I was reading the last chapter of the book I bought entitled "Every Day" when I heard someone calling my name.
"Ano 'yon?" I asked him then closed the book and looked at him.
"Um, akala ko wala kang ginagawa." Napakamot siya ng ulo. "Sige na. Baka maabala pa kita." Ngumiti siya saka sinara ang pinto ng kwarto ko.
Napakunot ang noo ko saka muling bumalik sa pagbabasa.
Makalipas ang ilang minuto, natapos ko na rin. Nagkaroon ako ng kaunting realization after reading the book and when I felt that that's it, I leave the room.
Natagpuan ko siyang nakaupo sa sofa hawak ang remote at nang tingnan ko ang tv, palipat-lipat ito ng channel. I suddenly felt that I looked like the straight face emoji.
"Anong ginagawa mo?" I sat beside him giving enough space between us.
"Wala." Sumandal siya sa sofa na akala mo ay lantang gulay at pinagpatuloy pa rin ang paglipat ng TV channel.
Hindi ba niya naisip na baka masira 'yon? Bigla ko tuloy hinablot 'yon sa kamay niya. "Baka masira! Nakikitira lang tayo!"
Tumingin siya ng masama sa akin saka sumimangot. Anong problema nito?
"Anong nangyari sa'yo, Eiffel—este France?" tanong ko.
"Bored na ako. Wala akong magawa."
"Obvious nga. Kawawang remote," komento ko. "E, kung ayusin mo kaya 'yung gamit mo? Tingnan mo nga nandito pa rin 'yung maleta mo." Tinuro ko pa yun maleta niya na nasa sulok.
He looked at me as if I've said something stupid. Then when he talk, I realized that— yeah—I'm wrong.
Dalawang araw na simula nang makarating kami sa Paris. Noong makarating kami sa airport dito, tinawagan ni Eiffel—este France, 'yung kung sinoman at dinala kami rito sa bahay niya. Ang alam ko lang kakilala niya ito kaya dito raw muna kami titira. Unfortunately, isang kwarto lang ang meron dito. Akala niya raw kasi walang kasama si Eiff—France. Ginawa na kasing tambakan 'yung kabila. He introduced himself as Cai and said that if we want, we can clean the other room so we can use it. Then he looked at us maliciously then said we don't need it anyway. We both throw him a dagger look then he laugh. After some words, he left.
"Isa lang 'yung kwarto at closet, 'di ba?"
"Sabi ko nga." Umayos ako sandali saka rin sumandal sa sofa. "Eiffel—Kasi Eiffel na lang ang arte mo, e!"
"Bahala ka na nga," walang kalatoy-latoy niyang sabi.
"E, 'yon naman kasi talaga pangalan mo, 'di ba? Ba't ba pinipilit mo 'yung France? Kasi nasa France ang Eiffel Tower?"
"Uy! Galing mo, a. Paano mo nalaman 'yon?" he said. Please note the sarcasm.
Tiningnan ko siya ng masama. "Seryoso akong nagtatanong, Mr. Eiffel 'France' Buenaventura."
"I'm dead serious, Ms. Britany Madrigal. My mom's first love is Eiffel tower so, yeah. They name me after the famous tower. And since I'm..." He looked at me. He's a bit hesitant but continued anyway. "...being bullied before because of that, I change my name to France. Tho, ayaw ni mama kaya hindi ko mapaligal. How 'bout you? Britany? Britain? Or Brittany na connected din sa France?"
"Actually, hindi. 'Yung mama ko, fan ng Twilight, both books and movies. At sa sobrang pagiging fan niya, sinunod niya 'yung name ko sa isang character—si Bree Tanner. Ang kaso ang layo ng surname, 'di ba? Ang ikli naman daw kung Bree. Kaya pinaglaruan nila hanggang nawala 'yung letter R tapos pinagdikit tapos ayun, naisilang na ako. Kaya nga ang tawag sa akin nila mama ay "Bree". Nu'ng tumagal, nakasanayan ko na rin."
Umalis siya sa pagkakasandal sa sofa saka tumingin sa akin. "Edi pwede kitang tawaging Bree?"
Nagkibit-balikat ako. "Basta ba pwede kitang tawaging Eiffel, e. Saka ang astig kaya ng name mo!"
Binigyan niya ako ng isang poker face. "Okay na, 'wag mo na akong utuin na astig ang name ko."
I rolled my eyes. "Teka nga pala, since bored ka, gala tayo! Gusto ko nang makita 'yung Eiffel—!"
"Nakikita mo na ako."
"Hindi ikaw! 'Yung Tower!"
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Dahil mag-aalas otso pa lang, sinabi ko na magpapalit muna ako ng damit at sabi niya, siya rin pero bilisan ko raw. I'm wearing a black blouse and a white jeans with a light touch of make ups.
Nakarinig ako ng katok sa pinto at bago buksan ito, muli muna akong tumungin sa salamin. Pagbukas ko, napansin ko agad ang ayos niya. He's wearing a white fitted V-neck shirt and black jeans. Hindi naman 'to mahilig sa white V-neck, ano? Nu'ng una ko siyang makita sa school program ng mga kapatid namin—Yep, siya 'yung guy na katabi ko—at nag-iinom, ganoon rin suot niya. But in fairness, ang ganda ng katawan niya. Hindi masyadong maraming muscle at hindi rin masyadong payat. Sakto lang. Mas lalo rin siyang nagmukhang maputi dahil sa suot niya. At ang mukha niya, maamo. Tipong hindi gumagawa ng kasalanan.
