Nang maka-arrive na kami sa E.L. Tordesillas Airport ay kaagad kaming sinalubong ng hospitality workers at nagbigay sila ng fresh buko juice sa amin, pagkatapos ay nag-quick briefing sila patungkol sa Balesin Island. A few moments later ay hinatid na kami sa Balesin Island Clubhouse para makapag-check in na kami.
While we were sitting on this cute vehicle and looking at the enthralling sceneries of the island, I could not help but to ask Greyson kung mahal ba ang ibinayad niya para rito.
"More or less, aabutin ng PHP90,000 lahat lahat," he casually answered. Nang nakita niya sigurong nag-iba ang facial expression ko ay kaagad naman siyang nagdagdag na, "That's okay. Wala ka nang dapat na problemahin pa."
Hindi ko napagtanto kung bakit, pero nakonsensya ako sa sinabi niya. Siguro tama nga ang mga narinig ko na hindi ko deserve ang kagaya ni Greyson. Para kaming langit at lupa kung ikukumpara sa isa't isa.
Nang maka-arrive kami sa villa ay dumiretso kaagad siya sa front desk para kausapin ang receptionists, at nang makabalik siya sa lounge area kung saan niya ako pinaghintay ay may dala na siyang flyers.
I also noticed that a lot of people were staring at me while they were whispering at each other. When Greyson noticed that I was grimacing, he slowly caressed my hair.
"Tanggalin mo ang face mask mo, love. Pinagkakamalan ka nilang idol," he calmly said. Upon hearing that, ako naman itong hindi kumalma.
"That's so racist," naiinis kong utal bago ko inalis ang face mask ko. Natawa na lang si Greyson dahil doon at tsaka siya nagsabi ng, "Kumalma ka nga riyan. Umakto ka na lang na parang wala kang pakialam at titigil din ang mga iyan."
"Kahit na. Nakakasawa na kasi ang mga ganyan," sagot ko ulit sa kanya. Kinurot niya na lamang ako habang nakatitig siya sa mga babae na nakangiti sa amin.
We went to the St. Tropez villa because Greyson booked a room right there, at nang nakita ko ang exterior ng villa ay namangha ako since it really looked like a real place in St. Tropez na nakikita ko lang sa mga pelikula. The pastel colors of the buildings that clinch the evident royal blue accent really match the ambiance of the whole place.
"Welcome to our first taste of French Riviera," Greyson said while looking at the Pacific Ocean. Nakikita ko talaga sa kanya na masaya siya ngayon, at masaya na rin ako dahil doon.
Nang makapasok na kami ng aming kwarto ay mas lalo akong namangha sa aesthetic aspect ng lugar. I don't usually care about aesthetics, hence I prefer wearing neutral colors instead of the showy neons or florals, pero pagdating dito ay para akong bata sa isang candy store.
"Welcome to our room. Dito mangyayari ang lahat ng magic mamaya," Greyson sarcastically said before he winked at me.
"병신 새끼*," I answered before I rolled my eyes. "Imbes na 'yong project natin ang inaatupag mo, sex na naman 'yang iniisip mo."
He just loudly laughed at what I told him. "Mas importante ka kasi kesa sa project natin," he said rightafter.
"Oh, really? Kahit na ma-fail tayo if we will give our teacher a subpar presentation?"
"You and I won't fail as long as we are together," sagot niya naman. "At isa pa, I can resist taking photos of this beautiful place, but I could not resist my boyfriend."
Napangiwi ako dahil sa pagiging cheesy niya sa akin. Halata talaga na bumabawi siya dahil sa pag-away namin.
"So, shall we unpack our bags now and go eat somewhere?"
"Thank god at nagugutom ka rin pala," I chuckled.
*****
Our first day at Balesin was nothing special. Nag-away lang kaming dalawa ni Greyson dahil sa kaartehan niya. What could have been a perfect day to explore the island for us to write and present something in front of our class turned into a tedious one. "May bukas pa naman tayo para riyan," mahinahon niyang sabi habang nakatingin lang sa karagatan from our balcony.
"Kung ayaw mo, huwag mo kasi. Ang laki ng binayad mo para rito tapos nakaupo ka lang diyan? Let me do everything here at umupo ka lang diyan. I'll take some photos of this villa para naman may naumpisahan na tayo," galit kong sagot sa kanya.
He didn't say anything. Nakaupo lang talaga siya sa balcony at hinayaan niya akong umalis ng room namin.
Mag-iisang oras na akong nag-iikot dito sa St. Tropez villa at gumagabi na kaya nagpahinga ako sa isang sulok para tignan lang ang sunset.
