Mavin wasn't kidding though. At ngayo'y wala akong ibang magawa kundi ang titigan siya at kumurap. When he raise his brows, eyes asking, I look away and gulp.
"Uh, you're really here. Akala ko…" sinadya kong binitin ang salita.
If only I knew beforehand that I might be meeting Mavin here, hindi sana itong suot kong damit ang isinuot ko. I mean my clothes are fine. I'm wearing a basic gray top paired with some high-rise jeans and slip on sandals. But well Mavin is in polo shirt… looking more presentable than I am.
"Anong sadya mo dito sa mall? Mag-isa ka lang ba?"
My eyes move back to him. Gamit ang hinlalaki ay itinuro ko ang pinanggalingang direksyon. "May pina-photoopy lang na material. Ikaw… You're around the area you said…"
He nodded. Binasa niya ang kaniyang labi at nag-iba ng pagkakatayo. "Tapos na ba? Are you… going home now?"
I straightened my back and shake my head. "Not yet. Marami daw silang kuha kaya mamayang mga three o'clock ko pa makukuha."
He took a glimpse of the direction I came from and glance at his watch. "May kulang-kulang dalawang oras pa bago iyon. What are you planning to do?"
I cleared my throat silently and look around the area. Ano ba ang pupwedeng gawin sa mall sa loob ng isa at kalahating oras?
Wala sa sarili akong napatingala sa taas. Sa open-below sa gitna ng mall ay matatanaw ang ilang shops sa second at third floor ng mall.
"Wanna watch a movie?"
Bumaba ang tingin ko sa kaniya. "…Shall we?"
Nagkatitigan kami ng ilang sandali. Then the next thing I knew we're already in front of the ticketing booth.
"You sure of this one?" he asked when we're already paying for the ticket.
From his fingers tapping the counter my eyes move to his face. I nodded. Tumango-tango naman siya at tila napaisip. Pagkakuha ng sukli ay lumipat kami sa bilihan ng snacks. We got a big serving of popcorn and some soda drinks.
Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang salubongin ako ng dilim. I blinked enumerable times to adjust my sight in the sudden darkness. I move and tried to keep up with Mavin. The warm lights from one side of the corridor helps a little.
"Okay ka lang?" Mavin halt to wait for me.
I smile a little and nod. "It's just a little dark…"
Sa kaunting ilaw ay nakita ko ang pagdaan ng pag-alala sa mukha niya. Wala siyang sinabi pero pinauna niya ako sa paglalakad. Nahuhuli siya ng isang hakbang sa akin.
It was colder and more illuminated in the theater. They are a lot of available seats. I stared at the white big screen. There's nothing to see yet. Pasimple akong humalukipkip. Before the lights go off, I saw Mavin glancing at me. Nawala rin agad ito sa isipan ko dahil nabuhay na ang screen. The advertisements are rolling.
"Labas lang ako saglit," bulong niya bigla malapit sa tenga ko dahilan upang magsitaasaan ang balahibo ko sa leeg.
"S-Sige," ani ko hindi pa nakaka-recover sa pagkakagulat.
"Be back in a minute."
Pinanuod ko ang pag-alis niya, iniisip kung ano ang dahilan nito. Nang hindi ko na siya makita ay ibinalik ko ang tingin sa screen, mas niyayakap ang sarili. It's been long since the last time I went to a cinema that I forgot how cold it would be seating here for an hour or two. Patingin-tingin ako sa kung saan nawala kanina si Mavin nang nagsimula na ang movie. He isn't back yet and it's already fifteen minutes.
After sending him a text, ibinalik ko na ang tingin sa screen. Hindi na niya nasimulan ang movie. Napakurapkurap ako nang may lumapat na bagay sa balikat ko. Dinala ko ang isang kamay ko dito at nang maramdaman ang kalambutan nito ay tinignan ko. With the little light from the screen, I saw a brown velvety fabric drape over my shoulders.
I look behind my shoulders. There I saw Mavin ducking, about to turn to our row.
