Fall

Umiling ako. "No way."

"Come on. Let's try it," akay ni Gab sa akin.

"Pero bakit kasi ganyan?" I can walk in a normal hanging bridge but not on this one. "It doesn't look sturdy."

"Don't worry. Safe naman umakyat diyan." Ngumuso ito sa mga taong papuntang taas. "Look at those people going up there, they seem okay."

Yeah. They seem okay but a lot of them are screaming. Ngayon pa lang gusto ko ng umatras!

Matapos makapagbayad ng entrance fee, hinawakan ni Gab ang palapulsuhan ko at marahan akong hinila. Pinauna niya ako sa paglakad.

Automatic na napatingala ako nang nagsisimula na kaming maglakad. Umalpas sa dibdib ko ang matinding kaba.

Tumalikod ako at saktong napaharap kay Gab na nariyan lamang sa likuran ko.

Tumunghay sa akin ang banayad niyang mukha. "Wag na natin gawin. It looks scarier at night. Marami pa namang pagkakataon. Malay mo bukas hindi ka na takot."

"Who told you I'm scared?" sabi ko na pinilit pinatatag ang boses sabay talikod.

Now I'm facing the mighty bridge that indeed looks like it could scare the day and night out of me.

But I'd rather face this bridge than let Gab and Cheryl cross paths again and see it with my own eyes. Hindi ba't ang rason ng paglabas namin ng hotel ay ilayo siya sa babaeng iyon? Why would we go back instantly when I'm not sure if Cheryl already had left?

Nag-umpisa na akong humakbang habang tahimik lamang na nakasunod si Gab. I gasped when I took a glance below. May iilang taong naglalakad sa baba and they looked so small. I stopped looking because I started feeling dizzy. Just realizing the height, I could only imagine the disaster if this bridge suddenly breaks. Pero ayon nga kay Gab, matibay naman ito kaya maniniwala nalang ako especially we're now in the middle of it, halfway to the top. Dahil nga slanted, mas nakakalula ang taas. I want to reach the end point, but I could feel my body shaking. Ang iba naming kasamang naunang umakyat ay halatang lupaypay pagkarating sa dulo.

I turned to look at Gab. Like me, nakahawak din ang dalawang kamay sa magkabilang railing.

"Do you want to stop for a while?" kalmanteng tanong niya. Hindi man lang nabahiran ng takot ang boses niya.

Umiling ako. I won't prolong my agony. I continued climbing until I felt the bridge shaking. Niyuyugyog ng mga kasama naming umaakyat na nakasunod sa amin.

My eyes welled and I screamed.

"Ayoko na!"

Patuloy pa rin sa pag-uga ang hanging bridge dahilan para mapaupo ako. Mabuti nalang at naagapan ako ni Gab at tinulungan akong makatayo ulit.

"Konti nalang makakarating na tayo sa dulo. You'll feel better after this," kumbinsi niya at marahang hinagod ng isang kamay niya ang braso ko.

I bent my body forward when I started feeling that I was leaning my weight on him. Binalik ko ang dalawang kamay sa paghawak sa magkabilang railing.

"This is really crazy! I could do ziplining to get there but not this!" naiiyak kong hiyaw.

I heard him chuckle lightly.

Naramdaman ko ulit ang pag-uga. It was literally shaking and swaying especially on this part reaching the end. I feel that it's going to break anytime as more people climb.

Sumigaw ako hanggang sa mamaos ang boses.

I just never looked back and focused on my steps. Nasa bandang taas na kami at natatanaw ko ang bandang dulo. I could see the viewing deck too. Halos takbuhin ko na kaso natatakot din akong magkamali sa kilos ko at baka pumadausdos lamang ako pabalik sa baba.

Napagapang ako sa kahoy na sahig nang marating ko ang tuktok. I am panting for air. Tinungo ko ang gilid at doon umupo.

Sumunod din si Gab na hinihingal na tumabi sa akin.

We were breathing heavily while looking at each other. He then reached for my face and wiped my tears using his thumb.

Nabasa na din kasi ng luha ang pisngi ko dahil sa kakaiyak. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ba talagang iniyakan ko. Basta ang alam ko gusto ko nang matapos ito.

