Chapter 38
"Wake up, Sylvia. We’re already having breakfast," Ms. Sanchez said as she woke me up.
Today is our last day here in the province, and honestly, I really enjoyed it.
Especially because I got closer to Ms.
Sanchez.
She doesn’t push me away as much anymore.
I mean, yeah, she can still be a little snobby at times, but there’s definitely been noticeable improvement.
I don’t regret coming here at all.
In fact, I think this might be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.
I wasn’t expecting much from this trip, but now, I feel like I’ve learned more than I thought I would, not just about the place, but also about myself and Ms.
Sanchez.
"Ayaw ko pa, I'm still sleepy," I replied, playfully dragging out my words, even though I knew I wasn’t really sleepy anymore. I was just pretending to be tired. Honestly, I just wanted to tease her a bit. I admit it, I enjoy seeing her react, especially when she gets a little frustrated. I know she tries to keep a straight face, but there’s always that hint of irritation.
"Mhmmmmm," I mumbled again, making sure to stretch and turn over in bed, just to keep up the act.
"Sylvia, don't make me repeat it," her voice was sharp, pero hindi ko mapigilan ang mapangiti. Ewan ko ba, pero sa tuwing nagsusungit siya, hindi ko siya nakikitang nakakatakot. Instead, I find her hot. Maybe too hot for my own good.
I slowly opened my eyes and turned to face her. Doon ko napansin na nakaupo pala siya sa tabi ko, looking tired. Napagod ba siya kakagising sa akin? Napagod ba siya dahil sa akin?
Ang ganda pa rin niya.
Lord, ibigay mo na ‘to sa’kin. Sige na, please lang.
Ah, hindi pwede? Okay.
"What would you do if I make you repeat it, baby?" I teased, my voice laced with playful defiance.
She sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Fine," she said in defeat and was about to stand up when I suddenly reached for her hand, pulling her closer to me.
Ngayon, halos magkalapit na ang mga mukha namin.
Napalunok ako.
Ang lapit-lapit niya.
I could see every detail of her face—her soft lips, her deep, mysterious eyes, and the way her expression remained unreadable.
"Ganda mo," bulong ko, still holding onto her hand. I was mesmerized. "How can someone be this beautiful? And how can the world be so cruel for not letting me have you?"
She didn’t answer. She didn’t even pull away. Instead, she just stared at me, her expression unreadable. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang iniisip niya. Hindi ko alam kung galit ba siya, naiinis, o kung ano man.
My heart pounded inside my chest as I swallowed hard. Should I push my luck?
"Let me be your mistress," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Handa akong maging kabit mo."
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. And then, she leaned in closer, her lips almost brushing against my ear as she whispered something that sent shivers down my spine.
"I don’t want to have a mistress who’s stubborn, dear."
Dear.
Napalunok ako.
Lord, help me.
Napakagat ako sa labi, pilit na pinipigil ang kilig na gustong sumabog sa buong katawan ko. Hindi ko alam kung paano magre-react. Kailangan kong makawala rito bago pa ako tuluyang matunaw.
"Tara, kain na tayo," sabi ko, trying to act normal as I finally let go of her hand and stood up. Pero nauna siyang tumayo sa akin, and before she walked away, I caught the slight smirk on her lips. Almost a smile.
I was doomed.
When I came down to the dining area, everyone was already there.
Mang Ernesto and Aling Rosa were busy eating while occasionally talking about their backyard crops.
Lea was smiling as she chatted with Patrick, her friend who had been with us since we started exploring the province.
I had known Patrick for a while now since we often ran into each other whenever we went around.
“Uy, Sylvia! Buti naman at bumaba ka na. Akala ko’y iiwan mo na kaming lahat dito.” Lea teased, laughing.
“Grabe siya," I replied, taking a seat beside her. Across from me, Patrick smiled while eating his fried fish and garlic rice.
“Hi, Patrick. Kamusta? Kanina ka pa ba rito?” I asked as Aling Rosa handed me a cup of coffee.
