Sigh.
Running.
In a field of flowers while his cat are chasing him.
His heart beat rapidly.
While his knees are shaking and start to numb.
He take a two deep breath while holding his sketch pad.
After he arrived home yesterday all he did is to think about
the offer of the old man to him. To work with the mansion being a caretaker of their dogs, cat and pig. He hold his
knees and then he fell off to the ground staring at the clouds.
His heartbeat is all you can heard.
The clouds shifting into different forms make a beautiful art.
While the sound of the bees hovering over the flowers are synchronizing with the beat. He lift his hand covering his forehead to block the sunlight, he then look at his drawing
and laugh at what he did.
"She's too beautiful even how hard I tried to draw her. I still can't find the other piece, she's just more beautiful than this art–craft"
The warmth air hugs him while the sun embrace his soul.
He stand slowly and then he open his arms widely, closing his eyes. The air mess with his hair while the flowers dance with thy rythm—bounce and swinging. In his vision, there is only one thing he want to see—the vivid elegant face of the girl.
"Silly cat, it won't hurt you... it is just a grasshoper" He warned his cat. He found himself like a crazy old man talking to a cat whom who can't speak then he laugh.
He then walk again toward that big tree with a swing made of woods and rope. And in front of it is field of flowers some people are harvesting it and some are cleaning things, that he don't know. He climbed up to the three same goes with his black cat with a blue eyed one. A woman passby looking at him and he just give a small smile.
"Magandang araw po" He greeted her and the old woman replied with a vow and smile.
All the people he met are gracious and kind—and so, if he gives kindness he will recieve respect. And if he respect the elders it will give him gratitude and kindness.
He is born in a poor family and only have nothing but love. He doesn't have something that he can offer so—he gives his very best smile to warmth someone's heart. He start to look for a big branch to sit and so he find one but are too far. He take a deep breath and only think himself to lessen the fear of height he feel.
It's a highland place while their home are on the downside. He can see clear and wide of all the houses including the biggest house of the village. Birds flying, people are too busy and from there he can see everything. But if there's a person underneath the tree that person can't notice him.
And yep.
There's a girl swinging underneath this tree, it made the branch start to shake and so he hold on tightly. His cat almost fell off while his about to get off. But suddenly the swing are slowly begin too fast .
"Stop swinging you person!!" He shouted at the top of the tree.
The girl startled from what she heard and it seems that the voice are familiar to her so she stop. She look at the top of the tree but all she can see is a thick leaves blocking the sun to came out.
"Is anyone there?"
But the cats feel anxious jumping off at his shoulder that make him shocked and out balance. His hand slip off and falls down off to the ground. His cheeks touch the ground first while he land in front of the girl, his body are aching. He stop himself to shout from pain where it feels like his body are breaking into pieces and is dying.
The girl stand and look at him when she was too stunned to do something and she doesn't even know what to say. She tap his cheeks that are too red while he groaned in death it because of when his bruises being touch he feel pain.
"Ouch!"
"Sorry, here let me help you"
The girl offered her hand to him while she bend down. He then grab the girl's hand gaining strength with it and slowly stand. They were too shocked about what happen and the girl just sit on the swing acting like nothing happen and there's nothing she see from that moment. And then he sit on the other swing beside her, caressing his shoulder through up and down—all he could feel is his bone's breaking.
" I don't know it was you"
"Me too, either"
He doesn't believe in destiny nor fate but now he's double–minded with it. If he just denied it or he just can't accept it—he groaned again, looking dizzy. His another hand hold the rope, he caught the girl glancing at him from time to time.
Nag–aantay sa kung sino sa kanilang dalawa ang unang magsalita. He smells bad and awe, staring at the young woman who sit beside him. The girl look at him and then he smiles gently, holding a book and beside her is a bunch of flowers in her basket.
He picked up his pencil that was thrown away at the moment he fell and also his sketch pad. The girl smiled at him fixing her hair when there is nothing wrong with it. Her cheeks turns red like a cherry that are going to explode and the atmosphere, there is something about it that he can't explain.
