His Personal Driver

HPD 39.2

"Huh? Wala namang music ehh."

"Basta."

Hinila na niya ako payakap sa kanya. Natawa na lang ako at nagsimula na kaming sumayaw kahit walang tugtog. Parang pagmamay-ari namin ang lugar. Nakakatuwa dahil parang may mga sariling mundo rin ang mga taong namamasyal dito.

Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa dibdib niya. Rinig na rinig ko ang bawat tibok nito.

The funny thing there is that habang sumasayaw kami at naririnig ko ang heartbeat niya, parang iyon ang nagiging music sa tainga ko. And that's the most romantic music I've ever heard in my life.

"Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
I... I will be here
If in the dark we lose sight of love
Hold my hand and have no fear
'Cause I... I will be here

I will be here
When you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind
I will listen
And I will be here
When the laughter turns to crying
Through the winning, losing and trying
We'll be together
'Cause I will be here"

Nagulat ako nang bigla ko siyang marinig na kumanta.

Mahina lang ang boses niya pero dahil magkayakap kami, sapat na para marinig ko ang boses niya. Ito ang unang beses kong marinig siyang kumanta. At nakakagulat dahil nasa tono siya.

"Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I... I will be here
As sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
So I... I will be here

I will be here
And you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you
And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here..."

Napapangiti ako habang patuloy siyang kumakanta.

Pakiramdam ko tumatagos sa puso ko bawat lyrics na binibigkas niya.

"I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me"

Hindi ko namamalayang tumutulo na pala luha ko.

Paul's POV

I so much love her.

Do I need to say more?

I actually don't sing. I don't even know why I did that now.

The first time I remember I sang was on Mom's last birthday. She asked me to sing for her as my gift on her birthday. That was actually also the last time I did that before this night.

After singing, hinarap ko siya sa akin.

Iyakin talaga itong mahal ko.

"Actually hon, I'm planning to do this tomorrow. But I realized that many things could happen now, later, and tomorrow. So I said to myself, bakit ko pa kailangan ipagpabukas ang mga bagay na pwede namang gawin ngayon, di ba?"

She looks so puzzled.

I smiled.

I get something in my pocket at dahan-dahang lumuhod sa harap niya.

"Shana, my first love or Sherlyn Arpiza Valencia, my life. Will you grant me a happy ending in this story with you? W-Will you marry me?"

I opened the small box in front of her.

I already bought this ring few months ago. I've been preparing myself how many times for this moment, practicing what to say and thinking what to do.

Then, she cried again.

She nods.

"Y-Yes?" I asked her.

"Siyempre naman. Yes na yes!"

And this time, it is me who cried.

I'm one of the happiest and luckiest guys now in this world. I don't know how to express my happiness. I hugged her so tight.

"I love you so much, Sherlyn."

"Mahal na mahal rin kita, Paul."

"T-Thank you for giving me a happy ending with you."

"No, hon. Hindi ako naniniwala sa happy ending because for me, true love has no ending. Choosing to spend my whole life with you is not about living happily ever after, but about living happy whatever happens after."

She managed to say even though she's crying.

I smiled.

Slowly, i kissed her.

I kissed her ears and promised to myself to listen even when she doesn't speak. I kissed her forehead and promised to myself to respect her decisions. I kissed her lips and promised to myself to trust her words.  I kissed her throat and promised to myself to always hear what she had to say. I kissed her with enough gentleness on the left side of her chest where I can hear something beating, and promised to take good care of it. I kissed her lips again and promised to myself that this will be the last lips that I'm going to kiss for the rest of my life.