She's at the bar pool wearing two piece black bikini. Gosh! She's just seventeen.
Napatingin si Vhal dito at nakita niyang kasama ni Zacharie si Natalie. Damn, siya ba talaga ang nakaupo sa bar stool?
Her hair was in a messy bun. She's wearing an off shoulder two piece white bikini, fuck. He could see from afar her gorgeous shoulders.
"Fuck!" He cursed when he saw a lot of men were checking out on her. "C'mon, Riley" hindi niya napigilan ang sariling puntahan ito.
"Hi, I'm Lyle and these are my friends" then he introduced those motherfuckers. "You are?"
"I'm not interested" sabay talikod ni Natalie. Vhal smirked. Atta girl!
"We're a fan" sambit pa ng Lyle. "Can I buy you a drink?" He insisted.
Vhal clenched his fist, magkamali lang ito ng kilos ay hindi niya na mapipigilan ang sarili.
"Mister whoever you are, my friend said she's not interested so back off!" Zacharie said. Nagtangis ang bagang ng lalaki, oh so he doesn't take no for an answer.
"What the--" he grabbed Natalie's arm and forced her to turn around but before he did what he wanted to do, isang malakas na suntok na ang dumapo sa pisngi ni Lyle. "Vhal!"
"Hey!" Pumagitan si Riley. "C'mon guys, hindi lang kayo ang tao dito so don't make a scene!"
Nagtangis ang bagang ni Vhal,ganun din ang lalaki habang pinipigilan ng ibang kasama.
"Vhal.." kumalma si Vhal nang marinig ang boses ni Natalie. She's at his back, shielding her.
"Let go of me!" Sigaw ni Lyle. "We're not yet done, Valerian Fernandez" banta nito at umalis na.
Napasapo si Riley sa sentido. "What the hell is wrong with you, Vhal? Bakit mo naman sinuntok!"
"Kuya.." pigil ni Zacharie sa kapatid. "Not here"
Hindi na pinakinggan ni Vhal si Riley bagkus hinarap si Natalie. Her face looked flushed, worry was written all over her face.
"Natalie" He cupped her face. "Are you okay?"
Biglang nagiba ang expression ng mukha ni Natalie. Iniwas nito ang sarili kay Vhal at inayos ang pagkakatayo.
"Of course, I'm okay. T-tama si Riley, you didn't have to do that. I'm u-used to it, you should have let me handle it" ani Natalie at bumalik sa bar stool.
Napakunot ang noo ni Vhal. What the hell did she just say? He should have let her handle it? Kung hindi nga siya dumating ay baka kanina pa siya napahamak!
"Kuya Vhal, you have to calm down" ani Zacharie. Hindi na nagsalita si Vhal at nagwalk out na lang. "Weird ni Kuya Vhal" ani Zach.
Patay malisya si Natalie sa narinig. "W-weird?"
"Yes, sa magpipinsang lalaki kasi si Kuya Vhal ang pinakakalmado. Mainitin kasi mga ulo ng iba, palibasa madaming pinoproblema" Zach said. "But now, ang weird talaga. Ngayon ko lang nakita na ganyan kagalit at the same time, worried si Kuya Vhal"
Tahimik lang si Natalie at bumili pa ng inumin. Magandang ibuhos na lang sa alak ang iniisip niya ngayon, this is not good for her.
"Matagal na ba kayo magkakilala ni Kuya Vhal?" Tanong ni Zacharie.
Natigilan si Natalie at sandaling may naalala.
"Happy Birthday to you.. happy birthday to you..happy birthday happy birthday...happy birthday to you!" Pagkanta nito habang hawak ang chocolate cake na may kandila na nakasindi.
He's wearing a party cup too, pang children's party!
"Thank you, Hon" nangilid ang mga luha niya as she blew her candle at hinalikan niya si Vhal sa labi.
"Happy 23rd Birthday, Hon. It's already been eight years, parang kailan lang highschool pa tayo but look at you now, you aged gracefully." Ani Vhal.
"My birthday's were always special since then. Thank you, Hon.. you were the best gift I had. Looking forward to spend my next birthdays with you"
Biglang lumuhod si Vhal sa harapan niya. Natalie gasped! She's not prepared for this.. not now..
"I can't wait to spend not just your next birthdays but the rest of my life. You were the reason why I came this far, Natalie. So please.." nilabas nito ang isang blue velvet box.
Hindi na napigilan ni Natalie ang luha.
"B-but Vhal, you're at the peak of your career. H-hindi ba iyon muna ang priority mo?"
"Hindi ba sasamahan mo naman akong maabot ang pangarap ko? And I could still reach that, as long as you're with me" binuksan na nito ang box and she saw a familiar ring.
It wasn't just a diamond ring, she knew that ring, it was from his grandmother.
"Madami ng pinagdaanan ito but look, matibay pa rin. I would like to give this to you because this ring means a lot to me and my family, it symbolizes eternity and that's what I want us to be.. forevermore" kinuha nito sa box ang singsing at tinapat sa kanya.
"So will you be mine, forever?" He choked. "Will you marry me?"
Tumango si Natalie. "Yes!"
He cried too, as he slipped the ring on her finger and kissed it. Pagkuwa'y tumayo siya at hinalikan ito.
After eight long years and this is it! She would marry the love of her life, the man of her dreams!
"No" she went back to her senses. "But who wouldn't know him? C'mon he's Valerian Fernandez, number 2.6"
"Yeah, who would believe that he could be the best and famous racer. It was just a childhood dream, lahat kami nagbago na ng gusto siya hindi pa rin and look at him now." Kwento pa ni Zacharie.
Natalie smirked and drank her shot.
I do. I believed.
Chapter IV
Start from the beginning
