Chapter 13

Ilang beses na akong nagpupunas ng pawis sa noo ko pero ramdam na ramdam ko pa rin ang panunuot ng init, lalo na sa likod at sa leeg ko. I sighed and shifted uncomfortably on my seat, swiping the sweat under my eyes once again with the white hanky I brought to school.

Zoey came back after a few minutes, carrying two large cups of apple smoothies. Nakangisi niya itong ibinigay sa akin.

"Salamat..." ani ko at pinaglaruan ang straw na nakatusok sa lalagyan. I squinted my eyes at the scorching sunlight to get a better glimpse of the players at the field. They were bathing in their own sweat, too. Nasa lilim na nga kami ng puno pero init na init pa rin ako. Paano nalang kaya sila?

"Ahhh, what a sight." Zoey mused and then giggled when the spiker of the team, Euron, leaped a few feet off the ground and sent the ball smashing to the other court. It earned another howl of cheers from the audience. Halos yugyugin ako ni Zoey nang lingunin ni Euron ang direksiyon naming dalawa dahil sa sobrang ingay ng kaibigan ko.

"Ang gwapo niya! Shit!" a scream of delight tore from her throat again. Halos mabingi ako. This time, Euron ignored her and concentrated on the game.

Bahagya akong ngumuso. After the prom night, I was living in a series of busy days and was quite occupied by our projects in school. Kaliwa't-kanan ang pagpapasa namin ng mga proyekto, lalo na ngayong malapit nang magtapos ang taon. I licked my lower lips and sipped on my smoothie.

This school year is about to end... Zeus is going to graduate and he'll go to college.

Parang sinisilaban ang dibdib ko sa naisip. Hindi lang sa init ng panahon kundi pati na rin sa umokupa sa aking isipan. So he'll be gone in less than two months, huh? I'm not sure if I'm going to see him this summer. Based on what Zoey had said, their family takes a vacation every year to faraway countries. Last year they'd been to Egypt, and I couldn't mistake the photos in their living room are taken in some Mediterranean Island.

Ihinilig ko ang ulo sa bakal na nasa likuran at sumimsim ulit. To be honest, I've little to no interest with the volleyball game today. Gusto ko lang talagang makahinga nang kahit konti mula sa tambak ng gawain namin. Mamaya ay babalik na naman ako sa paggawa ng projects. Watching volleyball and hearing my friend cheer for her crush is one way to clear my head.

"Naia..."

Napatalon ako sa kinauupuan nang marinig ang baritonong boses ni Zeus mula sa likuran. I turned and saw him in his drawstring pants and white shirt, looking fresh and clean despite the heat. Nakasunod sa kaniya si Levi na mukhang iritado at kakagising pa lamang. Kinukusot nito ang mata.

The white baseball cap on his head shaded half of his face a bit, making his prominent cheekbones look sharp from where I'm sitting. And his deep-set eyes almost disappeared with the shadows. I've never known that baseball caps can look so stunning to someone until I saw him.

"Hello, Zeus." Tipid kong bati sa kaniya.

"What are you doing here? Ang init init..." aniya.

Inirapan siya ni Zoey. "Pake mo, Zeus? Eh gusto naming panuorin si Euron eh..."

Zeus turned sharply at me, raising one of his eyebrows as if to question me. I answered it with a mild shake and a shrug from my shaky shoulders.

"Crush mo ang totoy na yan?"

"Anong totoy?" hinampas ni Zoey si Zeus sa hita at sinamaan ng tingin. "Halos magkasing-tangkad na nga kayo eh! Ang kapal mo, ah! Palibhasa, hindi ka marunong sa volleyball kaya inggit ka!"

He chuckled and adjusted the baseball cap on his head. Zeus lazily turned to me. "Do you play any sports, Naia?"

Iling lang ang naging sagot ko sa tanong niya.

"Zeus!"

Nilingon ni Zeus ang tumawag at nakitang kumakaway si Wenceslao sa kaniya mula sa malayo. He muttered something under his breath, before he turned to me and then to Zoey.

"Zoey, tara na. Kailangan na nating magpractice."

"Ha? Eh hindi pa tapos—"

"Magpa-practice ka o maghahanap ako ng ibang pianist?" madilim niyang banta sa kaibigan.

