Strangers with Midnight Memories

Chapter Seven : i was at the gazebo

He merely strolled in like everyone else, but he had already caught my eye.

I stopped drinking and simply gazed at him, hoping he would see me as well, and I'm glad I was not wrong when his eyes scanned the place, it eventually met mine. I don't know if I'm just imagining things but when he found me, his eyes lit up, as if he was happy to see me.

He began walking towards my direction, and I'm about to stand up, but the boys saw him. Hinarang siya ng mga ito at binati siya. Halatang tuwang tuwa sila na pumunta si North ngayon sa party na siguro ay hindi niya madalas na ginagawa. Like what Ashey said, he's just going to parties because of Nahla.

Maybe I'm right, I'm just imagining things because he never took a glance at me again. I just caught myself looking at him while he spoke to the guys and some girls that approached him. Napansin ko kung paano siya makipag-usap sa mga babae, he's gentle, and he limits himself by never touching them, even on their shoulders or hands, samantalang ang mga babae ay panay ang hawak sa braso niya, sa kamay niya, they even pat him on his shoulder or on his chest.

He talked to them in a normal and mannered way, like how a taken guy should talk to girls, but they talked to him in a flirtatious way. He laughs with them out of respect, maybe because they made a joke, but he looks really not interested in what they're talking about. Naalala ko yung gabing magkausap kami, he's so focused on my lips when I'm telling something, that's why I know he's interested in what we're talking about that night not like now. I also remember him softly pulling up the strap of my tank top and kissing me that night… why is he like that to me and this to others?

I stared at him for like an hour maybe but unlike kanina, I don't feel tired at all. I don't get tired of seeing how he chuckles, and how he looks at them thoroughly when some of the themes pique his attention, and I realize as I stared at him, everything appeared to slow down, even the way he laughed. It's as if he's the only person I can see right now, and every second spent looking at him is worthwhile. I didn't regret staying at this party after all.

Nawala ang antok ko nang direktang niyang tiningnan muli ang direksyon ko. Automatic na umayos ako ng upo na parang batang tiningnan ng magulang kung nagbe-behave. Sumikip bigla ang dibdib ko pero hindi ko na maalis ang tingin ko sa kanya.

He looked down at what I was wearing, which led me to look at myself. Argh damn, ngayon ko naalala na ganito nga pala ang suot ko. Why do I always wear something like this when we meet? Nung una spaghetti strap, ngayon ganun ulit, ang iski pa.

He looked away, but I did not. I watched him drink from the bottle he's been holding since he got here, and smiled at the guys he's talking to, and said something I obviously did not hear, then he stood up.

Nakatingin pa rin ako sa kanya and he looked at me again.

Nakaramdam bigla ako ng kaba dahil mukhang lalapitan na niya ako ng tuluyan kaya umiwas ako ng tingin, at tiningnan ang paligid kung may nakatingin sa kanya na papalapit sa akin.

Pero tumigil siya sa paglalakad. He slightly tilted his head along with the pupil of his eyes to the right side where the door was, and looked at me again, he did not speak at hindi rin siya tuluyang lumapit sa akin. Instead, he walked and went out that door.

And for some unknown reason I seemed to understand what he meant. It's like a secret language that we alone understand.

I stood up at wala sa sarili akong lumabas sa pintong kanina niyang tinuro.

Paglabas ko ay iilan lang ang mga tao sa labas, lahat halos ay nasa loob ng bahay or nasa pool, which is at the left side of the house and this part is the backyard. Malawak ang garden nila Crystin at ilang metro lang ang lapit nito sa dagat. It's so beautiful here.I looked up to see how huge the moon is right now. How it lights up the sky and the sea. Her parents really picked the most beautiful house with the most astounding view here at Autumn Island.

Lumingon-lingon muli ako sa paligid to look for North, but he's not here anywhere. Naglakad pa ako ng kaunti hanggang sa makita ko ang gazebo doon na hindi ko alam kung sadyang itinago or it's really designed to be there.

Naglakad ako papunta doon. I can't see what it really looks like, all I know is that it's made of wood, and another incredible thing Laurens family have. Wala nga lang ilaw sa loob pati na rin ang daan papunta dito kaya dahan dahan ako sa paglalakad, I can only see it because of some lights in the garden na nasisinagan iyon ng kaunti.

When I stepped inside, I felt someone grab my right wrist. I almost screamed, luckily I heard his voice right away. His gentle tone of voice said, "It's me…"

He was leaning on the right side inside the gazebo so I didn't notice him right away. To be honest, I couldn't see his whole face because of the darkness. The only thing I could see was the left part of his forehead with his flickering eye, and the lower part of his lips up to his chin and neck.

From my wrist, his fingers slid into my palm. I looked at it, even though it was a bit dark, and then I looked back at his eyes staring at me. I felt his thumb on the back of my palm. Napalunok ako ng ang iba niyang mga daliri ay inisa isa ang iba ko pang mga daliri sa kamay na iyon. My every breath became heavy as I felt the tenderness of each of his fingertips.

