TW: there's an illegal substance mentioned

Song for this chapter The Weather by Reed Gaines

Masasabi ko na yung first anniversary namin ni Karina yung pinaka naging special sa lahat. Kahit pa simple lang yung celebration na ginawa namin compared to the other anniversaries we've had.

Yun din yung cnconsider ko na pinaka memorable at masaya kasi we were younger then, wala pa kami masyado pakialam sa mundo at wala pang mabibigat na responsibilities.

I admit, medyo immature pa kami that time kaya kung ano ano mga pinaggagawa namin, yung iba hindi kami aware pero the rest we just did it because what's the point of holding back yourself, minsan lang maging bata and sayang yung oras kung hindi susulitin. 

Feb 17 One Day Before The First Anniversary

Na-underestimate ko yung dinaanan namin na rough road. Hindi nahirapan mag drive si Karina at kinaya niya kahit makipot yung daan.

Okay naman sana lahat kung wala lang sumasakit sakin kaso nakakailan metro palang kami sa rough road umayaw na kagad ako dahil ang sakit ng lower part ko.

Everytime na dadaan kami sa lubak or mag aakyat baba sa terrain, naaalog kami at umaangat ako sa upuan. Tangina ang sakit na nga ng privates ko, nadagdagan pa. Buti nalang nagawan namin ng paraan at mukang ganun ulit yung gagawin namin pauwi mamaya.

Kanina pa kami nagsisigawan habang nag uusap ni Karina dito sa falls, nagsswimming siya at nakaupo naman ako dito sa taas kung saan umaagos yung tubig. Walang tao ngayon dahil umaga palang at natapat na hindi summer season yung pag punta namin. Kami lang ang nandito pati yung family na nagbabantay at nag mmaintain nitong lugar.

"I like this falls it's too small parang private property!"

"Yeah private property nga to meron owner pero open pa din sa public, donation lang hinihingi nila!"

"It's a nice place wala pang tao!"

"Yung mga tga dito lang din nagpupunta, hindi kasi kilala kaya tignan mo parang forest tapos mahirap pa hanapin yung location!"

"Pup why are you staying there ba?! Bumaba ka na nga dito baka madulas ka dyan!"

"I like it here parang nammassage ng falls yung likod ko!"

"Come here na, let's swim! You can't even hear me pag andyan ka!"

"Yeah five minutes nalang!"

"Get down na ang sakit na ng throat ko kakasigaw!"

"Sige, usog ka babe tatalon ulit ako!"

"You're gonna jump again, masakit na nga yung ano mo eh, magiging sore yan lalo!"

"Wag mo naman isigaw babe ano ba! Wala na narinig na ng mga nandito sa gubat!"

"Gubat? What the , bumaba ka na nga!"

"Umusog ka nga tatalon ako!!!"

"Okay, watch your head!!!"

Malapit na mag ala una, halos nakaka isang oras na din kaming nag sswimming dito. Malilim yung lugar dahil natatakpan ng mga makakapal na puno kaya hindi problema kahit pa nag sswimming kami ng tanghali.

Wala pa kaming balak umahon dahil sobrang refreshing at ang sarap mag dip sa malamig na tubig.

"Babe sabihin mo sakin pag nagugutom ka na may pupuntahan tayo na parang eatery, nasa beach din yun."

"How far is it?"

"Malapit lang dito wala pang one hour."

"Alright you just have to guide me again. It's really nice to have a puppy as my navigation."

"Ewan ko sayo, baby ayaw mo try tumalon? Ang sarap kaya, hindi naman sobrang taas yan parang wala nga sa fifteen feet."

"Pup you know that I'm scared of heights."

"Hindi ka naman natatakot pag nasa tree house tayo nila ate."

"Because your tree house at the farm looks safe plus there's a spiral stairs pa."

"Ah kaya ba ganun yung picture mo nung bata ka?"

"Huh? Which one?"

"The one where you look like a little boy, tapos kung makaiyak ka akala mo ten feet yung taas nung seesaw."

"Hahaha epal, ayan ka nanaman pup pang iinis mo nanaman sakin yan."

"Why? Sobrang cute mo kaya dun, I wanna have a copy of that nga eh. Tsaka nang iinis ka din naman ha, ang tagal mo ako tinawag na kamote kid because of my baby picture na naka socks na kulay kamote."

