The Vow

25

Nagising ako ng around 11 in the evening, hindi na ata ako ginising nila Mommy for dinner, ganun kasi sila kapag nakitang masarap yung tulog ko, hinahayaan akong matulog lang.

Naghilamos ako, hindi na ko nagpalit ng damit, I'm just wearing my blue pajama terno. Sinuklay ko lang buhok ko at bumaba na para kumain ng dinner.

Habang kumakain ako, nagring yung phone ko. Si Elijah tumatawag, so I answered it.

"I'm eating"

(You just woke up?)

"Yeah, kaya naglilate dinner ako. Andyan ka parin kila Kuya?"

(I'm outside your house. I told you, I want to welcome my birthday with you)

"Hala, wait lang, huhugas lang ako ng kamay" sabi ko at dali daling naghugas ng kamay tsaka pinatay yung tawag.

Pumunta ako sa gate at pinapasok sya. Dumiretso kami sa dining area kasi hindi pa ako tapos kumain.

"Nagdinner ka na?"

"It's 11 in the evening, almost midnight, Beka. Obviously I already had my dinner" sabi nya

"Di ka naman lasing diba?" Sabi ko at tinignan yung mukha nya.

Shet! Ang gwapo lang talaga!

"Nope, i'm still sober, don't worry" sabi nya.

"Since you're sober and already done with dinner. Paghimay mo ko ng hipon, please" sabi ko at nagpacute pa.

"Cute" sabi nya at mahinang pinisil yung pisngi ko bago sya nagsimulang ipagbalat ako ng hipon.

"Maalala ko lang, usap usapan sa ospital that you never had a girlfriend?"

"Kung sasagutin mo ko, ikaw ang una"

"Why? I mean, pogi ka, mayaman, matalino, ahm buff, I think, tapos you're very sweet, why?" Tanong ko.

"I was a woman-hater" sabi nya habang patuloy parin sa pagbabalat ng hipon

"Eh parang di mo naman ako hate, even nung first meeting, kinausap mo nga ako and walang bakas ng kasungitan sayo nun, the fact that you didn't know na ako yung kapatid ni Kuya Hunter noon"

"Exactly my problem was, I got comfortable and confident when I talked with you. Celine isn't the type to compliment people, but the fact that she complimented you and said Ganda? Meaning, you're really beautiful. Hindi mahilig sa tao si Celine, she always say ayaw nya makipag-usap kasi pangit yung tao and such, did you also know that aside from us, her family, ikaw ang pinakauna nyang sinabihan na maganda. She was even looking for you everytime na nasa bahay sya. Sasabihin nya na puntahan daw namin si Ate Ganda, which is you. There's something in you na naging komportable ako, and I know now why, it's because you're beautiful inside and out"

"Bakit ka naging woman-hater?" Tanong ko. "Tama na yan, busog na ko" pagpipigil ko sa kanya sa pagbalat ng hipon.

Naghugas sya ng kamay at bumalik sa pagkakaupo sa tabi ko.

Alam ko naman yung sagot sa tanong ko kasi sinabi nila Kuya at Mommy sa akin, pero gusto ko malaman if he's that comfortable to talk about it with me.

Halata sa kanya na nag-iisip sya kung sasabihin nya o hindi, but, he chose to say it.

"When I was in Elementary, well my dad has an Australian blood, while my Mom is pure Filipina. Elementary ako nun, and my parents were happily married with me as their child. Then, one day umuwi yung Mommy ko dito sa pinas. Supposedly 1 week lang dapat sya hanggang sa nag-extend na sya naging 1 month, tapos bigla nalang nagsend ng picture yung tita ko na andito, my dad's cousin. It was a picture of Mom and her affair na papasok sa dati naming bahay dito sa Pinas, they look so sweet and even kissing each other's lips. Sobrang nagalit si Daddy at ako rin syempre, sobrang nasaktan ako, kasi I love my mom, she's like an example of a good mother. She's the one to gave a nickname of Eli to me, yun yung una kong nickname which my mom made, naging Lij lang kasi sobrang galit ako sa kanya at sa nickname ko dahil sya nagbigay nun. Tapos yun, they end up divorcing, nagstay na dito yung Mom ko and nagpakasal na sila nung guy nya. Then we found out that she was pregnant, tapos pina-DNA yung bata and it's Dad's, meaning kapatid ko yun full blood. But, since the law says kapag hindi pa legal yung bata, magsistay yun sa nanay, so hindi na kami nakipag argue sa kanya at hinayaan sa kanya yung kapatid ko. Pero pumupunta sya sa bahay minsan, kaya close din kami at sila ni Daddy. So yun, that's the reason why I hated women except my family and relatives, you're the only exception"

"Then, why did you let me call you Eli?"