"I–I assumed you wouldn't be coming here?" I manage to speak despite losing my breath.

"But you did, so..." his voice is calm but playful.

"W–what does that mean?" wala sa sarili kong tanong.

"I wanted to see you." pahina na ng pahina ang mga boses namin na parang kahit mga kulisap ay hindi kami maririnig.

I couldn't respond promptly to that response. I couldn't take any more breaths. I was curious as to why.

"W–Why?" bulong na nga lang ang boses ko ay naipit pa.

"Because–" he paused, his look traveled from my eyes to my lips.

He then stopped what he was doing to my hand, and before I could complain in my mind, he grasped my wrist completely and brought me closer to him and he kissed me.

The kiss is a little intense, yet it's as if he's hesitant, but also eager and unstoppable. He tastes like beer, but I don't think he's drunk because he didn't even finish that one bottle. Maybe I'm the one who's inebriated because I'm kissing him back right now.

His grip on my wrist is tight at first but as the kiss goes on, it loosens. I felt a sudden realization. This is wrong, he has a girlfriend. I'm not supposed to be here. I shouldn't have followed him here. What was I thinking? I keep telling myself that, but I don't know how to quit. I can't stop myself. I'm not sure how, or I just don't want to.

I’m not sure what's gotten into me. Is it because of his eyes? How he looked at me. His lips, how it felt so good? The way it pressed into my lips in both belligerent and reverent ways.

Why am I allowing this to happen? Why did I acquiesce so quickly? He didn't even call me for days after that night and now…this…

The kiss stopped when we heard someone.

"Rosheen?"

I hear Ashey's voice. I look at North.

"Should I come out?" I asked him.

He nodded. "She'll get suspicious if you don't. She may have seen you leave."

Tumango lang ako sa kanya at nagmadali na akong lumabas ng gazebo dahil naririnig ko nang papalapit ang boses ni Ashey.

"Ashey!" hinihingal kong tawag sa kanya.

Lumingon siya sa direksyon ko at bago pa siya makahakbang ng isa ay nanakbo na ako papunta sa kanya.

"Where have you been? Bakit ka hinihingal?" she asked immediately in a worried voice.

"I was at the gazebo."

Nilingon niya ang gazebo at hinarangan ko ang paningin niya.

“From that gazebo?” nagtatakang tanong niya. Sino nga bang hihingalin sa pagtakbo ko mula sa gazebo samantalang wala pa iyong sampung hakbang mula sa kinatatayuan namin.

I smiled at her, like how a suspicious person smile "L–let's go back inside." inakbayan ko siya at pinihit na papatalikod sa gazebo.

"What are you doing there alone? It's so dark." lilingunin pa muli sana niya ang gazebo pero hinigit ko na siya at nanakbo na kami pabalik sa bahay.

"Why are we running?" she asked again and I just laughed. Not knowing what to say anymore about my weird actions.

Nang makapasok na muli kami sa loob ng bahay ay tinitigan niya akong mabuti, "Are you drunk, Rosheen?" she smelled me and she confirmed it just like that. Ngumiwi siya at umiling-iling.

"Come on, let me take you home." she said and while she's dragging me out I looked back hoping I would see North again but I did not.

–

One morning I woke up to the sound of the telephone beside me. It's very unusual to receive a call so early this morning.

Pinilit ko ang sarili kong abutin ang teleponong nasa bedside table ko lang naman. Maybe it's Dad now and he'll get mad if I don't answer right away.

Isang mata ko lang ang nakabukas, sobra pa kasi ang antok ko at halos umaga na ako natulog para matapos ko yung librong binabasa ko kanina.

Pagkasagot ko sa telepono ay napamulat ng malaki ang pareho kong mga mata.

*Hi Rosheen. It’s North Adl....

Yun palang ang naririnig ko ay napabalikwas na agad ako sa higaan ko at umupo ako ng maayos. It’s been days since that gazebo thing happened. I always attend at Crystin's party after that hoping North would be there pero sakit sa likod at pwet kakaupo at sakit sa ulo kakainom lang ang napala ko doon.

Pero matindi ang kaba, excitement at saya ko nang marinig ang boses ni North at 4:27 in the morning!

Ganito pala ang boses niya sa telepono, it sound so ethereal and careful like a soft cloud.

Hawak ko ang dibdib ko at huminga ako ng malalim saka dahan-dahan kong ibinalik muli ang telepono sa kanan kong tenga.

*Hel–lo?

My voice cracked. I sound like a new hatched chick.

*Hi Rosheen. It’s North Alder.

*H–Hi?

Gulat na gulat pa rin ako sa pagtawag niya na kahit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako naniniwalang tinawagan niya nga ako. Hindi kaya sa sobrang puyat ko ay sobrang lalim na ng tulog ko para makapanaginip ng ganito katotoo?

*Hi… how are you?

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko, tama ba talaga ‘tong mga naririnig ko? Tinatanong niya talaga kung kamusta ako at 4 am?

*Ah… o–okay naman ako… ikaw?

*I’m ok… Umm… I know this is kinda creepy, but… can we meet behind the trademark mall now?