His heart just keep beating so fast whenever the girl look at him. He feel shy and his body are being wrapped into a tape where he can't move. His hand are shaking no matter how hard he tried to stop it's still keep going on, the butterfly flee toward the girl.
She lift her hand making it hop to her fingers and it really did, hopping at her fourth finger.
"Isn't it lovely?"
"Sobrang ganda" He said.
But in his mind he wanted to say the word 'kasing ganda mo' but his tounge, it can't say the word. Para siyang pinutulan ng dila at tinatakpan ang bibig na kahit anong sigaw niya ay walang lumalabas sa kanyang bibig. Nilunok niya ang sariling laway ng ngumiti ang babae para siyang hinihigop nito at gustong damhin ang mapupulang labi.
Ang kanyang mata'y namumukad sa ganda at ang kanyang mukha'y parang isang anghel na kahit ano mang hirap na iyong abutin ay hindi mo pa rin maaangkin.
"May problema ba sa mukha ko?" Tanong nito na kinakapa niya ang sarling mukha.
"Ah wala naman" Giit niya.
Hindi niya masabi kung ano itong nararamdaman sa sarili na hindi niya kayang maipahiwatig. Na sa tuwing siya ay titingin sa babae'y halos mawala na siya sa kanyang sarili. Kinagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi at tumingala sa kalangitan, pinagpatuloy niya parin ang ginagawa, ginuhit niya ang babae na nakatayo saka malayang tumingala sa kalangitan at napapaligiran ito ng mga bulaklak.
Palihim naman na sumusulyap ang babae sa kanyang ginagawa. Pagkatapos niyang magdrawing ay tumingin siya sa babae at nahuli niya itong nakatingin sa kanya. Their eyes locked together while their heart beat synchronize.
The girl look away and so the boy. The girl stare at her shoes pretending to look for something on it just to lessen the awkwardness they have felt. She gigled that made the boy curious why.
"May problema ba?"
The girl glance at him leaving him dumb about what he ask. She stay silent for a while trying to stop laughing, umiling lang ito at tinatakpan pa ang kanyang bibig. Tumayo naman siya at sinisipa ang maliit na bato at ang kanyang pusa ay nilalawayan ang sariling paa.
Kumuha siya ng bulaklak malapit sa kanya at inamoy pa niya ito. He gently blow the flower that start to scattered in the air
floating everywhere. A small piece of it flew over the girl's hand and she fold it.
"Hindi pa ako nakakkakita ng dandelion pero ang isang to. Parang nakahawak na rin ako"
Humarap siya at tinitigan ang babae pababa sa hawak nito. Na natiling kalmado ito at lumakad patungo sa babae at umupo sa swing. Sumulyap naman ang babae sa kanya at nanlilinsik ang kanyang mga mata na para siyang iniimbestigahan nito dahil nantili itong nakatutok sa kaya at umangat naman ang kanang kilay niya.
Tumayo ang babae at inilapag ang librong hawak sa upuan at may kinuha siyang camera sa kanyang bulsa. Lumakad ito ng ilang hakbang saka tumigil at hinarap siya, bigla siyang kinunan ng litrato at siya nama'y nagulat sa ginawa ng babae.
"Don't move, you're handsome in that way!"
Tiningnan ng babae ang camera at muli namang kinunan ang siya ng litrato pagkatapos ay kinuha niya ito at ibinigay sa binata. Pinagmasdan niya ito ng mabuti at nahuli na lang niyang nakangiti na ang sarili at kanina pa pala nakatingin sa kanya ang babae.
"Nice smile by the way"
"Yours too"
"I was thinking if we could be friends?" She lift her hand ready to meet his tiningnan lang niya ang kamay ng babae na nangangalay na at kalaunan ay kinuha naman niya ito at nag-
shakehands sila. "So we made a deal". Na alingpungatan siya sa sinabi ng babae at hindi malaman ang gagawin. Hindi siya makapag–isip ng maaayos dahil hindi pa ito na rerehistro sa kanyang isipan ang sinabi ng babae.
