Of Plastic Bags, Beer, and Clichés pt. 2

        NIO KNEW that Heidee has been dreading something for days. Ang alam lang niya, may gusto itong itanong pero 'di pa nito sigurado kung gusto rin nitong malaman ang sagot. Alam niyang kinakabahan dapat siya pero hindi, e. May tiwala siya sa girlfriend. He knew how her mind works.

        And so, he made sure to distract her.

        Ayaw niya kasing mag-overthink ito o ma-guilty'ng pinaghihintay siya nito. Hindi naman sa walang pakialam si Nio sa gumugulo sa isip ni Heidee. He was just sure he wouldn't do or say anything that would hurt her. 'Di naman niya iyon ipapangako kung 'di siya sigurado.

        It's been a long time since he felt that way, actually, that lull in his emotions. Iyong tipo ng kasiguraduhan na kayang-kayang tuksuhin si Tadhana'ng mangialam. Sumulyap siya kay Heidee. Sa bawat hakbang nito ay tumutunog iyong bitbit nitong mga bote. Kumakalansing din iyong zippers sa jacket niyang suot nito.

        Napabuntonghininga si Nio.

        The more he looked at her, the more he was tempted to pry about her question.

        "You know you can just ask, right?" Heidee mused, smiling. Napagaya siya sa ngiti nito. Without even looking at him, she read him like a book. "Baka tunaw na 'ko bago pa tayo makabalik, e."

        Halos 15 minutes din ang layo ng bahay mula sa sarisari store na pinagbilihan nila ng beer. Despite being long, the walk wasn't quiet. Maingay kasi iyong mga dumaraang sasakyan. Parang may payabangan ang mga makina.

        "I think I should be the one saying that," he finally replied. "You know you can just ask your question, right?"

        Heidee smiled sheepishly. "Actually, nasagot ko na, ha-ha."

        "What now, babe?"

        "Okay." Huminto sa paglalakad si Heidee. "Nakita kasi kayo ni Annie sa elevator no'ng Monday yata?"

        Nio squinted at her. "Me and who?"

        "Kayo ni Angie." Pababa nitong hinila ang manggas ng jacket pagkasabi niyon. "Actually, tungkol sa kanya 'yong tanong ko. Itatanong ko lang sana kung bakit kayo magkasama. That's it. Sorry for making a big deal out of this."

        "Hey, don't apologize. It's okay. I get it. I'm the one who should say sorry pa nga. I should've told you, e." Ipinatong niya ang kanang kamay sa ulo ng girlfriend. "I'm sorry, baby."

        "Okay na nga. Alam ko na kung bakit, e. May cook book siya, 'di ba?"

        Nio nodded. "We bumped into each other in the elevator. She told me about her book and asked where Julian's office was. I accompanied her there and left. I'm only making paliwanag, okay? I should've told you agad. I'm sorry."

        "Okay na, apology accepted," nangingiti nitong sabi. "Para kang maiiyak. Sabi na, lasing ka na, e."

        He bit his lower lip, second-guessing what he was about to say. "I'm about to tell you something but promise me first that you're not gonna feel guilty."

        Heidee sighed. "Okay, promise."

        "I thought you were thinking of breaking up with me. It's not your fault why I assumed that. I just thought you were having problems you want to handle alone."

        "Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. Promise, 'di 'yon pumasok sa isip ko. The last few months has been fun. Bakit naman ako makikipa—"

        "You promised you weren't gonna feel guilty, right? It wasn't your fault, babe. Don't feel guilty for wanting to put your feelings first. I like that about you, e."

        "Like lang?"

        He shot her a look. "What?"

        Heidee grinned. "Wala, wala. Anyway, 'di ka man lang ba magtataka kung pa'no ko nalaman 'yong about sa cook book ni Angie?"

        Pasimpleng nilipat ni Nio ang bitbit na plastic bag ng beer sa kanang kamay. Kaswal niyang inabot ang kamay ni Heidee pagkatapos. "Okay, how?"

        "She told me." Nagpatuloy sila sa paglalakad. "Nag-lunch kami, e. Siya 'yong kasama ko no'ng isang araw. We talked about you."

        "Hmm." He squeezed her hand. "Did she tell you anything embarrassing?"

        "Oo," she answered, chuckling. "Ang dami."

        Instead of replying, Nio smiled to himself. Tiningnan niya ang magkahawak nilang kamay sa gilid ng mga mata niya.

        "Uy, sorry ulit, 'ha? I'll do better in communicating."

