The Other Half of Me (Khian Jace & Czerina Keira Story)

Chapter 10 COMPENSATE

Chapter 10 TOHOM

KHIAN

AFTER what happened on the day of our first monthsary , I went to Keira's house the next day. I didn't know why, I felt so nervous to see her, maybe its because of the surprised welcome party for me in the office, I didn't fulfilled my words again to her. Good thing Zyann is always a one call way. I asked him to get the flowers and delivered to her cousin personally. When I reached their house, I parked my car outside their gate, I saw Tita Crista standing on their veranda.

"Good morning, Tita" I greeted and smiled at her.

"Good morning, din. Busy sa thesis niya" she pointed their sala, there I saw my bb so focused on her laptop and she's typing.

Hindi niya ata ako naramdaman dahil hindi man lang nag-angat ito ng mukha. I stand beside her, yumuko ako at hinalikan ko ang tuktok ng ulo niya.

"Ang aga niyan ah" pagkuha ko ng pansin, bago ako umupo sa tabi niya at inakbayan ko siya.

Tinignan niya ako at agad siyang nag-iwas agad ng tingin, "hey" labas sa ilong na pagkasabi niya sa akin bago siya humarap ulit sa laptop niya.

"Nagtatampo ka?" malumanay kong tanong. She shook only her head.

"Sorry to what happened last night. That was an unexpected, Ididn't make it again" apologetic toned was evident on my voice.

"Okay lang, hindi mo naman sinasadya" sagot niyang humarap na sa akin.

I pulled her closer so I can kiss her forehead. "Let's talk about this bb, ayaw kong nagtatampo ka"

She genuinely smiled at me "walang kaso sa akin iyon, naiintindahan ko. Magtatampo ako kung talaga sinadya mo, hindi naman di ba?"

I just nodded my head and hugged her. And that's it. Fitting words cannot be found to describe the kind of selfless sacrificies that she does in understanding me.

Keira and I were okay. She's still busy in finishing her research. Minsan nakikisabay din ang pagiging busy ko sa office, but I always made sure that I dropped her to her school everyday. Kung minsan hindi ko na rin maaya na mag-date kami kung maluwang ako sa oras.

On our second monthsary, we went to Mindoro Airport. I taught her how to drive. Hindi sa napapagod na akong inihahatid o sinusundo siya but I want her also to learn in driving.

"You're so annoying" natatawa ako sa itsura niya, nababanas na sa akin, bawat kasi maling tapak niya at mag-wiggle ang sasakyan, tinatawanan ko siya.

"Dahan-dahan ka kasi sa pagtapak para di biglang umusad. Turn slowly also the steering wheel, and concentrate your eyes on the road." I was so determined to teach her.

"Ayaw ko na bhie, baka sementeryo agad ang bagsak natin pag ako ang mag-drive" pero hindi ko siya pinakinggan. I still pushed her, hanggang unti-unti ay nagagawa na niyang mag-maneho na hindi kinakabahan at natataranta.

On that night, magkahawak-kamay kaming nasa sala nila. We made the decision to announced our relationship to her parents. Malugod na tinanggap ni Tita Crista, kabaliktaran naman kay Tito Kristoff.

As soon as her father walked out from their sala, I sighed heavily. Parang nakalimutan ko nang huminga sa sobrang pag-aalala. Pag-aalala na baka pag-labas ko ng bahay nila hindi ko na siya makikita.

"Thank you, Tita" I shyly thanked her mother.

"I got you, two." Tita Crista smiled a little at us.

Pagkatapos ng eksenang yon I decided already to left their house.

"Take care in driving going home" nakaharap siyang naka-yakap sa akin na parang ayaw niyang humiwalay.

"Para sayo" bago ko kinintalan ng halik sa noo at bumaba ang mga labi ko para bigyan din ng halik ang tungki ng ilong niya.

The next morning, nang sunduin ko sana siya ay nalaman ko kay Tita Crista na grounded siya for 1 week. Ang Kuya niya ang mag-hahatid at ang Papa niya ang susundo sa kanya kung may sakaling may schedule siya sa research consultation niya. Sa loob ng isang linggo, I never saw and talked to her. And that was so hellish for me.

Nalaman ko lang kay Zyann na pati pala cellphone ay confiscated. I missed her, pero wala akong magawa.

Nasanay din kasi ako na tuwing umaga makikita ko siya at bago ako uuwi ng apartment ko sa gabi.

One week later. After her, being grounded bumalik kami sa dati. Mahigpit na bilin ng papa niya sa akin na hindi ako gagawa ng anumang ikakasira ng kinabukasan niya. Naiintindihan ko siya, kung saan siya nanggagaling. Maski ako man din siguro kung ako ang lumugar sa kinatatayuan ng papa niya ay baka mas higit pa ang magawa ko.

