Something Phenomenal

Phenomenal: Twenty Eight

Location: Tarlac

We continue our journey to the north, passing through Tarlac which means we're almost halfway. Most of the sights from the car are wide fields. The air is fresh I couldn't help myself from opening the window and extending my hand to feel the breeze on my open palms.

We past what seems to be their city and there were several large warehouse supermarkets nearby, so Shane and I decided to make a quick stop to buy some things and because I was craving for snack.

We took a turn and parked at a sweeping wide parking lot. It was so large it seems to be a kilometre wide with gigantic towering lights.  Nauna akong lumabas kay Shane mula sa sasakyan and I breathe in the openness. There's only a few cars in the lot and the sky was a bit gloomy mula noong umalis kami sa Pampanga. But I didn't mind at all because I was happy, calling Shane.

"Come on! Unahan tayo!" Shane saw me excitedly stretching my arms and legs.

"You look silly."

"Afraid I could beat you?" I challenged.

"Come on, Gab. We're at least five hundred meters from the supermarket entrance."

I jogged on my spot. "Wanna bet?"

He chuckled at my silly determination. Then he stretched his legs as if we're both doing a marathon. "'Wag kang iiyak 'pag natalo ka."

Pinigilan ko ang ngiti ko. Only Shane could take me seriously like this. "Go!"

Shane let me run first. Tumakbo ako papunta sa supermarket, which was a large gray looking warehouse and lines and lines of red and silver shopping carts outside.

I was laughing and when I turned my head to see him, Shane was staring at me, smiling and shaking his head. Then he run after me and easily catch up.

"Hey, that's not fair!" reklamo ko.

"No matter how far you are, I will always catch up with you," sabi niya nang nasa tabi ko na siya.

Hinila ko siya sa balikat bago niya pa ako lampasan and I suddenly hop on his back and it took him by surprise we almost stumble onto the ground.

We were still laughing our asses out pagpasok namin sa supermarket. Shane couldn't get over the fact that I used dirty tactic on him. We bought several snacks, like a big pack of Shane's favorite hot Cheetos, and a big box of Pepero almond for me.

While browsing through the towering aisles, I heard a click from Shane who's holding my camera, and because I have the sheer talent to do embarrassing things in public, I forced Shane to do a mocked-up photo shoot  with me at the supermarket.

He took pictures of me out of his will, as if he's a hostage or something. The nerve of him. I pose while holding a box of cereals, while modeling canned goods, and zooming along the aisles with the shopping cart. Shane eventually give in and couldn't help but laugh and I basically have to drag him for a picture of both of us.

Ngingiti-ngiti pa rin ako pagbalik namin sa parking lot dala ang mga pinabili namin. We decided to take our lunch at the parking lot, sitting at the back of Shane's Ford pick up with the huge box of pizza and canned soft drinks, feet dangling out of the car while staring at the gray parking ground which match the color of the sky.

When we're done, we took our toothbrushes into a small washing area at the parking lot, brushing our teeth beside each other while staring at ourselves in the dirty mirror with white frots dripping from our chin and having this silly competition of who's the best in brushing our teeth. Shane's pretty competitive.

We were nearly done when I noticed the blood from my mouth which I immediately flashed down with water before Shane could even notice. I was a bit trembling when we went back to the car.

Not yet. Just a little more. I need more time.

Location: Pangasinan

We were already in Pangasinan when we were met by heavy rain. It's like curtains and curtains of rain on the gray, wet road  and everything's distorted image of cars and trees passing by like a painting from the window.

Shane's driving carefully and even though it's only three in the afternoon, the road was low in visibility. We were about to pass an exit when we almost met an accident.

A blue car zoomed past us from the exit so fast we thought it had lost control, then it suddenly stop in the middle of the road and Shane had to step on the brakes so hard we nearly skidded off the road and into a  ditch.

"Fuck."

Agad akong liningon ni Shane. He was visibly shaken. "Gab, are you okay?"

It was a serious situation, I know. I even hit my head against the car compartment. Kung hindi lang maingat si Shane, we'll surely end up on the ditch. But for a reason, hindi ko mapigilang matawa.

"Gab!" saway ni Shane sa'kin.

Pinigilan ko ang tawa ko. "Sorry, it was just one heck of a ride."

We drove to a nearby gasoline station to stop there for a while and for Shane to calm a little.

"Natakot ka ba?" tanong ko.

"What kind of question is that?" I noticed how Shane lowered his gaze as if it did scared him. His hands on the steering wheel were trembling a little.

"I can't lose you."

The rain continued to pour outside and I pulled out a blanket from the backseat for us to share. Inabot ko ang kamay niya and I held it in between mine.

"I'm sorry," sabi ko.

I nearly forgot how it took him several tries in the driving course because for a while, he was afraid to drive any cars o kahit ang sumakay dito because of his Mom's accident.

"Shane?"

I stared at him. I remembered the way he mourn for his mother, 'yong araw na bumisita ako sa bahay nila, 'yong araw na hindi na siya pumapasok at hinarangan niya ng gamit ang kwarto niya so no one could go near him.

"Shane, buksan mo na kasi! May sasabihin ako."

Have you wondered what I would have said that day, Shane? Have you wondered what I wrote in my journal the night you spend your senior prom with me? Have you wondered what I wrote in the lantern in Pampanga?

Shane, I love you.

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