Something That Glitters

30 // Epic Heart Rate

"Man, trust me. Snooki becomes highly dramatic to anything, anything, that concerns you."

Julio broke into Auntie's apartment in the middle of the night, asking for her home-cooked food. And me? I got dragged down because he knew damn well that I was almost always awake my entire life.

"And she still doesn't know you live across her. Damn, what I'd pay to see her reaction once she finally knew!"

Tinapik ko paalis ang kamay ni Julio sa balikat ko at pabirong umamba. He only grinned and made a mess outta my hair.

Rushing was something I only did at times I overslept and got up late for work. Or whenever I was on a run to beat the deadline for financial reports or to personally receive a VIP hotel guest just right after I come out of an adjourned meeting.

I guess, one could tell that I only ever rushed for things I was running out of time on. And love wasn't exactly one of it. I never caught any breath running after it. Because, for me, if something didn't have a deadline and wasn't time-bound, then it could wait.

With Snooki, I wasn't in a race, yet my feelings never slowed down. I told myself to be steadfast grounded, and tried very hard every minute to champion my words.

But not until I spent my Sunday skies with her, not until I let her see me vulnerable to a flu I hardly ever get, and not until I found myself speeding my workweek tasks so I could be free on the day when Auntie was scheduled to visit a flower farm in New Jersey that I finally admitted defeat. That with her, only her, there was no way I would be grounded.

"Kung ako sa iyo, sosorpresahin ko 'yan si Snooki. Malamang nagtampo ang batang iyon. Ilang araw kang hindi nagpakita nang walang paabiso. Siguro dalhan mo ng pagkain. Mahina ang mga babae d'yan. Ang Auntie mo nga, e." Nangisi si Uncle Benj, as he recalled a thought in his head.

"Won't a surprise be uhm... I don't know... excessive? Baka ho magulat." Napahawak ako sa batok. Isa pa, paano ko 'yon gagawin?

"Hindi! Hindi." Humalakhak si Uncle. "Tutulungan kita. Mamaya, doon tayo sa rooftop. Trust your Uncle, alright?"

I nodded in trust, but regretted it with a shake of my head the moment I took Snooki out in cold air later that night. The interior of my being was washed in red as I felt flushed and embarrassed.

"This is... uhh... Uncle Benj's idea para manuyo." I couldn't meet her eyes while admitting this.

If I had a serious relationship before, then I would've known what to do. But in my current losing case, I had no idea how to gauge my situation. There's one thing I was sure of, though. Nakakahiya itong ginawa ko.

"Though, I gotta say, I commend the set-up. Good job, Sir Archer!" She laughed. I couldn't believe this.

"It's crazy, I know. 'Di na dapat ako naniwala kay Uncle." Napailing ako nang maalala kung paano ko minadali ang pag-aayos dito sa lugar.

"Huh? Why? I loved it kaya! Like, super mega ultra ka-duper!" she hurried to say. It amused me how her face gave away a reaction of worry in secrecy like it was all she felt every time I became embarrassed of the things I did.

Kay Snooki, hindi ko kayang pigilin ang mga ngiti ko. Wala na akong kontrol sa sarili kong labi. And I was completely caught off guard as to what extent I couldn't control it when I said something crazy.