Paper Promises [Completed]

Chapter 10 - Deal

I never dared to dream that last night would happen. Last night was the best night of my life... I hope it was the same for her too.

Papasikat pa lang ang araw nang magising ako. Aliyah is still sleeping like an angel beside me. Maybe she's tired from last night. Hahayaan ko na lang muna siyang matulog. Para akong sira-ulong bigla na lang napapangiti kapag naaalala ko ang mga nangyari kagabi. She's wearing my shirt, her head is on my chest and her left arm is resting on my lower abdomen, almost touching my...

Fuck! Why would I think about that, this early? I took a deep breath.

"Andrew, calm down," I whispered to myself as I slowly move away from her.

Dahan-dahan akong umalis sa pagkakayakap niya kahit na parang ayaw ko pa.

"Andrew... ba-by," she whispered, her eyes were still closed.

Is she dreaming?

"So, you're only calling me baby in your dreams, huh?"

Ngumiti siya. Narinig niya ba ako?

I sniffed her hair and then I kissed her forehead. I tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear, and then I gently touched her cheek before kissing it. I'll never get tired of mornings like this.

I don't know how to cook, but I wanted to cook for her. Kaya kong magprito, that's easy. So, that's what I'm going to do, fried bacon and scrambled eggs. But I was wrong, naparami ang asin ko sa itlog at nasunog ang unang batch ng bacon. But it's for her... so I tried again.

"Done!"

I checked the time, it's 7:00 AM. 

"What?! Isang oras akong nagluto?!"

 Really, Andrew? Gaano ka ba kapalpak sa pagluluto?  I took a deep breath. Bigla kong naalala ang niluto kong sinigang for Aliyah and how I traumatized her friends because of it. I knew it tasted awful. Halos mabuga pa nga ni Jasper 'yong sabaw noong unang beses niyang matikman ang sinigang ko. But I had no choice—they knew Aliyah so well, they knew exactly what she liked. So, for five days wala silang ibang lunch kung 'di ang palpak kong sinigang. Babawi na lang ako sa kanila pagbalik namin ni Aliyah sa Manila.

When did I start to be like this? I never knew that I could love this hard. Pilit kong iniisip kung kailan ko na-realize na mahal ko na si Aliyah... no'ng birthday niya? When I save her from that incident?... or baka no'ng unang beses ko siyang nakita? Shit! I really don't know when.

So, maybe, I just need to stop thinking about when it all started. All I know is that I don't want this to end. Even if it's just a deal for her.

It was raining that afternoon. Nauna akong dumating sa restaurant kung saan kami magkikita ni Aliyah. She said we need to talk about something urgent. I had a hunch it's about our photos that night, no'ng 25th birthday niya. Halos tatlong araw na ring pinag-uusapan 'yon online. People were thinking that I'm Aliyah's other man while she's engaged to Marcus. Which is of course, absolutely not true.

I waited for fifteen minutes or so... tapos dumating na siya. She's wearing a yellow hoodie and shades. Umuulan pero naka-shades siya.

"Hi, Andrew. Sorry late ako," bati niya sa akin sabay tanggal ng shades niya. Suot pa rin niya ang hood ng jacket niya.

"Ah, okay lang. I just got here," I lied. Then I smiled at her.

Ngumiti rin siya sa akin, pero alam kong pilit 'yon. She looks so tensed. A portion of her hair was framing her face, her almond eyes were anxious and she's just blinking too much.

"Y-You want to order something, Aliyah?" I asked, trying to comfort her.

"Ah!" she paused, mabilis niyang sinulyapan ang menu na nasa lamesa.