Zoey pouted and stomped like a child. Zeus smirked. Binalingan niya ako.

"Pasensiya ka na, Parvana. Kita nalang ulit tayo bukas."

"Ayos lang." I assured her, my fingers gently tracing the little bulbs of water that my cold shake has generated.

Zeus peered at me and crouched a little. His fingers traced the tip of his hat before pulling it off, revealing an attractive disarray of raven hair underneath. I was stunned when he placed his baseball cap on my head.

"Mainit." Aniya at dahan-dahang lumayo.

I blinked as my hand unconsciously traveled to the white cap on my head. Isang tamad na ngisi ang sumilay sa mga labi ni Zeus. He stared at me and nodded in approval, as if he'd done something that should be recognized by an international award.

I sent him a leery look. Tamad na nagtaas-baba ang balikat ni Zeus. The traces of the lazy smile on his lips might have been attractive, it all but whispered dark, and dangerous promise that made me step back a bit. My being frightened of him must've amused him, because he continued staring at me. The bravado never faded, and his goal of intimidating me had not been a fiasco for I am trembling in my knees.

"T-Tinatawag ka na nila..." I stammered.

He wagged his eyebrows lazily and waved a dismissive hand to the waiting bandmates. Inayos niya ang baseball cap na nasa ulo ko.

"Sabado. Alas tres ng hapon." Pahapyos niyang bulong sa tainga ko.

"Huh?"

"Alas tres..." he repeated and then slowly backed away, his eyes twinkling mischievously. His skin sheen under the golden rays of the sun. When he turned and languidly walked away, I stilled and let my entire body freeze for the next few seconds.

I blew a huge breath and then clutched my chest. Tinapik-tapik ko ito.

"Tumigil ka..." banta ko sa sariling puso. Ipinikit ko nang mariin ang mga mata. "Hindi pwede 'tong ginagawa mo. Huwag kang tumibok sa kaniya!"

"Naia?"

I turned as my entire face flushed. I am lying if I'd deny that I was expecting it was Zeus but when Malik's face came into view, his taqiyah placed elegantly on top of his head, I was drowning in disappointment.

"M-Malik... ikaw pala..."

"Pwede ba akong maupo? May sasabihin sana ako sa iyong importante."

Try as I might, I was looking forward to Saturday, 3 pm. Bagamat hindi namin napag-usapan kung saan kami magkikita o kung saan kami pupunta, hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili kong ma-excite. It was all I could think about, especially during my vacant time when I am not occupied with books and endless projects.

Nakapasak ang dalawang earpods ni Zoey sa kaniyang tainga at nakapikit ang mga mata samantalang nakasandal. She looked like a fragile, Sindy doll with her mouth closed and features relaxed. Napag-isipan ko nang huwag nalang siyang disturbuhin pa.

Tumayo ako at naglakad palabas ng classroom. Medyo kabado pa ako. Biyernes na ngayon at Sabado bukas. Magkikita kami ni Zeus!

But he didn't tell me where or why. Kaya dapat siguro ay tanungin ko siya? Nakapagpaalam din naman ako kay Mama-jan at pumayag naman siya. Baba will be working that day. It shouldn't be a problem.

Habang naglalakad ako patungo sa senior high school department ay hindi pa rin tumitigil sa pagpintig nang malakas ang puso ko. Hinayaan ko nalang ito. I lumbered towards the corridor and crossed the field when I spotted a familiar figure, crouching behind the building with his tiny shoulders heaving up and down in an alarming manner.

Imbes na dumiretso ay doon kaagad ako pumunta. Binilisan ko ang yapak hanggang sa maabot na ng dinig ko ang pagsusuka ni Levi. I stopped short on my tracks. His knuckles are turning white because of his tight grip on the corner of the walls.

"Levi...?"

I heard him cursed as he clumsily scrambled to his feet. I pulled out my white hanky when I saw him wiping blood off the corners of his mouth. My face crumpled in confusion and alarm.

"Ayos ka lang ba?"

"I'm fine."

Dahan-dahan kong inabot sa kaniya ang panyo. The first surge of fear shot through me when I saw the amount of blood he's coughed up, pooling at the ground. He took the handkerchief and murmured a thanks, before wiping his mouth.