It is nothing new if I deem this sunset as tranquil and gorgeous like it always was. Sunsets' exquisiteness is always eternal; parang pinapakita nila na kahit ano ang nangyari sa araw ngayon, it can end beautifully.
God, napapaghahalataan na ang pagiging Pisces ko.
'Di nagtagal ay napansin kong may umupo sa gilid ko. Si Greyson.
He was holding his camera as he took a photo of the cloudy pink skies. "Sunsets are the proof that there is such thing as the word 'reset'," he said while still looking at it. "Can we reset this day?"
I bitterly laughed. "It's like we have any other option than that," I whispered. "So bakit ayaw mong umalis kanina ng kwarto natin?"
"It was the food that we ate. Sumakit ang tiyan ko but I was shy to tell you about it kasi magiging oblivious lang ang dating ko sa'yo if I ever said that."
I smiled after I heard his explanation. "See? Expensive things do not always equate its appositeness." Nakita ko na lang siyang ngumiti dahil sa sinabi ko.
"So bakit hindi ka na lang nagpahinga sa taas? I can manage to take photos of this place naman na mag-isa."
He grimaced as our eyes met. "It's not about this project anymore, Lee. It's about you. Gusto ko lang naman na magkasama tayo rito ngayon," he uttered.
Ngumiti lamang ako habang sabay naming tinitignan ang paglubog ng araw.
*****
Nang gumabi na ay nag-aya si Greyson na mag-stay muna kami sa gilid ng pool at doon na lang kami kakain ng aming dinner. "Para sa taong masakit ang tiyan ngayon, may guts ka pang mag-order ng maraming food, a," natatawa kong sabi sa kanya habang tinitignan ko ang mga pagkain sa harap namin.
"Screw this LBM, love. Ang importante ay magkasama tayong kumakain dito," natatawa niya ring sagot sa akin. Hindi ko man pinakita sa kanya, but I was really happy that he said that.
The thing about Greyson is that he does things that could make me despise him so much, yet he also does things that could make me love him despite of his infuriating personality.
After our heavy dinner ay pinipilit pa rin ako ni Greyson na mag-stay muna kami rito for awhile. "Can we play truth or dare or something like that? Gusto ko lang na mas makilala kita. You are a very enigmatic person," he said. Tinignan ko naman siya nang sinabi niyang perplexing ako kaya siya nagsalita ulit.
"What I mean is that you are a very enigmatic person, and I like that about you, but as your boyfriend, I need to know some other things about you naman. Nakakatawang isipin na kanina ko lang nalaman na takot ka pala sa heights."
I beamed nonchalantly before I asked him to consider changing our game from truth or dare to two truths and a lie na lang. "Wala akong tiwala sa iyo pagdating sa mga dare na iyan," I added.
Natawa naman siya at tsaka nagsabi na mas mabuti nga na mag-two truths and a lie na lang kaming dalawa.
"Me first. Two truths and a lie: Those videos that you watched on my laptop are from my brother; I wanted to become a writer, but I was afraid that my parents would be disappointed of me katulad lang n'ong kay Kuya Edward dati; and the last one is that I am allergic to dust," ika niya.
"I think alam ko na kung saan doon ang lie," sagot ko naman. "Hindi ka talaga takot sa parents mo kaya hindi mo pinursue ang pagiging writer. Takot ka lang na malamangan ka ni Kuya Ed mo kasi successful siya sa pagba-banda tapos ikaw naman ay wala pang napatunayan talaga sa kanila," I added. I watched him frown rightafter.
"Bawal ang magsabi ng tamang sagot," wika niya. "Ikaw naman kaya," dagdag pa niyang sabi habang nakasandal ang kanyang siko sa magkapatong niyang mga binti.
"Okay," I said. "Two truths and a lie: I have gone to school while I was drunk; someone wants to assassinate me right now; and the last one is that you are my first love."
Kumunot ang noo ni Greyson sa sinabi ko. "Ang sabi two truths and a lie. Bakit parang dalawang lie ata ang sinabi mo?"
I bitterly laughed. "Bahala ka kung ayaw mong maniwala, basta sumusunod lang naman ako sa rules ng game na ito."
"Someone wants to assassinate you? What drugs are you taking right now so that I can try it as well?" he laughed. "And the third one is definitely a lie. Ako ang first love ni Sang Woo oppa ng Liesel University? Nakakatawa."
I rolled my eyes. "Eh, 'di ba nga ang sabi ko, bahala ka kung ayaw mong maniwala?"
Magsasalita pa sana si Greyson nang napansin naming dalawa na nagri-ring ang cell phone ko. It was from an unknown number at overseas ang area code nito.
"Hello?" I said after I pressed the answer button.
When I heard the person on the other line, I immediately cried.
*****
*MF.