After We Happened

XXX. The First One

Kabanata 30

The First One

I'm so happy. To the point na wala na atang makakapantay sa sayang nararamdaman ko sa ngayon.

I'm driving on our way home while I was holding her other hand. Namiss ko 'to. Yung ganito kami. Yung kasama ko siya kapag nagda-drive ako.

Roadtrips. Adventures. Madalas naming gawain 'yun... noon. Everything was well way back then. After everything, I was still thankful. We're still together and even though those things happened, at least, we learned a lot through those experiences.

"Uhm, about dun sa box..." sabi niya.

Yung box?!

Muntik ko ng makalimutan yun ah!

"Si Deninn kasi e," sabi ko. "Sorry. Pinakelaman niya lang kasi 'yun tyaka kinuha sa cabinet ko. Pero, don't worry... ibibigay ko naman talaga 'yun sa 'yo," I explained.

"Nabuksan mo na ba?" I asked.

Well, bukas naman talaga 'yun. Hindi pa naman kasi ako tapos punuin 'yon! Maibigay-bigay ba naman ng kapatid ko! Tsk. Pakielamero talaga 'yung si words of wisdom boy.

"Hindi pa nga eh, baka mamaya?"

"Take your time..." I reminded her.

She nodded and after that silence occupied us again the whole drive. "Thank you," sabi niya ng nasa tapat na kami ng bahay nila. Bumaba na siya kaya bumaba din ako. She was about to open their gate when I called her name and she called mine too. Napangiti kaagad ako sa simpleng pagtawag niya sa pangalan ko.

"Bakit?" sabay pa naming tanong.

"Ikaw muna."

Sabay nanaman kaming nagsabi noon kaya tumawa siya. Maging ako, natawa. It was so nice seeing her smile again... like that. For years, I yearned for that smile. I wanted to see that smile. Sure, I'd always see her in magazines, television or even on her interviews, smiling and laughing... but those were different.

And her smile right now is different.

Why?

Because after four years, she finally smiled again... and after four years, I'm the reason why again. That's all I ever wanted... ang maging masaya siya ng ako ang dahilan.

"Uhm... ano, goodnight?" naguguluhan pang sabi niya sa akin.

Ngumiti ako sa kanya. "Daffney," I called, she asked me why. "Ako kasi hindi lang goodnight ang sasabihin ko... mayroon pa."

"A–ano?" she asked.

"Heto..." Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanya. Hanggang sa sobrang lapit na namin sa isa't-isa. My forehead was already touching her forehead. We were so damn close. Rinig na rinig ko 'yung malakas na kalabog ng puso ko.

Ikaw lang talaga ang nakakagawa at nakakapagparamdam sa akin ng ganito. Your effect on me... it never changed. Ganoong ganoon pa din, katulad nung dati. Katulad noong unang maramdaman ko 'to sa 'yo.

You closed your eyes... and so, I closed mine too.

Then, slowly, my lips met yours.

Ang sakit. Ang saya. Halo-halo 'yung nararamdaman ko habang hinahalikan ka. Mabilis lang iyon pero naramdaman ko lahat ng gusto kong maramdaman.

Those feelings never left.

Nareserve lang pala para sa pagbabalik mo.

The saying was right all along.