Chapter 31
Couple
“Let’s make it official, Reeve.”
His eyes widen in astonishment, and his lips partly parted as he was trying to process what I have said to him just now. He was stunned in his position, unable to move. Hindi ko inalis ang ang pagkakabit ng mga braso ko sa kaniyang leeg at tinitigan siya deretso sa kaniyang mga mata.
Ilang segundo pa ang nakalipas bago siya nagsalita at utal-utal pa. “W-what?”
Ngumiti ako at kinagat ang ibabang labi ko still not losing eye contact with him. I pushed his head towards me, and slowly, I pushed myself to him and whispered, “Kailangan ka pa naging bingi, Reeve?” I grinned.
Medyo napasigaw ako ng siya na mismo ang naglapit ng katawan naming dalawa. Some people watched us, but my focus was on him, who is now grinning from ear to ear. Ang bilis mag shift ng mood ha, gano’n ka atat na sabihin ko ulit ang sinabi ko kanina?
He moves his head sideways at inilapit ang labi niya sa aking tainga. As he murmurs, that made my heart pound all over again. “I’ve heard it… I’ve heard it very clearly, Neve. It was just I can’t believe that you would state it here, me being unprepared. You know that I almost prepare a surprise for you to finally asked your hand, but you just state it here in front of your apartment. Nasa gate pa talaga, Neve.”
“But screw that surprises that I almost prepared the most important matter is you are mine now. The woman I love is officially mine now,” he added, and I can feel his smiles.
“Thank you for entrusting your heart to me. Thank you for finally opening your heart without being scared, Neve, and I promise I will take of that. I will take care of the most expensive and fragile part of your life—I will take care of you and your heart, Neve,” he softly declared.
Those words he said softly touches my heart. It was like medicine for my broken heart before, and he was the one who picked it up piece by piece and made it complete again. I was also falling to him back then, but I was just in denial because of my past, but now I won’t be. He proved it to me and will continuously prove it to me.
The broken pieces of my heart were now complete again—he made it complete and whole. I badly want to scream right in front of him dahil sa mga salita na lumalabas sa bibig niya.
Pero dinala ko na lamang ito sa ngisi at tinignan ulit siya sa mga mata niyang nakaakit ang tingin. His hooded eyes that scream coldness and loneliness before were now changed— a mixture of happiness and contentment filled his eyes as he tenderly focuses his attention on me.
“Promises are meant to be broken,” I told him, but he shakes his head.
“Then, ibahin mo ako. I am not that kind of man who was just good at words, yet no actions to prove. I am not the kind of man who foolishly used the word promise just for the sake of getting the heart of their girl. I am different, Neve. I never promise to anyone, but when I do, I always kept it because promises shouldn’t be meant to be broken as they should be meant to be fulfilled.”
Hindi ko pa rin magawang ihiwalay ang sarili ko sa kaniya. We were still hugging each other in front of the gate of my apartment. Many people walked and stared at us, probably wondering why we were hugging outside when we can hug each other inside, but we didn’t mind them. Nakatingin lang kaming dalawa sa isa’t-isa na tila hindi lang mga puso namin ang nagsasalita para sa amin kun’di pati na rin ang aming mga mata.
“You know what I had been through. You know why I am afraid of risking before, you know that it left a scar on my heart, but it vanishes away when I decided to accept you in my heart. And now my heart is willing to be part of yours, Reeve. My heart was now ready to accept and love again, and I am ready to take on any challenges with you,” I expressed.
“I promise you, Neve.”
“Reeve, can I ask you a favor?” bigla kong tanong sa kaniya.
“Hmmm… what it is, my queen?”
“If you ever fall out of love to me, just end things between us… just don’t cheat on me,” wika ko.
“What you said will never happen, Neve. I will never fall out of love for you because my heart will always belong to you.”
“Whatever happens to us in the future, we will both going to fight for it. And I would never ever cheat on you. I would never do what your father did to you and your mother. Cheating is the biggest sin in love, and I wouldn’t dare to do it especially to you,” he sweetly uttered.