"Hahahahahaha oh my god that one's really cute."

"Buti nalang si Ning and Ry hindi takot sa heights."

"Kasi naman, this one is kind of similar to cliff jumping, so no thank you."

"Haha alright, ako nalang."

"No! Parang kanina ka pa tumatalon Winter, sasakit yan."

"Okay, let's swim nalang kung ayaw mo."

"Yeah that's better we can leave after one hour or you want to stay pa?"

"Sige one hour is fine, let's swim pa babe ang lamig ng water ang sarap."

"You're not gonna surf na ba later?"

"Pano ako magssurf para akong na-uppercut ng ilan beses in between my legs, ang sakit I won't be able to move. Hindi din ako makakapag bike mamaya babe that's so sad."

"Maybe you can surf and ride a bike tomorrow if it gets better."

"Yeah sana, I wanna ride a bike during sunrise."

Pagkatapos namin mag kwentuhan at magswimming sa falls ng more than two hours. Umahon na din kami at inayos yung mga gamit na dala namin after magbanlaw. 

Nagtotopak pa din si Karina at sinasamaan niya ako ng tingin kanina pa. "Baby can you stop looking at me like that ikaw yung nag utos na picturan kita. It wasn't my fault na madulas yung kamay ko. Hindi naman nahulog eh nasalo ko din kagad."

"I'm not even doing anything here. Hindi ka kasi nagiingat, nakakainis."

"You're not doing anything eh ang sama nga ng tingin mo sakin. It was an accident, dumulas nga sa kamay ko eh." 

"Okay."

"Tara na nga."

Nagtalo pa kami kanina habang nag sswimming kami, napatingin pa tuloy yung mga bantay dito sa falls nung nagalit sakin si Karina. Muntik ko kasi mahulog sa tubig yung film camera namin. My life flashed before my eyes nung akala ko nabasa na, medyo ginto pa naman yung presyo ng Contax.

Hindi ako masyado kinakausap ni Karina kaya umupo na kagad ako sa shotgun seat at hindi ko na siya hinintay.

"You can't sit there, it will make you more sore stay in the back na pup."

"Okay kahit muka nanaman tayong tanga."

"You don't have a choice you cannot take the bumpy road while you're seated."

"Okay sige, turn off the aircon and open the windows muna." Lumipat na ako sa back seat, ito yung ginawa namin papunta dahil hindi ko kinaya yung rough road nung naka upo ako sa unahan. 

Binuksan ko na yung sunroof ng pickup dahil wala akong choice, kailangan ko tumayo habang umaandar yung sasakyan para hindi ako maalog at tumalbog sa car seat dahil mas magiging x2 yung pagka sore ko. 

"Babe okay na, let's go!"

"Humawak ka mabuti, baka ma-sprain ka nanaman you have games."

"Sus laglag din naman kami because we ."

"What?"

"Wala, sige na tara na."

Nag start na mag drive si Rina sa rough road, para kaming tanga nakatayo ako dito sa sunroof at muka akong kandidato na nag mmotorcade dito sa La Union. Enjoy na enjoy yung baby ko sumisigaw sigaw pa siya lalo pag sobrang steep ng slope na dinadaanan namin. Ang hirap lang dito kasi kailangan ko umilag sa mga nadadaanan namin na mga puno.

"Pup, wave to the camera naman!"

"Huh?"

"My phone is there, it's recording, mag wave ka!"

Nag belat at nag smile lang ako sa phone niya na kanina pa pala nagrrecord dun sa dashboard. "Babe puro half body ko lang kita sa video kasi nakatayo ako."

"Here, take it ikaw mag record!"

"Baka naman mahulog ako babe injured na nga ako eh."

"Yeah hahaha sige just leave it there."

"Okay!" Bago ako tumayo ulit at kumapit ng mabuti sa sunroof ng kotse, hinalikan ko muna si Rina sa cheek niya at nag wave ako sa phone na nakapatong sa dashboard. "That's my snail puppy."

"What did you say?!"

"Nothing!"

"Winter are you sure it's located here?"

"Alin?"

"The restaurant, sobrang sikip nitong road."

"It's just a small restaurant ha baka mag expect ka. Mag stop tayo dyan for a few minutes, pero lilipat din tayo kasi along the shore lang din yun. Kasya tong pickup, trust me."