“Medyo matagal na rin. Tinulungan ko si Mang Ernesto sa pagbubuhat ng mga kahoy kanina bago kami kumain.” He answered before taking a sip of his coffee.
I smiled. One of the reasons Patrick and I got along well was that he was easygoing and always willing to help others.
As we ate, I noticed that Ms. Sanchez was unusually quiet beside me. I couldn't help but steal a glance at her. She was eating gracefully, as always, but my mind kept replaying what had happened in the room earlier. Especially when she whispered to me. Gosh, I could still feel the shivers.
“Sylvia, anong balak mo mamaya?” Patrick suddenly asked, snapping me out of my thoughts about Ms. Sanchez.
“Hmm, wala naman. Mag-eempake na siguro. Bakit?”
“Naisip ko lang na bago kayo umalis, baka gusto n’yong pumunta sa peryahan? Para naman may last bonding tayo bago kayo bumalik sa Maynila.”
“Ay, oo nga, Sylvia! Masaya doon!” Lea added, her excitement evident.
I turned to Ms. Sanchez, trying to read her expression. I could tell she wanted to refuse, but she hadn’t said anything yet.
“Please, Cynthia? Last na ‘to. Bago tayo umalis.” I pleaded, giving her my best puppy eyes.
She sighed briefly before resuming her meal. “Fine.” Her response was simple, but I could tell she was holding back a smile.
Lea grinned widely. “Yes! Tara, after dinner mamaya diretso na tayo!” Lea cheered, making Patrick and me laugh.
Beside me, I heard Ms. Sanchez take a deep breath. I smirked inwardly. Looks like there’s going to be more flirting later.
After breakfast, everyone went their separate ways to prepare for the day.
Lea and Patrick stayed behind to help Aling Rosa with the dishes, while Mang Ernesto went outside to tend to his small vegetable garden.
I, on the other hand, found myself wandering towards the backyard, where Ms.
Sanchez was standing under the shade of a mango tree, gazing at the open fields beyond.
I hesitated for a moment before walking towards her. “Cynthia, do you like it here?”
She glanced at me briefly before turning her gaze back to the horizon. “It’s… peaceful,” she admitted. “A change of pace from the city.”
I nodded, leaning against the tree trunk beside her. “Yeah. It’s different here. People wake up early, do actual work with their hands. No deadlines, no meetings, just life.”
She let out a soft chuckle. “You make it sound like we’re trapped in the corporate world.”
“Aren’t we?” I teased. “Always rushing, always chasing something. But here… it’s just about existing.”
She tilted her head slightly, considering my words. “And yet, we're leaving tomorrow. Back to the deadlines, the meetings, the rush.”
I sighed, looking up at the tree’s branches. “Yeah, but I think this trip changed me. I don’t know how yet, but it did.”
She finally turned to fully face me, arms crossed. “Maybe it’s not about the place, Sylvia. Maybe it’s about what you allow yourself to feel when you’re here.”
I met her eyes, and for a moment, it felt like she was seeing right through me. “Maybe,” I murmured.
A gentle breeze passed between us, and I felt the weight of unspoken words lingering in the air. I wanted to say something—anything—to make her stay in this moment with me a little longer.
“Cynthia,” I said softly, “if you had the choice to stay in a place like this… would you?”
She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I think… I’d stay where I’m needed.”
The wind had shifted slightly, carrying the earthy scent of freshly turned soil. I was still leaning against the mango tree, lost in thought, when Ms. Sanchez returned, holding a small potted plant in her hands.
I glanced at it with mild curiosity. “Didn’t take you for a plant person, Cyn,"
“I’m not. But I respect resilience.” She set the pot down on a wooden bench near us. “This one’s a snake plant. It thrives even when neglected.”
I folded my arms, studying the dark green, sword-like leaves. “Or maybe it’s just stubborn.”
She brush some dirt off the rim of the pot. “You could say that. But it’s also efficient. Absorbs toxins, converts carbon dioxide at night—one of the few plants that do. You can forget about it for weeks, and it’ll still survive.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Sounds kind of sad, honestly.”
