24 Chapter 21 - Paro-Parong Bukid (2/2)

He came closer and cupped my face with both hands. He wet his lips, then he kissed me long and sweet.

”Oh, I'm sorry I was interrupting. So, you watch a video, you mean a romantic video, right?”

”Yea.. there was this guy from the varsity who did a very romantic gesture for his girlfriend. It was captured in a video, his declaration of love. And it's gone viral. He wanted to make her girl feel the most special in the world. It was.. very, sweet, and, romantic.”

”Love, that's so high school.”

”I am in high school.”

His mouth opened, like he was gonna say something, but didn't.

”Anyway, forget what I said. I was just.. never mind.”

”Love, we can't.. err, we -- ”

”I know. All we can do is, have lots of, sex.”

”Don't. say that. We date. And, I say, well, I tell you I love you. And I've never said --”

”I know. I know, I mean... I know. I was being stupid. I was just, well, I love you, too. That's all that matters.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tight. I pressed my nose in his chest and took a big whiff of his intoxicating masculine scent. He fondled the back of my head and lightly brushed the length of my hair. He leaned lower and kissed the top of my head.

I kept thinking, he's all that matters. I have him and that was all that mattered. I tried to forget everything else, and the things that weren't in the present.

❧ ❧ ❧

I was sitting in the middle of the grass field of the track and field and looking up to the most beautiful sunset I've seen, ever. The sky was pink. The clouds were in different shades of pink, there were long brushes of light pink clouds to scattered parts of purplish pink; I can still see the calm blue sky in the empty parts and it was illuminated by the sun rays. I was in awe.

”Yea, I know, the sky is so Ms. Dimakali.” Lumapit si ate Juris sa'kin. She also usually takes 10-15 minutes of rest after P.E before she goes to take a shower.

”Ay, ate. Well, dahil ba pink?” I laughed dryly, ”ang ganda lang talaga e. Never ko pa nakita ang sky like this.”

”It's the perfect sky for romance. Have you seen the viral video?”

I nodded. She continued, ”who knows, maybe Ms. Dimakali is inlove right now too, her color is up in the sky. 'Di ka pa ba magsa-shower?”

”Later na. Susulitin ko muna 'tong langit.”

”Just.. don't fall for it, baby girl. It never lasts.”

Nagngitian na lang kami ni ate Juris at saka siya umalis. Napansin kong tila ba dumami ang mga babaeng bitter ngayon after magtrending yung love declaration video kahapon.

Napansin ko naman papalapit sa'kin si kuya Monki. He was wearing his blue janitorial jumpsuit, at may nakasabit na belt pockets sa baywang niya na puno ng mga handy cleaning tools niya.

Medyo nagulat naman ako at nagtaka na may inabot siya sa'king floral envelope. His eyes have always been shy whenever he makes contact with students, pero ibang hiya naman ngayon ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya sa paglapit sa'kin.

”Ano 'to kuya Monks?”

”Pinabibigay ni, ano, ni, you-know-who.”

”Ha?”

”Buksan mo na lang.”

Kasabayan pa daw ni kuya Japo ito si kuya Monki. Matagal na siyang janitor dito sa high school campus, so may kaedaran na siya kung tutuusin pero tila ba never siyang tumanda ni isang taon. Mahiyain pero palangiti naman siya, pero matagal ko na ring batid na may lungkot sa mukha niya. He's got a deep-set eyes na para bang maraming alam pero nauunahan siya lagi ng hiya.

”Ang mysterious mo naman ngayon kuya Monki. May pa-you-know-who ka pa. Parang hindi ko naman maimagine na magbibigay ng floral envelope si Voldemort.”

Pasimpleng asar ko habang binubuksan ko ang envelope. Sa loob nito may medyo matigas na scented card, amoy ko ang bango ng halimuyak nito. Sa card, may gold-engraved na nakasulat:

I want you to know that I will do anything for you - T.K

Napatingin ako kay kuya Monki, naka-kunot hiya ang noo niya at sumenyas siya sa kamay niya ng paikot. Tiningnan ko ang likod ng card at may handwritten na:

PS: Just follow Monki's instruction.

