“Wait lang…Kailangan kong huminga!”
I said and withdraw from his tight hug. I looked at him with wide eyes. I held my chest feeling my fast and loud heartbeat. He’s just looking at me like, amused and enjoying my reaction.
“Totoo ba ‘to?” tanong ko sa kanya.
“Yeah.” He said in a husky voice and with a smile. “I love you so much, babe.”
“Babe?!” I asked hysterically. “Wait, tayo ba?”
“Dun ‘rin naman tayo pupunta!” sabi niya na parang wala ng pasensya.
He hugged again and kissed the side of my head. It felt so surreal. Am I dreaming? Kung panaginip ‘to pwede pakisampal? Jusko po!
“So…. tayo na?” he asked suddenly.
Pilit akong humihiwalay sa yakap niya pero sobrang higpit. Ayaw niya ata akong pakawalan. He just groan and hold my waist to stay still.
“Hindi ka pa nga nanliligaw.” I said and pouted. Tiningala ko siya at nakitang naka-ngisi sa sinabi ko.
“Meron pa ba ‘nun?” he teased. I wiggle from his hug, he just laughed. “Hindi na ko manliligaw dahil alam ko naman sasagutin mo ko.” He sounded so sure.
“Ang kapal mo naman Kuya Uno.”
Humiwalay siya sa yakap. He held his chest like he was offended. He raised his brow at me.
“If I court you, it will take more time.” He said seriously. Inabot niya ang kamay ko at tiningnan ako. “I want you right now. I want to have a label with you. I want a relationship with you.”
My heart was beating so fast right now. I can feel my face heating. Feeling ko sobrang pula ko na dahil sa mga nangyayari sa pagitan naming dalawa.
“O-okay.” I said to him. “I a-also want a relationship with you. W-will work things out.”
He smiled at me. Umiwas ako ng tingin dahil sa kahihiyan. He hugged me again. I can feel my heart bursting with so much happiness.
“Yeah…will work things out from now on, babe.” He said huskily. I can feel his warm breath in my ears. I send shivers down to my whole body. “We will create so many memories and love.”
We stayed in that position for a long time. He was kissing my forehead non-stop he keeps whispering sweet words into my ears.
“I just want to be with you. I just want you to be mine, and now it’s real.” He whispered and chuckled. I smiled.
Maybe love is a choice after all. I always dreamed of this kind of situation between me and him. Maybe, I was scared of letting him know about my feelings for him. But it’s over now. I’m happy, I’m happy for both of us.
Uso pala talaga ang crushback! Char!
Madami ata points ko kay Lord. Joke!
“Let’s go home.” He said and intertwined our hands. “Let’s meet my parents.”
“W-what?” I asked because I was shocked. “Ngayon na?”
“Yeah.” He answered like its nothing.
Ako ang nai-istress sa boyfriend ko. Ang ganda pakinggan. Jusko!
“Bakit naman ngayon? Di ba pwede bukas? Next week? Next month? Next year?”
Kumunot naman ang noo niya. He looks absolutely handsome. He raised a brow.
“You’re mine now so…” he said then shrugged.
Hindi na ako nakasagot dahil hinila niya na ako kung saan naka-park ang motor niya. Gaya ng dati, sinuotan niya ako ng helmet. Kahit pagsusuot ng helmet ay seryosong-seryoso siya kaya naman sobrang gwapo niya tingnan. Pagkatapos niya kong suotan ng helmet ay ngumiti siya sa akin. I just stare at him like a kid. Pagkatapos ‘nun ay sumampa na siya sa motor at sumunod naman ako.
He positioned my hand into his abdomen kaya naman nararamdaman ko ang abs niya. He make sure that I hold tightly.
“Hold on tight babe, baka mahulog ka.” He said to me. “Wait, nahulog ka na pala…sa akin.” He then chuckled.
Sumimangot naman ako sa sinabi niya at pinalo ang braso niya. He just said ‘ouch’.
“Alam mo, simula kanina na naging tayo, ang daldal mo na.”
He chuckled sexily. I can feel my butterflies roaming inside my body.
“I want you to see every side of me.” He said in a low baritone voice. “Especially the naughty side.”
From the way he said that I know he has a smirked plastered on his face. Kinurot ko tuloy ang tagiliran niya. Napa-aray naman siya. I cleared my throat to ease the atmosphere.
“Ready?” he asked. I nodded.
Habang nasa byahe kami papunta sa kanila ay kinakabahan ako. Meet the parents naman kasi agad.
Magugustuhan kaya nila ako?
Papayag ba sila sa ganitong relasyon?
Matatanggap kaya nila?
Kinakabahan ako para sa magiging reaksyon nila. Alam nila ako bilang Gabbie, at hindi Gabbie na boyfriend ng anak nila. Ayaw ko naman na ayawan ako lalo na si Uno. Hindi ko kaya.
Sa sobrang pag-iisip ay hindi ko na namalayan na nasa tapat na kami ng bahay nila. Una akong bumaba. Nang makababa na siya ay kinuha niya ang gitara niya at isnukbit sa likod niya. He again intertwined our hands. I know his looking at me. Nilingon ko siya.
“Kinakabahan ako.”
“Don’t be.” He said. “They will like you for sure.” He gave me an assuring smile.
