Chapter 3

I think I Like You

I don't know what exactly it was. It's just yesterday that I spent my whole day with Keegan exploring the island. And I had so much fun. At alam kong ganoon din si Keegan.

When evening came, we even agreed again to have dinner together. Hindi na kami sa restaurant kumain. Instead Keegan just told me to go up my hotel room first and get changed. At siya na raw ang bahala sa dinner namin. I just shrugged my shoulders then. And let him do it.

After that I went back to my hotel room and get ready for tonight's dinner. Napaisip pa ako at natigilan saglit habang nasa harap na ako ng salamin at naglalagay pa ng konting light makeup sa mukha ko. Why do I feel like I'm feeling excited right now over what? It's just dinner with someone I just know... and became a friend of mine.

I just shook the thought away and continued preparing for it. I also sprayed some of my favorite perfume. Medyo gutom na rin ako and I don't see anything wrong with just eating with another person who's also a friend... It's just a friendly meal after all...

I took my essentials like my wallet and cellphone. I put it inside a little purse with my little makeup for possible retouch later. Alangan naman na bumalik pa ako rito sa taas ng hotel room ko just to check my face if I can just bring a compact makeup with mirror with me. It's easier. 'Tsaka I can't be sure, 'no. Kung buong gabi rin ba na ayos lang ang mukha ko that I'll be confident without checking it even a little. Mahangin pa naman sa baba because we're in an island and there's the beach.

Ngumiti ako nang muli kong makita si Keegan na sinusundo na naman ako rito sa lobby ng hotel. I don't know where he stays kung dito rin ba sa hotel ng isla o sa villas din ba dito. Meron din kasing mga villas dito besides the hotel.

Keegan was looking at me. Habang lumalapit naman ako sa kaniya. I was wearing a vacation tie front split hem dress in beige. While Keegan was in the usual white notch neck top and drawstring waist shorts. Just the proper outfit for the beach. Pero kahit pa simple lang naman ang damit niya ay ang ayos pa rin niya sa mata. He looked clean and fresh.

I smiled. "Hi." And I greeted him when I was already in front of him.

He also stood tall again in front of me. I thought of wearing heels pero nasa beach naman kami. Ma-s-stuck lang sa buhangin ang takong 'pag nagkataon. And I'm not really short. Keegan's just a tall man.

And he smelled so nice, too. I noticed when I was near him enough to smell him. Hindi na lang din ako nagpahalata na medyo naamoy o inamoy ko siya.

"Let's go?" niyaya ko na siya.

And he was still looking at me. Kaya naman nang binalik ko rin ang tingin ko sa kaniya ay nagkatinginan pa kami sandali. Ngumiti na lang ako sa kaniya. And he smiled, too. After that we went to the dinner he prepared just outside and near his villa.

"Are you comfortable here? I'm sorry, I chose this place because this got a nice view of the quiet sea here at night." He said when we arrived.

Pinaghila niya rin ako ng mauupuan ko before he sat across mine.

Ngumiti lang naman ako at tumango sa kaniya. "Ayos lang." Napatingin ako sa beach view na makikita mula rito ngayong gabi. Indeed it looked calm. "And you're right that it's nice here." I said.

"It is."

And then we turned to our food that was already prepared on the table. At nagsimula na rin kaming kumain.

And I noticed that he's staying in a rather big villa. "Your villa seems quite huge for you alone." I commented. And then I put the tip of the fork in my mouth with the bite size steak that I cut for myself with the knife. Nginuya ko nang marahan ang pagkain pagkatapos.

Okay din ang steak for tonight since I've been eating seafoods the past couple of days since I arrived here in the island. Masarap din kasi iyon.

"Uh, yeah. Ito kasing villa na 'to ang mas malapit sa dagat. I like the view so." He shrugged his shoulder slightly after.

Ngumiti na lang ako at tumango bahagya.

We continued eating and finishing our well-prepared meal. "Thank you pala sa dinner." I said.

Tumango naman si Keegan at ngumiti pa sa akin. "You're welcome."

Pagkatapos ay sumunod na lang namin na pinag-usapan ang kagandahan ng lugar. And for the past days I've always enjoyed even just simply talking to Keegan with our simple subjects as well.

