CHAPTER 2

He burst into laughter after saying those words that made my heart flutter. I don't know if he's losing his mind because he seems so serious with his words earlier but now he's just laughing his ass off. 

"Tara na nga, masyado mo akong pinapatawa young woman."

"Excuse me Sir, I am already 21 years old for your information!" 

"Still young." He said it uncomfortably and quickly turned his back on me. 

"Follow me downstairs, I'll drive you home."

"Teka lang, iyong pinagkainan ko."

"Manang already took care of it. Now, follow me because your parents might be so worried at this hour."

"Sana nga. Sana nandito pa sila.." I said in a very small voice. 

He stopped walking to check on me. I saw the worry in his eyes but quickly ignored it and walked again. 

Pagkalabas ng bahay, pumunta agad s'ya kung nasaan ang sasakyan at sumunod naman ako. Katulad ng ginawa nya kanina, pinagbuksan nya muna ako ng pinto at hinintay na makasakay bago sya umikot sa driver's seat. 

"When we passed through the park, tell me the direction to your house."

"Okay S-sir," 

"You can call me Laurel." he said with a small smile. 

"Okay Laurel" 

There was a loud silence between us for about 10 mins until I sneezed. I was really shy about it but I couldn't help it. 

"Pasensya na. Hindi ko na kasi napigilan" 

"It's okay. I'll just turn off the aircon. I'm sorry, I should have done that earlier" 

Katahimikan ulit ang bumalot sa amin hanggang sa ihinto nya ang sasakyan sa isang convenient store. 

"Dito ka lang, may bibilhin lang ako." 

Nang lumabas s'ya ay doon ako huminga ng malalim at nag isip. I don't know if we'll be able to meet again after this but nevertheless, I should guard my heart. 

I should not let this feeling go deep because in the first place, I just met him 3 hours ago and my heart is already acting up like this.. Like I already knew him a long time ago. 

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas at nakabalik na s'ya. 

"Here. Eat this first before you take your meds. Mas mabuti na maagapan iyan." Pagkaabot nya ng mga binili nya ay nagkatitigan kami at naramdaman ko nanaman yung malakas na tibok ng puso ko. 

"Thank you. You're the first one who makes me feel important."

"Don't thank me, it's bare minimum to help people" 

Instead of getting hurt by what he said, I just felt lucky because I was able to experience how he genuinely cares for other people. 

Seconds past and I was the one who broke eye contact, I felt that it was too much to bear. He was so gentle but his eyes were too intense. 

"Ah, kainin ko na lang ito sa bahay. Masyado na akong nakakaabala sa'yo." May donnuts, pancakes, at hot coffee doon at mayroon ding tubig at ang gamot na binili nya. 

"Eat that already, I'll take you home when you're done eating. Mahirap magkasakit so you should always take care of yourself."

"Okay Tay" 

"Did you just call me Tay?" 

"Biro lang! Sige Laurel  kakain na po." 

"Drop the po, you're making me feel too old. I'm just 27 years old." 

"Okay, ang seryoso mo! Teka ang dami nito baka gusto mo akong saluhan? Di ko kayang ubusin to!" 

"I bought it for you. It should be a meal but fast food chains are way too far here, you need to drink your meds now."

Sinunod ko na lang ang sinabi nya dahil habang tumatagal na kasama ko sya ay mas lalo lang bumibilis ang tibok ng puso ko. 

Pagkatapos ko kumain at uminom ng gamot ay nagsimula na kaming bumyahe. Nang makarating kami sa Park ay naalala ko ang mga paintings ko na nabasa kanina. Nalungkot ako bigla pero kahit balikan ko ang mga iyon ay hindi na maaayos pa. 

"Aliza, about your paintings. I'm buying those."

"Huh?" masyado akong nagulat dahil ilang minuto ang lumipas pero wala ulit nagsalita sa amin tapos bigla na lamang sya magsasalita at bukod doon ay tinawag nya pa ako sa pangalan ko na talaga namang kakaiba sa pandinig ko. Iba ang impact sa akin nang binanggit nya iyon. 

