Chapter 7

"Lyric, are you going to be okay?" Tita asked while we're here in the living room.

Tumango ako bilang sagot. I want to attend my class for today, pero hindi ako pinayagan ni tita. Gusto niya, papasok ako kapag magaling na ang tahi sa braso at balikat ko. Hah! Thanks to my lovely sister. Well, dad allowed me to go to University today, since wala naman siyang pake sa kalagayan ko. Umalis din siya kanina palipad papunta sa Sri Lanka para daw sa kanilang charity work. 

Sana nga hindi na bumalik eh

Tita stood up and grabbed her Coach bag, "Ihahatid ko lang si Eloira sa rehab center. I don't know kung gaano siya katagal mag sstay doon," tita said and walked towards me, "baka kasi kung ano pang magawa niya sayo, if we will let her stay here."

I nodded my head as an answer. Eloira will be sent in a rehab center dito sa Manila. Mabuti nga iyon eh, baka pag tumagal siya nandito, patayin na niya ako. I saw my sister went down the staircase, and the moment our eyes met, agad nanlisik ang mata niya sa akin.

Umalis naman na sila after makababa ni Eloira. I was left in the living room alone, kaya umakyat nalang ako sa kwarto ko. Hinubad ko ng dahan-dahan ang damit ko, so I could take a shower. After taking a shower, I put on some ointments sa stiches ko bago ko ulit sinuotan ng bagong gauze pad. 

I wore my sky blue cotton night dress, before I went outside my washroom. I looked myself on the mirror at pinasadahan ng tingin ang sarili, mula ulo hanggang paa. 

"Bagay kaya sa akin ang blonde highlights?" I asked myself.

When I'm done checking myself on the mirror, I sat down on my bed and reached for my phone. I was busy scrolling on my social media accounts, when I heard a knock on my door.

"Who's that?" Pasigaw kong tanong habang nakaupo pa rin sa kama ko.

"Sebastian."

Napabalikwas ako sa pagkakaupo ko sa kama at patakbong tinungo ang pintuan ng kwarto ko. I opened the door, and I saw Sebastian leaning on the wall opposite of my room. He's wearing a white maong shorts, a blue button-down polo na may design na clouds. He's wearing his white Jordan shoes, and a pair of silver wrist watch. 

"Tapos ka ng pasadahan ako ng tingin, mula ulo hanggang paa?"

Nabalik ako sa realidad nang marinig ko siyang mag salita. I immediately gave him a disgusting look before i showed him my middle finger. Natawa siya, bago nag lakad palapit sa akin.

"What are you doing here?" Kunot noo kong tanong sa kaniya.

He shrugged and licked his lower lip, "Sinabi sa akin ng step mom mo na maiiwan ka dito mag isa, kaya sinabihan niya akong puntahan ka," he casually answered.

I pursed my lips before nodding my head, "I will just call you if i need something. Sa baba ka nalang mag stay," I said and I was about to close the door of my room, when he placed his hand on it, pushing it to open.

"I can stay there," he said at agad akong umiling sa kaniya.

I pushed his hand na nasa pintuan ko, "I'm fine. Huwag mo na akong intindihin pa. I can handle myself, Sebastian."

He looked at me for a couple of seconds, like he was trying to read my mind. After a couple of seconds, he lower down his head and sighed in defeat while nodding.

"I understand. It's just that, nag aalala lang ako sa kalagayan mo Lyric," he said and his gaze went up to look at me, "I don't want to lose yo, Lyric."

I swallowed so hard, before looking away. Naramdaman kong may kung anong lumilipad sa tiyan ko, and it's annoying but at the same time nakakakiliti. After gaining my strength and looked at him, diretso sa mata.

I bit my lower lip, "Pumasok ka na nga, andami mo pang sinasabi," it sounded like a whisper, but I'm glad he heard it.

"Sabi mo hindi ka nag guguitara?" He said while he was seating on the sofa near my bed. Nakaupo kasi ako sa kama ko, at siya doon naupo sa sofa.

I nodded my head, "Oo nga," I answered at sinundan ang tingin niya. He was looking at the guitar that was hanging on the wall. Kulay itim ito at may capo na ulay gold pang nakakabit sa third fret.

