Arrange To You (Tagalog)

Simpleng pagpri-prito lang ng isda ay nahihirapan na akong gawin. Pa'no pa kaya kung ibang mga putahe na ang lulutoin ko. My lips turned into grimaces when I saw the state of my swollen hands. "You should get used to it. After you put the fish on the pan, you can already put back the lid for the oil not to bursts." Pagpapalinag ni Wayde na kaagad ko namang sinunod. Umupo si Wayde sa mismong counter top at mukhang aliw na aliw pa habang tinignan akong natatalsikan ng mantika.

Eh kung buhusan ko kaya siya ng kumukulong mantika?

Tumalikod ako at umupo sa bar stool na nakahilera sa countertop. Suot-suot ko pa ang apron at hawak-hawak ang malaking sandok.

"What should I do next?" I glared at the frying pan when the oil started to burst violently.

"Wait for it to be golden brown. Huwag mo muna galawin kaagad cause it might stick to the pan." He shrugged. Giving up already?" nanunudyo nitong tanong. Of course not! "I'm not the type of woman who easily gives up, Mr. Wayde." Aniya ko, puno ng determinasyon. The side of his lips rose up.

"Let's see then," nanghahamon nitong sabi.

Several minutes had passed and I decided to look for the state of the fish. I'm not good at cooking department and I'm already expecting the worst.

"Are you kidding me?" halos singhalan ko ang nag tatalsikang mantika dahil mas dumarami na ang mapupulang spots sa balat ko. The spots can be seen clearly due to my milky skin. Unti-unti kong inangat ang isda at nang maramdamang hindi dumidikit iyon sa pan ay flinip ko iyon para maluto naman ang kabila.

"Why's the eyes popping out?!" I could hear Wayde's heartily laugh. Nakahawak pa ito sa tiyan nito habang humahalakhak.

"It's just normal, Celestia. Just flip those fish over and wait for several minutes."

Napasimangot ako, "huwag mo 'kong tawanan at di tayo close."

Iniripan ko siya ngunit narinig ko lang ang pagtawa nito ng mahina. Bumalik ako sa kina-uupuan kanina at naghintay ng ilang minuto. Ilang tupa na rin ang nabilang ko nang mapagdesisyonang tignan ang prinito na isda. I hope that this wouldn't be a bad thing.

"Please, be good to me frying pan," I prayed. But looks like destiny has its own way of playing a trick on me.

Unti-unti kong inangat ang takip niyon at hindi ko napaghandaan na may kunting talsik pa iyon. Nabitawan ko ang takip ng pan at tumama iyon sa paa ko. I winced in pain.

"Celestia!" napakislot ako nang marinig ang boses ni Wayde. It's the first time that he raised his voice and I admit that I'm scared because of it.

Napayuko ako at nakitang nabasag ang mga iyon. Nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Wayde at nakitang nag salubong ang mga kilay niya. He looks even more scary.

I bowed again and bit my lower lip.

Galit ba siya dahil nabasag ko ang takip ng frying pan?

"P-Pasensya na at nabasag ko ang taki-," I was caught off guard when he immediately scooped me up and put me at the counter top.

I blinked several times and looked at him shockingly. Pero ang atensyon niya ay nasa mga paa ko na dumudugo dahil sa mga bubog.

"Let me see," in-inspeksyon ni Wayde ang paa ko at kaagad na umalis para kumuha ng first aid kit.

I let out a harsh breath. Ngayon ko lang din napansin na kanina ko pa pinipigilan ang paghinga ko.

What was that, Celestia?

"You should be careful next time, Celestia" his voice was serious and firm. Tila boss na nagbibigay ng gawain sa isang secretary niya. Tango lang ang naisagot ko.

Kumuha si Wayde ng palanggana at hinugasan ang paa ko. Afterwards, he got the betadine and started cleaning my wound. Naka-upo lang ako sa counter top habang tinitignan siyang ginagamot ang sugat ko.

I remember Manang Glenda doing it for me when I was still a kid. O kahit hanggang ngayon. I kinda miss her.