"I said I'm buying your paintings." 

"P-pero naiwan sya sa Park at sigurado ako na hindi na maisasalba ang mga iyon," 

"Yeah, tama ka. Nang binalikan ko kanina ay basang basa na sila, at di na maisasalba pa. Pero nagpakabasa ka para maibenta 'yon kaya ako na lang ang bibili."

"Hindi naman ata tama iyon, kung gusto mo ay gagawan na lang kita ng bago. Kapalit ng lahat ng itinulong mo sa akin."

"Babayaran ko pa rin iyon kahit basa na. Pinaghirapan mo iyon gawin kaya ayos lang na magbayad ako, pero sige kung may oras kang gawan ako ng bago, it'll be my pleasure." 

This man is really something. Binalikan nya pa pala iyong mga paintings ko  kanina! Siguro narealized nya na hawak hawak ko iyon kanina pero dahil hinila nya na ako ay naiwan ang mga paintings. 

I just felt that I teared up. Someone just appreciated how I value my passion and it's him. A mere stranger. 

"T-thank you."

"Hey,umiiyak ka ba?" 

"Hindi no! Sadyang thankful lang ako sa'yo. Ah ayan na, iliko mo d'yan sa tabi tapos kanan ka." I sighed in relief when I realized that we were near our house already. 

Hindi ko kinakaya iyong pakiramdam na malapit s'ya sa'kin. He's too good to be true. He's kindness is unbeatable. He's a successful man and I am just a mere 21 years old girl who doesn't have anything to be proud of. 

"Dito na lang L-laurel. Maraming salamat sa tulong mo. Sa lahat lahat ng ginawa mo kahit ngayon pa lang kita nakilala."

"Hindi ko na alam kung ilang beses ka na nagpasalamat simula kanina, kaya ang masasabi ko lang hindi ako tumatanggap ng simpleng thank you." Kinabahan ako dahil sa biglang sinabi nya. 

"Anong ibig mong s-sabihin?" kanina pa ako nauutal at hindi ko nagugustuhan iyon. Hindi naman ako ganito kahit sino pang lalaki ang kaharap ko. 

"Don't worry too much Aliza. Give me your phone"

Nahihiya pa ako sabihin na wala akong cellphone. 

"Sorry, pero wala akong cellphone."

I was taken aback when he took his phone and gave it to me, together with the payment to my paintings that he insisted on. 

"Call me when something happens to you, My other number is saved there. I'm worried about your bruises and where you get that but I just met you earlier and I respect that you can't trust me fully. That's all I want and I don't accept no as an answer."

"Hindi ko matatanggap yan," 

"I said I don't accept no as an answer" 

"Pero babayaran kita! Hintayin mo lang. Maghahanap ako ng ibang income. At iyong paintings, tatawagan kita para don."

"Okay, ikaw ang bahala. Basta tawagan mo ako kapag kailangan mo ng tulong okay?" 

"Hindi ko alam na may kasing bait mo pa rin pala! Pero oo na! Una na ako. Thank you ulit!" Bumaba na ako ng sasakyan dahil habang natagal ang usapan namin ay mas lalo lang akong humahanga sa kanya! 

Tumakbo ako pero paglingon ko ay naroon pa rin ang sasakyan, bumukas ang bintana at kumaway sya sa akin, nabasa ko rin ang ibinuka ng kanyang bibig. 

"Take care."

Kumaway rin ako at tumalikod na. 

The moment I turned my back on him, my emotions got into me. Tears fell down all over my face as I realized that someone cared for me. Someone made me feel important and loved. But my so-called family can't give me anything but pain. 

Pero alam ko.. Alam ko sa sarili ko na hanggang doon lang iyon, hindi ako pwedeng lumapit sa kanya kasi madadamay lang sya sa gulo ng buhay ko. Alam ko sa sarili ko na pagkatapos kong bayaran ang lahat ng itinulong nya sa akin ngayon ay hinding hindi ko na hahayaan ang sarili ko na mapalapit pa sa kanya.. 

 I don't deserve someone as good as him…