After days of thinking how he can get friends of the girl, now he reach the very first step that he thinks it is uneasy way to get the girls hand just by saying he wanted to befriends with her. But not at all, all he think and assumed never go with what he pressume things to be happen as it go with his overthink.
"Yeah depende sa iyo" Taranta niyang sagot dahil baka magbago pa ang iniisip ng babae na kinakamot naman niya ang kanyang batok.
"Well, can I have your sketch pad?" She said pleasingly.
Inabot naman ng lalaki ang kanyang sketch pad at kinuha naman niya ito. Tinitingnan niya ang mga guhit nitong puro 'siya' at natatawa pa ang babae at kasabay nito'y ngiti. Turn the pages and so on nang matapos na siy ay tumingin siya sa lalaki. At nagtataka naman ang lalaki kung bakit nakatingin ito sa kanyang may ibig sabihin.
He hold himself trying to calm down and to stop his mind overthinking it. Mas lalong lumalabas ang magandang mga mata nito pagnakikita ng sinag ng araw. Para siyang binunutan ng tinik sa lalamunan na kahit isang salita ay walang lumalabas.
"You know what?" Ani ng babae na nagpapatindig ng kanyang balahibo sa takot kung anong itatanong nito. "Ba't nanginginig ka na diyan?!" Ani ng babae na wala namang sign na ito ay galit sa kanyang ginuguhit na animo'y nag–guguhit ng mga disenyong damit.
"Hindi naman atah"
"I'm that beautiful" He was too stunned to speak after what the girl said it didn't even process quickly in his mind. " You drawed me beautifully, so I am really that pretty in your own eye" She said softly that makes him calm.
"It seems to be" He shyly said it with a low tone of voice.
The girl's face that are so curious about it, are now replaced with full of energy and joy. Ngumiti siya sa kanya at dinama ang ginuhit ng lalaki para sa kanya hindi niya maitanggi na nagpapalambot ito sa kanyang pusong bato na hanggang ngayon ay umaasa pa rin na balang araw ay makakamtam din niya ang sariling ligaya.
Ngunit na kita niya sa mga mata ng lalaki ang sayang nadarama na may magpapasaya pa sa kanya. Buong buhay niya'y nag–aantay lang siy kung kailan siya mamatay at mamayapa sa mundong walang ibinigay kundi ang sakit na hindi na niya kayang tiisin.
Dumuyan ang babae ng mahina at dinadarama ang kay sarap na simoy ng hangin. Hindi naman maiwasan niya ang sumulyap sa babaeng kanyang kasama hindi rin niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin, kung ano ang kanyang dapat gawin.
"Do you want help?"
"If you want to?"
Lumapit siya nito at tumayo sa likuran ng babae at hinawakan niya ang lubid saka yumuko siya at tignan ang babae ngunit hindi niya inakalang mas lalong mahuhulog pa ang kanyang loob nito ng matingnan niya ito sa mata. Ang bawat sigundo'y sobrang bagal kung umiikot at parang ang mundo'y huminto na naman.
"Something wrong?"
He just give smile and looked away to lessen the awkwardness he feel. Hindi niya inakalang aabutan siya ng mga ilang sigundong nakatulala na parang baliw sa gitna ng napakaraming tao. Muli niyang hinigpitan ang pagkahawak at idinuyana ng babae ng mahina hanggang sa lumakas at bumilis.
Humawak ng mahigpit ang babae at ang lalaki ay nag–aantay sa pagbalik nito sa pwesto. Sumisigaw pa siya at sobrang nakakatuwa ang kanyang mga ngiting natatanaw ng binata.
Pagkabalik ulit nito ay humugot siya ng lakas at sumakay sa likuran gulat tuloy ang babae at napatingala na siyang kanina pa pala nakayuko kaya't nakatitigan ulit sila. Pero parang wala lang ito sa babae kaya't nagpatuloy pa sila hanggang sa napagod at nahihilo.
Bumaba na siya at napapatakbo malapit sa puno habang sumusuka kahit wala namang lumabas. Lumapit ang babae sa kanya at hinaplos ang likuran pero tumatawa parin ito, he shook his head and shrugged when the girl keeps doing that hilarious laugh.