"I'm sorry, hindi ko naman inaasahan na ganun ang mangyayari," pag-hingi ko ng paumanhin.

Wayde was kneeling in front of me and didn't say a single thing. Binendahan niya ang isang paa ko para masigurong hindi magca-cause ng infection.

Pagkatapos niyang linisin ang sugat ko ay ito na rin ang naglinis sa mga bubog na nakakalat sa sahig. He carefully put it in a newspaper and put it in plastic several times.

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I just watched him all do the work. Napako ang tingin ko sa frying pan kung saan ako nagluluto kanina.

Oh gosh!

"Celestia, can yo-"I encircled my hands on his nape and hugged him for seconds.

Nasakto na rin ang pagluluto ko!

Hindi niya inaasahan ang ginagawa ko kaya nailagay niya ang mga kamay sa magkabilang gilid ko. Having the position of cornering me.

My eyes twinkled in delight when I saw the finished product. Hindi iyon sunog at hindi rin hilaw. Saktong-sakto lang ang pagkakaluto niyon.

"Thank you for teaching me how to fry that fish! The look turns out really good." Malawak ang ngiting sinukli ko sa kaniya pero bahagyang natigilan. His face is so red! "A-Are you okay?" nag-aalalang tanong ko sa kaniya.

"Don't... don't do it again," aniya na parang kayhirap bigkasin ng mga salitang iyon. Napalunok siya at mukhang nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig.

"Do what?" hindi makapaniwalang tinignan ako ni Wayde at marahas na umiling.

"Nothing. Can you make your way to the table?" tumango ako at tinapak ang kaliwa kong paa.

Kumuha ako ng suporta sa hamba ng counter top at paika-ikang naglakad papunta sa lamesa. I was just quiet for the whole time.

Si Wayde na ang nagpresentang maghanda ng lahat dahil hindi ko pa kayang maglakad ng matagal.

"I'll be out at four in the afternoon. I'm expecting you to guard the house while I'm away. Pagkatapos ng klase nila Sasha at Buboy ay dito ko kaagad sila paderitsuhin para hindi ka mainip." There's formality in Wayde's voice. Ibang-iba sa nakausap niya kanina sa kwarto. Parang naglagay siya ng distansya sa kanila. I mean, I'm even afraid to open some jokes to him.

"If Sasha and Buboy can't make it today then don't bother them already. Baka may iba pa silang gagawin pagkarating sa bahay. I could manage here by myself."

Wala pa naman akong masyadong gagawin kaya mababantayan ko ang bahay. I would just want to stand by the garden and watch the sunset by that time. "Alright."

Maikli kong sagot at hindi na nasundan ang pag-uusap namin. Pagkatapos naming kumain ay si Wayde na rin ang nagligpit ng pinagkainan at naghugas ng lahat ng yun. I would really want to help but he insisted that he will be washing the dishes. Kanina ko pa napansin ang pananahimik niya at bahagyang lumalayo sa'kin.

Not to ask for his attention, but I was just shocked with the sudden treatment. Did I do something to put distance between us?

"Wayde, are you avoiding me? Did I do something na hindi mo nagustuhan?" diresto kong tanong nang pumunta ito sa garden. Tatalikod na sana siya nang tanungin ko siya.

"Of course not. Why would I even do that?' I looked straightly in his eyes and he avoided his gaze at me.

Is this what he's saying that he's not avoiding me? liar.

"Looked, I'm sorry kung may nagawa man akong mali. If you're angry that I broke the glass of the pan then I will replace it again."

His emotion just shifted in a blink of an eye. Lumapit siya sa'kin at marahang ginulo ang buhok ko. Tinampal ko naman ang kamay niya at pinukolan siya ng masamang tingin. "Ilang beses ko 'bang dapat sabihin sa'yo na wala akong pakialam sa kung anong nabasag. You wanna know why I'm avoiding you?" walang pagdadalawang isip akong tumango. "Bakit?"

He looked at me with a questioning look which adds to ny confusion, "I already changed my mind. Sasabihin ko nalang kung kailan ko gusto." Wayde smiled and stoop up. With that, he left me without even telling me what is it.

What the?