"Alright if you say so. Check the sides nalang Pup, baka sumabit."

"Hindi yan, sige na step on the gas."

Nakapwesto na ako sa shotgun seat dahil nasa main road na kami ni Rina, may papasukan lang kaming mahabang interior road that serves as short cut para makarating sa dagat. Itong beach na to yung binanggit ko kay Rina na wala talaga masyadong naliligo kasi napaka dami na daw nalunod.

"Okay naman babe eh tignan mo, sabi sayo kasya."

"Weird namang nitong road pup parang wala naman beach ano ba meron dun, it's like a huge open space."

"Yeah malaking space na puro sand lang tapos pag bumaba ka pa yun na yung mga bato. You'll see malapit na malapit na tayo."

"Oh I see it, there's the ocean."

"Yeah, park mo muna sa malapit wag na tayo bumaba ang init eh."

"Okay."

Nag stay muna kami dito sa beach before kami kumain sa restaurant na madalas din namin pinupuntahan nila Ry and Heejin. Unang beses ko palang naisama si Rina dito kasi most of the time sa Baler and Daet kami nag ttravel para mag surf. 

"You know what I noticed?" Nawala yung atensyon ko sa waves nung biglang nagsalita si Karina. "What?"

"I just noticed something, yung mga pinupuntahan natin na beach even yesterday, well excluding the beach where we're staying, lahat walang tao and parang ang bigat ng vibe."

"I get what you mean pero ganito lang talaga dito kasi puro locals lang yung nagpupunta sa dagat tapos magkakalayo pa location ng mga bahay nila."

"Yeah it's too quiet and lonely."

"Medyo downer nga noh same dun sa napuntahan natin sa Ilocos, nung nag sunset na ang lungkot na."

"I kinda don't like it but I really don't care because I'm with you."

"Same, kahit hindi ganun kaganda yung beach, you make it better. Lipat na ba tayo?"

"Yeah. Now I'm feeling hungry."

Nung nagreready na si Rina para iikot yung pickup at babalik na dun sa road na pinasukan namin kanina, pinigilan ko siya. Obviously wala siyang idea kung bakit kami nag punta dito.

"Baby where do you think you're going?!"

"To the restaurant."

"Yeah pero hindi naman dyan yung daan eh, this is my other surprise for you. Pero this one is better kasi ikaw yung nagddrive satin ngayon."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you tried off roading at the beach?"

Napapasmile na si Rina dahil mukang gets niya na kagad kung ano yung sunod na gagawin namin. "Winter, don't tell me you're gonna let me."

"Ganun na nga."

"Are you serious?" Tumango ako sakanya bago ako sumagot. "Of course kaya nga tayo nag punta dito. I want you to try it, ang cute and ang hot mo kaya when you're driving a pickup truck."

"Oh my god pup, this is another memorable experience for me."

"Then I am glad to be able to do it with you. Sige na baby nagugutom na ko, ikanan mo na dyan."

"Wait, is this even allowed?"

"Siyempre hindi. Pero wala naman tao dito eh nagawa na namin to dati ilan beses na, wala din hahabol sayo na traffic enforcer."

"Hahahaha ano nga?"

"Yeah pwede yan sige na turn right tapos diretso lang, malapit nalang dito kung saan tayo kakain."

"Oh my this is going to be fun. Sure ka ha this is allowed?"

"It's not nga pero wala naman tao, ginawa na namin to baby trust me pwede yan, sige na you can do it!"

"Alright, carpe diem." 

"Go!!!"

Nung tinapakan na ni Rina yung gas, kinuha ko yung phone niya at nag start akong mag record. I switch to the front camera para dalawa kaming nakikita sa video. Sobrang natutuwa siya nung binilisan niya pa yung takbo ng sasakyan.

"Babe idaan mo sa medyo may tubig para mas fun!!"

"Okay, I'm gonna drive faster!"  

"Ayan na, sige lang bilisan mo!!!!!"

"Hahahaha this is so fun!!!"

"Babe look here!"

She's wearing her big smile at tumingin siya sa camera habang tuloy lang sa pag drive. "Happy anniversary Pup! I love you!" Nag lean ako towards her habang hawak ko sa right hand ko yung phone na nag rerecord."It's our first anniversary and my giant baby is doing something illegal!!" 

