Chapter 32

Love isn't about how good he kiss, how tight is his hug, how fiery is his touch and how possessive are his words. Most of the time, the best part of love is tranquility. Calm love, hearing our tender heartbeats.

It was like a serene wave of emotions, not too intensified but too powerful. Love is a mixture of strength and weakness, isang klase ng panghihina na hindi kayang panghinayangan.

I was out of words. He's the Space Commander, my Peter who can stole my words away. A man with an eye of an ocean blue, having the kind of stares that can freeze my world in a moment.

I felt like the hand of the clock stopped and all we had right now is silence. His gentle arms around me, his warm breathing and the softness of his hair.

"I heard it..I heard it Behati..kanina pang nagpapaulit-ulit sa utak ko. Wala na..hindi na makakaahon Behati. I crashed.."

His last words are melting me.

Ilang minuto kaming tahimik sa isa't isa. Pero hindi ako tumigil haplusin ang buhok niya. Nakatitig ako sa kanya habang ginagawa ito.

How can I manage to talk and answer him properly if his eyes looked at me again?

But instead of giving him answer, I lowered myself until I finally reached his head. I lightly kissed him.

Ramdam ko ang biglang paghigpit ng yakap niya sa akin nang maramdaman niya ang ginawa ko.

"Hey, Peter.." I whispered.

Unti-unti niyang inangat ang kanyang paningin sa akin. My hands went on his shoulder as our faces are inches away.

"Hey, Behati.."

I can't help but to smile when he played the tip of his nose against mine, just like an innocent kid.

"Yes, you love me so much.." Dito na ako tuluyang tumawa sa kanya.

"Pedro—you are just—" my words were stopped by his forefinger on my lips.

"Today, there will be no imaginations. That is an order. Copy?" I grinned.

"Copy that,"

Lumabas na kami ni Pedro ng kwarto. We planned to tour the whole place while waiting for my cousin.

Habang naglalakad kami ay ramdam kong nakailang subok si Pedro na hawakan ang kamay ko. He tried, a lot of times. At sa tuwing lumilingon ako sa kanya ay kung saan niya inilalagay ang kamay niya.

He was like a teenage boy attempting his first move for a girl. He's cute and annoying yet funny. Sa ikalimang subok niya ay naiinis na ako, I grabbed his hand and I tightly gripped it.

"No more problems, Commander?"

"Inunahan mo ako,"

"Because you are so hesitant,"

"I was just trying to be safe, it's either you'll punch me or you'll call me a clingy idiot." Ngusong sabi nito.

I laughed.

"Do you think I can do that?" I asked to annoy him more.

"Yes, it was just my imagination." Lalong lumakas ang pagtawa ko.

Nagdiretso kami sa restaurant at hindi niya pinakawalan ang kamay ko. Binitawan niya lamang ito nang nag-order siya ng pagkain namin.

Nang kuhanin na ng waiter ang order ay hinanap niyang muli ang kamay ko.

"So what is our plan?" tanong nito.

"You'll visit your adoptive parents, right?" tumango ito sa akin.

"We will visit them, Behati. Ipapakilala kita and then, we'll meet your family."

"Maybe this coming Thursday,"

"Alright, what else?"

"I need to go to Thailand,"

"For what?"

"Malapit na ang kasal ni Allison. I promised that I'll be with her for days before her wedding. I need to spend time with her just like the old days, hindi na kasi mauulitan kapag nagkapamilya na siya."

"Alright, can I go with you? I promise, I won't bother you girls. Wala rin akong gagawin dito sa Pilipinas." Tumango ako sa kanya.

"Kasama rin ang asawa niya, may makakausap ka naman."

"Okay, but I am bothered about Thailand. Is it safe there? It is near Mynmar, baby."

Isa rin ito sa pumasok sa isip ko nang sabihin ni Allison ang bansang Thailand.

"I'll try to contact UASA, I'll check the Thailand's situation."

Pero hindi naman maglalabas ng latest tourist invitation ang mga ito kung hindi maganda ang kalagayan ng Thailand.

Besides, we can't still rely with UASA satellite. But we should assure our safety, siguro ay sasabihin ko na lang kay Alys na sa ibang bansa na lamang?

Natapos kami ni Pedro kumain, we talked, annoyed and laughed with each other.

Tumigil kami sa pool side at nakaupo na kami sa iisang beach bed, habang pinapanuod namin ang ilang guest na nag-swimming.

Bahagya na itong nakahiga habang ako ay nakaupo lamang, pero nanatili pa rin magkahawak ang aming mga kamay.

Kanina ko pang pinapanuod ang isang pamilya na nag-eenjoy sa pool.

"I hope everything will be fine, wala nang pamilya ang madadamay. I hope UASA will sort things out, Pedro."

Ayokong dumating sa punto na tamaan na rin ng matinding kalamidad ang sarili kong pinanggalingan.

Philippines can't handle a huge destruction, dahil aminado akong ang bansang ito ay mahihilera sa mga bansang hindi mabilis ang papaunlad.

