for the two consecutive months." Sagot ko.

"That's too boring," napasinghap na lang ako nang mabilis niya akong kinabig papalapit sa kanya.

I knew what would happen next, but I wouldn't let him do what he wanted.

With my fast speed, I immediately lift my dogtag between our lips making his sinful lips touch a cold metal.

I heard him curse, still, I am not yet done. I gave him a full blast of body blow. Making him groan from pain.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago ako tumindig ng pagkakatayo.

"Seriously Lieutenant? You are too serious! I am just kidding! What the fvck is that punch?"

Tinalikuran ko na siya at nagsalita ako habang naglalakad.

"Remember Commander, you can't just steal a kiss from a woman who knows how to punch."

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VentreCanard