Just The Strings (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 65

#JustTheStrings

Kabanata 65

"Are you okay?" Saint asked. He was drying his hair with a towel nang maabutan niya ako na nakaupo sa kama niya. I smiled a little—still bothered with what I just read. Ang dami kasing pumapasok na scenario sa isip ko... and all of them involved Saint leaving. The mere thought of him being gone painfully squeezed my heart. Bakit ganoon? We just made up. We just got back. Hindi ba pwede na kahit isang araw lang na masaya? Was that really too much to ask?

I nodded. He sat beside me and then played with my hand. I looked at him while he was fiddling with my fingers. He looked so happy. What was he thinking? What did he want to happen? I wanted to ask him but I also wanted to evaluate everything first. I didn't want to be selfish anymore. I knew how much basketball meant to him. It's his dreams... so I wanted to be careful with whatever I'd say.

"What do you want to eat?" I asked him.

He arched his brow. "Why do you ask like you're going to cook?"

"Maybe I'll cook," I replied. I didn't want to think about that first. I just wanted another happy moment with Saint... kahit ngayong araw lang. Maybe tomorrow I'd ask him about that. I would like to delay the inevitable... just for today.

"Do you plan on burning my unit down?" sabi niya. I scowled at him at saka hinampas siya. "I mean, I won't stop you. That way, you'd let me stay at your place."

"Sobrang binubully mo ako simula kagabi. Akala mo 'di ko napapansin?" I said but instead of answering, he just pulled me closer and hugged me. Sobrang hilig niya maka-yakap ngayon. Kagabi, buong magdamag siyang nakayakap sa akin. Nung magising ako, nagising ako dahil hinahalikan niya iyong mukha ko. When we ate breakfast, he was holding my hand kaya hirap na hirap akong kumain. Kulang na lang ay idikit niya ang sarili niya sa akin.

"I just missed you so much, that's why," he said and then nuzzled my neck. "Nine months of not being with you is no joke."

Nine months... nine months of being apart. Kung hindi kami naghiwalay, we could've spent those times together. Mas marami sana kaming nagawa magkasama. Mas marami sana kaming alaala na magkasama... but what could regret do? Tapos na, e. Naghiwalay na kami. But now that we're finally back, at saka naman siya posibleng umalis...

"But we're together now," I said.

"Yeah... let's go see your parents para sa 'yo na ulit ako."

"Feeling mo naman atat na atat ako sa 'yo."

He laughed. "Bakit? Hindi ba?" he said and then nuzzled my neck even more kaya nakiliti ako. He's being so touchy!

"Hindi, ah. Napaka-feeling mo talaga," sagot ko sa kanya. Sigurado naman ako na umaga pa lang pero bakit sobrang landi na agad ni Saint? Nasira ba ang body clock niya kaya pakiramdam niya ay madaling-araw? Usually kasi, madaling-araw lumalabas lahat ng kalandian ni Saint... kagaya nung nangyari kagabi.

"Is it because my biceps got smaller kaya ayaw mo na sa akin?" he asked. "I promise to go back to the gym!"

"Aba, ngayon naman feeling mo katawan mo ang habol ko sa 'yo!" sabi ko at saka ginulo iyong buhok niya. Naka-yakap pa rin kasi siya sa akin kaya hindi ko makurot iyong pisngi niya. Ayaw niya talagang humiwalay. It's like he's afraid to let go.

Biglang sumakit iyong puso ko. Was it because he's actually planning to go? Kaya ba ganito siya maka-dikit sa akin? Sinusulit niya na ba iyong mga panahon na magkasama kami dahil kapag umalis na siya, alam ko na hindi na ulit 'to mangyayari... I bit my lower lip to stop myself from saying anything. I didn't want to be hasty with my words. I wanted to consider all possibilities, to consider not only my feelings but also Saint's feelings. Kasi kahit gusto ko na magkasama lang kami palagi, I didn't want to stop him from pursuing his life-long dream.