"Miss Delavine, Miss Minami, the dinner is served at the lobby," agad kaming natigil sa pagaayos ng gamit ni Chantel ng dumating na ang Bellboy.
"Susunod na kami," I said and grabbed my phone before I faced Chatel. "Tara na sa baba Paige," CHantel nodded and we both went out of our room, we decided to be in the same room kahit nalabag sa loob ni Gun wala siyang nagawa nong sinabi ni Chantel na kami ang magkasama sa isang room.
We're here for Zoey Milendez's birthday. She's the daughter of a great investor of the company and she's friends with us, lalo na kay Cad. Also she's the finance manager's girlfriend, that's why we're all invited here.
Also my brother suddenly showed up here together with his unknown girl.
As we both stepped out of our room kasabay din non ang paglabas nila Cad, my brother and Gun. "Hey," Gun instantly pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms around my waist, but Chantel force to take me away from Gun and say,"She's mine!"she said.
Gun just looks at me before he laughs at Chantel's reaction and just gives in. lumapit na lag si Gun kay Kuya at kay Cad.
As the door open through the lobby at sabay-sabay kaming pumasok sa loob, agad kong nakita sila Aberry, Lana and Alliana na nakaupo sa long dining table. Nandito rin sila?
I was busy talking with Chantel so when we all sat together I just looked at them and smiled before I continued talking to Chantel.
"Do you feel it?" Chantel suddenly whispered at me when we both felt an intense atmosphere here. I glance at Aberry and I know there's something wrong around here but I don't wanna barge in.
This would probably be an issue...
"It feels tense tho" I whispered back and looked at Aberry and Lana who looked so uncomfortable in here.
The dinner went well, and all Zoey did is to tell how happy she is with her Boyfriend, after dinner umakyat na din kami sa room namin and Gun texted me to scroll around the place, kaya nagpaalam ako kay Chantel. "Paige labas lang ako samahan ko lang si Gun saglit," I said and walk towards the door.
First, she rolled her eyes at me and said, "Yeah go, enjoy" she teases.
"Sira," tumawa ako bago lumabas at sinara ang pinto.
Bago ko pa bitawan ang door knob ng pinto agad na akong hinila ni Gun na naghihintay na pala sa labas, he pulled me on my waist and kiss me as soon as I face him.
"I hate Chantel for taking you away!" he pouted, "Aww kamukha mo si Charvy Beb" biro ko na agad niyang tinawanan. "Of Course, he's my baby haha," sambit niya.
Charvy is at my Mama's house right now, dahil walang magbabantay sa kanya sa condo lalo na nandito kami hanggang sunday. "Where are we going?" tanong ko sa kanya, hinawakan niya ang aking kamay kaya sabay kaming naglakad papuntang tabing dagat kung saan buhay na buhay ang paligid dahil sobrang daming stall and mini bars dito.
"I wanna get some tattoos, Beb," he said when we stopped at a tattoo stall. Tinignan ko muna siya bago tinignan ang stall.
"Anong ipapatattoo mo?" tanong ko sa kanya, nag-isip muna siya bago sumagot.
"Your name on my wrist," he said and wink at me, "Seryoso?" tanong ko at agad naman siyang tumango.
I purse my lips before I glance at the tattoo artist and look back at him, sigh and said, "Ok, ako din," sambit ko na ikinagulat niya. "Ikaw din? You sure, it's painful Beb" sabi niya.
"I want your name on my wrist too," pursigido kong sagot, kung gagawin niya ito para sa akin gagawin ko din para sa kanya.
"Ok if that's what you want," he said with a sound of defeat and started talking to the tattoo artist.
Nauna siya sa akin para daw hindi ako kabahan, pero sa totoo lang kahit nauna siya o hindi kinakabahan pa rin ako pero kaya ko ito.
"Done," the tattoo artist said after 40 minutes of the tattoo session, "Ashiena" Gun whisper as he looks at the final look of his tattoo, my name.
"Ok ako naman" lakas loob kong sambit at umupo na sa harap ng tattoo artist, yong puso ko parang tatalon na mula sa aking dibdib, dahil sa sobrang lakas ng pagtibok nito. "Hindi naman ganun kasakit Beb," Gun whispered in my ears to cheer me up, I nodded with determination and smiled at him before I offered my wrist to the tattoo artist.
"Ok, let's start," the tattoo artist said and started working. Hinawakan ko ng sobrang higpit ang kamay ni Gun habang tinatattooan na ako, kahit maliit lang ito masakit siya.
"Malapit na," the tattoo artist said when he noticed me have teary eyes already.
"Gunner," Gun read my tattoo when the tattoo artist let go of my hand and fix his things. Gun kissed my forehead before he hugged me and whispered, "You're so strong Beb," proud niyang sambit.
After that we just eat at the seafood stall and go back to our room after, "Beb sa room ko na lang kaya ikaw matulog," hindi niya ako binibitawan ngayong nasa harap na kami ng room namin ni Chantel.