I just know that in everything I am always a loser. Those who fall in love are always the losers.

"I'm sorry. Sana hindi nalang ako pumayag na umakyat tayo. I didn't know it would scare you this much." Patuloy ang pagpalis niya sa luha ko sa magkabilang pisngi.

"Kahit sino ay matatakot kung ganyan ang aakyatan," singhot ko.

This is not for the faint-hearted people!

"You did a good job, okay?" malamyos niyang sabi at hinawi ang nakakalat kong buhok sa buhok. He tucked it behind my ears. "We should try climbing up here during daylight."

Inirap ko ang mga mata "Are you for real? You saw how scared I was tapos may gana ka pang imbitahan akong umakyat ulit. Palibhasa gabi at di malinaw ang mga nakita mo, gusto mo yata akong makitang naglulupasay sa takot in broad daylight. I was holding on to my dear life dahil sa takot na mahulog ako!"

It'll only happen when the bridge breaks which is not likely to happen dahil pakiramdam mo lang talaga na bibigay kahit hindi naman talaga.

"Know that when you fall, I would always catch you."

Marahas akong nagpakawala ng hininga. "I'm tired of this, Gab." I helped myself up. Napatingala siya sa akin.

The exceptional breathtaking view greeted me. My mouth slightly parted as I turned around to regale my eyes with the flickering lights and the skyscrapers of Metro Manila.

Humakbang ako patungo sa railing at sinamyo ang hangin. I'm loving the cold breeze. Nililipad ang buhok ko.

Naramdaman kong nariyan si Gab sa likuran ko at bahagya akong lumingon. There were so many emotions in his eyes. There's no way I could tell what those mean. I could only guess, right? Until this time, that's only something that's within my scope.

Ano ba ang iniisip niya ngayon?

I succeeded in taking him far away from Cheryl which I don't know if really needed. Pero bakit hindi pa rin ako masaya?

Muli kong nilibot ang tingin sa scenic view. I leaned against the railing and raised my head a little. Pinikit ko ang mga mata habang nilalanghap ang sariwang hangin.

"Do you like it?" naulinigan kong sabi ni Gab.

"Yes. Very much," I said without looking at him. "Thank you for taking me here."

Whatever his reason for choosing to visit this place tonight, I still thanked him.

A moment later, nasa tabi ko na siya at napapiksi ako nang maramdaman ko ang init ng palad niyang bumalot sa kamay kong nakahawak sa railing.

He smiled a bit. "I hope I could come with you to all those places you wish to go."

He gently squeezed my hand and went behind me. Then I felt his arms wrapping me as he buried his face on my nape.

"Are you okay?" His hand rested on my stomach. I can feel his heat towering behind me.

Words stuck in my throat.

"I miss you, Tiffany," paanas niyang sabi dahilan para magsitayuan ang balahibo ko sa batok. Naramdaman ko ang paghaplos ng hininga niya sa parteng iyon.

Ang karerahan sa dibdib ko ay mas bumilis. Mas mabilis pa sa nararamdaman ko kanina habang paakyat kami. Akala ko wala nang mas ibibilis 'yon!

It is so hard to breathe now that we're so close to each other.

"H-How could you miss me when we're always together?"

I was more like thinking that he'd outgrown me because he sees me everyday.

"I had a battle with myself, Tiffany. Hindi ko alam kung dapat ko bang sabihin ito sa'yo," marahang sabi niya ngunit may tigas sa boses. "I miss you even when we're together."

I did not respond. My mind was trying to process what he just said. Mas lumalim ang paghinga niya at naramdaman ko ang higpit ng yakap niya sa baywang ko.

"Tiffany..." he called.

"Hmm?" I replied.

"What would you do if I fall?"

From here? "To the ground?" sabi ko sabay lingon. Saktong nagtama ang aming mga mata.

"To you."

"G-Gab..."

Niluwagan niya ang pagyakap sa akin. I slowly turned around to face him. "Tiff..." he called again, staring at me. He held my arms and then lowered his head. "I think I'm falling in love with you and it's driving me slowly out of my mind."

"You what?"

He faced me again and looked at me intently. "Nahuhulog na ako sa'yo, Tiffany. Would it be too much to ask for you to catch me?"