"Kanina pa ba nagsimula?" is what he asked me upon taking his seat.
Nanatili naman akong nakatingin sa kaniya. Nang hindi ako sumagot ay sinulyapan niya ako. I swiftly move my gaze to the screen.
"Not that long…" I said softly.
It's weird… My heart is pounding in a weird pace. And I feel like my heart is swelling. We focused in the movie for the first minutes. Well I tried to focus until the pounding of my heart returns to normal.
I adjusted on my seat to adjust the fabric on my shoulder. Pagkatapos ay iniabot ko sa kaniya ang popcorn sabay bulong ng, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," he whispered back and get the popcorn off my hold.
Kumuha siya ng handful ng popcorn, shove it in his mouth, at ipinatong ang isang kamay na may hawak ng container sa armrest na nasa pagitan ng upuan naming dalawa. Kalauna'y dumampot rin ako. We take turns. And then our hands bump into each other. His hands are cold. I look up at him, eyes wide.
'Why?' he mouthed.
Nagbaba ako ng tingin. I bit my lower lip, and after a while shifted on my seat. Inalis ko ang nakaatong sa balikat ko. Upon finding out the length of it, I drape the other edge to his shoulders. He turn his head to me.
"What are you doing?" he whispered. "I'm fine. It's not that cold…"
I pursed my lips. Nang tingin ko'y ayos na ay umayos na ako ng upo. The blanket was long enough for the two of us.
"Thanks," he murmured after sighing.
Tumango lang ako, ang atensyon ay nasa screen na. The movie is actually a romantic comedy. I choose this one because I don't want to watch the horror movie that's trending right now. Whenever there's a funny part, I glance at Mavin to see if he also find that part funny. Madalas ngisi lang ang reaksyon niya. But when I heard him laugh, not just a smirk or a chuckle, I stared at him awed.
"I think no one can pulled that off other than him," he whispered after the laugh.
I bob my head a couple of times. "I think so, too."
When the movie turn serious, we also become serious. And until the ending credits, the lights fill the theater again, I didn't move an inch in my seat. Saka ko palang sinulyapan si Mavin nang wala nang makita sa screen.
"Let's go eat something?"
He raised his brows. "Blueberry cheesecake?"
Natawa ako. I remove the blanket off my shoulders (Mavin remove the blanket off him a little while ago because he feel hot) and fold it. Natigilan ako nang abutan ako ng paper bag ni Mavin. Inilagay ko dito ang blanket.
"Is it your favorite now?" I asked him as we walked down the dim corridor leading to the theater's exit.
"What's my favorite?"
"Blueberry cheesecake."
"It's good."
I hummed, doubting him. Bahagya naman siyang natawa dahilan upang matanto ko na tama ako. It wasn't into his liking. So I asked him kung saan niya gustong kumain. And it drag longer than I expected.
"Anywhere is fine, Akila." he insist for the umpteenth time.
Napakamot ako ng bahagya sa sentido ko. "Where is this 'anywhere', anyway?"
Tumuntong na ako sa escalator. Sa likod ko naman si Mavin.
"Wherever Akila wants to eat," he said nonchalant.
I turn to him and made a face that made him smirk. Pagkababa namin sa ground floor ay kinuha niya sa kamay ko ang paper bag. Sinundan ko naman ito ng tingin.
"Did you buy that one?" I asked him and turn to the part of the mall where the photocopying shop is.
He glance at the paper bag. "No. It's my sister's…"
My brows raised in surprise. Tumigil ako sa paglalakad at hinintay siyang makapantay. "You have a sister? A younger one?" I assume because I notice the rabbit heads embroidered on the blanket.
"A younger sister," he seconded. "She's five."
I zone out for a second. Mayamaya ay bumalik ang mata ko sa kaniya.
"I thought you're an only child," I revealed.
He look at me. "I'm not. What made you say so?"
Natigil ang usapan namin doon dahil nakarating na kami sa shop. Sinabi ko sa staff ang sadya ko at agad naman niyang ibinigay ito. Mavin carried it for me. Pagkatapos namin doon ay tumungo kami sa isang pizza house. It was kinda crowded but we're able to find a seat at a corner.