She glanced up at me, amused. “How so?”
I gestured toward the plant. “It just sits there, surviving. That’s not living.”
She scoffed. “Not everything has to be dramatic to have value. A snake plant doesn’t beg for attention. It just does what it needs to do.”
I shook my head. “See, that’s where I disagree. I’d rather have a tomato plant. You water it, tend to it, and in return, it gives you something back. It grows because of you.”
Her eyes twinkled with interest. “So you’d rather have something dependent on you? Something that only thrives if you’re constantly there?”
I frowned. “It’s not about dependency. It’s about purpose. A tomato plant gives back. A snake plant just exists.”
She leaned against the bench, arms crossed. “And what’s wrong with existing? Not everything has to produce something to be valuable.”
I exhaled sharply. “I just think there’s something fulfilling about taking care of something and seeing it flourish.”
She smirked. “Or maybe you just like the idea of being needed.”
I opened my mouth to argue, then shut it.
Sensing my hesitation, she pressed on. “Let’s look at it another way. You’re saying the tomato plant is better because it produces something useful. But what happens when you forget to water it? When you don’t give it what it needs?”
I frowned. “It withers.”
“Exactly. And that’s why the snake plant is better.” She leaned forward slightly, her expression smug. “It doesn’t punish you for being busy. It doesn’t demand more than you can give. It just keeps going.”
I shook my head, refusing to back down. “That just sounds lonely. Like it never gets the chance to be more than it is.”
She studied me for a moment, then sighed. “You’re mistaking self-sufficiency for loneliness.”
“Maybe,” I admitted reluctantly. “But isn’t there something beautiful about needing others? About growing with them instead of just… enduring alone?”
Her smirk softened into something more thoughtful. “There is. But there’s also something admirable about knowing how to stand on your own.”
For a moment, we just looked at each other, the weight of the conversation settling between us like the morning sun filtering through the tree branches.
Finally, she smirked. “I think I won this argument.”
I scoffed. “Oo na, palagi ka nang panalo," I said, trying to hide the smile tugging at my lips. I paused for a moment, then continued, "You even won my heart without even doing anything."
---
It’s already 7 pm, at buong maghapon, wala kaming ginawa kundi tumulong at maglibot-libot.
This was our last night here, so ngayon, pupunta kami sa perya.
To be honest, hindi ko pa rin alam kung ano ba talaga ang perya, but it sounds exciting, and I’m really looking forward to it.
I’ve heard people talk about it, but I’ve never been to one, so I’m curious about what to expect.
Hopefully, it’s as fun as they say it is.
Nasa CR si Cynthia, taking a bath, habang ako naman, tapos na maligo at nakabihis na rin.
I chose something simple: naka-hoodie ako at pants, kasi sigurado akong malamig na sa labas.
The weather’s been cooling down since the afternoon, and I didn’t want to risk getting cold.
I figured it would be best to be comfortable while we’re out.
I was just taking my time, fixing my hair, making sure it wasn’t all over the place, when suddenly, I heard her voice.
"Sylvia…" I heard her call out from the CR, kaya napatingin ako sa pinto.
I wasn’t expecting her to call me, so it caught me off guard for a second.
I looked at the door, unsure if I should answer right away or just wait for her to say something else.
She rarely calls my name like that, and the tone of her voice sounded a little off, like she needed something.
I stepped a little closer to the door, just in case she was asking for help, or maybe something else.
"Yes, Cyn?" I replied. Actually, I’ve gotten used to calling her Cynthia since we moved here in the province. It's a bit informal, but it just felt right.
"Can you get my towel? I forgot it." She said, and I was about to tease her, but I stopped myself. I didn’t want to distract her, so I grabbed the towel on her bed and handed it to her quickly. "Thank you," she added with a smile.
Nang bumalik ako sa pag-aayos ng buhok ko, I could feel the moment she stepped out of the bathroom.
At that exact moment, I turned around, and my heart skipped a beat.