"You and my mom are two different person. My mom gave me heartache, while you give me chance to start again. I thought I will hate it when you first called me Eli, pero wala akong maramdaman na hate when you called me Eli. Yung hate na meron ako sa nickname na yun, nawala lahat yun nung ikaw na mismo nagbigkas ng pangalang yun" sabi nya kaya napangiti ako.

"Happy Birthday, My Eli" I said and smiled at him.

Napatingin sya sa orasan at napangiti sa akin, he kissed my forehead.

"Thank you, cutie" sabi nya habang nakangiti.

"Any birthday wish?" Tanong ko.

"I just wish for the both of us to finally heal, especially you. You have a long way to go, but, I am here to fight with you. At sana, sagutin mo na ko" sabi nya kaya medyo natawa kami pareho. "Just sitting here, being with you, is enough for me to have a very happy birthday. Welcoming my birthday with the girl I love is so much enough for me to be complete again" dagdag nya habang inaayos yung buhok ko na humarang sa mukha ko.

Napatitig ako sa mukha nya. Ang pogi pogi nya talaga, ang tangos ng ilong, perfectly trimmed brows, his eyes is dark blue since may lahi nga sya, his dark brown hair, his kissable lips na ilang beses na ko hinalikan kahit nanliligaw palang, and his perfect jawline na ang strong at lalaking lalaki.

"Pogi mo" sabi ko bigla.

"Really?" Tanong nya at tumango ako.

"Ngayon naniniwala na akong pogi ako, kasi mahal ko yung nagsabi eh. And you're the most gorgeous girl I ever laid my eyes on" sabi nya.

"Wait lang maghuhugas lang ako ng kamay at may kukunin ako sa kwarto ko" sabi ko.

Nilagay ko yung pinagkainan ko sa lababo at naghugas ng kamay tsaka ako tumakbo paakyat sa kwarto ko para kunin yung regalo ko. Suot suot ko na kasi yung akin eh kanina pa.

Pagbalik ko sa dining, nakita ko syang nagpupunas ng kamay.

"Hala! Hinugasan mo yung pinagkainan ko?"

"Yeah, 1 plate and 1 glass lang naman plus the utensils. No big deal" sabi nya. "What's that?" Tanong nya nang mapansin yung dala ko.

"Birthday gift" sabi ko at inabot sa kanya yun.

Lumipat kami sa living room at umupo sa sofa tsaka nya binuksan yung gift ko sa kanya.

"A wristwatch, how did you know? I was planning to buy a replacement tomorrow"

"Kuya told me. Don't buy na, just use that"

"I would surely use this because you gave it to me. It's simple but eye-catching. Thank you so much, I love it" sabi nya at tinanggal sa box.

May nakita pa syang parang lightstick sa loob ng paper bag.

"And what is this for?"

"Pailawin mo sa mesa" sabi ko.

He did what I said and nakalagay dun sa reflection ng ilaw is Je't aime.

He looked at me when he saw those words and surprise filled his face.

"What?"

"I-Is this for me?"

"Kanino pa ba? Sino ba manliligaw ko?" Tanong ko.

"D-Does this mean...."

"I love you too, Eli" sabi ko habang nakangiti. "Sa saturday pa sana kaso, I want your birthday to be memorable for you and for me"

"You're my girlfriend? Is this for real? You're really my girlfriend now?"

"Yes, boyfriend" I said happily.

"Fuck! I'm the luckiest and happiest guy in the world. I love you, I love you!" Sabi nya at niyakap ako.

"I love you, Happy Birthday, boyfriend"

"This is the Happiest Birthday in my entire life. Thank you so much, girlfriend"

Oh diba! Nagkaroon agad ng endearment.

We just stayed there for a moment and umuwi narin sya kasi may trabaho pa kami kinabukasan.