Short update!

--

Martin. Martin. Puro na lang Martin!

Alam ni Cyrus na mali ang magalit kay Lena dahil si Martin ang palagi nitong bukambibig. She grew up with him. Malaking parte si Martin ng buhay nito. Natural lamang na madalas mababanggit ni Lena ang pangalan nito. Pero ewan ba niya. It doesn't sound good to him. Maybe it's because of the fact that Lena likes the guy. If love is out of the equation, then he won't be so annoyed.

Ramdam yata ni Lena na inis na siya dahil hindi na ito nagsalita mula nang tanungin niya ito kanina. He was supposed to take her out to dinner, pero dahil nainis siya, idiniretso na lamang niya ito sa bahay nito. Medyo nakukonsensya nga siya dahil baka hindi pa ito kumakain ng hapunan. Magpapa-deliver na lamang siguro siya ng pagkain para rito.

Nang makarating sila sa bahay nito ay agad siyang bumaba ng kotse para alalayan itong bumaba. Inihatid niya ito sa may pintuan, kinuha ang susi mula rito at saka binuksan ang pinto.

"Ihatid pa kita sa loob?" tanong niya.

Lena shook her head. "Okay na 'ko. Thanks."

"All right. I'll go ahead."

He was already walking to his car when she called him. Muli niya itong nilapitan para tanungin kung bakit. Without meeting his gaze, she told him, "Totoro. I like Totoro."

"Totoro?"

She nodded. "And Baymax. I like Baymax. They have nothing to do with Martin in any way. I just like them because they're fat and huggable," seryoso nitong sabi.

He tried his best not to smile.

"Okay. I'll remember that."

--

Monday evening ang flight nila papuntang Hongkong, so naturally, umaga pa lamang ay nasa bahay na ni Lena si Cyrus. Dala na niya ang lahat ng gamit at doon na siya magmumula papuntang airport.

"I brought you something," bungad niya.

Lena's eyes shone when he showed her the Toothless onesie he bought online. He learned that Lena likes Toothless as well. Pati minions. Basically, any cute and huggable character.

Kinuha nito iyon sa kamay niya at niyakap-yakap. He'd gladly wish to be a onesie if she'll hug him like that too. As if she heard his thoughts, she walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"Thank you!"

He hugged her back and kissed her hair. "Anything for you."

Lena looked up to him and beamed. He fought the urge to kiss her.

"You're spoiling me."

"I like spoiling my girlfriend," he replied. Then he changed the topic before things become awkward. "Tapos ka nang mag-empake?"

Umiling ito. "Mamaya pa naman aalis, di ba? Pinatutuyo ko pa kasi 'yong dadalhin kong damit."

He remembered seeing some clothes outside. Puro itim na long-sleeved sweaters and pullovers, shorts at jeans ang nakasampay doon. If Cadence could see Lena's closet right now, she'll probably freak out. Lena wears too much black.

Inilagay nito ang bigay niyang onesie sa maleta.

"Hindi pa laba 'yan," sabi niya.

Lena shrugged. "It's okay. Ipantutulog ko lang naman."

Isinarado nito kaagad ang maleta na para bang natunugan na kukunin niya iyong damit.

--

They spent the whole afternoon watching movies. They were watching a horror movie when he noticed something that Lena's covering her ears and her eyes were shut. He raised the volume. Lena yelped and hid behind his back when a scary scene came up. Agad niyang pinatay ang TV.

"Matatakutin ka pala."

"Napapanaginipan ko kasi kaya ayaw kong manuod."

"You should have said something."

"Baka magalit ka kasi."

"Bakit naman ako magagalit?" taka niyang tanong.

"I'd rather not say why," she told him. By the look she gave him, he already knew why. It has something to do with Martin again.

Not letting it dampen his spirit, he stood up and pulled her up as well.

"Let's eat," aya niya. Kasunod niya ito pagpunta ng kusina.

"Ng?"

He opened the fridge and the cupboards to look for something to eat. He knew her kitchen more than she does. Lena couldn't hide her surprise when he showed her a jar of cookies he found on the top shelf.

"I've been looking for that for days!" she told him. Naabot daw kasi ni Bailey ang mga pagkaing nasa mababang shelves kaya puro de-lata at instant noodles ang nakalagay doon. She must have forgotten about the cookies. May nakalagay pang note sa ibabaw noon. Happy birthday, Apo. Here's a jar of your favorite chocolate-chipped cookies! Love, Lola

"Okay pa kaya 'yan?" tanong nito sa kanya.

