X. His Secret Place

Dinala siya ni Marsden sa isang up hill  park.  Heaven’s View Park ang nakalagay sa sign nang masilayan niya ito at the park’s entrance.  Gabi na kaya wala ng tao pero madaming pathway lights illuminating the whole place and Trisha liked the place already.  At the center there’s a playground with slides, seesaws and swings.  Marami ring mga sementadong upuan surrounding the park…akala ni Trisha doon sila papunta sa playground.  Para siyang bata na excited kung saan siya dadalhin ni Marsden.  Mas lalo siyang naging komportable dito nang malaman niyang ito pala ang patpating Marsden na kaibigan niya noon.  Trisha glanced at Marsden observing his manly built stealthily.  The skinny boy was no longer there but he is still tall as she remembered at the storeroom.  Trisha just reaches his chin with her 5”4’ height.

“We’re here,” lumabas na ito and opened the passenger door to help her out.  Nag ala-gentleman in a date ito offering his hand.  “My lady?”

Trisha chuckled.  “Thank you my lord,” sabay hawak sa kamay nito.  When Trisha saw the view beyond Marsden’s shoulder she was momentarily stunned by the beauty of it.  The only light that shined upon them are the headlights of Marsden’s car.  Trisha went ahead and saw a wide lawn between trees.  They are in a hill and below are the most refreshing view Trisha saw her entire life.  The different color of lights in the city below  are like stones beneath the earth. Glimmering in the dark.  Shining the busy city, giving life.

Naramdaman niya ang coat ni Marsden nang ilagay nito sa balikat niya para protektahan siya sa lamig ng hangin.  She smiled at him before he sat on the grass.   She can still feel the heat left in his coat from his body and the warmth was good.  Hindi niya alam kung anong sasabihin niya, she knew thank you is not enough. 

Nilapitan niya ito at umupo sa damuhan katabi nito.  “Thank you Mars, ang ganda dito, sariwa ang hangin,” she take a deep breath. “So refreshing.”

“You’re welcome, what friends are for,” he chuckled and said, “we’re still friends right?”  Alam ni Marsden na  itong lugar na ‘to ang makapagpapagaan ng pakiramdam ni Trisha dahil ito rin ang kanyang escaping place.  He offered the burger and drink to her and ate his own food with gusto.

Nadala si Trisha sa sarap ng kain nito kaya naman sarap na sarap din siya sa burger kahit na hindi siya masyadong kumakain nito.  “Siyempre noh, sa lahat ba ng tulong na ginawa mo para gumaan ang pakiramdam ko ipagkakait ko pa ba ‘yong friendship ko,” Trisha smiled. “At tsaka you’ve seen the worst of me already.” And then reminding him of her previous drunken state when she slightly did a puking gesture.

Marsden guffawed at what she did.  Looking at her right now he remembered the Trisha he knew back then…she knew just how to make him laugh (unconsciously), always trying to be one of the boys, innocently funny at gumaganti kapag tinutukso nilang dalawa ng kuya nito.  He chuckled when he remembered something then drank the soda in can.

“What?  What’s so funny?” curious na tanong ni Trisha. 

Marsden gave him a one sided smile and one dimple winked at her.  “I just remembered how funny you were.”

Trisha pouted. “Really?” Yes, bibo siyang bata noon pero hindi niya kailan man naisip na nakakatawa siya.  She felt a little insulted.

“I think innocently funny was the right word.  You did things clumsily even that time when you wanted to get back at me for not letting you play with my favorite truck,” natatawang saad ni Marsden.

Trisha vaguely remembered the scene in the pool when the three of them were playing at their backyard beside it. Marsden and her kuya Marco were racing their remote controlled moster trucks at the lawn.  Giliw na giliw siya sa panonood sa kanila at gusto rin niyang sumali pero ayaw siyang pasalihin ng kanyang kuya dahil laro lang daw ito ng mga lalaki.  Trisha was pouting and glaring at Marsden dahil nang sinubukan niyang hiramin ang truck nito, hindi na siya nito napansin dahil tinatawag na ito ng kuya niya. 

“Well whatever happened after was all your fault,” nangingiting turan ni Trisha.

“My fault?” Marsden laughingly said. “Sabagay, kasalanan ko nga siguro... but wait!  One thing for sure, I didn’t pushed you and you knew it.”