I can't help but smile gladly.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ay naglakad-lakad naman kami malapit sa dalampasigan para matunawan din muna kami sa kinain namin bago bumalik sa mga kwarto namin at matulog magpahinga pagkatapos ng medyo mahaba rin na araw na ito.

"What do you plan on doing next tomorrow?" Keegan asked me as we walked near the shore.

Bumaling ako sa kaniya mula sa pagtitingin sa mga paa ko na nakaapak lang sa buhangin. I already just carried my flat sandals dahil napupuno lang ng buhangin.

"Hmm... I'm not really sure... yet. How about you?" I asked him instead.

So Keegan and I just talked about what would be our planned activities for the next day here in the island. And I can't help it but to just agree with his plans as well. Wala rin naman talaga akong masyadong naplano para sa mga gagawin ko dito sa Villa Martinez. And Keegan seemed a little adventurous, too. And he knows how to have fun. So I know that we'll be all right with him.

"Oh!" I reacted and when I turned to my feet again doon ko pa lang nakita pagkatapos kong maramdaman sa paa ko na naabot na rin pala ito ng dagat at bahagyang nabasa. I just chuckled.

"Are you all right?"

Nakangiti akong bumaling kay Keegan at umiling lang. "No worries. Hindi ko lang namalayan na naabot na pala ng dagat ang paa ko at pati na rin yata itong hem ng dress ko." Bumaling akong muli doon at inangat pa ang laylayan ng dress ko.

"You're pretty tonight."

Naibalik ko ang atensyon ko sa kay Keegan nang marinig ko ang sinabi niya tungkol sa akin o sa ayos ko ngayong gabi. I think I felt a little nervous. Or that my heart skipped a bit once. Ngumiti na lang ako sa kaniya at bahagyang kinalma ko ang sarili ko. "Ngayong gabi lang? Kanina ba hindi ako maganda habang nag-i-island hopping tayo?" biro ko pa.

I was wearing a one-piece swimsuit earlier. Maybe tomorrow I'd wear a two piece naman.

Umiling naman si Keegan pero nangiti na rin sa akin.

"Ang simple mo lang nga ngayon. I feel like napasobra ba ang outfit ko para sa dinner lang naman na 'to?" ngumisi ako at tumingin muli kay Keegan.

Mabilis naman din siyang umiling. "No. You really look fine. I'm sorry I should've wear something more appropriate."

I shook my head too after what he said. "Hindi naman. You look fine yourself, too." I said. And I wasn't bluffing. Because he really looks so fine even in simple outfits. Maybe even if he'd wear rugs, he would still look handsome. Napangiti na lang ako pati para sa sarili ko sa mga naisip ko. Nailing din ako sa sarili.

"Well, thanks..."

And I don't know where it came from what I said next well obviously from me. But I'd like to also blame it on the wine I drank earlier with the steak that was served to us. Kahit konti lang naman ang ininom ko ay gusto ko na lang din isipin na medyo nalasing na siguro ako. Kasi basta kung ano na lang ang sumunod na lumabas sa bibig ko na sinabi ko pa kay Keegan.

"You know what... I think I like you." I said that I also regretted the next second after I said it. Gusto ko pang takpan ang bibig ko. My eyes also widened a fraction. What am I saying now?

Pero tinago ko na rin ang reaksyon ko at tinakpan na lang ng isang tawa. Nababaliw na siguro ako. Pagkatapos ay agad ko rin binawi ang sinabi ko o pinalitan ng sa tingin ko ay mas kaaya-aya. "Ang ibig kong sabihin, I like you... as friend! Yes, that's it! I think you're a very nice friend friend, Keegan..." I just said to cover it.

Nakatingin na rin sa akin si Keegan. And his lips were a bit parted as I was talking and explaining in front of him. Sa huli ay ngumiti lang din siya muli sa akin at tumango na. "All right..." He said, at mukhang may sasabihin pa sana siya pero tinakasan ko na siya at nagmadali pa.

Agad na rin akong nagpaalam na babalik na ako sa hotel ko at inaantok na rin ako. He offered to bring me back to my hotel na hindi ko na rin natanggihan. So that night he walked me back to my hotel before he returned to his villa. Huminga na lang ako nang nasa loob na ako ng hotel room ko at nakasandal sa nakasarang pintuan ng kwarto sa likod ko.