Hinintay ko siyang kumalma bago ko siya tuluyang nilapitan.

"Pumunta tayo sa clinic—"

"No!" he said rather harshly. The fire that ignited in his eyes had me taking a step back, and then blinking at him. Realizing his mistake, he blinked too as his features softened. Levi bit his lower lips. "I mean... not now."

"Bakit hindi ngayon?" nag-aalala kong tanong sa kaniya. "Sumusuka ka ng dugo—"

"I'll tell them about this, soon." He exhaled unevenly that got me really worried. I placed a soothing hand on his back and started rubbing small circles. "Huwag muna ngayon."

"Bakit nga? Mukhang seryoso 'to, Levi."

"Birthday ni mommy ngayong Linggo. I don't want to ruin their day."

Hindi kaagad ako nakasagot sa sinabi niya. I stared at him. The scrawny little brother of Zeus. They share the same deep-set of eyes, the same proud, narrow nose, and prominent cheekbones. But the smile and wide grins of Levi belongs to his mother. And the once intense eyes he's had are now pooling with concern and fear.

"Levi..."

Ipinikit niya nang mariin ang mga mata. His body swayed a little. Hinawakan ko ang balikat niya upang suportahan siya at ipinaupo sa sementong nakausli. Kinuha ko ang panyo mula sa kamay niya at tinupi ito sa kabilang bahagi, bago ko sinimulang punasan ang pawis na namuo sa kaniyang noo.

"Fine. I'm not going to tell anyone about what I saw today. But promise me you'll tell your parents about it as soon as your mother's birthday is over?"

He nodded weakly, a small smile tugging his lips. "Yeah... thanks."

Iniling ko ang ulo ko. "Wala yun."

Levi snorted a laugh. "I can see why my brother's so crazy about you..."

Nanigas ako sa sinabi niya. Matamlay pa rin ang mukha ni Levi nang mag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin.

"You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"My brother's—"

"Levi."

Pareho kaming napalingon nang makarinig ng baritonong boses mula sa likuran. A hint of annoyance crossed his face when he saw the two of us together. I hurriedly slipped the blood-stained handkerchief inside the pockets of my skirt and stepped away from Levi.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Uh... wala. Nakita ko lang si Levi dito... uhm..." I cleared my throat as my cheeks burn, knowing that I couldn't lie to his face without looking like a fool.

This time, I was me who received a leery look from Zeus. He studied my face for a few seconds before turning towards his little brother. The pallor on his face is still there, but he looked bitter compared earlier when he was throwing up blood everywhere.

"Nag-cutting classes ka na naman," mariing wika ni Zeus sa kapatid.

Bahagyang ngumuso si Levi. We shared a knowing look. He shrugged and then got up. "Babalik na ako."

Zeus glared at his little brother and hissed something at him. Levi didn't bother saying goodbye when he headed back to his classroom. Zeus turned to me.

"Wala kang klase?"

Uminit ang pisngi ko at umiling. "Uh... gusto sana kitang puntahan kanina."

The hard look on his face started to fade. He stared at me. "Bakit?"

Ngumuso ako at nag-iwas ng tingin. Baka naman nakalimutan na niya? Ngayon ko lang narealize na nakakahiya palang magtanong kung saan kami magkikita bukas!

"Kasi... bukas..." I trailed off.

"Bakit? Anong meron bukas? Hmm?"

Napaatras ako nang inilapit niya ang mukha sa akin. I sent him a warning glare. Zeus chuckled and ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair.

"I'm just kidding, habibti. Of course, I've not forgotten what we're going to do tomorrow. Alas tres ng hapon. Susunduin ulit kita sa inyo."

I nodded and bit my tongue to keep myself from spurting out that his brother was literally throwing up blood here, a few moments ago. Instead, I closed my eyes for a bit to regain my composure and backed away.

"Sige... kita nalang tayo bukas."

He nodded and lazily stuck his hands inside the pockets of his slacks. Mabilis na akong tumalikod at naglakad palayo.