I am staring at him when he grinned and move forward slowly. Para akong nabato sa kinatatayuan ko at nakatingin lang sa kaniya. He take another step. Then another. And another. Until it only take an inch before our body touch each other.
Knowing he's this close makes me catch my breath. I suddenly felt my heart pumped abnormally. I gulped.
Did he feel it? My heartbeat? I asked myself then realized that he won't...Right?
But... how about the world that suddenly stop? The total silence in our surrounding? Did he felt it?
Medyo nakatingala ako nang kaunti dahil medyo matangkad siya at siya nama'y medyo nakayuko. Naramdaman kong gumalaw ang kamay niya papunta sa baba ko. Napalunok ako.
We're starring at each other like we depend our life on the unknown connection at noong una alam ko—sigurado ako— na pareho kaming walang naririnig at parang mga bingi, nang unti-unti ay may biglang tumunog; palakas nang palakas.
Para kaming natauhan. Bigla kaming napakurap pareho at pagkatapos ay bigla siyang nagiwas ng tingin saka umubo.
"U-um, sasagutin ko lang 'yung phone ko." At nagpaalam na siya saka umalis.
Nang wala na siya, naramdaman kong biglang nag-init ang pisngi ko.
"What was that?"
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"Wow..." I said for the nth time.
We've been out and rode a cab that will bring us to the famous tower. And now, we're face to face to it.
We've been standing there for almost fifteen minutes and I'm still mesmerize by the view at my front.
I can't believe it! I'm really here! In Paris! and the weird thing is that I'm living with someone I've just met. And... Oh, well, whatever.
"Um, gusto mo mag-take ng pictures?" I looked at my side and saw Eiffel staring at the tower. Weird. A person named Eiffel was facing the Eiffel Tower. He's facing something that's where his name came from.
After a moment, he looked at me and smile. A smile that can surely make every girl scream. But I won't do that.
Itinaas niya ang DSLR niya saka pinicturan ang tower. Pagkatapos noon ay lumato siya saka sinabing kukuhanan niya ako ng litrato.
I raise my hands, widely open in the airand look at his camera. He takes a lot of shots then I took it from him then I said I'll take pictures of him too.
"Teka, picture tayong dalawa."
Umalis siya sandali at pinuntahan 'yung dalawang lalaki na nagpi-picture din. I heard him talk in French and I was amazed. I never knew that he can speak French. Well, I never really knew him. But I'm about to.
Lumapit silang tatlong lalaki sa akin tapos ay ibinigay nila 'yung camera kay Eiffel.
"Tara dito?"
"Huh?" Hinatak niya ako at lumayo doon sa dalawang lalaki.
"We'll take pictures of them and they'll take picture of us."
Pagkasabi niya noon ay nakita kong nagpose 'yung dalawa. And they're so sweet! May picture silang magkahawak 'yung kamay habang nakatingin sa camera. May roon ring 'yung parang mga scene. 'Yung isa nakatalikod at 'yung isa nakaharap sa camera. Magkadikit ang mga braso nila at nakatingin sa isa't isa. Para bang 'yung mga scene ng dalawang taong nagkabanggan at nagkatitigan, ganoon!
Looking at them, I found myself smiling. I'm not actually against the LGBT. I actually love them and I admire them for showing the world who they really are. I have coworkers before that are gays and they are fun to be with. And I hate those people who's not treating them well. They'll said a lot of things against these people but they don't see themselves degrading others. Kung tutuusin nga, minsan mas mabait pa sila kesa sa ibang taong straight.
Pagkatapos nila ay inabot naman ni Eiffel ang DSLR niya at kami naman ang nag-pose pero hindi 'yung sweet. 'Yung parang magtropa lang tulad nu'ng nagform ng letter K 'yung katawan namin na magkaharap at ine-emphasize 'yung tower sa gitna. Meron ring jumpshot at kung anu-ano pa.
"Je vous remercie," sabi ni Eiffel at saka nag-bow. Nag-bow rin 'yung dalawang lalaki saka umalis.
"Marunong ka pala mag-French." Tumingin siya sa akin saka muling tiningnan 'yung kaaalis lang na mga lalaki habang magkahawak ang kamay.
"Medyo lang. Tara?" Tumingin siya sa akin.
"Huh?"
"Kain tayo. Nagugtom na e," sabi niya habang kumakamot pa sa may bandang batok.
Natawa ako. "Tara!"
***
"Bree."
"O?"
"Gusto ko pa."
Napatawa ako. "Pangatlo mo na 'yan!"
"E, masarap e," he smiled sheepishly then ordered again.
It's only 10 AM and we don't want to eat something heavy yet. So instead of a heavy meal, we eat one of the famous food when it come to pastries in Paris-the croissant. It is delicious. The obvious reason why even Eiffel already eat two whole bread, he's now ordering another.
When he's done, we decided that we need to buy some things and food so we go at the mall and after that, at the Rus des Martyrs, an old market in Paris.
We're walking with bags in our hand wherein groceries and other items are inside when we heard a noise. It's Eiffel's phone again.
Lumayo siya ng kaunti kaya naupo muna ako sa bench sa gilid pero narinig ko ang unang salitang lumabas sa bibig niya nang sagutin niya ang tawag.
"Keina..."