When We Were Young

Dancing in the Moonlight

"So... Let me get this straight." I said as I looked at her fondly. "You've been to 26 provinces already, and you haven't seen at least one tourist spot while you were there?" I was still surprised.

She shook her head.

"It's not like I went there as a tourist. Pumunta ako sa mga lugar na yun to help people from depressed and devastated areas." Gabi sounded defensive.

We were walking on the dark streets of the plaza. Kanina pa kami palakad-lakad na para bang ayaw naming bumalik sa shelter. We were so engrossed with our conversation- well, at least I am. Sana sya din natutuwa na makasama at makausap ako.

Madilim ang paligid, pero may mga poste naman ng ilaw na nagbibigay ng liwanag. I go a little crazy every time the light from the lamp posts beam on Gabi's face. Her soft features become clear and I get a glimpse of her flushed cheeks. I steal glances of her lips that looked like a sweet candy that I would want to suck and nibble on. And when she looks back at me with her doe eyes that sparkled like stars, my insides start to melt. How can this girl be so beautiful and not know it?

"You're staring at me again." Gabi pushed me a little.

"I can't help it when you make the light from all the lamp posts here seem dull." I chuckled. But I am 100 percent sincere.

"Niloloko mo na naman ako eh. Susumbong talaga kita kay ninong Calen at ninang Harmony."

Not a few meters away, I saw a stop light and an idea popped in my head.

"Tara!" I held Gabi's hand and we ran to the stop light. It's a relief she's not wearing heels, though.

Hinila ko sya papunta sa gitna ng kalsada kung saan nakatapat yung stop light. May mga puting linya sa daan. We stood on a pedestrian lane on one side of the intersection. We could see the stop light changing from red, to yellow, to green.

"Ano ka ba? Baka masagasaan tayo." She said as she looked around slightly panicking.

"It's almost 12 midnight already. People here would be in their homes now. Well... except for those horny teenagers from the prom. " I joked.

"What are we doing then?" Hinawi pa nya yung full bangs nya to the side and I got to see her clearly as the moonlight illuminated from her face. She looked like an angel. No. She looked more like a fairy. No. A pixie. No. I don't know, actually. But she looked so damn beautiful that I wanted to kiss her.

I would have.

I could have.

But, I didn't.

I have to respect her lips. I have to earn it. I have to be deserving of her sweet candy lips. So, instead, I fixed her bangs back to how it was before- falling full on her forehead.

"Don't let me see so much of you, yet. I might not be able to take things slow." I said.

I held her hand, placed it on my shoulder. I put my hand on her waist and held her free hand with the other.

"Are you actually pulling off a 'The Notebook' move on me? 'Cause if you are, it won't work." She shook her head lightly. "I am an 'A Walk To Remember' kind of girl. Plus, you don't look like a guy from a lumber yard in that sweater."

"Believe it or not, this is really not for you. This is for me."

Her brows furrowed. I started to sway us from side to side. Gabi was just smiling at me with a confused look on her face- still trying to figure me out.