I thought she was already dressed, but when I looked at her, she was still in the towel!
It was so short that I could see her soft, smooth, and fair thighs.
"Cynthia… w-why aren’t you dressed… yet?" I stammered, my eyes locked on her, but she didn’t answer me immediately. Instead, she started walking towards me. At that moment, I froze. I couldn’t move, couldn’t look away.
Her scent was so intoxicating, and as she got closer, my body felt like it was on fire. My feet felt glued to the floor, and just when I thought I was about to step back, I stepped on something behind me, and for a split second, I almost lost my balance.
"Gosh—!" I gasped, but before I could fall, I felt her hand firmly grip my waist. Her touch was warm, and I could feel her body pressed against mine.
"For goodness' sake, be careful!" she scolded, her voice filled with concern, but I couldn’t focus on anything but her being so close to me. My heart was racing, and I could feel her warmth all over me, and I couldn’t help but feel her body in places I shouldn’t be noticing. Damang-dama ko 'yung kanyang ano! Dahil wala man lang siyang suot na pangloob.
I quickly stood up straight, trying to shake off the feeling of how close we had been. My pulse was racing so loudly in my ears that I could barely think straight. The way she held me, the way her body had been so near to mine—it was too much to process.
"Bakit kasi ang lapit mo kanina? Gosh." I muttered, my face burning. I could feel the heat in my cheeks, my heart still hammering against my chest.
She looked at me, her expression a mix of confusion and slight amusement. "What? I'm just reaching for my clothes behind you, idiot. Did you really think that way?" she asked, her voice soft but teasing.
At that moment, it dawned on me that her clothes were indeed behind me the whole time. I was so caught up in the proximity that I didn’t even realize it.
"Still… don’t be like that. Nababaliw ako. It makes me want you," I blurted out, and before I could process what I just said, I turned away quickly and walked toward the door.
I didn't wait for her to respond, but I could hear her footsteps following me briefly before she turned back into the bathroom. My mind was spinning, my heart still racing, and my body felt electric from the tension.
I stood there, trying to calm my breathing, still feeling the heat in my face. The moment was still fresh, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how close Cynthia had been—how I had felt her body pressed against mine. My heart was still racing, my skin tingling from the closeness we shared.
Cynthia had walked out of the bathroom, fully dressed, and for a moment, she just looked at me.
Her eyes met mine, but there was no amusement, no laughter—only a kind of quiet, unreadable look.
I couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but I could feel the air between us shift.
There was tension, it was something else—something thicker that I wasn’t sure how to handle.
I tried to ignore the heat in my cheeks, but it was impossible.
My thoughts were still clouded by how close she had been to me, how I had felt every inch of her warmth, her body so near mine.
My breath hitched slightly as I remembered the sensation of her hand on my waist, the way she caught me when I almost stumbled.
My chest tightened at the thought.
"Are you alright?" Cynthia’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, and I blinked, realizing she had taken a step closer. Her eyes were focused on me, watching carefully, though there was still that unreadable distance in her expression.
I swallowed, trying to steady myself. "I... yeah. I’m fine," I managed, but my voice came out softer than I expected. I couldn’t help the way my body reacted—how every inch of me was still aware of the closeness we had shared. My pulse was still racing, and I could feel my cheeks burning.
Cynthia seemed to notice, though she didn’t comment on it. She just looked at me with a slightly raised brow, as if she were studying me. There was no teasing, no judgment—just a quiet observation.
“You... should be careful next time,” she added quietly, though the edge in her voice wasn’t quite the scolding I expected.
There was something different about how she said it—like it was a warning, but not out of anger.
More like she was telling me to watch myself around her, like she wasn’t sure how much I could handle.
I blinked, still processing, unsure of what to say.
I couldn’t even pretend like I didn’t feel it.
“Yeah. I... will,” I said, my voice almost cracking as I tried to keep my composure.
But inside, my mind was still racing.
I couldn’t ignore how aware I was of her presence.