I worried about his brother for the entire evening and when morning came, I assured myself that he's going to tell his family about his condition after his mother's birthday. If he's not going to tell them, then I will. Hindi ko hahayaan na kimkimin lang yun ni Levi, however mild his condition might be.

Biting my lower lips, I dragged a hand over my slightly damp hair. Kakaligo ko lang. it's already 2 in the afternoon and here I am, standing in the middle of my repertoire of clothes. Kanina pa ako namimili dito ng dapat na suotin pero sa tingin ko ay wala talagang babagay, lalo na't hindi ko pa alam kung saan kami pupunta.

I started by picking the hijab I am going to wear instead. An aubergine hijab with colorful beads sewn into a tropical butterfly at the crown of my head. Then I picked up an oversized white button down shirt and paired it with a mid-calf dress.

Tiningnan ko ang sarili sa salamin. In this scorching heat, I could see girls braiding their hair or pulling it up in a bun. They'd look good in it, too. They are always showered with compliments especially if they try a new hairstyle. Ang mga babaeng nagpapa-rebond sa aming classroom ay pinupuri ng nakararami pagkapasok pa lang nila sa loob.

I pouted as I adjusted my hijab. I could cut my hair or braid it but no one will ever know. Expect my parents. The insecurities with my hair rooted when I saw how Nazrah was praised by my classmates with her pixie cut and dyed hair. I sucked in a deep breath and shook my head a little.

Naalala ko ang sinabi niya sa kin nung gabi ng prom namin. When I was drowning in insecurities and was so close to revealing my hair to him, he stopped me and reminded me of the beauty of my hijab. My crown. The beauty of our beliefs that women are to be treated like diamonds. Dapat iyon palagi ang isaisip ko.

Nang sumilip ako sa bintana ay halos atakihin ako sa puso nang makita si Zeus na naglalakad patungo sa bahay namin. I blinked and then snapped the curtain shut, my heart pounding. Bakit ang aga niya?!

Nagpapanic akong nag-lagay ng pulbo sa mukha bago dali-daling lumabas ng bahay. My steps slowed down when I saw my mother already greeting him by the door.

"Pasok ka muna. Nagbibihis pa ata si Parvana—oh... eto na pala siya..." isang makahulugang ngiti ang ibinigay sa akin ni Mama-jan.

I blushed and straightened my spine before waving awkwardly at Zeus. He smiled at me and gave me a once-over before he turned to my mother.

"Ibabalik ko po siya bago mag-alas syete ng gabi, Ma'am."

My mother nodded as a winsome smile touched her lips. "Enjoy, you kids." She waved and walked the two of us out of the porch.

Naghihintay din sa labas ang isa pang sasakyan nila na ngayon ko pa nakita. He opened the passenger door for me as I climbed inside. Kumaway pa siya ng isang beses sa nanay ko bago pumasok din.

Nnag maiayos ko na ang seatbelt ay saka pa niya pinaandar ang sasakyan. I glanced at him. He's only wearing a white sweater and black knee-ripped jeans but he still looks dashing. I checked my hijab again, suddenly conscious of how I looked.

"Birthday pala ng mommy mo bukas..." ani ko habang nasa daan na kami.

Zeus' brow shot up as he shifted the gear and turned left. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Nabanggit sa akin ni Levi." I pushed the sadness away when I remembered how bad he'd looked yesterday after coughing up blood. Instead, I swallowed and looked away.

"I see. I asked you out today because I want to buy a gift for my mum. I suppose you can help me?"

My face brightened at what he said. Masigla akong tumango.

"Good." He smirked and then slowed down. The tiny planthouse in town came into view. Hindi ko na hinintay na pagbuksan pa ako ni Zeus. Lumabas na ako ng sasakyan at namamanghang pinagmasdan ang planthouse.

"You're going to give her a pot of indoor plants?"

"Nothing wrong with that. Jewels are overrated. And mum's not a big fan of luxury items. I think she'll love a pot or two. Mahilig siya sa mga halaman pero palaging namamatay ang tinatanim niya." He chuckled as he pushed the glass door opened.

A tall woman with a brown apron greeted the two of us, then continued punching in the register for the customer on the counter. Nilapitan ko ang naunang rack. My fingertips traced the lithe stem of the English Ivy and sighed dreamily at how soft it felt under my fingers.