Pumasok na kami sa malaki nilang gate. Alas otso na ng gabi at baka naghahapunan na sila Tita Katarina, nakakahiya naman. Tinanong ni Uno ang isang kasammbay kung nasaan sila at tama nga ako, kumakain na sila sa dining area ng pasta with meatballs and chicken ng madatnan namin. They looked at us, then down to our intertwined hands. Nakita kon tumaas ang isang kilay ni Tita Katarina habang nakatingin sakamay naming. Sumimsim naman ng wine si Tito Karlos, daddy nila, habang nakatingin sa kamay namin. Kumpleto silang lahat.
“Good evening everyone!” he called. “May sasabihin lang ako.”
Nasa amin ang lahat ng atensyon nila. Yumuko na lang ako dahil sa kaba.
“Kami na pala ni Gabbie.” He said to them smoothly like it was not a big deal. Inakbayan niya pa ko.
Silence was evident in all of us. Si Uno lang ata ang naka-ngiti sa aming lahat. I looked at them to see their reaction. Si Tita Katarina ay naka-buka ang bibig sa gulat pati na ‘rin ang iba. Si Kitty ay nahulog pa ang fried chicken dahil sa gulat. Si Ate Kath naman ay naka-hawak sa dibdib niya, gulat masyado.
“Oh My God!” Tita Katarina screamed. “Totoo ba ‘to?”
“Yeah.” Uno said coolly like it was nothing.
“Oh My God!” Tita Katarina then hugged me. I was shocked, so shocked that my body can’t react. “Totoo ba ‘to Gabbie?” I nodded at her, she smiled widely at me.
Wait, di sila galit? Nabigla ako ng yakapin ‘rin ako ni Ate Kath sa leeg. She kissed my cheek and whispered a lot of word pero hindi ko maintindihan dahil sobrang bilis. Si Kitty naman ay yinugyog ako kaya naman medyo nahilo ako.
I looked at Uno’s side. Kausap niya ang Daddy niya. Tinapik pa ng Daddy niya ang balikat at bumaling sa akin. He smiled at me. Hinila niya ako at inakbayan, like he was claiming his territory.
“Kailan pa ‘yan?” Tita Katarina asked while were eating dinner. She invited me to eat with them.
“Kanina lang.” Uno answered. “Kanina lang ‘din kami naging kami.’
“Finally Kuya!” Kitty exclaimed. “Hindi ka na torpe!” sabay irap.
So alam nila na may gusto si Uno sa’kin? I didn’t notice. Kaya pala Kitty would always asked me if Uno say something to me. Ito pala ‘yun!
After dinner ay umalis na ‘rin kami sa kanila. They say that I can stay for the night but it was awkward. Nakahinga na ‘rin ako ng maluwag pagkatapos ng nangyari. Akala ko ay hindi nila magugustuhan. Maybe because they know that Uno likes me for a long time? Naisip ko ‘rin na kung gusto ako ni Uno matagal na, ibig sabihin ay nagtataguan lang kami ng feelings sa isa’t isa. We don’t know but I can see that love takes time.
Pagkababa namin sa motor niya ay hinawakan niya na naman ang kamay ko. Pagkapasok ko sa bahay at nakita kong naghahanda sina Mama at Gianne para sa hapunan. Si Mama ay hawak hawak ang kaldero at si Gianne naman ay nag-aayos ng lamesa.
“Ma…” pagtawag ko. “naka-uwi na ko.”
“Gabbie! Buti naman at naka-uwi ka na. Gutom ka na ba anak?” tanong niya sabay tingin sa kamay naming ni Uno. “Oh Uno, ano na?
Tumikhim ako at tumingin kay Mama. Makahulugan ang tingin niya sa akin.
“Ma…si Uno, boyfriend ko.”
Nabitwan ni Mama iyong kaldero na may kanin. Bagong saing! Napahawak si mama sa bibig niya na gulat na gulat. Yinakap niya ako ng mahigpit. Yinakap niya ‘rin si Uno na balak sanang kunin ang kaldero sa sahig.
“Dalaga ka na anak.” Mama said hysterically.
I held my chest because of shock. Sa lahat ba naman ng pwedeng sabihin ‘yun pa! Narinig ko ‘rin ang halakhak ni Uno.
“Huwag po kayong mag-alala Tita, gagawin ko po siyang dalaga.” Uno said kaya naman pinandilatan ko siya. Ngumisi lang ang loko!
Habang kumakain kami ay panay ang tanong ni Mama kay Uno. Meron pa siyang ipinayo na hindi ko maintindihan. Si Gianne naman ay panay sundot sa tagiliran ko. Kapag tinitingnan ko siya ay tumataas-baba ang kilay niya. Pagkatapos naming kumain ay nagpa-alam na si Uno na uuwi na. Lagpas alas-dies na ‘rin kasi.
I’m super grateful na tanggap kami ng mga mahal namin sa buhay. They didn’t judge us, instead they show us that love has no gender. That love can be with anybody. We can love as long as we don’t hurt anybody.
We were labeled by the society for who we are. For instances that if you’re a man then act like it. If you’re a woman then be a woman. But when you’re in between, they think that is suck.
“I’m so happy.” I said to him. He smiled at me then ruffled my hair.
“Yeah…me too.” He then hugged me. “You make me happy. I love you.” He whispered.
“I love you.”
Kumalas ako sa yakap at tinulak siya para umuwi na sa kanila. He raised a brow at me.
“Umuwi ka na.”
“Five more minutes.” He whispered then hugged me. He kiss the side of my forehead.
I smiled at our position. I can feel his warmth. I feel comfortable with I’m with him. This is love. This is the love that I want.
“Umuwi ka na.” sabi ko ulit. He nooded at me.
“Goodnight babe…”he said huskily. “See you tomorrow.”