Parehas kaming nagkaka-ilangan ni kuya Monki habang sinasabi niya sa'kin yung instruction na ibig sabihin ni Teacher Kim. Hindi ko mapagtanto kung ano dapat ang magiging reaksyon ko na may nalalaman na pala si kuya Monki tungkol sa amin ni Teacher Kim.

Sa pagitan ng track and field at likod ng Science building, may mahaba at malapad na pathway patungo sa college campus. Sa gitna ng pathway, may isles of flowers at may tig-isang puno ng black alder sa bawat isle. Sa gitna ng kahabaan din nito ay may bilog na gazebo na puno ng iba't-ibang kulay ng bulaklak ang paligid; dito ako pinapapunta ni kuya Monki.

Paboritong tambayan ng mga estudyante ang pathway na ito, mahangin at maaliwalas lang ang paligid; romantic din dahil sa mga bulaklak kaya dito rin madalas maglampungan ang mga magjowa.

Siya nga'y may ilang ngang magjowa na nakatambay habang dumadaan ako. Tanaw ko ang gazebo sa gitna na may ilang mga estudyanteng nagkukumpulan, na siya namang ipinagtaka ko. Medyo naalangan akong tumuloy pero nacurious din ako kung ano ang pinagkukumpulan nila.

Pasimple at nahihiyang sumilip ako sa kung ano ang nasa loob ng gazebo. I saw a wooden stand in the middle of it with a red button on top. Sa tapat ng button, may matigas na poster na nakatayo. It was like a bigger version of the card that I received earlier. It also has gold engraved written as:

A little bit of magic, a little bit of you.

If you are the one, princess, the magic will come true.

Tumindi ang curiosity ko kaya't naglakas loob na ako. Dinig ko ang bulungan ng ilan sa paligid nang umakyat ako sa gazebo.

”Pinindot na namin yan, nothing happened,” sambit ng isa.

”Are you the one, princess?” sambit pa ng isa.

”Dali, pindutin mo na, baka ikaw na nga,” sigaw naman ng isa.

I pressed the button. I was startled when music surrounded the area. It wasn't a particular song, but it was like a disney fairytale musical background. Short moments later, a male voice-over added to the music. It didn't exactly sounded as Teacher Kim, but it has the hint of his voice, just without the accent; parang ganito ang boses niya kapag bumubulong siya sa'kin ng malambing:

I can tell you everyday how much I love you,

Today, I want you to know how much I do.

You, my sweet little princess, did the magic,

You made our fairytale dream come true.

Let the world knows you're my princess,

Because now I know what true love is.

My love, you are not wingless,

I see it in every kiss.

Lotus, Lily, and Lilac,

Pink, White, Lavender and Blue,

Kind, Pure and Happy,

That's the beauty I see in you.

It is all written in the sky, my princess;

My love for you is heaven high,

The truth that you are not wingless,

Your beauty of a thousand butterflies.

”Oh. my. god,” I cried, awed.

Sabay sa tunog ng parang magic wand, may biglang bumulwak na kumpol ng paro-paro sa paligid ng gazebo. Despite the music surrounding the entire pathway, dinig ko rin ang tunog ng pagkamangha ng mga tao sa paligid.

Real, live butterflies filled the entire gazebo. It was, no doubt, what a thousand butterflies flying around looked liked. It was beyond magical. It was twice the fairytale. It was, it was what true love is.

Hindi ko napigilan, nagtuloy-tuloy lang ang luha ko. Nakaangat ang isang palad ko para sa mga paro-parong gustong dumapo, habang ang kaliwa nama'y madiin ang lapat sa dibdib ko. Kakaibang ligaya sa puso ang nadarama ko. Hindi ko akalain na mararanasan ko ito with Teacher Kim.

I don't know how long I stood inside the gazebo. Unti-unti, napansin kong dumadami na pala ang tao sa pathway. Butterflies were everywhere, kumalat na sila sa buong kahabaan ng flower isles, habang madami pa rin ang kumpul ng paro-paro sa mga bulaklak sa paligid ng gazebo.

I recognized some of the students around, pero mabuti't wala ni-isa sa mga classmates ko. I started to feel awkward na sa mga tingin ng ilan sa akin.