        "Me, too. I'll do better din."

        "Anyway, p'wedeng magtanong?"

        He glanced at her. "Always."

        "Hypothetically, kung sinabi kong gusto kong makipag-break, anong gagawin mo?"

        "Nothing," Nio said with a soft smile. "I know you pretty well even before we started dating. You're stubborn but you think things through. I trust you so if you said you wanted to break up, I would've said okay. You must have noticed something I didn't, e. I mean no offense, okay?"

        Nakagat niya ang dila. Natahimik kasi si Heidee. It looked like it wasn't the answer she expected to hear. He was about to retract everything when she sighed in relief.

        Shaking her head, Heidee smiled. Huminto ito sa paglalakad. Nilapag nito sa kongkreto ang plastic bag ng beer. Kinuha rin nito ang bitbit niyang plastic at ibinaba iyon sa kalsada. Pagkatapos niyon, inabot ni Heidee ang mga kamay niya. Pinagdikit nito ang mga iyon.

        And just like what he did back in Tagaytay, she blew air onto his hands, warming them. She still hasn't said anything in seconds, though.

        "Hey," tudyo niya rito. "What's running through that pretty little mind of yours?"

        "You."

        "That's a pretty cliché answer," Nio said, chuckling.

        "I don't care. Totoo naman, e." Pinanatili ni Heidee ang titig sa mga kamay nila. "Mahal kita, e."

        It sounded like a slip of the tongue.

        Nio's eyes widened. Bahagya rin siyang umatras para matingnan nang maayos ang girlfriend. Malamlam na dilaw ang ilaw mula sa poste. Sumabay iyon sa pagkulay rosas ng mga pisngi ni Heidee.

        "Really?" He stepped closer, cupping her cheeks afterward. "Can you repeat what you just said? I didn't hear it clearly kasi."

        She laughed, clearly aware of what he was trying to do. "Sabi ko, mahal kita," she repeated it anyway. Her voice sounded shaky this time. May himig na ng hiya roon pero mas tunog sigurado na.

        Malalim na napabuntonghininga si Nio. Sa pagkakataong iyon, hinapit niya palapit ang girlfriend. He wrapped both his arms around her. His one hand rested on the small of her back while he placed the other on the top of her head. The bottles clunked. Babasagin kasi. Naipit pa nila. Nasipa rin nang kaunti.

        The bottles felt cold against their feet. They didn't mind anyway.

        "Babe, 'yong bote," Heids mumbled.

        "I don't really care anymore," Nio replied, chuckling softly. For a moment, he let her go. He peppered her face with tiny kisses.

        After a few seconds, he stopped. He kissed her again. This time, on her lips. It was a bit deeper, too. It was even more passionate that he tasted the apple-flavored beer she's been drinking all night.

        Nio broke the kiss upon remembering something. "I love you, too, by the way. I'm sorry for kissing you before clarifying that."

        Chuckling, she nodded. "Na-gets ko naman."

        Tumingkayad si Heidee pagkatapos. Ikinawit din nito ang mga kamay sa batok niya at saka siya hinalikan. The second Nio felt her fingers tugging and playing with his hair, he inhaled sharply. He felt her smile after that, too. Natuwa yata ito sa naging reaksyon niya.

        Segundo ang lumipas. Mahamog ang hangin. Malamig din iyong mga bote ng beer na nakapagitan sa kanila. Still, they didn't mind.

        "Wait lang," Heidee suddenly whispered in between their kiss. "Naba-bother ako sa bote. Baka mabasag."

        "I can buy new ones naman if they break," suhestiyon niya.

        Akmang hahalik ulit siya kay Heidee nang tumatawa siya nitong itulak. "Ang gastos mo. Let's go back." Nilabas nito ang phone mula sa bulsa ng suot na shorts. "Hanap na tayo ni Marv."

        Nio groaned in response. Nagpatianod na lang siya nang hilahin siya nito. Kinuha niya iyong isang supot ng beer. Muli niya iyong nilipat sa kabilang kamay upang mahawakan ang kanang kamay ni Heids. Holding and warming each other's hand, they began walking back to the house. He would occasionally kiss the back of her hand in every step.

        Eventually, Heids leaned against his left chest. Walang nagawa si Nio kundi halikan ang tuktok ng ulo ng girlfriend. He breathed in deep, catching a whiff of her shampoo. Napangiti siya nang maliit.

        Heidee was right. Matapang nga iyong pabango niya.

#