Chapter 10

"You want to find that out now?" I implored.

The elevator door opened. I want to go with him but how about Sofia?

"I want to walk with you in the middle of the road."

In that simple remark, I felt my heartbeats. It was banging my chest and I never felt nervous, I came up with a realization. I'm liking Writan.

I looked at him and saw him looking at me since we got out of the elevator. I licked my lips and stared at his chocolate eyes.

"I would love to go with you."

I spent my time asking the maid to take care of Sofia for two days. Writan said that it would take a day or so. He prepared the foods we will eat on the journey. I've never felt this excited before.

"Aalagaan ko si Sofia. Mag-iingat ka," sambit ng maid.

Tiningnan ko si Sofia. Natutulog lang siya sa kama. Mukhang hindi naman niya hinahanap si Mommy. Magiging okay lang siya rito. Babalik din naman ako.

Naglagay ako ng kaunting damit sa isang shoulder bag. Nagpalit ako ng pantalon at spaghetti top before stepping out of the room. Naghihintay ro'n sa labas si Writan. Nagpalit din siya ng t-shirt at pantalon.

Ngumiti ako sa kanya. "Let's go?"

Tumango siya at kinuha ang bag ko. "Ako na rito."

Umiling ako. "Kaya ko na. May dala ka pa ngang pagkain at tubig. Ito lang ang dala ko."

Pumayag din siya. Pumasok kami sa elevator at tahimik na naghintay sa pagbaba niyon.

"Aren't you busy writing?"

"I already finished it last night to be here with you."

I tilted my head. "So, you're planning this since last night?"

Tumango siya. "I was supposed to ask you before we parted ways however Bok stole you from me," may halong inis sa tono niya.

I chuckled. I gripped into my bag's strap. Nakikita ko ang repleksyon ko sa salamin ng elevator. Napatingin ako sa repleksyon ni Writan. He was standing comfortably beside me. He's way taller than me, I barely passed on his shoulders. I smiled looking at us.

"Bakit ngayon mo lang naisip na alamin ang dulo ng kalsadang 'yon?"

He looked at our reflection. We stared at each other.

"Because you're here now. There's a thing about going to the end of that road."

"What kind of thing?"

He shook his head. "I'll let you know at the end."

We went out of the elevator. Writan stopped when the woman asked him where he's going. Pinanood ko lang si Writan na lumapit sa babae.

"At the end of the road," Writan simply answered.

The woman's face got shocked. She looked at me then she smiled.

"Good luck."

Hindi na ako nagtanong kung bakit gano'n ang reaksyon ng babae. Sabay kaming lumabas ng bahay ni Writan. Magkatabi rin kaming naglakad sa gitna ng kalsada. May nakikita rin akong naglalakad pero hindi rin sila nagtatagal do'n.

"Bakit mamaya mo pa sa akin sasabihin kung anong meron sa paglalakad dito sa kalsada?"

He shrugged. "Just for fun."

I raised a brow. "Sounds fun," I answered in a sarcastic tone.

He roared in laughter. His laugh is refreshing. I like it.

We stayed silent while walking. I didn't get tired even we're walking for minutes now. Nakita ko ang mga puno ng cherry blossoms look-alike sa gilid ng kalsada. Wala ng gaanong bahay ro'n. Ngayon lang nag-sink in sa akin na papunta kami sa dulo nito. It's good that I'm outside. It's like we're on a journey to finding out what's the end of a rainbow.

"What's your life back then? Outside this world for writers?" I opened up.

"Three words, boring, empty, and no purpose."

I agreed with him. "You found your purpose now?"

He nodded. "To write."

I grinned. "Writan, yeah."

We laughed. He looked at me. "How about you? What's your life outside? In your world."

"Boring din. I also feel that I don't belong to someone. Even I have a family, I don't feel like they're a family to me. Parang label lang."

Yumuko ako at sinipa ang bato sa tapat ko. Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad. Inilagay ko sa tainga ko ang hibla ng buhok na tumatabon sa pisngi ko bago tumingin ulit sa harapan. Sobrang ganda ng panahon ngayon kaya hindi nakapapagod maglakad. It's the best feeling. I don't regret accepting this offer to be with Writan today.

"It's good having a break from that world. That book opened me up to another one. Way better."

"I'm glad you like my world."

He stopped walking so I stopped as well. Inabot niya ang kamay ko. Nagulat ako nang hawakan niya nang mahigpit 'yon. Nararamdaman ko ang magaspang niyang palad. Sobrang warm niyon. Himdi ako tumanggi sa hawak niya, nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad.

"How old are you when you came into this world?" I asked another question.

Our hands swayed as we stride on the road. We're enjoying this feeling of freedom and peace. I'm loving it.

