Work Text:
"Ready na, daba?" Mavi asked as she fastened the strap beneath my chin before gently pulling my visor down.
I answered with a wide smile and a nod.
"Ayos."
She slipped on her own helmet with practiced ease, secured the strap, then leaned forward until our visors lightly bumped together—her version of "kissing" me.
She climbed onto the motorcycle first, and I followed behind her.
During our first few rides together, it was painfully obvious that I had never ridden on a motorcycle before. The closest thing I had ever experienced was bicycles and ATVs during family vacations.
But after months of riding with Mavi, my body slowly learned its rhythm, and holding onto her waist became second nature.
The first few minutes of our ride were peaceful.
Then an old conversation suddenly resurfaced in my head.
"Amiel, 'di ba nagra-rides pa rin kayo ni Mavi sa motor niya?" Selena had asked one afternoon.
I raised an eyebrow. "Yes. bakit?"
She laughed before tapping on her phone. "Panoorin mo 'to. Grabe, ang funny. ginawa ko 'yan kay Gene. Nawala talaga angas niya."
She showed me the screen.
It was a girl riding as a passenger. While her boyfriend drove, she secretly tapped the side of the motorcycle with a coin.
A few seconds later, the boyfriend immediately pulled over to inspect the motorcycle while the girl struggled to hide her laughter.
"Subukan mo kay Mavi!"
I remembered absentmindedly feeling the twenty-peso coin inside my pocket.
Now... that same coin was resting between my fingers.
A smile slowly spread across my face. I carefully lowered my hand beneath the seat.
tok.
tok.
tok.
tok.
tok.
just a few light taps.
As if the universe wanted to help me, we stopped at a red light.
"Rinig mo 'yon, dabs?" Mavi asked through our helmet intercom.
"Rinig ang ano po?"
"...ah, wala," she replied, shrugging. "Baka guni-guni ko lang."
The light turned green before she could think about it any longer.
I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing.
A few minutes later, we reached a quieter stretch of highway. I tapped again. this time... faster and a little louder.
tok tok tok tok tok tok tok
When we stopped at another intersection, I immediately hid the coin again.
"...put—spa," I heard her mutter to herself.
Through her side mirror, I watched her eyebrows slowly knit together.
I almost burst into laughter.
"What's that, langga?" I asked as innocently as I could.
She simply shook her head. "Wala po, daba."
When the light turned green again, I expected us to continue toward the mall. Instead, she took another road.
"...langga?"
"Dadaan muna tayo sa bahay, dabs."
"...ha?"
Panic instantly settled in my chest.
Before I could ask another question, we were already entering the subdivision. A few turns later, we arrived in front of their house.
The smart gate slid open automatically, and Mavi quietly guided the motorcycle into the spacious driveway.
She parked beside her father's car before giving my thigh three gentle taps—the signal that it was safe to get off.
I climbed down, and she followed a second later.
Gone was the playful girlfriend who loved teasing me. Instead, she quietly took off her gloves.
I swallowed.
I slowly slipped the coin back into my pocket.
"...langga..."
"May aberya ata si baby natin," she said softly as she reached up to unbuckle my helmet before carefully lifting it off my head. "'Di bale, dadalhin ko naman siya sa casa bukas."
She removed her own helmet afterward, slightly shaking out her messy hair.
"Hindi ko lang sinabi habang nasa daan tayo," she smiled. "Baka kasi mag-panic ka."
My chest tightened.
"Ang ganda mo pa naman ngayon para ma-stress."
My heart sank.
She was worried about me. And here I was... being the reason she thought something had happened to the motorcycle she loved.
"...langga."
She gently rolled the motorcycle next to her father's car.
"Hiramin na lang natin 'yung kotse ni erpat," she jingled the car keys before reaching for my hand with her free one.
Still smiling, trying to make sure I wasn't worried.
My guilt finally won.
"...langga."
"Hmm?"
"It was just a prank."
We stopped in our tracks.
"...ha?"
"'Yung tunog kanina..." I slowly pulled the twenty-peso coin out of my pocket. "...ako lang."
Silence.
She stared at the coin. Then at me. Then back at the coin.
"..."
"..."
"... are you mad? galit ka ba sa'kin?"
"Amiel..."
"Amiel? not daba?"
I pouted before wrapping both of my arms around one of hers.
"Sorry na."
She let out the tiniest sigh. "Alam mo ba kung bakit ako kinabahan?"
I slowly shook my head.
She gently pinched my cheek. "Kasi sakay kita."
My smile disappeared.
"Ikaw 'yung iniisip ko."
She looked at me with that same soft smile she only ever wore when it was just the two of us.
"Kung may mangyari sa motor habang nasa highway tayo, baka madamay ka. Baka ipapakulong pa ako ni Tita Atty. niyan."
My heart melted, my pout deepening.
"..."
"..."
"Ayan," she flicked my forehead. "na-guilty ka tuloy."
"...opo."
"Deserve."
I nodded. "...opo."
She stared at my defeated face for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed, pocketing the car keys.
"'Wag na sad, daba. Lahams kita kahit anong mangyari, 'lam mo 'yan."
Before I could react, she cupped my jaw with her free hand and gave me a quick peck on the lips.
"Next time..." she grinned. "Humanap ka ng ibang prank."
She leaned close enough for our noses to brush.
"Kasi kapag baby natin ulit pinagtripan mo..." she smiled with fake confidence. "...iiyak talaga ako."