Pinunasan ko ang luha ko gamit lang ang daliri ko. I remembered, I had a tissue stack in my pocket kaya't sinilid ko ang kamay ko sa bulsa ko. Nakapa ko ang susi na bigay ni kuya Monki earlier sa track and field. Naalala ko ang next instruction niya,

”Kapag handa na ang puso mo, umakyat ka na sa roof deck ng main building. Strictly, bawal talaga ang tao dun, pero ako naman ang may hawak ng susi. Andun na siya, nagaantay sayo.”

Ilang saglit pa'y tumigil din ang music sa paligid. Siya nang pinili kong signal para umalis, sulit na sulit naman na ako sa ganda ng paligid, ng mga paro-paro.

Paglabas ko sa pinto ng roof deck, nakita ko na agad si Teacher Kim, nakatalikod, nakaupo sa duluhang parte ng tiled roof ng building, nakatingala sa kulay pink pa rin na langit.

Mas namangha ako sa ganda langit mula sa roof deck. Parang mas malapit at mas kita ko ang lawak ng kalangitan. ”Do you see me in the sky?” tanong ko.

Lumingon siya. Agad-agad, natunaw na lang ako. Every bit of his face screamed romantic. He was just unbelievably handsome. I thought, I'll never ever gonna get used to it.

”Come over here, love.”

Naglakad ako papalapit sa kaniya. ”You should have seen it. It was, beautiful,” wika ko.

Umupo ako sa tabi niya, lumingon siya sa'kin. ”I'm seeing it now. You're right, but not was, is.”

Kinilig ako, napayuko at napaipit ako ng buhok sa tenga ko. He swayed and lightly bumped my shoulder. ”You happy?”

I breathed-in deep. ”I'm in-love,” I exhaled.

”Me too.”

Nagkatinginan kami at napangiti na lang kami pareho. Pakiwari ko'y kinikilig din siya, not a sight I would ever imagine I'd see in Teacher Kim.

”How was it?”

I smiled. ”Very high school.”

His grin widened. ”You are in high school.”

”It was perfect.”

”I doubt so.”

Napalingon naman ako sa kaniya. ”Huh? Why doubt? Perfect kaya. And It was your idea, your big romantic gesture.”

”Nothing else would be as perfect as you, Cece.”

Natahimik na lang ako. Para akong nabibilaukan o nalulunod sa kilig. Pakiramdam ko, para akong gumagapang na walang buto.

”How'd you do it? Was that really one thousand butterflies? Where'd you get that?”

”There are secrets you need not know, princess.”

He leaned closer and pecked my cheek. Then he stood up, he offered his hand for me. ”You want a gesture that isn't high school?”

”Please, not another one. I think I've reached my quota of kilig for today.”

”Take my hand, love.”

With hesitation, curiosity and excitement, I took his hand. There was a round flat platform in the middle of the tiled roof. It looked like it's been there for a very long time. I couldn't figure out what it was for, but it seemed to be just the perfect spot where Teacher Kim led me.

”May I dance with you, love?”

”Huh? Naku ah. This is -- ”

”Here, put your hands here. No, no, just one hand on my chest, I'll take your other in my hand.”

”Where's the music?”

”Just listen to my heart, love.”

And there we were, dancing without music. I was tight in his arm and chest, dikit na dikit ang katawan namin sa isa't-isa. Nakasandal ang ulo ko sa dibdib niya, habang lubos kong nilalasap ang sarap ng amoy niya. Dinig ko naman ang tunog ng mga halik niya sa ulo ko, then he laid his lips rested on the top of my forehead.

I could just feel the pink of the sky in my skin. Parang kahit walang tunog ang sayaw namin, dama ko ang romance ng kalangitan.

”I love you, Cece,” bulong niya. Mas idiniin ko na lang ang sarili ko sa kaniya. ”I don't how, but I do. I've never told anyone those three words before.”

”Good, so you were a virgin too, somehow. And now, no more.”

I felt his chest bounced when he chukled soundless. ”Now, the world knows you are someone's princess, eh? My princess.”

”And now, it'll be either Hunger Games or Game of Thrones for me. One way or another, someone's gonna cut my head off.”

”Are you worried? Scared?”

”No. I'm in high school. I am entitled to be truly, madly, deeply, crazy in love.”

He chuckled. ”You never fail to surprise me, Cece.”

”Makes the two of us. I am no longer their Cece. I am now your Cece.”

”I want to tell your parents about us.”

Fuck, what???