- Erizza's POV -
Cassian suggested driving instead of taking the bus. It's truly alright with me because we don't have to spend on the fare anymore, plus it will just be the two of us inside the car talking and laughing about random stuff.
It takes three hours to travel from Manila to Batangas. Our destination will be Bituin Cove, a beach in Nasugbu. I've been planning to travel to the two tourist spots that I discovered in that city. It's been on my bucket list for a month now and I can't wait to check it out once I made it happen.
Having a one-month vacation is really bliss.
"Are you hungry?" I turned my head to Cassian when I heard him speaking.
"What?" I asked because I did not hear him.
"Do you want to eat?"
"Oh"
Though we ate our lunch before we left, we've been riding for two and a half hours now. I just have to sit here and enjoy the ride but the feeling of hunger is slowly consuming me. Or is it just my brain that urges me to eat?
"Hmm...I think I want streetfoods!" I said in a cheerful manner. I'm just missing it right now, I love streetfoods since I was young and it will always be my favorite 'meryenda'.
Cassian chuckled. "Okay, we'll eat streetfoods," he nodded while looking directly at the road.
A few minutes later his range rover stopped on the side of the highway. There are two houses at the right of the mini store and a vulcanizing shop at its left. I can see a few meters away from here that a young lady is grilling barbeques and isaws that made my mouth water again.
"I'll buy, stay here so you can rest more," Cassian instructed.
"Ok" I nodded.
"What do you want to eat?" he asked.
"I want barbeque, tokneneng, okoy, squid balls and kikiam," I answered while counting it with my fingers.
"Alright, you really seem hungry, huh," he smirked.
I stuck my tongue out like a child but he just laughs it off. Cassian hops out of the car and I just watch him walking away.
Cassian approached the young lady, even though I only see his back, I can imagine him smiling while talking to her. Well, it seems that I am right because I can see the sparkling eyes and teeth of the young lady while grilling the barbeque and glancing at him at the same time.
It occured to me that Cassian is that guy who's gentle and thoughtful. He's also approachable, but does he show that attitude when he's working? Probably, but imagining him wearing a stern face doesn't suit him to me. I actually prefer him smiling which I can look at all the time.
A few minutes later, Cassian went inside the car holding a big transparent plastic bag. He handed it to me and I excitedly grabbed it from him.
I squealed when I saw how much he bought for me and how the foods deliciously smell.
"Ugh, thank you!" I cheerfully said to him.
"No problem, I don't want to starve you at all," he replied.
I looked at him and smiled for the last time before he started driving again.
While eating my tokneneng, I opened the window and the afternoon breeze rushes in. I already tied my hair to a braid that is dangling on my right chest and my baby hairs danced freely with the wind.
I sticked a piece of my tokneneng using the stick and dipped it on the cup that has the sweet gluey sauce before I put it into my mouth. It's hot when it touched my tongue but I still managed to bear it.
"Oh god, it's delicious," I moaned while using my palm as a fan.
"I really miss this," I said and took a bite again.
Cassian's attention is on the road but I know he is listening to me. I stick out the last piece of my tokneneng and carefully stretched my arms to give it to him.
"Here have some bite"
"I'm ok Erizza"
"I'm eating here and you're not so open your mouth and let me feed you," I commanded.
He looked at me with a frightened look and back to the food. I smiled but my eyes quickly pierced at him saying "eat it or else".
Finally, Cassian's face relaxed. He opens his mouth and chews the food.
"Hmm, delicious"
"See? There's still a lot of food here and I'll make sure we'll gonna burp so loud once we get there," I exaggerated.
"Erizza," when I heard his voice like he's going to say something serious, I quickly looked at him.
"What?" I asked.
"There are also snacks at the back," he said.
"Eh?" I blinked a few times when I realized that we bought some snacks from the grocery.
"Sorry, I forgot," he said. "But looking at you enjoying the streetfoods, we'll just eat them when we get home instead," he added.
"Let's not waste food in here, Cassian"
"What? You want to eat them too?" his face seemed shocked but I just raised my eyebrows.
"Yeah"
"Do you want me to get them for you?" he asked.
"Nope, no need!" my voice suddenly became high-pitched like an excited kid, but I immediately leaned on the seat when I felt my abdomen pinched.
I realized that I keep on switching tones a while ago and I feel like I want to eat non-stop.
I sudden thought occures to me that it's the first week of the month which is usually the times that I have my period! Ugh, red days? Oh come on, not now.
I shoved that thought away and grabbed the big plastic cup from the dashboard that contains the kikiams and squid balls. I put a lot of sauce until it turns into a mud-like consistency.
Myself, I'll just eat whenever I want to.
"We should play a song," I hear him say.
Cassian turned on the radio and the song Team by Lorde started playing.
My head automatically beats with the repeating lyrics on the first verse of the song. The wind rushing in, the warm blinding sunlight, and the fresh view of the highway road make it like the scenery of a music video.
I looked at Cassian who's jamming to the music.
"Dancin' around the lies we tell
Dancin' around big eyes as well, ah"
I smiled when he enjoys singing the lyrics.
"You didn't tell me that you can sing," I said.
"That's because I'm just a bathroom singer," he glanced at me then back to the road.
"Crazy," I chuckled. "You're not that bad at all," I commented.
He doesn't have a magnificent singing voice but I can say his voice is quite stable--more stable compared to mine. I know I don't have the ability to sing which I already knew from the day that I was born.
I stuck two pieces of kikiam using the stick and leaned towards him to put them near to his mouth.
He opens his mouth and chews them. A little amount of sauce drips on the side of his lips that's why I gently wiped it off using my thumb.
Even though Cassian is looking straight on the road, his eyes glanced at me, and his lips formed into a small smile. He then reached out for my palm and wiped the remnants of the sauce using his gentle thumb.
"There it's gone" his voice is low and soft. His hands feels warm and tough.
"Thanks," I said slowly and pulled my hands from him.
I sit up straight on my seat and continued chewing my delicious snack as nothing happened. But it didn't escape my mind even though I don't want to think of it--I want to think of it.
But hey, it's not the first time he touched me. It's definitely the time that I had slept on his car and the next morning I'm already on my bed.
"Just sleep if you want to. I'll just wake you up when we get there." Cassian said breaking the sudden silence between us.
Well, it's not a big deal to me. It's just him and his naturally benign actions.
"Okay" I nodded. "I always fall asleep when I'm full." I reminded him before I grabbed another small plastic bag that has the barbeques in it.
The song finally ended and it shuffles again. The song She Plays Bass by beabadobee blasts from the car stereo with its fresh dreamy intro.
I am currently feeling good right now. The sky is staring to show warm colors like the universe is on fire. We're crossing a highway bridge and the buildings we pass by looks like it was painted all-black.
"Hey, won't you call me back?
'Cause I've been waiting for a text back"
I put my right arm out of the window and feel the wildness of the wind. I always wanted to do this in a plane but now that I'm inside a car, this is much better and relaxing.
I pulled my arm back when I heard the second verse of the song. Even though I don't have a beautiful voice, the song hypes me up and tells me to go on and sing to your heart's content.
"She plays bass, she plays bass
Nothing matters 'cause we're both in space"
Snapping my fingers and doing some body movements, Cassian glanced at me and grinned.
"You know the song?" I asked him.
"Yeah" he replied.
"Then you've got a good taste in music then," I remarked.
Cassian turned up the volume more and he also opened his window. The wind rushes in and we sing like even the car passing by can hear our voices.