Trisha bit her lower lip to stop her amusement.   “It was the first time in my life that I thought of an evil deed,  planning to push you into the pool,” tumingin siya sa itaas, “and God chastised me right away.”  They both laughed.

Nang pumasok si Marco sa loob ng kanilang bahay para humanap ng kahit anong bagay that would make the race more exciting at si Marsden naman ay uminom ng tubig sa lamesitang nasa gilid ng lawn dahan-dahang kinuha ni Trisha ang monster truck ni Marsden at tumakbo papunta sa kabilang bahagi ng pool para hindi siya agad masundan nito.   Sinubukan niyang e-maniobra ang remote pero hindi siya marunong kaya naman muntikan na itong mahulog sa tubig.  Nang makita ni Marsden na nilalaro ni Trisha ang kanyang monster truck, hindi niya maiwasang ngumiti sa determinasyon nito.  Pinuntahan niya ito upang turuan ng makita niyang mahuhulog ang laruan sa pool.  Agad siyang tumakbo at kinuha ang truck bago pa man ito mabasa.  Binitawan ni Trisha ang remote control kaya agad itong kinuha ni Marsden.  Nakita niyang tahimik lang si Trisha at nakatingin sa ibaba, lalapitan na sana niya ito para sabihing okay lang at balak sana niyang turuan ito ng bumalik si Marco at tinawag siya para simulan nanaman ang racing.  “Mamaya na lang,” turan ng batang si Marsden at tumalikod kay Trisha papunta sa kabilang side ng pool.  Nang tumalikod si Marsden, namumula sa inis ang batang si Trisha at balak itulak si Marsden sa pool.  Trisha was known for her clumsiness kaya naman bago pa man niya mailapat ang mga palad sa likod ni Marsden, she slipped directly towards the water.  Nagulat si Marsden nang marinig ang pagsalagpak ng tubig sa kanyang likuran.  Agad siyang tumalon sa tubig nang makita si Trishang nalolonod. 

“Oh my God, I thought I was going to die,” saad ni Trisha.  Natatawa pa rin sila as they reminisced that day.

“Believe me I was really trying to save you.  I just jumped without  thinking and forgot I can’t swim.” He laughed harder.

Napapaluha na si Trisha sa kakatawa, she was holding her stomach to ease the quivering that tingles her whole body.  “I remembered how I gripped you but still drowning,” sabay pahid sa luhang nasa sulok ng kanyang mga mata. 

“At that time, you’re heavier than I was, kahit anong gawin kong pagkampay pumapailalim pa rin ako.”

Trisha punched him lightly at the shoulder while still laughing.

Huminga siya ng malalim to compose herself.  Humiga siya sa damuhan to relax her nerves, “nakakapagod tumawa.”  Tumingin siya kay Marsden na nakahiga na rin sa damuhan.  They faced each other, still smiling. “Those were the days I wanted to go back to.”  She gazed at the stars above them.  “I never hated you for real back then.  I was so embarassed  to admit na kasalanan ko ang lahat that’s why I acted like you pushed me, as if I can’t forgive you.”  She looked back at Marsden and seriously said.  ”Deep inside, you’re still my friend even though si kuya ‘yong palagi mong kalaro.”

Marsden propped his arms behind his head.  “His the brother I never had, I always enjoyed playing with him so even if I wanted to play with you, I was always ready to do what he said and not to negate him.  Besides at that time, he just wanted you to play with your own sex.”

Trisha smiled dahil alam niya kung gaano siya kamahal ng kuya niya. He always do what’s best for her. He became the parent she needed even though he also needed a parent to lean on. They were so young back then to fend for themselves but Marco supported Trisha on his own. That is why Trisha was so upset when she saw the picture and the comments in f******k. Tiyak na masasaktan ito at madidisappoint sa kanya. She covered her eyes with her arm when she felt the tears dripping down her ears. She bit her lower lip to stifle her sob.

A moment passed bago nagsalita si Marsden.  “What happened back there in the hotel?” Pinipilit niyang kalmahin ang sarili so that Trisha would relax and will feel comfortable to share.

