Eye Love You

Lost in Your Eyes

"Anong brand ng shirt mo, Miss? Gusto ko sanang bumili dahil mukhang matibay," a masculine voice said with a nervous chuckle.

I slowly opened my eyes while calming myself. Chill, Priya. Take a deep breath and stay calm. That's right, you cannot murder someone in this lovely place. Hindi puwedeng mabahiran ng dugo ang tanging lugar kung saan ka nakakahanap ng kapayapaan.

"H-Hey, you okay?"

"Hands off," I stated in the calmest way possible.

"What?"

"Bitawan mo ako."

"Ayoko nga. Baka maisipan mo na namang magpakamatay," he countered.

"Gago ka pala 'e. Ikaw nga ang dahilan kung bakit muntik na akong bawian ng buhay kanina." Hindi s'ya natinag sa sinabi ko, sa halip ay lalo n'ya pang hinigpitan ang pagkakahawak sa damit ko.

"Mamaya ka na magalit sa akin. Mabuti pa, humarap ka sa kanan at humakbang ka pauna."

"And why would I do that?"

"Dahil hindi tayo aalis dito hangga't hindi mo ginagawa ang sinabi ko. It's fine with me, but will you be fine though? Malapit na magdilim at mamaya lang may multo nang nakabantay sa dulo ng tulay. Pero kung matapang ka naman, siguro ayos lang sa'yo na matulog dito katabi nila."

"Seriously? What are you? A freaking kid who believes in such nonsense. Wow, ang mature mo ah."

I secretly rolled my eyes before turning to the right and taking a step forward. I snorted when I heard his half-suppressed chuckle.

"Baka nga mature," saad n'ya sa maliit na boses.

"What?"

"I said watch your steps, baka magkamali ka nang apak."

Napailing na lang ako nang mapagtanto na wala talaga s'yang balak bitawan ang damit ko habang binabaybay namin ang mahabang tulay. Iniisip n'ya siguro na sa oras na bitawan n'ya ako ay magtatangka akong tumalon. I don't even know where he got the idea that I am trying to jump off the bridge, and end my life. Heck, my life sucks but I have no intention of killing myself in a ridiculously unreasonable way.

"Baka puwede mo na akong bitawan."

"Not yet, hangga't hindi tayo nakakababa ng tuluyan."

"Whatever."

Nang sa wakas ay nakarating kami sa baba ng tulay, saka n'ya lang ako binitawan. I immediately faced him to lash out my annoyance a while ago but then, I forgot what I am about to say when he greeted me with a wide smile.

There's something on his smile that made me shut in an instant. His smile...... it's comforting. I didn't know such calming smile actually exist, not until I met this strange man with whom I crossed paths in a very unexpected situation.

I blinked twice when I heard a shutter of a camera. Huli na nang mapagtanto ko na walang habas akong kinuhanan ng larawan ng lalaking kaharap ko. Hindi ko man lang napansin na may nakasabit pala na camera sa leeg n'ya at ngayon ay nakatutok na ito sa akin.

"W-What the hell?"

"Your eyes," panimula n'ya. Dahan-dahan n'yang ibinababa ang camera hanggang sa magtagpo ang aming mga mata.

"What's with my eyes?" I asked, confused and with my left brow curving upward.

"They seem lonely.... and hurt."

I stared at him blankly, and then, a realization hit me.

For the first time, someone saw through my mask. He saw the pain that I've been keeping my entire life. After all those years of trying to rebuild the shattered pieces of myself, I found myself breaking down in front of a stranger who doesn't even know a single thing about my life.