How her warmth still lingered on my skin.
How her scent clung to the air, making it hard to focus.
Cynthia didn’t say anything else for a moment, as if weighing her next move. Then, she finally broke the silence, turning toward the door. “We should go. The others are waiting.” Her words were casual, but there was something about the way she said it—almost like a dismissal.
I nodded, still feeling the heat in my cheeks, and followed her out the door. As we walked toward the others, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way I felt earlier. The sensation of her body so close to mine, the way my heart had hammered against my chest. I didn’t know what to do with all of it.
Cynthia, on the other hand, was quiet, her demeanor calm. But the small, subtle changes in how she moved, how she interacted with me, told me that she was still processing whatever had just happened too. But she wasn’t going to make it easy for me to figure out what she was feeling.
And as we walked together, the tension between us felt like an invisible thread pulling us closer—and yet keeping us apart at the same time.
"Tapos na kayo? Tara na ba?" tanong ni Lea sa amin na nakabihis na rin, at katabi nito si Patrick.
"Oo, tara na," sabi ko, trying to act normal.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero may kakaibang feeling akong nararamdaman ngayon.
Cynthia, on the other hand, ay tahimik pa rin sa gilid ko, parang hindi apektado sa nangyayari.
I couldn’t help but glance at her, trying to read her face, pero hindi ko mabasa kung anong nasa isip niya.
Lumabas kami ng bahay, at hindi ko inaasahan na bigla akong hinawakan ni Lea palayo. I looked at her, confused, wondering what was going on.
"May nangyari sainyo, 'no?" bulong niya sa akin habang binalikid ko si Ms. Sanchez at Patrick na nasa likod ko. Pareho lang pala kami ni Patrick at Lea, same age lang kami, kaya siguro ganun na lang sila ka-comfortable sa isa’t isa.
"Wala ah!" defensive kong sagot, but Lea just tapped my arm, as if she didn’t believe me.
"Weh? Asus," sagot nito sa akin, may halong pilyong tawa.
"Wala nga. 'Wag ka nga dumikit sa akin, baka masapak kita," biro ko sa kanya, and as soon as I said that, she immediately let go.
"Sige, lapit ka na kay Cynthia," pabiro nitong saad, kaya inirapan ko siya ng todo.
"Pat, tara na! Medyo mahaba-haba pa 'yung lalakarin," sabi ni Lea, at kinaladkad niya si Patrick, kaya halata sa mukha nito ang pagtataka. Patrick, of course, was clueless about what was going on. I don’t blame him though. He was just caught in the middle of it.
And now I’m left with Cynthia, who's been walking silently beside me. I couldn’t help but swallow nervously. I don’t know why I’m acting like this, pero para bang hindi ako maka-move on sa nangyari kanina. Kasi naman! I tried to brush it off, but it’s hard. I felt weird, and I couldn’t explain why.
"Calm down," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper but firm.
"I'm calm down, Cyn," sagot ko, trying to act like everything was fine, but deep inside, I knew it wasn’t.
"You're not. Stop lying," she said, looking at me with that knowing stare.
"Is it because of what happened earlier?" hindi kapani-paniwalang tanong nito sa akin. She wasn’t letting me off the hook.
"H-ha? Okay lang ako, ano ba," sagot ko, trying to sound convincing, but I felt my voice shake a little. I just couldn’t get rid of that feeling.
"Stupid. Then why is your body acting so stiff?" she stopped walking and looked at me directly. Her gaze was sharp, and I felt it pierce through me. "Weak. That’s the only way to describe it. But you can't seem to move on. Weak, Sylvia. Weak," pang-aasar nito sa akin.
"Hoy, hindi nga! Nyenye," sagot ko sakanya, trying to laugh it off, but deep down, I knew she was right. She always was.
Pero naglakad na siya ng mabilis at iniwan ako dito. I stood there for a moment, trying to shake off the feeling, but I couldn’t.
Porket napapatiklop niya ako nang ganun, gaganyan na siya.
Oo na, tiklop na ako.