Ibinaba ni Trisha ang braso na nakatakip sa mga mata and rest both arms over her stomach.  She looked at the sstar. “Chelsea, my cousin, planned it all.  Hindi coincidence na ando’n ako sa airport and catched them together.  She called and told me that Drake was waiting for her at the airport that very moment.  We’re celebrating our 3^rd Anniversary, you see!” Huminga siya ng malalim, she realized the betrayal of trust was more painful than seeing them together. “May kumakalat…na picture sa f******k.” She looked at Marsden, nahihiya siya dito dahil pati ito nadadamay. Nakahiga parin ito sa tabi niya, he looked relax but when Trisha stared at his face, his forehead was furrowed and there’s a flicker of anger in his eyes when he looked at her. “I’m really sorry for dragging you to this mess, remember when I k-kissed you, Chelsea must have someone in the airport to take photos. Someone posted it and I’m afraid kuya Marco had already seen it. A-All those comments will hurt him for sure.”

Marsden can’t control the anger that was surely showing on his face so he sat up and opened his knuckles to relax them.   He wanted to punched the guy and he hated the cousin.  Deep within him was smoldering.  Trisha was like a sister, ever since she accepted him as her friend.  When he found out that this woman was the Trisha he’d known in his childhood, he started to missed them.  God knows how he avoided things that could remind him of her mother’s death so he resolved to forget the past but now the memories were gradually coming back  and surprisingly reminiscing with Trisha eased the bad memories.

He took a deep breathe.  “Show me the picture, I knew someone who can put it down.”

Agad napaupo si Trisha, her eyes were full of hope. Agad niyang kinuha ang cellphone sa kanyang purse and disregarded the notifications, afraid to confirm if his kuya Marco had already seen the picture, she directly opened her f******k account. Nang makita niya ang picture posted in her wall, ibinigay niya ang cellphone kay Marsden na ngayon ay may kausap na sa cellphone.

“Yes, I’ll send you the link right away. Thank you,” he chuckled.  “Let’s have a drink sometime, my treat.”   Nang ibaba ni Marsden ang phone, kinuha niya ang cellphone kay Trisha and looked at the picture.  He smirked, “hmmm…not bad!”

Trisha chuckled at his reaction, but she can’t help the blush instantly warming her face. Until now medyo nahihiya pa rin siyang isipin na hinalikan niya si Marsden.

When everything was settled Marsden drove Trisha home. 

“Coffee?”  Offer ni Trisha ng nasa labas na sila ng car ni Marsden in front of the gate.

Marsden was leaning at his car door with his hands inside his trouser’s pockets and one of his ankles crossed over the other.  He felt relaxed now that Trisha’s problems were lessen a bit and she too looked relaxed and prettily smiling at him despite the redish eyes and nose.  “I’ll pass, you should take a rest but next time you owe me one,” sabay kindat dito.

Trisha smiled and waved goodbye pagkatapos nilang magpalitan ng numbers but before he could open the driver’s door, Trisha went to him.

“Wait!  May nakalimutan ako, here,” sabay lahad ng kanang kamay kay Marsden.

Marsden smiled and took her hand for a handshake.  Alam niya kung anong balak nitong gawin.  He remembered it, he dreamed of it.

“I’m Trisha Lee M. Fuentes,” nangingiting saad nito.

Marsden chuckled.  “Marsden Fonacier.”

Hindi nila binitawan ang kamay ng isat-isa because they were both anticipating what will happen next. Breaking the handshake agad  ikinabit ni Trisha ang kanyang big finger  sa big finger ni Marsden at ganoon din ang small finger niya  sa small finger naman nito. 

“Okay, so this is a renewal of our long lost friendship–“  she chuckled “–and it was already established that I never really hated you.  And I wanted to say sorry for accusing you of pushing me before.”  Marsden laughed and looked at Trisha with amusement in his eyes.  “And of course for hating you then when you left without saying goodbye.  I know you have your reasons and I wanted us to start all over again.  I wanted to welcome you back…so…please! be kind to stop my rumbling,” they both laughed heartily.

When Trisha looked up at the wall clock in the living room after she freshened up, it was already one in the morning.  She lazily lounge over the sofa.  She took her cellphone and decided to text Marsden.

Hey! Safe ka bang nakauwi?

A minute passed ng tumunog ang cellphone niya for incoming calls.

“Yup! Actually preparing to sleep,” saad ni Marsden sa kabilang linya.

Trisha smiled, “okay, goodnight then!”

“Goodnight.”