I wanted to ask kuya Steven what was wrong but seeing as he was hiding and sobbing like he was really hurt, it made me shut up.
That scenario kept playing in my mind kahit nung naakyat na siya ni Kyle sa taas ng apartment at nakabalik na ito sa sasakyan. I remained quiet at mukhang hindi din naman napansin ni Kyle na umiyak yung dinadala niya sa taas. Tahimik lang akong nagiisip. Hindi din naman ako tinanong ni Kyle kung bakit ako nananahimik.
Kadating na kadating namin ni Kyle sa condo agad akong nagchat kay Kuya Steven, obviosly hindi din naman siya makakapag reply sakin but I left him a message to let him know na kailangan namin magusap. Hindi normal yung mga nakita ko kanina and I don’t like going around the bush kung pwede ko din naman ideretso nang itanong sakanya.
Sa stress ko kakaisip, para matahimik ang isipan ko sa pagaalala tumabi ulit ako kay Kyle sa pagtulog. He didn’t asked and I was grateful that he didn’t. Kasi kahit din naman ako hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya sasagutin.
The following days naghigintay akong may isa sa mga kuya kong tumawag at magexplain o kahit man lang magkunwaring magsorry sa mga ginawa nila. Sarili ko ding kapatid hanggang ngayon hindi pa din ako sinasagot sa mga text at tawag ko sakanya.
I am now convinced na nasa rebellious phase sila Kuya Steven at Kuya ko. Gusto ko man magalit sakanila dahil sa hindi nila ako nirereplyan, mas nangingibabaw saakin ang pagaalala.
Weekend na ngayon and by Tuesday, flight ko na papuntang US. Bakante din today si Kyle kaya naman we decided na lumabas nalang at magdate.
“Love, kaya ba talaga kainin ng lolo mo to?” Tanong sakin ni Kyle habang hawak-hawak yung paborito ng lolo ko na Biscocho, he specificallg asked me to bring me tons of these biscuit because he likes to eat it with his coffee.
“Never doubt Grandpa’s capacity to eat that thing.” Sagot ko kay Kyle habang tumitingin ako sa aisle kung saan yung mga delicacies ng pinas. Sure akong kadating ko ng States eto lang din ang hahanapin saakin ng mga kaibigan ni Grandpa.
We have plans of watching a movie and eating out, kaso dahil nasa mall na din naman kami at may ilang oras pa kami bago ang papanoorin namin, niyaya ko na din siya sa grocery so that I can buy the things I will be bringing. It has been awhile since the last time I visited my grandpa’s place. Ilang beses na din akong ginugulo ni Grandpa na mag bakasyon din doon. He doesn’t like staying dito sa Pilipinas kasi meron daw siyang maraming business na kailangan atupagin.
Mas madalas kung pumunta doon si Kuya dahil deal nila grandpa yun. Hinayaan niyang magtayo ng sariling business si Kuya basta’t kapag nangailangan siya ng tulong sa businesses niya, kailangan agad pumunta si Kuya. It may sound selfish, however, para saamin ni Kuya na matagal ng kasama si Grandpa, he is just being the usual business owner who is securing his assets.
After kong mamili, dinala na muna namin ni Kyle sa sasakyan ang lahat ng pinamili para wala kaming bitbit na mga bags habang umiikot kami at manonood. Kyle took my hand as soon as we were done putting everything inside the car.
We went back inside the mall to buy snacks and drinks para sa movie na papanoorin namin. Kyle was the one who booked the tickets kaya hindi ako sigurado kung ano yung papanoorin namin. Kyle was behind me habang naghihintay kami sa popcorn station, medyo madami yung nakapila kaya tahimik lang kaming naghihintay doon.
After buying the snacks , naglakad na kami ni Kyle papunta sa cinema namin at nung nakita ko kung saan kami patungo napailing nalang ako sa movie of choice niya. It’s the Meg. I have a feeling na ito yung gusto niyang panoorin since simula nung lumabas yung trailer nung movie, palagi siyang interesado sa kung kailan siya lalabas ng theaters.
We found our seats tsaka nalang tinaas ni Kyle yung nasa gitnang harang para doon ilagay yung popcorn na binilin namin. We waited until all the lights went out and the prequel started. Kyle started eating at ako naman nakasandal lang sa upuan habang pinapanood ang iba pang upcoming movies this year.
For some reason parang extra ang lamig sa loob ng theaters ngayon. Usuallg kasi may dala naman akong jacket or kaya naman naka long sleeves ako pagnanood kami, ang kaso today was date day kaya naman yung suot ko hind ata naaaayon sa sitwasyon.
“You cold?” Bulong ni Kyle sa tenga ko nung maguumpisa na ang movie.
“A bit, but I can still manage” I admitted tsaka ako umayos ng upo. Kyle then smiled at my response tsaka niya hinubad ang suot niyang hoody. I rolled my eyes sa pagiging cliché niya ngunit hindi ko din naman siya tinanggihan nung inalok na niya ito saakin.
We silently watched the movie and before you think of anything else, we are discreet people and we don’t do stuff in public places. Aside from usual leaning towards each others shoulder or yung pag naghoholding hands, wala na kaming iba pang ginawa.
Kyle played with my fingers while we were watching tsaka siya bigla-biglang natutuwa sa nangyayari sa screen. Nabaliw na ata siya eh wala namang nakakatawa sa nangyayari sa screen. Instead of minding his reactions naramdaman ko nalang na nag vibrate ang phone ko kung kaya’t doon na napunta ang atensyon ko.
