Good Morning

I woke up to feel you beside me. It's been ages since we last slept together. Those days when you can sleep anytime beside me were long gone - now we can only snatch time together in rented rooms like this.

The air was pleasantly cool, and I felt cozy inside with you. Outside, the wind might be howling, the rain pouring in torrents. I really can't tell because the room didn't have any windows. But whatever was happening outside, I didn't care much. As long as we're together, we'd be alright. In this room, we are protected from the elements in the same way as our love protects us from sadness and other dreary thoughts.

I woke you up. Well, as much as I'd love to let you sleep more, our time was nearly up. It was 4 in the morning already, and the checking out time will come within 90 minutes. I turned on the dim red lights. And we made love one more time.

Shower time, and then you watched the morning news. I lit a cigarette and smoked while listening to music from my fone, even singing now and then. I told you how it would have been in our own house, me turning the radio full blast and smoking while you watching news and drinking coffee. You smiled.

I looked at the mirror and remembered the past ten hours. How we ordered food and ate together, taking pictures in between mouthfuls. How we watched that "art film", and how you didn't like them much. And how we laughed and how we hugged and cuddled and kissed... and loved. For ten hours we were alone, and we were able to do things we couldn't do outside.

Time to leave, and we took one last look at the room which served as our heaven for a little while.

Outside, the skies were stormy, and we were wearing our jackets, ready for the rain but there was none. You suggested that we walk the remaining distance, and I agreed because the idea was also in my mind.

It was a gray dawn and you kept saying how you liked the time - when most are still in bed. We crossed the bridge and I looked down on the brown and swollen Pasig River. I remembered my childhood fear of crossing bridges - that fear of falling and drowning, being swept away... And I was very conscious of the people crossing the bridge with us for they might take it into their heads to throw me into the river.

It was a long walk and we were approaching Robinson's Pioneer and I kept singing "Think I'd like to stay a minute longer" and later, "Tuesday morning in the dark.." though I knew it wasn't Tuesday but I wished it was for it would have been perfect.

And then we had to climb the overpass to go the other side of EDSA. We ate breakfast at Jollibee, and we laughed at the cute guy behind the counter who kept making mistakes and how we argued whether he was gay or not.

And then, it was time to go and part ways, although if it was left to me, you know I would have loved to stay with you since I had nothing to do anyway. Classes were suspended.

On the street, in full view of the bustling EDSA, I asked you if you wanted a kiss right there. You raised your eyebrows and dared me by sayig yes, but you knew I wouldn't do it anyway, so we just laughed and turned and said goodbye.

The sky was still gray, as if dementors were roaming somewhere above, but as I climbed back up the MRT station, I kept thinking of what a beautiful day it was beginning to be. For us.

It was a good morning.