"I was nineteen."

I calculated his age. "So, you're supposed to be twenty-four."

He nodded. "Nineteen forever."

I chuckled. "What's nice about that? Being young forever?"

I suddenly thought about death. My grandmother has less time in our world. I miss her and our talks.

"You get to enjoy what life has to offer to you without worrying you're getting older day by day. What's nice about getting older for you?"

Napaisip ako. "You have the chance to grow and collect a massive number of memories from experiences as you get older. It will be nice to think that you surpass a big challenge, problems, and all that. And one day, when you're about to die, you'll realize that life has given you a great one and no one could replicate that."

"It's nice talking with you. I'm learning from you."

I smiled at him. "Me too."

We decided to stop and rest for a while. We found a good spot to rest on. A big tree of cherry blossom look-alike. We both got seated beside it.

"Here." Writan offered me a drink. I gladly took it.

I drank a small amount to save it for later. But Writan disagreed.

"I have two more here. You don't have to save that."

He smiled at me. I took a huge gulp from the bottle and gave it back to him. I rested my back on the trunk while Writan busied himself with a thick paper.

"Anong binabasa mo?"

"My novel. I'm checking it before I give this to Bok. I can't let myself down when he starts to criticize my work."

I raised a brow and sat beside him. I heard him sigh when I bumped into his shoulders. I licked my lips and looked at it.

"You have great penmanship. Nahiya naman ako."

He chuckled. "I don't want you to read this. I haven't edited it yet. Do you want to?"

"Read that?" I asked while pointing at the paper.

He nodded. He offered it to me. "Nakakahiya pero sige na nga."

I accepted the paper and rested my back again in the trunk beside him.

"Why does the title says, The Flowers Bloom Over You?"

"Find it out in the story."

I grinned. "Okay."

We stayed silent as I read the first chapter. I'm not good at criticizing but I'm good at complimenting. When I say this story has a good beginning, it's good.

"Where does the name Chezka came from? It's nice. Is this your girlfriend's?" I asked.

He was about to open his mouth when I cut him off.

"Don't answer it."

I'm not prepared to hear that, it might be from his girlfriend.

"It's not my girlfriend's name. I don't have one. I don't care about names, when I find it beautiful, I will use it."

I chewed my bottom lip forcing myself not to speak. I took a sharp breath.

"Do you find my name beautiful?"

He smirked and loomed closer to me. I opened my mouth as I watched him get closer. I looked at his lips. I licked mine and gulped. My heart skipped a beat when he licked his as well. When we're inches apart, he stared at my eyes.

"I'll answer that at the end of the road."

I gasped. I hit his arm as he laughed his head off. We cracked up together. Minutes passed when we started walking again. I'm reading his story as we walk side by side. He was guiding me with his arm on my shoulders. I'm started to like his story. It's about love and it's making me giggle now and then.

When the story became sad, a tear fell on the ground. I wiped it off.

"Damn. Why is this making me cry?"

Writan stopped walking. He leveled his head with mine and stared at me. I sniffed.

"Bakit naman nakakaiyak 'tong story mo? I thought you prefer happy endings."

His mouth rose. "You're not done yet. Read and you'll find out if it's a happy or sad ending. Stop crying. I don't want you to cry in that piece of junk."

I slammed his arm. "Anong junk? It's good! Umiyak nga ako, e. So, it's effective."

He grinned. Nagulat ako nang yakapin niya ako. He enveloped his arms around my waist. I hugged him back.

"Thank you for complimenting that piece of junk," pang-aasar niya ulit sa gawa niya.

He cracked up again when I hit him. Hobby ko na yata ang hampasin ang bisig niya. Nararamdaman ko ang pang-iinit ng pisngi ko. Sobrang komportable ko na sa kanya.

Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad hanggang sa dumilim na. Tumigil na rin ako sa pagbabasa nang pagdesisyunan naming magpahinga ngayong gabi. Katulad kanina ay nanatili kani sa isang puno at do'n naglagay ng higaan. May dalawang comforter at dalawang unan para sa aming dalawa. Nasa pagitan namin ang trunk. Siya sa kaliwa at ako sa kanan.

Tumingin ako sa lampara na mayroong ilaw. Nasa taas 'yon ng puno, isinabit ni Writan para magkaroon ng ilaw sa amin. Tahimik akong humihinga at pinapakiramdaman si Writan.

"Claudia?"

I smiled triumphantly. I bit my lip.

"Hmm?" I waited for him.

"I can't wait at the end of the road to answer you. About your name."

"Your name's beautiful. It suits you, Claudia."

I slept that night with a smile on my face. Writan...Writan...I wanted to tell you that I love your name as well.