Kinikiliti ang buo kong katawan at kulang na lang ay sasabog na ako sa kilig na nararamdaman ko. He never failed to amaze me kasi hindi lang naman siya hanggang salita he’s the kind of man who always does both. A man of words and actions.
And I know, with him, my heart is safe.
“Finally, you’re mine. Thank you, Neve, thank you for your answer,” he softly uttered.
At kung ano man ang mangyari sa amin balang araw ay hinding-hindi ko pagsisisihan na sinagot ko siya.
Loving him is my peace. Loving him means I am safe.
Pumasok ako sa loob ng apartment ng may ngiti sa labi. After I closed the door, ay napasandal ako at tinapat ang kamay ko sa dibdib na hanngang ngayon hindi pa matigil-tigil sa pagtibok ng malakas.
It took me a long time to process that I am not single anymore! Hindi na ako single! OMG! Reeve is officially my boyfriend!
Dahil sa sobrang saya na nararamdaman ko ay agad kong tinawagan si Renaissa. I need to have someone whom I can express what I feel right now! Kung hindi ko ‘to ilalabas ang nararamdaman ko ay baka sasabog na ako!
Pabagsak akong umupo sa sofa at hinihintay na sagutin ni Renaissa ang tawag. Winagayway ko pa ang paa ko at kagat labing hinihintay na sagutin niya ito! Mabuti na lang at ako lang mag-isa ang nakatira dito at malaya kong na e-expressed ang sarili ko sa tuwing kinikilig ako!
Para siguro akong baliw sa kalagayan ko ngayon dahil hindi matanggal-tanggal ang ngiti na nakapaskil sa aking labi!
“OMG! Renaissa!” tili kong bungad sa kaniya. My voice echoed in my small apartment.
“Tangina, Henzy masakit sa tenga ha! Ba’t napatawag ka? May kailangan ka?” nahimigmigan ko ang inis sa boses niya dahil sa tili ko pero binalewala ko lamang ‘yon.
“Grabe naman porket napatawag lang may kailangan agad?” natatawa kong ani.
“Bakit ba? Nagluluto ako ng pagkain ta’s bigla kang napatawag,” she said.
“Kami na!” walang patumpik-tumpik na sabi ko sa kaniya.
“Anong kami na?” she asked, confused.
Ampotek, bakit naging slolw to ang kaibigan ko.
“Kami na! Ni Reeve! Sinagot ko na siya kanina!” I burst out to her.
“W-what?!” gulat niyang wika.
“Oo kami na! We’re now a couple, Renaissa! Mag jowa na kami sana ikaw mero’n din,” I managed to leave a joke to her.
“For real?!” tila hindi niya pa rin makapaniwalang usal sa akin.
“Wow naman, Henzy. Nagawa mo pa akong biruin ha, edi ikaw na may jowa. Sana all sa’yo!” sabi niya nang ma-iproseso na niya ang binitiwan kong salita sa kaniya sa huli.
“Oo! Sinagot ko siya kanina nang hinatid niya ako dito sa bahay,” pagbabahagi ko.
“So, tumawag ka para lang ipainggit sa akin na may jowa ka na? Respeto naman sa single, Henzy,” pagbibiro niya sa kabilang linya.
“’Di biro lang, Henzy. Congrats! Finally, you have opened your heart again, Henzy. I am genuinely happy for you,” she sincerely replied.
“I am also happy too. I really hope this happiness I am feeling will never end,” sabi ko sa kaniya.
“I told you before, right? That there will be someone would come into your life and change the doubts in your heart, someone that will love you more than your past, and someone who can make you special and that someone now was Reeve,” bigla niyang seryosong saad sa akin.
Right, she did tell me this before, that in someone’s arms, I will be happy. And that someone was Reeve. When Reeve confessed and started courting, was the time also that I let myself freely. Hindi ko na pala namamalayan na masaya ako tuwing kasama ko siya. Na naging malaya ako sa nakaraana ko. And he waited, he waited till I open my heart again.