"Pup ano ba!!!"

"Babe tumingin ka sa dinadaanan natin mamaya nasa tubig na tayo!"

"Kung ano ano sinasabi mo eh!"

I held her face and I kissed her on the lips. "Hahahaha I'm kidding! Happy anniversary baby, I love you!" 

We found ourselves pigging out again, hindi ko alam kung dahil ba sa mga activities kanina kaya parang masyado lumakas yung appetite namin or baka kasi naka vacation mode yung utak namin kaya parang naging puro cheat meals kami everyday. I am not quite sure pero ang alam ko lang, nag eenjoy kami ng baby ko on our anniversary weekend and that is the most important thing.

"Pup, steak and eggs at the beach, it doesn't get any better than this oh my god."

"Not just that, they are serving iced americano pa, we can order for takeout pag gusto mo."

"Alright."

Tinitignan ko si Karina habang kumakain kami, there must be a reason kung bakit parang nag iba at lumakas yung appetite namin, although medyo nagkaka idea na ako kung bakit kami ganito at kailangan ko nalang ng confirmation.

"Baby, the steak we're eating is too big pwede ba pag uwi natin wag muna tayo kakain ng meat ng ilang weeks?"

"Yeah sure or we can just have chicken and fish. You need protein Winter grabe yung training niyo, how is it going pala?"

"Babe I don't wanna eat carbs, ayaw ko nitong rice kasi may mashed potato na."

"Just leave it there pup, I can't have another cup of rice this is too much. About the games, how is it going?"

"Wala okay naman. Let's finish eating na baby kasi manonood pa tayo ng sunset, last stop na natin yun."

After namin kumain akala ko aalis na kagad kami ni Rina, we have decided to stay for a while kasi nag order na din kami ng iced coffee. Ang saya nitong araw na to, hindi kami nagmamadali at sobrang chill lang. Nag eenjoy ako kahit pa medyo uncomfy yung feeling dahil may sumasakit sakin.

"I wanna know how you are with your games and trainings pup, what's the standing of your team?" Hindi pa pala tapos si Rina tungkol sa topic na to, ito talaga yung pinaka iniiwasan ko recently. Anything na related sa football, sa team and lalong lalo na sa ongoing matches, I always choose to brush them off. 

"Wala edi ganun pa din."

"What do you mean ganun pa din?"

"Yun, tuloy lang yung games. Babe did you know that Gigi is asking me to help her sa first anniversary nila ni Ning?"

"Uhm she mentioned it, I also asked why you of all people."

"She likes my ideas kasi."

"Oh really? Well your ideas are amazing kahit minsan you're kind of being troublesome na."

"Nahiya ka pa Karina tanggalin mo na yung kind of."

"hahahahaha. Well Gigi said she will be needing your help in finding a place, I am not sure."

"A place? What for?"

"Maybe she needs a place where they can celebrate their first year."

"Eh bakit ako? Dba sa real estate family ni Gigi so mas madami silang alam na lugar."

"I don't know perhaps you'll help her choose, but I'm sure gagawin ka niyang driver."

"What the , I am willing to help Gigi and I would love to that for her and kay Ning. Pero babe sana wag naman driving mamaya kung saan niya pa ako iinvite pumunta or worse utusan."

"Hahahaha you know how she thinks. She asked permission from me actually."

"Permission para saan?"

"Asked permission na hihiramin ka niya. So for sure pup may mga favors siya sayo."

"Tangina hihiramin. Pumayag ka naman?"

"Yes."

"Hala baby uutos utusan ako nun. Ang weird pa dun kay Giselle kahit ang dami nilang drivers and messengers minsan kung sino yung gusto niya or yung chosen niyang tao, she'll find a way para yun yung kikilos for her."

"Clearly you know how my best friend thinks. Sanay ka na sakanya hahaha congratulations."

"Epal mo babe, nagpaalam pala siya sayo pumayag ka naman kagad."

"But she needs you."

"Yeah I'm gonna help her naman basta wag lang talaga yung drive kung saan saan. You know naman na si mom, ate and ikaw lang pinag ddrive ko, ay minsan pala si Lia pag nang gguilt trip and nagsusungit na siya pag nagpapasama siya sakin."

"You talk to Gi nalang and ask her if she has a plan or something."

"Yeah, pag wala kayong class or when we go hom