Halaga

Chapter 13.1

Hey, what's going on?!

Kinakabahan na 'ko. Nagpatuloy pa rin ako sa paglalakad hanggang sa makalabas ako ng gate 1. Parang may idea na 'ko kung ano'ng nangyayari perp s'yempre ayoko munang mag-assume.

At nang makalabas nga ako, nagulat na naman ako sa dami ng estudyanteng nagkakagulo. Oh no. Hindi naman siguro...

"Maine!" malakas na tawag sa 'kin ng classmate kong si Claire mula sa mga estudyanteng nagkakagulo. Mukhang nagliwanag 'yung mukha niya nang makita niya 'kong lumabas ng gate.

Nginitian ko siya nang alanganin. Pero mali yata 'yung naging pagtawag niya sa 'kin dahil pagkatapos no'n, unti-unting nabaing sa 'kin ang atensyon ng lahat. May mga nakangisi. May mga kinikilig. Halo-halo.

Hey, did I do something wrong?

I saw how the crowd slowly divided into two, followed by the sudden appearance of a man holding a bouquet of red roses and an accoustic guitar. He was walking slowly towards my direction. He walked with a smile. A big smile.

Butterlfies started to play inside my stomach. My heart was almost leaping out of my chest. I got goosebumps out of the blue.

Ano ba 'tong nararamdaman ko? Bakit ako kinikilig? Bakit ako kinakabahan? Bakit para akong mahihimatay anytime?

Small red candles were placed and arranged at the edges of the pathwalk. On the top of bermuda grasses were fresh petals of rose. Many students were holding a heart-shaped balloon, as if it was Valentine's Day during that tiring night.

Parang palakas na rin nang palakas ang tibok ng puso ko. This was the vey first time hat my heart reached its maximum happiness. Para bang kahit sumakit ang puso ko ngayon ay masaya pa rin akong maisusugod sa ospital.

When he stopped infront of me, he gave me the bouquet, but I felt like it was his heart that he was giving me. And I accepetd that while staring at him, without blinking an eye.

Why? Why are you giving me sweet tortures everytime? I asked myself during that time.

He held his guitar with his two hands. Slowly, he started to play with the strings. His eyes were talking. He was the sweetest mistake anyone would love to have. He was the music I would love to hear for the rest of my life.

Oo. In love na nga ako kay Richard Featherson Jr. Hindi ko alam kung kelan pa nagsimula. Pero ngayon ko lang nasigurado. Ngayong binabaliw niya 'ko sa kakaibang pakiramdam na 'to.

Sana siya na talaga ang para sa 'kin. Ayoko nang masaktan pa ulit.

Mahal ako ni Tisoy kahit na alam niyang nasaktan na 'ko noon. Mahal niya 'ko kahit may sakit ako sa puso. Mahal niya 'ko. Kahit minsan ay hindi siya napagod na mag-effort para sa 'kin. Kahit kelan ay hindi niya isinumbat sa 'kin ang mga ginagawa niya. He gave me everything.

For all the times I felt cheated

I complained, you know how I love to complain...

That song... God Gave Me You... Kahit kailan ay hindi ko narinig na inalayan ako ng lalaki ng ganyang kanta. But this man, he was singing with all his heart. With all his sould. He was the best gift God sent me, and he was thinking the same.

God gave me you, to show me what's real

There's more to life, than just how I feel

And now that I'm worth, it's right before my eyes

Now that I live for, though I didn't know why

Now I do... Cause God gave me you

Tuluyan nang tumulo 'yung mga luhang nagpupumilit dumaloy mula sa mga mata ko. Parang sasabog na ang puso ko sa sobrang saya. At mas lalo akong naluha nang makita kong may namumuo na ring tubig sa sulok ng mga mata ni Tisoy.

Hindi na natapos ni Tisoy 'yung kanta. Nakita ko ang paglandas ng mga luha sa magkabila niyang pisngi. Luhang kahit kailan ay hindi ipinagkaloob sa 'kin ng lalaking una kong minahal.

Lumuhod si Tisoy sa harap ko. Ibinaba niya 'yung gitarang hawak niya. He then reached for my hands. He was looking at my teary eyes.

"You're the greatest gift God has ever sent for me. Maine, please... Please be my girl. Please let me love you. Let me cherrish you and let me do anything and everything for you."

Natakpan ko ang bibig ko gamit ang isang kamay. Hindi ko akalaing sa ganitong paraan ako tatanungin ni Tisoy. Parang sasabog na talaga ang puso ko. Oo medyo masakit na, pero kaya kong kontrolin 'yung nararamdaman ng puso ko physically, but not emotionally.

I couldn't believe how this man loves me with all his heart.

Ito na po ba talaga 'yon, Lord? What something so good did I do to have this kind of gift from You?

Hinila ko patayo si Tisoy. Ibinalik ko ang mga kamay ko sa kamay niya. "Ikaw 'yung pinakamagandang nangyari sa buhay ko. I was fooled. I was hurt. But you came to unbreak my heart. Yes, Tisoy. Pumapayag na 'kong maging girlfriend mo."

"R-Really?" parang hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Tisoy habang titig na titig sa mga mata ko na para bang kinakabahan siya kung biro lang ang mga sinabi ko.

I placed my palm on his face. "Yes, yes."

Naiyak si Tisoy. Napangiti siya at napabuga nang malakas bago niya 'ko nagmamadaling niyakap. "Thank you."

Napangiti na lang din ako habang umiiyak. Real men cry, at napaksuwerte ko dahil umiyak sa harap ko ang isang lalaking gaya ni Tisoy.

"I love you," he said out of the blue.

Wala sa sariling napahigpit ang yakap ko sa kanya. "I love you too."

Hindi nagtagal nang marinig naming nagpapalakpakan at naghihiyawan ang mga kapwa namin estudyanteng nanonood sa live na drama naming dalawa. But I don't care. I was too happy during that moment to think of anything.

Lord, salamat po para sa ibinigay Niyong regalo. Wala na po akong mahihiling pa sa buhay ko.