Naramdaman kong lumapit sa akin si Zeus. Nilingon ko siya at nginitian.

"What would you like to give your mother?"

His shoulders moved lazily. Imbes na ang halaman ang tingnan ay tumitig siya sa akin. I continued to smiled and pretended that his stares didn't affect me at all.

"Something... detoxifying? Something that'll help her destress. Masyado na siyang busy sa kaniyang trabaho."

I tapped a finger on my chin and then moved to another rack, with Zeus trotting after me.

"You can consider golden photos. It can help in clearing the air in your house and looks good in any contemporary-styled homes, too." A smile touched my lips as the golden rays of the sun played on the pale, viridescent leaves.

Itinuro ko ang isa pang pot na nasa uluhan namin. "Or you can consider the Philodendron. It's beautiful when placed in your home. Your mom will surely love. And it can also absorb the toxin from the air lingering inside your house..." I trailed off when I could no longer hear Zeus' response. I turned to him ad found him staring at me. I blinked and smiled. "Something wrong, Zeus?"

He stared a little longer, before he slowly shook his head. "Nothing. Just keep talking. I like hearing you talk..."

My cheeks burned. He lazily pinned his left hand above my head, invading the last of my personal space and resting his hip against the metal rack. Gusto ko mang sunggaban ang dibdib upang pakalmahin ang nagwawalang puso, pinigilan ko ang sarili ko. Instead, I smiled at him and stepped back again, reminding him of the distance we should maintain from each other.

Feeling suddenly light-headed, I continued introducing him to the indoor plants I could name and gave him a brief information of the benefits should he buy that particular plant.

When the sun was sinking low over the mountains and the town shimmered in gold-ish light, we were hoisting the plants carefully at the backseat. Seryoso ang mukha ni Zeus habang buhat-buhat ang pinamiling halaman. I stared at him and admired the entirety of him. How family-oriented this guy is. Asking for help from a girl just to choose the best gift for his mother. This tells so much of what kind of a family he grew up with.

After we've placed the plants inside the car, Zeus dragged me to a coffee shop nearby. We sat on out of the outdoor metal tables and ordered coffee as we watched the glorious sunset. I stared at him over the rim of my dainty cup, comparing the blackness of my coffee to his hair and his eyes.

He lifted a brow when he caught me staring at him. "Is there something wrong?"

I shook my head and smiled a little, before taking a sip of my coffee.

Until he drove me home that night, I keep on stealing glances at him. My heart would leap to my throat every time he caught me staring like a fool in love with him. Pinilit ko ang sarili kong ibailng ang paningin sa ibang bagay.

"Thanks... I had fun." I told him when he pulled the car out.

He nodded and placed a hand at the crown of my head. Then he smirked. "Go out now before I do something I'd regret..." he seriously said, slowly taking his hand away.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. "Anong ibig mong sabihin—"

"I meant thank you for today..."

"Oh. Thank you din." I smiled cheekily at him and climbed out. Before I shut the door close, I caught him smiling to himself and shaking his head. Napangiti din ako.

Masigla ako nang pumasok sa bahay at tinulungan si Mama-jan sa paghahanda ng hapunan namin. She asked me about what happened and I told her how a simple plant shopping and afternoon coffee with him have me feeling pampered like a baby.

Tawa lang ang isinagot ni Mama-jan. Nang dumating si Baba ay inihanda na namin ang lamesa. I sat across Mama-jan. When we started eating, Mama-jan told Baba about Zeus with equal enthusiasm that got my father frowning.

"Stop spending time with that boy, Parvana." He said in a strict tone. Nawala pareho ang ngiti sa mga mukha namin ni Mama-jan.

Mama-jan placed a hand over her husband's and sent me a rueful smile. "It's okay, Azir. Parvana and Zeus are just friends."

"You're a maiden of a marriageable age. You should know better than to spend time alone with a boy!"

Nagbaba ako ng tingin at hindi tinagpo ang galit na titig ni Baba.

"I'm sorry..."

"Besides..." he placed his fork and stared at me with his steel-like eyes. "You should prepare yourself. You're getting married before the next new moon arrives. I've already found a suitable groom for you."