I stood up and walked towards the guitar. Kinuha ko ito mula sa pagkakasabit niya sa dingding. Kinuha ko na rin ang tuner, dahil malaman out of tune na ito. It has been 3 years since I last used it. I stopped in front of Seb and handed him my guitar. Agad niya itong kinuha before strumming it. Naupo ako sa tabi niya, habang pinagmamasdan siyang tinotono ang guitara ko.

"Grabe naman itong guitara na ito, walang wala na sa tono," he said and chuckled, "kelan ba ito huling nagamit?"

I sighed bago nag indian seat, "Three years ago. Sabi ko naman kasi, hindi ako masipag mag aral ng mga ganyan."

From the guitar, his gaze went up to me, "Eh bakit ka may ganito?" He pointed at the guitar.

I shrugged, "For display purpose only," nakanguso kong sagot.

He dramatically put his hand over his chest, "Grabe naman iyon. Bumili ng guitara para lang idisplay. Magkano ba pera mo, pautang naman," he teased bago inilahad sa akin ang kamay niyang nakabukas.

I slapped his hand really hard, kaya namula ito. Agad niyang binawi sa akin ang kamay niya, at hinipan ang mga ito. Yung palad niya ay kulay pula na ngayon, dahil sa malakas kong pag hampas sa palad niya.

"Lechugas, volleyball player ka ba?" Nakangiwi niyang tanong sa akin whil he was blowing on his palms.

I shrugged, "Team captain ako ng volleyball noong high school," I casually said at agad siyang napatingin sa akin ng gulat.

"Seryoso?! Hindi mo iyan sinabi sa akin," he said at umayos ng pagkakaupo, paharap sa akin.

I shrugged, "Hindi ka naman nag tatanong."

Nang dumating ang lunch time, sinabihan ko yung maid na dalhan nalang kami ni Seb ng pagkain dito sa kwarto, para hindi na kami baba.

"Mam, may kailangan pa po?" Magalang na tanong ng maid sa akin, when she handed me the tray na may laman na pagkain.

I shook my head and smiled a little, "I will just call you again later, if we need something. Thank you."

Sa terrace ko kami kumain ni Seb. There's a mini glass table and two metal chairs here in my terrace. Sebastian was using his phone while we're eating, and I was kinda annoyed because of that.

"Sebastian," I called him and he immediately looked at me.

"Ano meron? May kalaban?" He asked at agad kumunot ang noo ko sa kaniya.

Tumikhim ako, before placing my fork on my plate, "Don't use your phone while we're eating. That's not a proper etiquette."

Napangiwi siya and he immediately put his phone inside of his pockets, "Sorry."

We started eating again after that. Pagkatapos, pinatawag ko ulit yung maid, para kuhanin ang pinagkainan namin dito. After that, I went inside my washroom to brush my teeth. 

"Mag guitara ka nga, haranahin mo ulit ako. Dali!" I demanded him habang na uupo sa kama ko.

He suddenly smirked at me, kaya nag salubong ang dalawang kilay ko, "What?"

He shook his, still smirking. Because of annoyance, hinagisan ko siya ng throw pillow, at sapul iyon sa mukha niya. He was laughing while putting back the throw pillow on my bed.

"Na adik ka naman sa boses ko. Hay, sabi na kaya ayokong hinaharana ang isang babae eh, baka mahulog," pag mamayabang niya, and I threw another throw pillow on him again.

"You know what, maybe the PAG-ASA needs to update the weather today, masyadong malakas ang hangin. Akala ko nga bumabagyo eh," I told him and he just laughed at me.

Inis kong pinag iitsa sa kaniya ang mga unan na nakakapa ko sa gilid ko. In the end, napapayag ko siyang kumanta ulit. He was seating on the sofa, his right leg was on top of his left leg. He started to strum a familiar tune, and he started singing while he was looking at me straight in the eyes.

Sa piling ba niya'y ikaw ay

May lungkot na nararamdaman

Damdamin mo ba'y di maintindihan?