Karamihan sa may kapangyarihan dito ay marunong lamang kumabig. Bagay na siyang unti-unting pumapatay sa isang bansa.

Kahit malayo na kami sa trabaho hindi ko pa rin maalis sa aking sistema ang pangamba.

"They should find a way. They should, baby. Earth can't be ruined. Dahil wala pa tayo niyan." I looked back at Pedro.

Nakangisi na itong nakatingin sa dalawang batang lalaki na nagsusubuan ng hotdog on stick na may kasamang marshmallow.

"You are imagining things again, Pedro."

"What did I tell you stubborn woman?"

Mabilis niya akong hinila at napasubsob ako sa dibdib niya.

"There are kids, Pedro. Nakakahiya sa mga magulang nila."

"Uhuh?" pinagtaasan ako nito ng kilay.

"Or shall we make the first baby in Mars?"

"Pedro!" hinampas ko ang dibdib nito at nagpumilit na akong bumangon.

Sinabi nito na mag-swimming na lang rin daw kami, but I insisted that we should wait for my cousin.

Dalawang oras pa ay dumating na ang mga ito.

"Oh my gosh! Behati!" sinalubong ako ng yakap ni pinsan ko.

"Alys, I missed you so much."

"Oh gosh!" ilang beses nitong pinasadahan ang kabuuan ko.

"You are glowing, hiyang ka sa boyfriend mo." Dito lumipad ang kanyang mga mata kay Pedro.

Natulala nang ilang saglit ang pinsan ko bago ito muling bumalik ng titig sa akin.

"He looked familiar,"

"Yes, it's me Allison. Your cousin's admirer, na matagal na niyang hindi pinapansin. The guy with the volunteer group."

"Wow! What a small world. Nagkita pa rin kayo, I told you Behati..I've seen him before." Tipid lamang akong ngumiti.

"By the way, this is my fiancé. Lance, meet my cousin and her boyfriend—" si Pedro na ang nagdugtong.

"Peter.."

Nagkipagkamay kami ni Pedro sa fiancé ni Alys, nagdiretso kami sa isang café habang nagpaiwan na lamang sa pool side si Pedro at si Lance.

"So, how was it?" kumunot ang noo ko.

"What?"

"Ano ba Behati, you are now a woman. How was your first night?"

"Seriously Alys! There is no first night."

"Natiis ka ng boyfriend mo? Gosh cousin, you are beyond sexy. Look at you, hindi ko alam na sobrang nakakaganda ang amoy ng eroplano. You are glowing."

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin sa pinsan ko at sinimulan kong humigop ng kape. Nang ilapag ko ang taas ay huminga muna ako nang malalim.

"I'm inlove, ofcourse.." mahinang sabi ko.

"Coming from you Behati? Anong nangyari sa Myanmar, bakit nawala ang hugis eroplano mong mata? I can see hearts, cousin." I rolled my eyes.

"You are exaggerating things, Allison."

"But, I am so happy for you."

"Thanks, ako rin Alys. Masaya ako para sa'yo." Halos maluha-luha kaming dalawa.

We've experienced a lot. Alam ni Alys ang hirap ko at alam ko rin ang mga naranasan niyang hirap. Isa't isa ang naging sandalan namin ng mga panahong halos mawalan na kami ng pag-asa. Ngayon, nakakatuwang nakikita ko ang mga sarili naming ngumiti sa isa't isa.

She's the only family I have. At ang pagtupad sa kagustuhan niya ang isa sa pinakagusto kong gawin sa mundong ito. She's like a sister to me.

"Alys, I think we had a problem. Regarding with our Thailand trip? Alam mo naman siguro ang lindol na nangyari sa Myanmar, hindi ba? Thailand is located near Myanmar—"

"Don't worry about it, Lance have a relative from Thai Meteorological Department and we asked something about it. Everything is fine, wala na tayong dapat isipin."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Come on, Behati. Don't overthink, last na nga ito. Ganyan ka pa."

"Alright, sa susunod na linggo pa naman. Hindi ba?"

"Yes, why?"

"Aalis kasi kami ni Pedro bukas, we'll go to his parents."

"Hmm, okay."

Tumagal kami ng dalawang oras ni Alys sa pag-uusap, mabuti na lang at magaling makisama sa isa't isa si Pedro at si Lance dahil nagtatawanan ang mga ito nang balikan namin sila sa pool side.

But they already had their beers.

"We're back, how are you boys?"

Tumayo na ang mga ito nang makita kami. Pedro hugged me like we haven't seen each other for months.

"I missed you, did you miss me?" bulong nito sa akin.

"Let's take a dip."

"You'll wear bikinis?"

"Yes,"

"Pwede sa tub na lang tayo? I changed my mind. Ayoko nang mag-swimming."

"Pedro.."

"I am still adjusting with your dress. Please, don't torture me with another one, baby...tulog na lang tayo.."

--

VentreCanard