He Was My Cousin

Chapter 49

HAHAHAHA IDK ANYMORE I'M JUST SO SORRY TO Y'ALL. MGA BATA, ALIS MUNA. BALIK NA LANG KAYO SA CH50 :)

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Chapter 49
Beach House

"Is this the part we're to re-enact that kiss that happened here years ago?" Paolo asked when I stopped crying. I looked at his face and he was smiling ears to ears, teasing me. Hinampas ko siya sa dibdib. He protested, "Whaaat? It was your suggestion! You mentioned it first. Tapos ngayon ikaw 'tong nananakit?"

My cheeks heated up. "Tigilan mo nga ako!"

"Hala," he said, feigning worry. "Naasar na 'yung girlfriend ko." Napatingin ako sa kanya ulit. Parang doon lang nag-sink-in sa akin na oo nga, girlfriend niya na ako. Legal. Walang sabit. No complications. We were just a man and a woman in love... just like everyone else.

I'm his girlfriend. Not his cousin.

"Ang sarap pala sabihin no'n, ano? Girlfriend ko," he said, smiling to himself. Napakagat ako sa labi ko. I sniffed. All these happened in the least moment I expected them to be. Hindi ko tuloy ma-kontrol 'yung pagwawala ng puso ko sa dibdib ko.

Inakbayan niya ako. "I really love it here. Tahimik. Air's nice too. But I can't fucking wait to be back to Manila to tell all them you're my girlfriend now." And just when I thought I already knew how crazy Paolo Romualde was, he did something crazier. Nang magtama ang tingin nila no'ng couple na makakasalubong namin ay bigla niya akong tinuro sabay sabing, "Girlfriend ko."

Natawa lang iyong couple sa amin. I even heard the woman said we were "cute." But this was in no way cute because the sand might swallow me whole from embarrassment. "Stop it, Paolo," I hissed at him.

"Why?" pa-inosente niyang tanong. "Girlfriend naman talaga kita, ah?" Pinaningkitan niya ako ng mata. "Kinakahiya mo ba boyfriend mo?" he asked, sounding offended.

"Trystan Paolo," saway ko sa kanya. I looked away. If I didn't hide my face, I'd probably be looking as if I were constipated. Paolo then spent the next half an hour probably gaining the world record for most "girlfriend" said in an hour.

Nang dinalaw na kami ng gutom ay pumunta kami sa isang restaurant na malapit lang din sa beach house. Agad kaming inupo ng waiter sa may table sa gilid. "What's yours?" Paolo asked.

I debated whether I'd get a rice meal or pasta. In the end I decided, "Lasagna roll-ups and iced tea please."

"Alright," sabi sa akin ni Paolo. He looked up to the waiter. "One angus burger. Double cheese. Dalawang iced tea. Tapos lasagna roll-ups... para sa girlfriend ko."

Sinipa ko siya sa ilalim ng table. I thought he was over that? He chuckled and said to the waiter, "That's all."

"Sisipain na kita r'yan e," singhal ko sa kanya nang makaalis na 'yung waiter.

"You already did," natatawang sabi sa akin ni Paolo. "Bakit ka ba nagagalit? Nagsasabi lang naman ako ng totoo."

"Stop it already or else the whole of Bolinao would already know I'm your girlfriend by midnight!"

He simpered, "That's the plan."

Over dinner, I shared to him that Lance's going to leave the country after his wedding. Paolo even joked, "buti naman" at "sa wakas" but went on to assure me that even though, unlike Lance, he doesn't know how a school works internally, he'd do what he can to help me manage it. That keeps my mind at peace. Being with him makes me feel everything is going to end up okay.

Nang matapos kami kumain ay bigla kong naisip, "We didn't order any dessert!"

He looked up from looking at his plate and grinned, "Ako. Ako 'yung dessert."