Strangers with Midnight Memories

Chapter Two : the "north adler"

Tonight is our junior dance, but instead of going, mas pinili ko na lang na mag-drive around town ngayong gabi. I couldn't wait to ride in my red 1966 Mustang convertible, which Dad had given me for my 18th birthday last week.

"Rosheen, mag-iingat ka." bilin ni Manang Rosalin sa akin.

"Opo. Babalik din po agad ako." paalam ko sa kanya.

She merely smiled at me when I opened the convertible of my car. Gusto ko pang umirit sa kilig. Sa wakas ay nakakuha na rin ako ng driver's license para i-drive ang beaut na ito.

I had a great time on my road trip. I'd never liked rides before. Dahil palagi lang naman akong ipinagda-drive ni Dad, Hillary or ni Mang Hektor, na siyang family driver namin kaya ibang saya ang nararamdaman ko ngayon that I am finally driving on my own.

Since summer has arrived and the air is warm, I decided to go to the beach and, if there aren't too many people, have a swim. Bumili muna ako ng towel at konting pagkain para hindi naman ako magutom dun.

Pagka-alis ko sa malawak na parking lot ng Trademark mall ay naagaw ang pansin ko sa isang pamilyar na tao na naglalakad sa likod ng mall.

Lalagpasan ko na sana siya but instead, I hit the breaks.

He's wearing a white linen, open v-neck long sleeve shirt that's pulled up to his elbow and a deep blue short matched with a white low-cut chuck taylor. He looks great in that style.

He always looks great, I mean. It’s him… it’s North Adler.

He turned, and I felt the familiar emotion that I had been suppressing for a long time the minute I saw those eyes that shone beneath the streetlights.

"North." I grinned on purpose, not just because I saw him today, but also because... this is the first time I can speak his name as a word out loud, rather than only in my head.

He also gave me a smile. But it's not the same smile I see when he's at school with his friends. The forced smile has a trace of dismay in it, yung ngiting pilit pero hindi naman siya aboridong makita ako. It's also clear that he wasn't expecting me to greet him or that I'm the one he's talking to right now.

"Get in, let's drive."

He appeared sad, so I offered him that. To bring his problems to light.

Huminga siya ng malalim at nilingon ang gawi kung nasaan ang school namin bago muli akong tiningnan at mas lumaki ang ngiti niya, and when he chose to get into my car, I felt nervous. Actually, I'm extremely tense. Suddenly, every breath became arduous. I had no idea what had gotten into me after asking him to get in my car and drive with me. Napalunok ako sa kaba.

Binuksan niya ang pintuan ng kotse ko sa loob, nakataas pa rin kasi ang convertible ko kaya kahit siya ang bumukas ng pinto ay okay lang, para bang biglang bumagal ang segundo at hindi ko maiwasang titigan ang bawat daliri ng kaliwang kamay niyang humawak sa kotse ko. I became even more nervous when I saw him staring at it.

Is this actually happening right now? North? North Adler? The North Adler is going to sit next to me? In my car? Just the two of us?

Kung kanina'y napakabagal ng mga galaw niya, ngayon naman ay hindi ko na namalayang nakaupo na siya sa passenger sit ng mustang ko. He buckled his seatbelt and, after niyang makumpirmang safe na iyon ay diretso niya na naman akong tinitigan sa mga mata ng nakangiti, his smile is still not 'the smile' I'm used to seeing on him, but it's much better now since it has a little bit of enthusiasm and wonder.

"You have a really cool car." nilingon nya isa-isa ang bawat parte ng kotse ko samantalang ako ay iniisa-isa ko din ng tingin ang bawat parte ng mukha niya. It's my first time seeing him up close. Like literally, two rulers apart.

He stared at me again when I didn't say anything. Direkta na naman sa mata ko ang tingin niya. How can he look me in the eyes when my pupils are dilating and my heart is pounding like a million horses in a race?

"Ah.. sorry.." he chuckled. "Is this yours?" he asked.

I need to stop overlooking and overthinking his every move.

Huminga ako ng malalim at nilingon-lingon ko na din ang kotse ko.

"Yeah..." I made an odd smile.

"Aren’t you just 17 or–”

“I turned 18 a few days ago, right before summer.” Why did I even say that?

Hindi kasi ako nagcelebrate ng debut ko dahil hindi naman ako sociable na tao, kahit pinilit ako ni Hillary na magdebut party ay tumanggi ako.

“Oh…” iyon lang tuloy ang nasabi niya, bakit ko ba kasi bigla biglang sinasabi yun?

“I do have a license though, if you’re worried.” paninigurado ko sa kanya.

He shook his head and waved his hands in the air. “No... sorry... that is not what I meant. Yeah, I mean... but, you know... just in case...” He smiled, almost laughing.

“I know what you mean…”

We both giggle at our weird conversation.

Sa wakas ay umiwas rin siya ng tingin sa akin at muling tiningnan ang kotse pero, sandali lang iyon at muli na naman niya akong nilingon. "How come you're not at the dance?"

Ako na ang umiwas ng tingin. "Umm... naisip ko kasi... mas magandang mag-drive na lang ako kaysa umattend dun..."

"Bakit naman?" tanong niya ulit.

Nilingon ko siya at tumawa ako ng kaunti. "Mas gusto ko lang talagang mag-drive ngayon." simpleng sagot ko sa tanong niya.

He agreed with a nod. "Ikaw? Bakit wala ka sa dance?" tanong ko.

Siya na ngayon ang umiwas ng tingin. "Actually galing ako dun... I wasn't enjoying it anymore, so I chose to go home." sagot niya, nakaiwas pa rin ng tingin at para bang bigla na namang lumungkot.

"Ahh..."