When a man is willing to wait patiently for you, it only proves that he loves you so much.
“Be happy and enjoy your moment together, Henzy. Stop thinking about the future just focus on the present,” she suddenly stated.
“Yes, I will, Renaissa! Bye love you!” pagpapaalam ko.
The next morning I wake up full of enthusiasm. Nauna pa akong magising sa alarm clock ko dahil sa sobrang excited na nararamdaman ko.
I did my morning routine and giggled in the mirror when I recall what had happened yesterday. Hindi pa rin talaga ako makapaniwala na kami na. This is our first day as a couple.
Henzy! As a couple…. As a couple and not friends nor your suitor. Para akong highschooler na kinikilig sa crush niya!
I open my phone, and instantly a curve form on my lips. Nakatanngap lang naman ako ng morning message galing sa jowa ko.
Reeve:
Good morning my queen! Today is day one of us—being official. I promise to take care of you everyday and for the rest of my life.
Ps: I can’t come to you right now to cook, I have an important matter to do! But, I have someone deliver the food for you. Don’t forget to eat your breakfast! See you at school, my queen! Have a good morning. I love you! <3
Om my ghad! Ang aga-aga Reeve pero pinapakilig mo ako! Hindi pa nga pumapawi ang kilig na nararamdaman ko kahapon tapos dadagdagan mo ulit ngayon.
Titipa pa sana ako para pang reply sa kaniya nang may biglang nag doorbell. It must be the delivery guy. Bumaba ako at pinagbuksan ng pintuan siya ng pintuan and I was right, it was the delivery guy.
Nagpasalamat ako kay kuya bago siya umalis. Ang amoy ng pagkain na pinadala niya ay kumalat sa buong apartment ko.
When I opened the container, a cup of rice and chop suey welcomed my eyes. I took a picture of then post in my Instagram account with a caption stated.
Your meal always brighten up my day<3
And I tagged him. The last picture that I posted on my Instagram was our picture together in Eden’s flower.
Pagkatapos kong e post sa Instagram ay nag send rin ako ng picture sa kaniya while eating to prove that I really ate his meal.
I went to school early than the usual time. Dahil hindi wala pa ang mga kaibigan ko para ibahagi ang magandang balita na dulot ko sa kanila ay nagtungo na lang ako sa usual spot namin ni Reeve.
It was a bit windy on my spot kaya nadadala nang hangin ang buhok ko. When the wind slowly becomes more intense, I closed my eyes and inhaled the fresh air that mother nature gave me.
Medyo matagal akong nakapikit bago ko muling idinilat ang mga mata ko at sa pagbukas ko ay mukha ni Reeve ang bumungad sa akin. Our faces were inches apart because he bent towards me.
“Why are you here?” tanong niya, still not losing our eye contact.
Napangiti ako, “To breathe the fresh air.”
“My hint was right. I can find you here,” sabi niya.
“Miss mo na agad ako?” I smiled and raised my brow at him.
“I always miss you,” he frankly stated.
I pouted, “Sadly,wala tayong klase na kaklase natin ang isa’t-isa, mister.”
Tinignan ko ang oras at sampung minuto na lang bago ang unang klase ko I checked my schedule for this day, and sadly buong araw kaming hindi magka-klase dahil irregular student siya.
I fixed myself and stood up kaya napaayos din ang pagtayo niya. Doon ko lang napansin na may tinatago siya sa kaniyang likuran. Malapad niya akong nginisian. Nagtataka kong tinignan siya.
Then he revealed a small white box in front of me. He slowly opened it, and it revealed a ring. It was a diamond ring that has an infinite design full of shining stones at the center. I am not dumb to know what it is.
It’s a promise ring.
Kinuha niya ang kaliwang kamay ko at sinuot doon ang singsing. Pagkatapos niyang isuot ang singsing sa akin at tinignan niya ako deretso sa aking mga mata.
“I gave you this promise ring as a sign that I will never break what I have promised to you. The infinite symbol here symbolizes that our love for each other is endless. I want this promise ring to witness our journey together as a couple.”