"I just assumed that you are," sagot ko sa tanong niya kanina nang magsimula na kaming kumain.
He looked confused so I clarified it. Ibinaba niya ang slice ng pizza at nilunok ang nginunguya.
"I'm the second child of four actually. I got an older brother, a younger one and a little sister."
I chewed my food more slowly while taking in the information he told me. "Your older brother… Is it that one with Josue at the village before?"
Napaisip naman siya. "You mean Santi?" he said after a while.
I tilted my head. "His name is Santi?"
His brows furrowed. "No--I mean yes. His name is Santi but no, he isn't my older brother. He's my older cousin."
Tumango ako. Then he told me his older brother, named Soren, is already in college. His younger brother is five years younger than him, and his little sister is only five.
"Have about a girlfriend?" I pick a tissue and wipe the corners of my mouth. "Do you have one?" my eyes then move to him.
Napakurap ako nang makita siyang nakatitig sa akin na para bang isa akong specie na ngayon niya lang nakita. Bigla naman akong na-conscious. Maybe there's something on my face?
"Are you being serious, Akila?" he asked void of emotions.
Ibinaba ko ang tissue na ipupunas sana sa mukha ko nang marinig ang kaseryosohan ng boses niya. "Yeah?"
He titled his head. "I won't be hanging out with you if I have a girlfriend, Akila."
I blinked. "Well, some are like that…"
"But I am not some."
Napatitig ako sa kaniya. Pero nang makaramdam na ng pagkailang ay nag-iwas ako ng tingin at sumimsim ng juice.
"Yeah… You're not like the others." I mumbled.
Sa linggo na iyon ay muling naulit ang pagkikita namin ni Mavin sa mall. It was after our dismissal so our meeting was only brief. The third time though, he wasn't able to accompany me because he's kind of busy. And I'll be lying if I said that I didn't feel bad.
"Excited na ako sa mangyayaring school camp! Isang overnight na hindi kailangan ng puspusang pagpapaalam kina Daddy!" biglang tumawa si Tricia ng mala-bruha dahilan upang mapangiwi ako.
"Papayagan ka ba ni Tita?" baling ko naman kay Clarice.
She gave me a look. But later on she sighed and shrugged. "Wala din naman magagawa si Mama kung hindi ang payagan ako. May intermission number ang dance troupe sa pageant. E gabi iyon."
Tumango ako. "I think Tita would understand. Mag-aalala lang siguro dahil nag-iisa kang anak."
Mayamaya ay tinawag na silang muli dahil tapos na ang ten-minute break nila. My friends groaned in annoyance but they still comply to the group's dance instructor's call. Sa susunod na linggo ay mangyayari ang kauna-unahang YES-O camp ng eskwelahan. It's two days and one night of activities. Halos isang buwan rin daw itong pinaghandaan ng organization. But it was only revealed few days ago.
Tumagilid ang ulo ko nang mapanuod ang mga nabuo na nilang step. My classmate who acted as the D.I. is really good with his job. Pero hindi maiwasang tumaas ang kilay ko nang matunghayan ang pagkausap sa kaniya no'ng isa mula sa specialized section. Mukhang nagsa-suggest na baguhin ang isang dance step. I'm not sure if our section and the specialized section would be in harmony again this time that we're forced to become an ally.
Napatingala ako sa kalangitan nang mapansin ang pagdidilim nito. Sinabi ko ito kay Tricia at agad naman siyang nagpanic. Bumalik siya sa loob ng classroom namin upang alamin kung nagdala ba siya ng payong. When I heard her whine and called out my name for help, I heave a sigh. I bet she forgot to bring one again. Pumasok na rin ako ng classroom. Pero napatigil agad ako nang may tumawag sa pangalan ko.
"Mary Carie," I uttered her full name out of surprise.
Ngumiti naman siya. Tinawid ang distansiya namin at biglang hinawakan ang isang kamay ko. "Akila, favor naman oh…"