Our third monthsary came, kahit hindi tumugma sa araw na free kami pareho dahil may weekly department meeting ako , I still planned to take her to experience a stroll street fair. Alam kong hindi siya mahilig sa mga street food pero niyaya ko pa rin siya.

"We can do that for experience, right?" I asked her. Kahit napipilitan ay pumayag pa rin siya bandang huli.

I was holding her hand while we were walking to where the food stalls.

"Manong, squid balls nga po at kikiam."

"Iinit ko Sir?" tanong sa akin ni manong.

"Opo" sagot ko

Nang maibot sa akin ni manong ang mga order ko, linagyan ko ng gravy at sinubuan siya.

"How is it?" tanong ko.

"Masarap" ngumiting sagot niya.

After the squid balls and kikiam. I ordered isaw also. "Pakichop na lang po, manong."

I offered her the isaw pero umiling siya. "Try it, masarap din to."

Tinitigan lang niya ang isaw na isusubo ko sa kanya. "Please" pagpapacute kong pa sabi.

Nang kinain niya ang isaw na sinubo ko ay napangiwi siya. Nakatitig lang din naman ako sa mukha niya.

"Huwag ka ngang ganyan" biglang sabi niya pero kita ko ang pag-init ng buong mukha niya.

My bb is blushing.

Sunod kong pinasubok sa kanya ang balut. Mas lalo siyang sumimangot sa akin.

"Please, just a bite" naglulungkot-lukutang tinitigan ko siya.

"No, sa isaw na lang ulit kaysa diyan" sagot nito.

Hindi ko sinunod ang gusto niya. Binalatan ko ang balot at kinuha ako ang dilaw na parte. Sinubo ko ulit sa kanya yon. Pagkasubo ko dahan-dahan niyang nginuya.

"Masarap di ba?" masayang tanong ko habang ngumunguya ito.

Nagkibit-balikat lang ito bilang sagot.

"Ano pang masarap diyan na ipapatikim mo" tanong niya pero ang mga mata ay umiikot na inilibot sa mga food stall.

"Ako" napatingin siya sa akin. "Anong sabi mo? tanong niya.

"Wala po. Subukan natin doon" natatawang sabi ko habang tinuturo ko ang claw machine.

Bigla siyang natawa at nagsalita "makakakuha ka kaya diyan"

"Oo naman. Ako pa ba" flexing my muscle on her face.

"Yabang mo ha" she answered me laughing.

"Huwag mo akong sinusubukan." pagyayabang ko rin lalo.

Nagtungo kami sa cashier at bumili ng tokens. Nang makarating kami sa tapat ng claw machine nagsalita ako. "Let's make a deal. If I will catch a baby pompompurin, I will get one kiss from you". Napahalakhak ako sa reaksiyon niya ng bigla siyang umirap.

"Huh. Alam kong di ka makakakuha diyan. We'll see" she bit her lower lip to stop herself from smiling. "Deal" she said afterwards.

Ginanahan ako bigla dahil sa "deal" na sabi niya. Just I positioned myself, I stand straight on the machine, and carefully, I centre the claw over the prize. After that I hitted the botton to the lower claw, just as the claw attempts to grabe the baby pompompurin. I pressed the same claw button again to securely grab the toy. After 10 seconds, I hitted one.

Nang mailaglag ko ang pompompurin hinarap ko siyang nakangisi. I winked at her and pouted my lips. Urging her to kiss me.

She faced me and she gasped dramatically. Then she gaved me a pecked on my lips. Kung di pa siya nag-reklamong nakakadami na ako ayaw ko pa sanang tigilan. Apat lang naman, damot ng bb ko.

Last we did, we basked the street with an ice cream. That how we celebrated our third monthsary together.

Sumunod na buwan ng relasyon namin ni Keira, halos wala na kaming oras na mag-katugma. She's so busy finalizing her research habang ako naman I had attended a ten days seminar in Baguio.

Kahit natapos ang seminar ko, di ko na siya naihahatid, dahil ang schedule ng research consultation niya ay nag-iba. Nevertheless, we always called or messaged each other kung may free time kami pareho. Ganoon ang naging routine namin pareho. And we didn't had the chance to celebrate our day. Dahil sa mga sumunod na araw, ako ang mas naging busy.

But Keira being the most understanding girlfriend in town, I never heard any complained from her.

There was no time that she would made me feel guilty, over things that are under unforeseen circumstances. She would always asurred me that everything is amenable. She would always considered my feelings when she made decisions. And she would always reminded me that in this relationship we need to give and take, meet in the middle and compromised. And when I'm having a self-doubt that I'm neglecting my responsibilities being his boyfriend she would held my both arms and gave me a wide reassurring smile.