Arctic Heart [#Wattys2018 Winner]

Chapter 12

Chapter 12
Eight Seconds

Nanuyo ang aking lalamunan habang nakatingin sa kanya. Unti-unti akong namanhid hanggang sa tuluyang nawala ang lamig na nararamdaman ko habang nakatitig sa kanyang nagyeyelong mga mata.

We stayed for a while just staring at each other, but his heavy stare made me the first one to look away as I cleared my throat.

"Tara na," sabi ko na lang sa hinahaba-haba ng katahimikan na nanaig sa pagitan naming dalawa.

I didn't wait for his response and went back inside the building. I walked straight towards the elevator and pressed the down button.

Ilang saglit din ay nasa tabi ko na siya kasabay nang pagdating ng elevator. Nauna na akong pumasok sa loob at agad din siyang sumunod.

I felt his skin quickly rubbed against mine when he stood beside me. I casually moved sidewards and rested my back on the cold metal wall of the elevator. Sinundan niya naman ako ng tingin sa ginawa kong galaw at pinigilan ko ang sarili ko na sumulyap pa sa kanya. Inisip ko na ako lang mag-isa ang tao rito sa loob ng elevator. I didn't let his presence get my attention.

The elevator dinged when it already reached the ground floor. Nauna ulit akong lumabas sa kanya at dire-diretso ang aking lakad patungo sa lobby. Nang makita ko naman ang kanyang sasakyan na naghihintay sa driveway ay mabilis ko siyang nilingon.

He stopped when I turned around and he gave me all of his attention.

"Let me just get my car," I told him and when I was about to leave, he immediately grabbed my arm to stop me from walking away.

Muli naman akong bumalik sa kanya nang hilahin niya pa ako. I almost clashed against his broad chest but I managed to stop the inertia and pushed myself away from him.

"Sorry..." I apologized for the almost collision.

Bumuntong hininga naman siya bago muling itinuon ang buong atensyon sa akin. "Bakit kailangan mo pang kuhanin ang sasakyan mo?" tanong niya.

"We will convoy, right?" I probed. "You brought your car. I'll also bring mine."

His forehead creased. "Why do we need to convoy if you can just ride with me?" he asked. "We're just gonna waste time and gas if we will convoy."

Hindi pa ako nakakaangal ulit nang mabilis niyang hinawakan ang aking palapulsuhan upang hilahin na palabas ng building. He pressed the key fob of his car and opened the door of the shot gun seat for me before he run towards the driver seat.

I slowly slid myself inside the car and settled myself inside.

It was already my second time riding his car. Akala ko'y pang-una at huling beses na ang pagsakay ko rito noong sabay kaming umuwi sa bahay para sa dinner gayong may susunod pa pala.

It was my dream before... It was still my dream now, but I didn't want to continue dreaming about it anymore.

Siya ang pangarap na ayaw ko nang pangarapin pa dahil alam kong kahit ano'ng gawin ko'y hinding-hindi koi to maabot. Sa tingin ko nga'y mas posible pang sungkitin ang bituin at maabot ang buwan kaysa ang maabot siya. Parang mas kaya ko pang lapitan ang napakainit na araw kaysa ang makalapit sa kanya na sobrang lamig.

He's just too unreachable for a girl like me. I will never be able to melt his ice down. I can't make his arctic heart warm enough to let me in.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit nila sinasabing walang masama kung mangangarap ka gayong nakakasama ito sa pag-iisip at sa pakiramdam ng puso kapag hindi ito nakamit. Ang pangarap ang isang dahilan kung bakit umaasa ang isang tao. Kapag nagsimula kang mangarap ay hindi nawawala ang pagbabakasali at pag-asa na ito'y makamtan.