"Is it funny?"
"Yeah. You look funny at that moment"
"Now it feels weird" He scoff.
"Why?" She look curious.
"It's feel like.... I'm your happy pill"
Tinakpan niya ang kanyang bibig at namumula ang kanyang pisnge pero hindi parin nawala sa kanya ang ngiti at natatawa naman ulit. "Oh. So what's next? Marry me?!!" She laugh.
But he still look serious and just stare at the girl. Lumingon siya kung saan–saan at may naiisip na naman siyang kalokohan. "Let's run?" Ani niya sa babae.
Napakurap ang babae sa sinabi niya at hindi makapaniwala, lumingon siya sa gilid niya at nakita niya ang malaking bundok.
At kapagkuwan lumingon naman siya at nakita niya at nagandahan siya sa plano ng lalaki. May binabalak pa siyang mas maganda kinagat niya ang kanyang labi at unti–unting lumapit sa kanya.
"If I win... will dance with me?" Nagulat ang lalaki sa kanyang sinabi at napakamot siya sa batok.
Pinag–isipan niya 'yon ng mabuti hanggang sa napagdesisyonan niya, sobrang handa na ng babae. Nasa posisyon na ito at kahit anong oras ay tatakbo na siya ng mabilisan. Pagkayuko niya at umaayos ng posisyon ay agad ng tumakbo ang babae at siya ay nag–aalinlangan pa at tumakbo na rin. Hinabol niya ang babae ngunit sobrang bilis itong tumakbo, lahat ng bulaklak ay sumasabay sa hangin.
Tuwing may nadadaanan sila ay nagsisiliparan ang mga paro–
paro sa bulaklak na dinapuan nito. Hiningal na siya at nanghihina ang tuhod saka huminto siya ng ilang segundo at nang makita niyang tumatakbo parin ang babae ay tumakbo na siya ulit.
Sighs.
"I won... loser" She jumped off at the top of the mountain while his walking at hindi siya gaanong makahinga. Pagkarating niya sa tuktok ay sinalubong siya nito ng mahigpit na yakap, walang tigil ito sa tili at sobrang saya na para bang hindi siya kailan man naging masaya. Bakas sa kanyang mukha ang kagalakan sa kalooban at umiikot pa ito habang naitaas ang dalawang kamay.
Dumungaw siya sa bangin at sobrang ganda ng tanawin sa kanyang kinatatayuan. Ay makikita ang harden ng mga bulaklak na sobrang napakalawak and he open his arms so wide embracing the winds coldness and warmth on the same side. He almost fell when the someone's arms crawling at his shoulder and hold him tight ng masimhot niya ang pabango ay alam niyang hindi siya nag–iilusyon ngayon.
Sobrang gaan nito para sa balikat niya at parang hinuhupa ang sakit na kanyang pilit nililimot sa kawalan ng pag–asang makatakas nito. At katawang pagod na pagod sa trabaho ay parang menamasahe ng kanyang pagkayakap ng mahigpit.
Hinarap niya ito at mukhang nagulat pa siya sa kanyang ginawa, napalayo ang babae ng dalawang beses at ngumiti saka nagpeace–sign.
Hindi niya matiis na kiligin kahit anong gawin niyang pigilan ang sariling ngumiti nakagat niya ang kanyang labi sa nararamdam na parang hinigop siya nito. "We're friends right?"
She started talking again after she take a two deep breath.
"Yeah, we're friends" He said in hesitation.
"So it's mean I can hug you, right?" She chuckled and fixing her hair at tumango lang siya.
Umupo ng babae sa isang kahoy na nakahimlay at umupo rin siya do'n bumuntong hininga siya at inayos ang buhok. Tumingin naman ang babe sa kanyang kwintas at namangha pa nga ito. Hinawakan niya ito ng dahan–dahan at binalot ng pagkagulat ang mukha ng lalaki at napapausog naman siya.