Bago pa may makapagsalita sa aming dalawa ay umalingawngaw na ang lyrics ng kanta ni Smokey Robinson na “Cruisin” sa loob ng sasakyan dahil sa tahimik ng paligid. Alam mo yung kahit kuliglig wala kang maririnig, kahit ihip ng hangin o dumadaan na sasakyan o kahit na ano... basta itong kanta lang na ito ang naririnig namin ngayon. Uminit ang pisngi ko sa bawat lyrics ng kanta. Hindi ko akalain na maririnig ko ang kantang ito ngayon kasama mismo si North at kami lang dalawa. Para bang sinadya.

Palihim kong tiningnan ang reaksyon niya. I'm not sure what's going through his thoughts right now. I'm not sure if he was also uncomfortable or what…

Mabilis kong pinindot ang stop button at nilingon ko siyang napatingin sa akin dahil sa ginawa ko.

Nginitian ko siya, oh that awkward smile I've been doing. Bumuntong hininga ako, "Swimming tayo." pag-iiba ko ng mood and from the blank one line of his lips turned back into a smile.

"I like the music, though," He said mockingly, but I still didn't switch it back on.

--

"Pasensya ka na medyo madilim... nakalimutan ko pa lang buksan yung ilaw sa poste." he apologized and looked back offering his right hand.

I got stuck looking at it. Napaka-ganda ng kamay niya, parang napakalambot... it looks like the hand that can keep you safe yet so gentle.

"Oh sorry... baka ayaw mong hawakan ko ang kamay mo." mabilis niyang binawi ang kamay niya at habol ko pa rin iyon ng tingin.

Kaagad ko siyang tiningnan pero nakatalikod na kaagad siya sa akin. Sasabihin ko pa sanang okay lang na hawakan niya ang kamay ko pero nakarating na kami sa tapat ng tatlong hakbang na hagdan papunta sa pintuan ng bahay nila.

Tiningnan ko ang kabuuhan ng bahay nila, purong kahoy ito pero napaka-ganda. It features a basic porch with two antique adirondack chairs on the left side and various sizes of flower pots on the right side. Their scent pervades the front porch. They seem to have been taken care of.

The Adlers and I have both resided in this town since we were born. North's father was a marine, but since the car accident downtown, he hasn't been able to work dahil sa injury niya sa paa dahilan para hindi na siya makalakad ng maayos. He is still able to work, but he is no longer physically capable of serving as a marine. He's been a construction worker and has raised North all by himself up until now.

North's mother died in the car accident as well. North was probably just seven years old at the time, and I was six. Sobrang naging malungkot ang buong bayan noon, we were all grieving. Maraming nagmamahal sa Mama ni North dahil isa siya sa napakabait na teacher ng grade school and has helped many people. Lahat ng kaya niyang ibigay, itulong sa buong town ay ginagawa niya, maaasahan din siya sa lahat ng bagay dahil mabilis siyang mahingan ng tulong. Kung sakali ngang kumandidato siya noon ay malamang magiging Mayor siya ng town namin.

I believe North has been looking for these flowers for his mother. Miss Elery was my teacher while I was in elementary school. Sa tuwing lalapit ako sa kanya or dadaan siya sa gilid ko, she smells like a flower. Fresh flowers. I assumed it was her perfume until I smelled these flowers, naalala ko yung scent niya. Namiss ko tuloy siya, sobrang bait talaga ni Miss Elery and she constantly smiles, sa tuwing makikita ko siya palagi siyang nakangiti, pati ang mga mata niya... kagaya ni North... ganung-ganun din ngumiti si North, actually North is the male version of her.

"Gusto mo ba ng maiinom?" tanong ni North nang makapasok na kami sa bahay nila. Sobrang ganda ng bahay nila. Kahit na sila na lang dalawa ng dad niya ang nakatira dito ay mukha pa ring may babae na nag-aalaga ng bahay nila. Regardless of how old and old and rusted. It's still quite stylish.

"Ah... sige." hindi naman talaga ako nauuhaw pero baka kapag tumanggi ako ay mailang siya. Hindi ko na nga kinuha ang kamay niya kanina tapos ngayon hindi pa ako iinom.

"Sige saglit lang… maupo ka muna diyan."

Tumango ako at nang magtungo siya sa kusina nila ay umupo na ako sa flower printed nilang sofa.

Inikot kong muli ng tingin ang paligid. Nakita ko ang ibang mga pictures na nakasabit sa dingding at ang iba ay nasa shelves sa tabi ng tv nila, karamihan doon ay pictures ni Miss Elery at yung time na buhay pa siya, walang recent photo ni North at ng Dad niya. Nawala ang pag-iikot ko ng tingin nang makalapit siya at inabot niya sa akin ang baso na may lamang malamig na tubig.

"Sorry wala akong juice or wine…"

"No, it's okay." nginitian ko siya at uminom na ako. Hindi niya inaalis ang tingin sa akin kaya hindi ko rin inalis ang tingin ko sa kanya. Nakatingala ako habang nakatingin kami sa isa't-isa.

Ngumiti siyang muli at umiwas ng tingin. "M–magbibihis na ako... tapos punta na tayo sa dagat." naiilang niyang sabi.

Tumango lang ako pero sobra ang kabang naramdaman ko sa pagtitig niya sa akin habang umiinom ako. Parang mabubulunan ako kanina at lalabas sa ilong ko ang tubig.

Sinundan ko siya ng tingin papunta sa isang kwarto doon na sa palagay ko ay kwarto niya, I see the edge of his wooden bed. He switched on the lights; the only light in the room was a dim yellow-orange lampshade, but I could still see his white bedsheets, na kakulay din ng dingding ng kwarto niya. I expected him to close his door completely, but it's just halfway closed kaya naman dahil dun ay kita ko ang silhouette niya nang tanggalin niya ang suot na shirt.