Grow with the Flow

Chapter 10

Pure

"Can we pass by somewhere first?" tanong niya nang mapagdesisyonan naming umakyat sa rock formations.

Napatingin naman ako sa kanya at tumango, "Sure." I smiled.

I inhaled as I felt the sea breeze. The place is so peaceful and wonderful.

I realized that we are nearing to a nipa house. Sakto namang bumukas ang pinto at may lumabas na matandang babae.

Lumiit ang mata niya habang tinatanaw kami na papalapit.

"CJ?"

"Nana Mel.." Sir Colton uttered softly and smiled.

Pagkalapit ay niyakap niya ang matanda at nagmano. Nakakatuwa siyang makitang yumuko nang ganun dahil maliit lang ang matanda.

Nahihiya akong lumapit at nagmano rin.

"Aba'y buti at napadpad ka rito? Antagal na nung huling dalaw mo!"

Sir Colton introduced me to her and she's trying to let us in but he refused saying that we just dropped by.

Pumasok saglit si Lola Mel at sinabing papabaunan nya na lang daw kami ng makakain.

"Uh, she used to be my longtime Nanny..." parang nahihiyang sabi ni Sir at kumamot pa siya saglit sa batok.

Nangingiti naman akong tumango.

Iginala ko ang tingin at napansin sa gilid ng kubo ang isang matandang lalaki na may turistang kaharap. Tila sinusulatan ito sa braso.

"That's hena." biglang sabi ni Sir Colton nang mapansin ang tinitignan ko.

Hindi kagaya ng tattoo na permanente, iyon daw ay nabubura naman.

"Gusto kong subukan.." hindi ko namalayang lumabas iyon sa bibig ko habang nakatingin pa rin dun at namamangha sa nakikita.

Hindi maiwasang maging kyuryoso sa kung ano ang pakiramdam nun.

Pansin kong matagal bago magsalitang muli si Sir Colton at parang nakatitig lang sa akin.

"You.. sure?" maya-maya'y tanong niya.

Tumango ako.

Suminghap siya. "Alright."

Lumapit kami dun at binati niya rin ang matandang lalaki na asawa pala ni Lola Mel.

Napili kong magpalagay ng dream catcher sa may palapulsuhan.

Habang ginagawa iyon sa akin ay naririnig ko ang kwentuhan ni Sir Colton at ng Nana Mel niya. Gusto niya na raw ulit mapanood sa pelikula si Sir. Hindi ko maiwasang mamangha habang nag-uusap sila dahil bihira ko lang siyang marinig mag-tagalog. It's refreshing to see this side of him.

Tuwang-tuwa ako sa magandang kinalabasan ng  henna pagkatapos.

"Your first time to have that too?" manghang tanong ni Sir Colton nang paalis na kami roon.

Nakangiting tumingin ako sa kanya at tumango.

I brought back my eyes to it and stopped walking to cherish how it looks. Hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa magandang pagkakapinta nito sa mismong balat ko.

I can feel the ray of the sunset on my face.

Sir Colton also stopped from walking nang matapatan ako.

I felt his gaze on my smiling face.

Nakita kong dahan-dahan niyang iniangat ang isang kamay. Bumaling ang tingin ko sa kanya dahil dito.

He put his hands a few inches away from the side of my face, trying to cover it from the sunlight.

His intense stare met mine.

My smile slowly vanished.

"Your eyes look beautiful.." he suddenly said while looking at my gray eyes.

I felt my throat went dry, not knowing what to say.

Iniwas ko ang tingin nang hindi na makayanan ang intensidad na ipinapakita niya.

"Uh, t-thanks." nahihiyang sabi ko at bumaling na sa kabilang banda para hindi na maarawan ang mukha.

I started walking and felt him eventually do the same.

I stole a glance at him and saw him having that smile again.

That. same. smile.

Madilim na ang langit nang marating namin ang tuktok ng rock formations.

If the view from below is already breathtaking, wala namang tatapat sa ganda ng tanawin mula sa itaas.

I can't think of any adjective that would give justice to its beauty.

"Ang ganda.." I whispered under my breath as my eyes roam around the serene view.

I looked back just to see Sir Colton staring at me with a satisfied smile.

We were silent for a while, appreciating the scenery in front of us.

"Can I.. ask you a question?" he suddenly said, breaking the silence.

Naramdaman ko ang marahang pagkabog ng dibdib.

"Ano yun?" tanong ko nanatiling diretso ang tingin.

"That day..." he paused.

"..why did you kiss my fingers?" I can hear the uncertainty in his voice.

I almost stopped breathing as I remembered my first day of work in his office.

Uminit ang pisngi ko. "Because.. that's what you're supposed to do when someone's in pain." I said simply.

Napamaang siya.

"What?" I can almost hear a scowl in his voice.

Tumingin ako sa kanya.

"H-hindi ba?"

"So you mean to say that you would do that to anyone who's in pain?" now I'm quite sure that he's angry.

Nag-isip ako saglit at tumango. Why not? Lalo na kung ako ang may kasalanan.

I heard him cursed angrily.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Where did you even get that idea?"

"F-from my Kuya. He used to do that when I was little tuwing may masakit sakin."

I almost saw him roll his eyes.

"How about the seat belt? Don't tell me your Kuya failed to teach you how to wear it?" he sarcastically said.

Tumango ako. Nakita ko siyang napanganga.

"That was my first time wearing a seat belt too.."

Napayuko ako.

"Damn. And all these time I thought you were giving me signs that... Shit."

Hindi ko nakuha ang ibinulong niyang iyon pero na-sense ko ang galit sa tono niya.

Napaupo ako sa mababang bato sa likod ko.

Suddenly, I feel like explaining my side.

I don't want him to have the wrong idea of me. 

I want him to understand where my cluelessness is coming from.

"I.. I was actually locked in for years.." I quietly said. He didn't say anything.

He was just standing a few feet away from me while I was sitting. I don't know if he's looking at me or at the view.

I continued talking. "Anak ako sa labas ng mama ko. She even died while giving birth to me.. My foster father despised me for everything.."

The silence between us was comforting.

"He said that I don't have the right to step out of the house and be seen by other people because I'm just the living evidence of my Mom's betrayal.."

A tear fell.

And another one.

My eyes pooled like the tears have been stocked there for so long.

I realized that I've been trying to remain strong since I left the house.

I never cried since the day I ran away.

Before I can wipe my tears, I felt warm hands on my cheeks.

Hindi ko napansin na nakalapit na pala siya sakin. He's now on his knees to match me.

He's still not saying anything.

But I'm overwhelmed by how his eyes are delivering plenty of emotions to me.

He gently wiped off the tears on my face.

He's staring at my most fragile state right now. 

With him, I feel like I can be at my most vulnerable.

I can be weak, and that's okay. Because I'm with him.

"You're so pure.." puno ng pag-iingat ang magaang boses niya.

He looked at my cheeks with dried tears and gently rubbed it with his thumb.

I shivered at the friction it sent me.

"..so pure that I'm having the urge to protect you with all my heart.."