"Depends," he answered. "How long has it been there?"

"Uhm... three days? Dad brought it on my birthday. Pinalagay ko 'yan sa kanya dyan."

"Okay pa 'to." Kumuha siya ng skillet at nilagyan ng marshmallows na nakita naman niya sa fridge. Lena loves sweets, kaya palaging may stock ng marshmallows at kung anu-anong chocolates sa bahay nito. Noong minsan nga ay naabutan pa niya itong inaagahan ang isang Hershey bar.

He melted the marshmallows then placed the cookies on top. He repeated the process until the skillet was full of alternate layers of marshmallows, cookies and chocolate syrup. Then he put it in the oven for a quick bake.

"Lasagna cookies," he announced as he laid the skillet on the table. Agad na kumuha ng tinidor si Lena at nagsimulang kumain.

She gave him two thumbs up when he asked how it was.

--

Mag-a-alas siete nang tumawag si Julie. They headed to the airport right away. Lena's foot was okay now so she's able to walk on her own, but he made her hold on to him... just so she won't have any more accident.

During the flight, magkatabi rin silang dalawa. Lena slept on his shoulder throughout the ride. He didn't even dare to move. He didn't want to wake her.

Ginising na lamang nila ito nang makarating sila ng Hongkong.

Julie was the one who booked the hotel they'd be staying in. Malapit sa Disneyland, which they will be exploring the next day. He realized later, when they arrived at the place, that he shouldn't have trusted his cousin. Julie pulled another missing tent scheme. Dadalawa ang kwartong kinuha nito. And the hotel happened to be fully-booked already. She obviously planned it. But he couldn't see any trace of guilt in his cousin's eyes.

"Let's find another hotel," he suggested.

"Dito na lang," Julie argued. "Lena doesn't mind sharing a room with you. Right, Lena?"

Lena nodded sleepily. Nakasandal na ito sa pader sa isang tabi, mukhang antok na antok na.

"But I do."

"Why? It's not as if sa iisang kama lang kayo matutulog. Come on, Cyrus. Two single beds naman ang nandoon. You can still have your own space! Or mas gusto mo bang doon kayo sa kwarto namin ni Blake?"

He knew he couldn't switch rooms. Julie booked a room with one queen-sized bed for her and Blake. Mas hindi naman sila pwede roon ni Lena. Baka sabihin pa nitong nananamantala siya.

"It's okay, Cyrus. I really don't mind," Lena assured him. Kaunti na lamang at babagsak na ito sa antok. Wala pa raw itong maayos na tulog simula noong birthday nito. She couldn't sleep well alone. Kailangang palagi itong may katabi. She was able to take a nap earlier, but that obviously wasn't enough.

"Fine," sa wakas ay pagpayag niya.

--

Pagkapasok na pagkapasok nila ng kwarto ay agad na dumiretso si Lena sa banyo para magbihis. Siya naman ay inayos ang mga gamit nila habang hinihintay itong matapos. When she got back, she was already wearing the onesie he gave her. She looked so cute, nakalimutan niya bigla ang inis niya kay Julie.

Inilagay nito ang mga hinubad na damit sa paanan ng kama at saka sumalampak ng higa.

He went to the bathroom for a quick change. Paglabas niya ay nakaayos na ng higa si Lena. Nakatagilid ito at nakayakap sa isang unan habang nakadantay naman sa isa pa.

Kinuha niya ang isang unan at inilagay sa ilalim ng ulo nito. Saka niya pinatay ang ilaw at nahiga.

--

It was already an hour later but he still couldn't sleep. Kanina pa pabaling-baling si Lena, mukhang hindi rin makatulog.

He turned on the lampshade and looked at her with concern. Magulong-magulo ang buhok nito at busangot na ang mukha sa inis.

"Can't sleep?" he asked.

Simangot itong tumango.

"How can I help?"

Ang nasa isip niya, magpapakwento ito o magpapatimpla ng gatas (which was ridiculous, really). Hindi niya inasahang babangon ito at tatabi sa kanya.

"Lena..."

Yumakap ito sa kanya at isiniksik ang ulo sa may leeg niya. She then sighed in relief and became very still. Ilang minuto lamang ang nakalipas at nakatulog na rin ito sa wakas.