004

"Nice to meet you too..."

Ilang oras pa ang nilaan nila bago ni Raelynn naisipan na bumalik sa tent. Kasama niya si Henry na nag lalakad sa tabi niya. For some reason, she finds peace in his presence.

It's weird that her mind was so calm around him.

"My father wants me to settle down; he wants me to marry someone that I don't even see my features with," he said, looking at me. "It's just so dumb, right? "He chuckled and shook his head.

I pressed my lips together. Nalaman ko kay Henry na gusto siyang ipag kasundo ng tatay niya sa anak ng kaibigan nito. Nalugi daw kasi ang kompanya at gusto naman tumulong ng tatay niya dito. Pero hindi pumayag si Henry.

It's really not that hard to understand why Henry doesn't want to settle down while his father wants him to get married to someone else.

Mahirap naman talaga pumasok sa kasal lalo na kung hindi ka sigurado at hindi mo mahal ang taong papakasalan mo. Marriage is sacred. I think it's way better if his father understands the feelings and decisions of his son. I mean, helping others is a nice way to help people; just make sure it will benefit others. Not just one-sided needs.

"What will happen to you now?" Tanong ko sakaniya.

He shrugged. "hindi na ako mag tataka kung gagawa siya ng paraan upang pumayag ako sa kasal. Knowing him, he plays dirty." Huminto ako ng may pinulot siyang bato at pinaglaruan ito sa kamay niya. I watched him.

Suddenly, her mother came into her mind. It's sad that she can no longer talk to her.

"My mother also hates me." Paninimula ko. Ramdam ko ang pag baling ng tingin saakin ni Henry, while her eyes wondered at the sky above.

That one night changed everything. The mistakes that I didn't do years ago. "She never looked at me as a daughter." but a murdered who killed his father.

I don't know why this is happening in my life. A big question for me is why I am here in this situation, but every time I try to find the answer, it just leaves me clueless. I don't know why I am here. I don't even know what the point of living here is. I know that I don't deserve this kind of pain, hatred, or judgment from the people around me. I've been good, I know. But why is it making me feel worse?

"Why? "He asked. I looked at him. He's now in front of me. Those eyes are asking for an answer.

"She..." Napalunok siya. Hindi niya kayang sabihin ang rason. Just thinking about the past makes her heart race. He looked at Henry and just shook her head. She cant. "She just doesn't want to." Iyon na lang ang tanging sagot niya. Hindi na nag usisa pa ng tanong si Henry.

"Tara na? baka abutan pa tayo ng ulan."

Medyo kumulimlim na ang ulap kaya kailangan nila mag madali bago pa sila abutan ng malakas na ulan. Buti na lang at malaki ang tent niya at kasya ang dalawang tao sa loob. Delikado pa kung mag tatagal sila doon dahil masyadong maputik ang lalakaran nila.

"Pasok ka." Binuksan ko sakaniya ang pintuan ng tent at isasara ko na sana ng iharanh niya ang kamay niya.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Isasarado ko lang 'yong bintana. Baka kasi pasukan tayo ng ulan sa loob."

"No, ako na. You stay inside."

Hindi ko na narinig ang sinabi ni Henry dahil nag mamadali na akong ibaba ang takip sa tent. Kaya naman laking gulat ko ng tumulong siya at binaba ang takip sa bintana.

Nang lumakas ang ulan ay mabilis na kaming pumasok sa loob.

"Hala basa ka na." Aniya ko ng makita ang tumutulong basa mula sa buhok niya pababa sa kaniyang mukha.

"It's fine." Aniya. "Damn I forgot my bag at the tent. Fcking stupid."

"Hey no cursing." Sabi ko dahil mukha na siyang iritado. "I have an extra towel. Gamitin mo muna kaysa naman mag pa tuyo ka diyan." Inabot ko sakaniya ang towel ko sa bag. Nag aalangan pa siya bago niya kunin sa kamay ko ang towel.

"Are you sure? baka may gamitan ka pa nito." Umiling ako.

"It's okay, you can use that I have my extra's handkerchief here." I said, reassuring him. Meron naman talaga akong dalang panyo in case na mapawisan ako sa hiking. I don't want to feel how sweaty my body is.

Henry smiled at me. "Thank you." Tumango na lang ako sakaniya at nilabas na ang pagkain namin. Isang bag lang naman ang dala ko, hindi naman siya gaano kalakihan pero kasya naman lahat ng mga gamit ko sa loob.

"You're a big eater, Rae?" Pinapanood ako ni Henry habang pinupunasan niya ang basa niyang katawan.

"Hindi naman, mahilig lang talaga ako mag dala ng extra foods in case na magutom ako."

Binigay ko sakaniya ang isang kong lunch box. Ito dapat ang kakainin ko mamayang gabi at cup noddles and juice naman para sa gabi na dapat meryenda ko mamayang hapon. Buti na lang nag dala ako ng sobrang pagkain. Hindi ko naman mauubos lahat ito, tho madami talaga akong dalang cup noodles I don't even know why I brought three of them. Baka para talaga sakaniya. Lucky him.

"That's spam. I don't know if you eat something like that. Pero masarap naman 'yan."

Aniya ko dahil pansin ko na sinusuri niya ang ulam na dala ko. Hindi naman kasi halata sakaniya na nakain siya ng mga can foods. He looks hella rich, even if he's wearing cargo shorts and a shirt.

"Wala naman akong tinatanggihang pagkain Rae. I eat what is on my plates. Spam is good; thank you."

"Welcome, let's eat."

Nilantakan agad namin parehas ang pagkain na dala ko. I can sense that he likes it, dahil naka ilang spam 'din siya ng kinain. Siya pa nga ang naunang matapos saaming dalawa. I'm really a slow eater. Pero mukha naman wala lang sakaniya dahil pinapanood niya akong kumain. Naiilang naman ako kaya tinuon ko lang ang atensyon ko sa pagkain. Nang matapos na ay agad ko naman niligpit ang pinagkainan namin.

"So what will you do after this?"

Tumila na ang ulan kaya nasa labas kami ngayon ni Henry. We're sitting on a folded chair.

"Home, I still have lots of pending work to finish." Sagot ko. I looked at him, who's now looking straight up at the mountain.

"How about you?"

"I have a meeting tomorrow morning, so I'll probably go straight to the office."

Tumango ako. "There's a bathroom down the mountain; you can rent their restroom." Suhestiyon ko. Doon na 'rin kasi ang punta ko bukas para diretso na ako pauwi at hindi na babalik dito para kunin ang mga gamit.

"I'll probably do that, I don't want to smell like shit at the office." He said.

"You really should." He looked at me. Henry is really handsome, kahit saang anggulo ng kaniyang mukha nakikita pa 'rin ang ganda nito.

"I will treat you a spam when we meet." We both laughed at that, and now he's so comfortable teasing me.

"You better be," I replied. He chuckled and looked into my eyes for a second.

He sighed. "I don't know, but I think I'm going to miss this. "Dagdag niya pa. "Thank you, Rae; it's so nice meeting you here." Suddenly, my heart beat went crazy. It's weird that it gave effect to me. It's so weird that my body feels so at ease with him.

He's just there, looking at me with admiration and respect.

"It's also nice meeting you here, Henry."