Heaven's Will

18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Tahimik lang ako, he is busy driving. Nakatingin ako sa labas ng bintana.

"I hated you, you know." I broke the silence. He frowned.

"Yeah? Why is that?"

"Naalala mo nung first day of school? You told me you're gonna make my stay in St. Therese miserable. You acted like an arrogant monkey."

Nangiti ako nung maalala ko yung eksenang yun almost three months ago.

Para kaming tanga. Tinignan ko siya and I caught him suppressing a smile.

"I said I can make your stay miserable. I didn't say that I will."

I shrugged. "Eh yung ipinahabol mo ako sa mga guards at sinabi mong magnanakaw ako."

"You were really pissed off that time. And the look on your face when I brought you to Luneta was absolutely priceless."

"I didn't expect that from you."

He furrowed his brows. "Didn't expect what from me?"

"That someone as rich as you are, will drag me to Luneta. Srsly, of all the places, you chose that one."

It was his turn to shrug. "I wanted to feel normal."

"You make it sound like you're from outer space or something." He laughed.

His laughter reverberated inside his car. I like the sound of it. It makes me feel comfortable, for some reason.

"You made me eat dirty ice cream."

He was still smiling. That smile again. Finally, nakita ko uli yung genuine smile nya.

"It was good, wasn't it? You just don't wanna admit it." I pouted.

"Yeah, it was good. I liked it."

"Ang weird natin no?" Natatawang sabi ko.

Natawa din siya but he didn't answer. I leaned forward to open his car radio.

Kanta ni Taylor Swift ang tumutugtog.

I was laughing on the car ride home with youuu

Nangiti na naman ako. Hahaha, nakikisama pati yung radyo.

Dunno how long it's gonna take to feel okay

But I know I had the best day with you, today

He pulled over. "We're here." Nandito na nga kami sa tapat ng bahay.

And now I know why all the trees change in the fall

I know you are on my side even when I was wrong

Nasa loob parin ako ng kotse nya. Neither one of us is moving.

"Hindi ka pa ba papasok sainyo?"

"Eto na, atat?" I teased. Palabas na sana ako ng pigilin nya ko.

"What?" I asked while unbuckling my seatbelt.

He got out from his car and opened the car door for me. I smirked. Anong drama nya? Bat biglang bumait?

Is this the side of him that most people haven't seen yet? If so, I wanna explore him more.

Shit. What am I saying? Napailing nalang ako sa kabaliwan ko.

Bumaba na ako ng kotse niya. He closed the door.

"Thanks." I said.

He nodded and took out his phone. "Your brother just texted me. Pauwi na raw siya."

"Okay. Papasok na ako sa loob." Sabi ko sa kanya. He just fixed me with that weird penetrating stare of his.

Sanay na naman ako. So I just shrugged it off.

Naglakad ako papunta sa front door namin. Wala naman kaming gate, picket fence lang.

Kinapa ko yung susi sa bulsa ko, and I frowned.

Asan na yun? I checked my skirt's pocket again. s**t. Wala dito!

Kanina naman sa school nandito pa yun ah. Baka naman nahulog ko sa kotse ni Kenneth.

I turned and found him leaning his back on his car and intently watching me.

I approached him. "Oh, bakit ka bumalik?"

"Bakit di ka pa umaalis?" I asked back.

"Nauna ko nagtanong." He raised his eyebrow.

"Fine. I think I dropped my keys inside your car. Pwede ko bang tignan?"

"Sure." Tumabi siya at binuksan ang car door. Dumukwang ako and bingo!

"Found it!" Whew!

I closed his car door. Ayan na naman yung tingin nya.

"Akala ko nawala ko na."

"Careless." He whispered. I stuck out my tongue.

"You haven't answered my question yet. Bat di ka pa umaalis?"

"Hinihintay kong makapasok ka ng pinto nyo."

Okaaay. Ang weird nya lang. Naglakad ako uli papunta sa pinto.

Nilingon ko siya, only to discover na naglalakad siya heading in my direction.

Tapos magkatapat na kami. He's towering over me. Ang tangkad kasi eh!

Tiningala ko siya. He was looking at my eyes. Then his gaze drifted,

to my lips.

Damn. His stare lingers there for a while. Then ibinalik nya ang tingin niya sa mga mata ko.

Hinapit nya ang bewang ko at nilagay ang isang kamay sa likod ng batok ko.

My heart, I think, is palpitating right now.

Parang alam ko na kung ano ang susunod na mangyayari.

Pero hindi ko pipigilan. Kasi gusto ko.

He leaned forward, and I closed my eyes in anticipation, at nung akala ko ay hahalikan niya ako ay bumulong siya sa tenga ko.

"Please don't slap me for this."

Huh?

I opened my eyes. And saw his face closing in.

Then his lips,

met mine.

And the weirdest thing was that I am responding.

And I like this. I like this feeling. I like this kiss. And I like this moment.

The kiss seemed to last a lifetime. I broke it.

We were both gasping for air. He was the first to recover.

He was smiling. Genuinely smiling at me like an idiot. But I like his smile.

Kahit walang magsabi sakin, alam kong namumula ko ngayon.

At thank you na naman dahil madilim kaya hindi nya ito makikita.

He lets go of me. Hindi naman ako makatingin sa kanya. "Pasok ka na." He murmured.

Tumalikod ako at pinasok ko ang susi sa keyhole. Nakatatlong tries ako kasi medyo nanginginig ako.

Paulit ulit akong napapamura sa isip ko. Ng sa wakas ay natwist ko na ang door knob ay nakahinga ako ng maluwag.

"U-uh ano.. P-pasok na ko." Nauutal kong sabi ng hndi makatingin sa kanya.

He chuckled. "Okay. Goodnight, Cy." He smiled again.

That smile.

"G-goodnight Kenneth."

Pumasok na ako at sinara ko agad ang pinto. Sumandal ako dito.

Yung puso ko ang bilis ng t***k.

Narinig ko yung pagalis ng kotse nya. After lang ng ilang segundo ay nagvibrate ang phone ko.

Hindi ko pa man nabubuksan ay tila alam ko na kung sino ang nagtext. I checked my phone. Hindi nga ako nagkamali.

Pigil hiningang tinignan ko ang message.

I had the best day, with you, today.