I opened my phone, making sure that it wasn’t so bright at baka may ma distorbo pa akong ibang nanonood. Mabilisan kong tinignan kung sino ang nagmessage saakin. It was kuya Steven.
Hindi ko na muno binuksan ang message niya saakin at tinago ko na muna ang phone ko sa bag. Tinignan ako ni Kyle but I immediately shake my head to not make him worry. Tinuro ko nalang ang ongoing movie para doon na siya ulit mag focus, hindi na din niya ako pinilit na magsalit at nagpatuloy kaming pareho sa panonood.
Katapos na katapos nung movie at nung sumindi ang mga ilaw sa sinehan, hinintay muna namin ni Kyle na makalabas ang halos ng tao bago kami sumabay sa pila. While waiting doon ko na naisipang tignan at basahin ang message saakin ni Kuya Steven.
Dr. Steven Malonzo: Hey! I heard from Sai yung mga pinaggagawa ko the other night. Sorry kung ngayon lang ako nagmessage sayo. Can I make it up to you? I’m quite positive that you have questions. I’m sorry for the way I acted in front of you, it must have been a horror. I wish I could explain why I did what I did but… we both know there is no proper reason to act like an ass. So if you are free tomorrow, how about I take you out for lunch?
I look up and saw that Kyle was also reading the message sent to me.
“Maybe you should give him a chance to explain himself? Kahit pa maging meaningless ang explanation, at the very least you gave him the chance.” Ngumiti si Kyle matapos niyang magsuggest tsaka niya ako inakbayan.
Tahimik lang din akong nagiisip habang naglalakad kami palabas ng cinema. I know I have to meet up with Kuya Steven, not to get his explanation pero para matanong ko siya kung bakit siya umiyak ng palihim. I know he is hurting and mas nagaalala akong sinosolo niya nanaman ang problema instead of reaching out and asking for help.
“Stop overthingking and just say yes. Kahit hindi mo sabihin saakin, I know the scene you witness has been bothering you for days.” Sabi nanaman ni Kyle nung naglalakad kami papunta ng sasakyan. Hindi pa din ako sumagot sa sinabi niya at tinignan ko lang siya. He then sighed tsaka siya tumigil sa paglalakad at hinarap ako.
“If its bothering you so much then it is only right that you face it head on. Hindi matatapos ang usapan kung hindi mo siya haharapin ng maayos. He is not someone else to you. He is like a brother to you and if he is acting strange then it is only appropriate for family to intervene. Stop thinking so hard when the answer is already in front of you.” Kyle flicks my forehead tsaka lang ako nagkaroon ng reaksyon sa lahat ng sinabi niya.
“Since when kapa naging Mr. Wisdom 101, dati ikaw tong palaging nangangailangan ng advice” I rolled my eyes, remembering the past. Ngumisi lang si Kyle sa harapan ko at hinila nanaman ako para maglakad.
“Since naging boyrfriend mo ako. I learned from the best” He bumps his head on mine tsaka siya tumawa sa gulat ng reaksyon ko.
Tama naman lahat ng sinabi saakin ni Kyle, kaya naman hindi na ako nagpakipot at nireplyan ko na si Kuya Steven na sunduin niya ako kasi tamad akong magdrive. Obviously, hindi naman talaga ako tamad, I just wanted the mood to be lighter. Ayaw ko maging awkward kay Kuya Steven kasi hindi kami ganun. Mas magiging awkward pa ako sa totoo kong kapatid kesa kay kuya Steven.
And so lunch time came like a flash. I decided to go with one of my rompers today kasi tinamid nanaman akong magisip ng ipapartner kong damit. Magdadala din naman ako ng lose cardigan incase na malamig yung pupuntahan namin ni Kuya Steven.
Since wala ako for lunch, Kyle asked me earlier if he could go and meet up with some of his friend. Yung own version niya ng mga kuya’s. Andito daw kasi sila kaya imemeet na daw niya bago pa nila guluhin ang buhay daw namin. Mas maaga siyang umalis kesa sakin at mag gogolf daw kasi sila. Recently nakakahiligan din ni Kyle yun since halos daw ng clients na nakikilala niya yun na ang side hobby.
By the time I was done preparing, nagtext na din si Kuya Steven na nasa baba na siya ng condo kaya naman nagmadali na akong bumaba.
Pareho kaming tahimik ni Kuya Steven sa sasakyan nung kasundo niya saakin. We said hi to each other kanina but right now pareho kaming tahimik.
“How long are you back?” I asked first para lang medyo gumaan naman ang sitwasyon
“Until Thursday, after that I have to go back and continue my residency” He quickly answered. Tumango-tango nalang ako at tsaka ko siya tinignan. Always naman siyang gwapo for me kahit mapa side profile man yan or center profile basta’t para saakin gwapo si Kuya Steven. He is one of the few people na kahit anong gawing kagaguhan, hindi pa din magbabago ang tingin ko sakanya, even now, kahit pa nagrereplay sa utak ko yung mga nakita ko nung isang gabi, he is still the kuya I admire most.
“Well I’m going to miss you again once you are away. I also have flight back to states this week. I’ll go to you when I can so dapat mag reserve ka na ng isang sleep off kasi ililibot mo pa ako” Hinirit ko na sakanya, waving off the awkwardness growing between us. Hindi naman dapat kami maging awkward.
Buti nalang din at tinawanan n ani Kuya yung sinabi ko at tsaka siya tumingin saakin with a smile on his face…but it never reached his eyes.