Dahil ikaw ang sigaw ng puso ko

Ikaw ang nasa isip ko

Ang nais ko ay malaman mo

Na ikaw ang tanging pangarap ng buhay

Pag-ibig ko sa iyo'y bibigay

Ang nais ko ay malaman mo

Na mahal kita...

When he stopped singing, nanatili pa rin sa akin ang mga mata niya. I was the one who broke the eye contact, at pasimpleng pinaypayan ang sarili ko gamit ang kamay. Bakit biglang uminit? My aircon is on, so why?

"Lyric."

Napalingon ako sa gawi ni Seb when he called me. He was still holding the guitar on his right hand, pero may hawak na siya na envelope sa kaliwang kamay niya. My eyebrows furrowed as i was looking at the envelope he was holding.

Kelan pa niya hawak iyan? I didn't notice.

"What do you need?" I asked him while my right hand was on my collarbones.

Tumikhim siya bago niya inabot ang envelope na hawak niya. Taka ko naman iyon tinanggap. Based on the envelope. it's like an old envelope that has a string on it. Nang binuksan ko iyon, bumungad sa akin ang isan papel na halatang sinunog ang gilid, for the designs. The way the letter was written, para siyang old style. Cursive ang sulat nito at naka slant pa.

Lyric Chelsy Faller Makinano

Babaeng pinapangarap ko

Babaeng nag papatibok ng puso ko

Nag iisang reyna ko.

Sa mundo natin

Walang nakakaalam kung anong nakatadhana sa atin

Baka bukas gumuho ang mundo

Baka bukas, mawala na ang mga tao.

Kaya naman hindi ko sasayangin ang oras ko

Na kasama ang babaeng pinakamamahal ko

Kaya Lyric Chelsy Faller Makinano

Maaari bang maging tayo?

"No pressure, Lyric."

Nag angat ako ng tingin kay Seb na ngayon ay palipat lipat ng tingin sa kwarto ko. halatang iniiwasan niya ang mata ko. Tinupi ko ang papel at binalik iyon sa loob ng envelope, bago nag lakad palapit sa kaniya.

I stopped in front of him. I brushed my fingers on his hair, while he was looking ate me. I felt his arms wrapped around my waist, while he was looking at me intently. I breathe a large amount of air, before nodding my head.

"Maaari," that's all I can say.

He blinked a lot of times, before smiling at me genuinely. He pulled me closer to him, so I ended up seating on his lap. Pinatitigan ko ang buong mukha niya, while I was caressing his jawline, and also his eyebrows.

"You really have a nice jawline and eyebrows," I whispered at binaba ang kamay ko na nakahawak sa mukha niya, "unfair."

He chuckled before he burried his face on my hair. Kalaunan ay naramdaman kong he was caressing the gauze pad on my left arm. Tinignan ko siya, at nanatili lang ang mukha niya sa buhok ko.

"Seb," I called him and he immediately looked at me.

"Yeah?" He said in a low tone, while he was putting the strands of my hair, at the back of my ears.

"Talian kita ng buhok," nakangiti kong sabi at tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo sa hita niya.

Lumaking ang mata niya, "W-what? Anong klaseng tali?"

I put my pointing finger on my chin, while tapping it, "I will just braid your hair. Mahaba kasi eh," I said and went to my closet to find some elastic band.

I went back while holding the plastic full of elastic band. Seb was just their, seating on my sofa while he was browsing on his phone.

"Sit on the floor, para maabot ko buhok mo," utos ko sa kaniya, and he immediately followed.

Ako ang naupo sa sofa, while Seb was seating on the floor. Nakapagitna siya sa dalawang hita ko. I started ko brush his hair with my hair brush, before braiding his hair. Hindi naman siya kumikibo, while I was braiding his hair.

"Tada!'

I gave him a small mirror, so he can see his hair. May maliit na trintas lang ang buhok niya at kulay neon green ang elastic band na ginamit ko pantali ng buhok.

"What can you say?" Nakangiti kong tanong before hugging him on the neck.

He placed the mirror he was holding on the floor, before caressing my hair a little. Tinignan niya ako mula sa kaliwang balikat niya.

"Maganda, kasing-ganda mo."