Hinaplos niya sa kanyang kamay ang pendant nito na nahawakan na niya, kulay ginto ito and it's leaf. Akmang dinampot niya ang kamay ng babae ng kukunin niya ito na walang pasabi o pahintulot sa kanya. Kaya napahiya siya at umiwas ng tingin. "Here" Ani niya sa babae pagkatapos kunin ng sapilitan dahil bigay iyon ng kanyang Ina.
"Thanks, it's beautiful" She smiled and he just sniffed staring at the necklace he gives.
"You can keep it" He said dahil bakit naman niya hindi ibibigay 'yon kung iyon ang magiging hakbay sa pagkakaibigan nila. Ngunit hindi lamang iyon ang nasa isip niya kundi ang makuha ang kalooban nito. Hindi man sila gaanong magkakilala ay nagkalapit naman ng puso nilang kay bilis.
"Really? you won't take it?" She asked so serious at mas lalong namumukad pa sa ganda ang kanyang mga mata sa tuwing siay ngingiti. At mga tawa niya napakagandang musika para sa kanyang tenga, nang mangalay na ang kanilang tuhod kakauupo ay tumayo siya at tiningnan ang babae.
"Wala ka bang balak gawin iyon?" Tanong niya ng maalala ang sinabi ng babae na isayaw siya. Nang mapagtanto ng babae ang sinabi niya ay tumawa ito at siya naman ay nagtataka kung bakit at nanginginig siya sa sinabi.
"So, you're too serious, man" Ani nito na ikinalungkot niya at napahakbang palayo "Huwag mong sabihin na mahal ko, kahapon palang tayo nagkita at ngayon tayo nagkakilala" She said.
Huminga siya ng malalim at ngumiti ng peke. Hindi niya alam kung masasaktan ba siya. Basta ang alam lang niya'y parang dinurog ang kanyang puso't napakasakit. Tumayo naman ang babae at tinapik ang likuran niya at sinundan niya naman ito.
Sinuot ng babae ang necklace na galing sa kanya at tinitigan pa ito ng malalim. "Why, leaf?" She asked curious about why would this boy choose leaf than any other things are better than this. "This is just a waste, there's a guitar... a moon and so many things. But why? " Dagdag pa niya.
"Without leaves life is nothing" He said softly, while the girl just stared at him.
"If you can choose between me and the leaf? what would it be
?" She asked gustong–gusto niya malaman kung ano ang isasagot nito.
"Then it would be you"
"But why?"
"Without a leaf, I'm nothing. Leaf gives strength and courage to the plant while it symbolize with life. And so can I be your. leaf?"
"Why?"
"You are flower that seems dulled losing leaves" He said.
"Mmm?"
"I heard you don't like going out. So how can you feel life with the attitude of that"
Lumapit ang babae at hinawakan ang mga kamay niya pagkatapos nitong marinig ang sinabi ng lalaki. Unti–unti niyang itinaas ang kamay nilang dalawa at tumakbo ang babae kasama siya. Nalalanghap niya ang simoy ng hangin, ang mundo at ang nakakagaan sa kanyang kalooban. Patuloy lang silang tumakbo hanggang sa makaabot ng malaking puno at andoon parin ang pusa niya.
"Isayaw mo ako" Bulong ng babae sa kanya na hinagkan siya.
Wala siyang nagawa kundi sundin ang kagustuhan ng babae, isinayaw niya ito sa harden ng mga bulaklak at sa ilalim ng puno. They were like dancing a ballroom, minsan ay binubuhat niya ang babae at ang mga ngiti nito ay nanatili. Ngayon palang siya nakaramdam ng ganitong kasiyahan, huminto sila at huminga habang magkadikit ang mga mukha.
"You're clever" The girl said and chuckled.
Sumayaw sila ulit at minsan ay hinabol niya ang babae at inaangat. Iniikot sa kanyang kamay, nakatitig lang sa kanila ang pusa niya. Pagkatapos nilang sumayaw at tumawa ay umuuwi silang dalawa na naghahabulan parin, saka inihatid naman niya ang babae sa kanilang bahay.