"No, hindi pwede hahanapin ako ni Chantel," sambit ko kaya sumimangot siya at hinalikan ang aking kamay, nagpapacute niya din akong tinignan. Pero hindi pwede hanapin ako ni Chantel at nagpromise ako sa kanya na dito ako matutulog.
"Tskk," he said and just kiss me on the lips and walk at his room, tumawa ako at pumasok na sa loob ng kwarto namin ni Chantel.
Pagpasok ko sa loob ay tulog na si Chantel habang nakaharap sa cellphone, akala ko bukas pa ang phone niya dahil nanunuod siya but when I check it nakita ko si Kace pinapanood si Chantel matulog.
How sweet...
Hinayaan ko na lang iyon at natulog na, iniwasan kong tamaan ang aking right hand ko dahil medyo makirot pa ang tattoo.
Kinabukasan ay nagising akong wala na si Chantel sa kama niya at nung nakarinig ako ng tunog ng shower sa banyo, I know she's taking a shower already, kaya kumuha na lang ako ng book sa bag ko at nagbasa ng konti.
Pagkalabas ni Chantel ng banyo ay agad niya akong tinanong "What time did you go back last night?" tanong niya at sinimulang i-dryer ang kanyang buhok.
"Almost 11 I guess, naabutan ko pa ngang pinapanuod ka ni Kace kagabi. Good thing he didn't notice me." I said and I know that will make her blush, at tama nga ako namula siya.
Maya-maya pagkatapos niyang mag-ayos nagpaalam, "I'll just take a walk at the beach, be back later."
"Ok ingat," I said.
Naiwan lang ako sa room maghapon at nagbasa lang, Gun stay with his friends. And pagdating ng hapon dumating na si Chantel kaya nag ayos na rin kami para sa party ni Zoey ngayong gabi.
I just wore a simple one-piece white bandeau swimwear with big black horizontal lines on it and topped it up with denim short shorts, for my footwear was just a black slip-on slippers.
Itinali ko lang din ang buhok ko ng mababang ponytail at tumuloy na sa venue ng party.
"This night was the most special moment of my life now I'm turning 23 and I feel so old na but still look pretty right, I would not end up here without the people who supported me from the very start, Mom Dad thank you so much you give me everything I need and all the best for me you are the best... also to my man who's standing over there, his my inspiration and my future Hi Babe I love you so much please don't leave my side," Zoey said in front and all of us just listen to her.
Then when the real party started Gun took me away from Chantel and went on the beach.
"Saan tayo pupunta?" tanong ko ng mapansing medyo lumalayo na kami sa party.
"Kuya," Gun called a guy from here, I saw he mouthed something to that guy before we stopped in front of the little boat.
"Saan tayo pupunta!?" naguguluhan kong tanong sa kanya, nginitian niya ako bago may itinuturo at sinabi, "There," he said, nang tignan ko ang tinuturo niya isang round floating mini gazebo na puno ng fairy lights, medyo malayo siya pero dito pa lang nakikita ko na ang ganda nito.
"Tara," sabi niya at binuhat ako pasakay ng bangka at pinaandar na nong lalake ito papunta doon. Hindi na ako makapagsalita dahil sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko, hindi ko ineexpect ang ganitong bagay ngayong gabi.
"Thank you Kuya," sambit ni Gun ng buhatin niya ako pababa ng bangka at binaba dito sa gazebo na ito, sobrang ganda... may table sa gitna, it's dinner date.
"Sige ho, Boss tawagan niyo na lang po ako pagpapasundo na kayo," sabi nito bago umalis at naiwan kaming dalawa dito ni Gun.
Hinarap niya ako at ngumiti, "Surprise," he said and chuckled.
Nginitian ko siya at unti-unting napaluha, nilapitan ko siya at niyakap. "Ano na naman ba ito, sobrang daming surprises!!" sambit ko kaya mas natawa siya.
"Napapansin ko kasi na laging kang stress out sa trabaho and that makes you sad, even though you try your best to hide it ramdam ko. I want to make you happy so I did this, I plan this after seeing you working so hard," what he said made me cry, even more, biglang naramdaman ko ang depression ko sa trabaho.
The thought that I can't do better on my job even though I try my best, laging palpak at hindi ko na nagagawang maging masaya sa trabaho ko. That's what's stressing me the most, the fact that I can't even feel the fun at my job.
Because I always fail...
"Shhh don't cry na, hinanda ko ito para maging masaya tayo ngayong gabi," Gun said and wipe my tears, bago niya ako pinaupo sa upuan at pinaghandaan ng pagkain.
He served me fish fillet with mash potato and salmon slices.
"Let's eat," he cheerfully said, and I nodded.
"Beb always remembers this, you are great in every single thing you do in my eyes. Let's not care about what other people will think of us. What's important is what's between the two of us. We can live with that right," seryoso niyang sambit at hinawakan ang aking kamay.
Tama siya, he's all I need to survive!
"Yes," I said.
He's all I need.