M i k h a
"Good Morning, Love!" I greeted her. I got a lot of energy today because of excitement. I prepared something for Aiah and I hope she'll like it.
Nagising ako ng maaga para puntahan si Aiah ngayong araw since weekend naman. Wala ang parents niya today dahil sa isang business trip. Kilala naman na ako ng mga katulong at parang bahay ko na rin 'to simula pa dati kaya pinadiretso na nila ako sa second floor kung nasaan ang kwarto ni Aiah. I knocked at her door and here she is now, with a woke up like this face opening the door for me.
"Good Morning," she greeted back. She kissed me on my cheek before letting me enter her room.
"Ang ganda mo pa rin kahit bagong gising," I told her, admiring her beauty. I mean, sinong hindi? She's effortlessly gorgeous. What should I expect? She came from a family of beauty queens. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung bakit hindi na siya sumasali sa mga pageants ngayon when she's uses to doing that before. I understand, though, maybe she realized that it's not what she wants to do.
"Bola," she took a few seconds before responding dahil inaayos niya ang higaan niya. Kagigising lang siguro talaga niya pagdating ko.
"I'm stating a fact, love. Even if you're not, you're still beautiful in my eyes." I told her.
She walked towards me while I was sitting on the couch on the corner and sat beside me. She suddenly gave me a hug.
"Any problem?" I asked.
"Wala naman, baka gusto mo lang ng yakap kasi nambobola ka eh." She joked.
"Hindi naman pero pwede na rin." I also wrapped my hands around her. We stayed like this for a few minutes and it felt safe. She's my safe haven, my home, my sanctuary of peace. She is, and I hope I am hers too.
"Okay, done with this. Maliligo na ako para makapunta na tayo sa kung saan man tayo pupunta." Kumalas ako sa pagkakayakap sa kaniya at tumayo na rin siya para magtungo sa bathroom niya.
I just scrolled on my phone habang hinihintay siyang matapos sa ginagawa. I suddenly saw a picture of two couples having a prenup photoshoot. They look so in love in the future. I wonder if Aiah and I would be in that position in the near future. I hope so.
I'm suddenly becoming emotional so I scrolled it up and look for some funny memes to divert my attention. Pagkatapos ng mahigit 30 minutes ay lumabas na si Aiah na nakabihis pero basa pa ang buhok.
She smiled at me before sitting on her dresser. I walked towards her and offered to dry her hair using the blower.
"Love," I broke the silence between us. "Kapag tinangay tayo ng hangin sa magkaibang direksyon, I hope we're still going to find each other."
I have doubts, always. Gaano ko man pigilan ay naiisip ko pa rin ito paminsan-minsan. Natatakot ako sa mga posibilidad pero wala naman akong magagawa kundi maging masaya at kuntento dahil hindi pa namin binibitawan ang isa't isa.
"I hope so, too." She replied. Tinapos ko na ang pagpapatuyo sa buhok niya habang nagme-make up siya. Palagi kong sinasabi sa kaniyang hindi naman niya kailangan 'yon dahil maganda siya pero nagpa-pout lang siya bilang tugon.
After fixing herself and her things, umalis na kami ng bahay nila. As usual, I am the driver. She knows how to drive pero I always insist na ako na lang because I always want to make sure that she's safe. She's not a reckless driver, though.
"Saan tayo? I haven't eaten breakfast yet. Let's grab some brunch." She said.
Tumango ako, "I know a place, for sure nami-miss mo na 'yon."
"Well, let's see."
It took 15 minutes before we reached our destination. Nakita ko ang pagkamangha sa mukha niya nang makita kung nasaan kami ngayon. I knew it, she missed it.
"Gosh, this looks so new." Puna niya sa high school gate na tinitingnan niya mula sa bintana ng sasakyan. Last time, we went on our previous elementary school and now, we're on our high school. This is where our love story began.
Memories of high school us flashed back on my mind. Our smiling faces everytime we enter and went out of the school's premises. Parang naamoy ko tuloy ang paborito naming turon sa canteen. Good old days. Tatlong taon pa lang ang nakalipas pero parang ang tagal na mula noon.
"Dito tayo kakain? Wala namang canteen since Sunday?" She asked, halatang gutom na.
"Tara," aya ko sa kaniya. Bumaba ako ng kotse at dali-daling pinagbuksan siya ng pintuan. Nang makalabas na siya ng sasakyan, I took a few steps and pointed on an old eatery sa tapat ng school.
"Dito," I said with conviction. "Dito tayo kakain."
I saw how her eyes widened upon seeing the eatery. She smiled at me as if she was really happy. Cute. A face I will not rant about kahit na minu-minuto ko pang makita.
"It's still here? Last year 'di ba nagpunta tayo dito tapos sarado na?" She recalled.
"Yes, napadaan ako dito last week kasi may inutos si Mommy tapos nakita kong bukas na sila." Pagkukuwento ko.
"Tara! I'm really hungry." Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at dire-diretsong naglakad papasok ng canteen habang hatak-hatak ako. She's really excited and hungry, huh?
"Ate Kara!" She shouted upon entering the eatery. I just laughed because there are some people eating inside who looked at her pero kalauna'y nainis rin dahil hindi na natanggal ang tingin nila. I wrapped my hands around her waist and gave a dagger look to the boys who were looking at her. Sorry, taken.
Ate Kara smiled at us. She's the daughter of the owner of this eatery. Palagi kaming kumakain dito noon kaya naging kaibigan na rin namin siya. Sila pa rin pala ang may-ari nito.
"Where's Manang Sita?" I asked. Manang Sita is her mother, the owner of this eatery. It has been here for 20 years and it's because of their best tasting pares na paborito namin ni Aiah.
Her smile faded when she heard my question. Nagkatinginan tuloy kami ni Aiah na parehas na naguguluhan.
"She died last year kaya pansamantala naming isinara ang eatery. Binuksan lang ulit namin 'to noong nakaraang linggo. That's her last wish eh, to keep this business alive."
"We're sorry for your loss." Aiah said.
"Sorry for my question, Ate Kara." I added.
Umiling lang siya at sumenyas na ayos lang iyon. She gave us a seat and asked for our orders. Kaunti lang ang tao ngayon dito maybe because it's weekend, siguro kung weekday kami pumunta dito ay mahihirapan kaming makakuha ng upuan.
"It's sad, Manang Sita has the best pares in town." She's pointing while saying that. Pinisil ko ang ilong niya kaya't nainis na naman siya sa'kin.
"Ang epal mo talaga," she told me.
"Sa'yo lang eepal," I laughed.
"Ang corny mo, Mikhaela." Inirapan niya ako pero natawa na rin sa kagagawan naming dalawa.
"Ang sweet niyo pa rin," Ate Kara said while putting our orders on the table. "Ganiyang ganiyan kayo kahit dati pa."
"I guess some things hasn't changed yet." Pagyayabang ko. Tinawanan lang ako ni Ate Kara saka nagpaalam na maiiwan na kami.
We ate silently because we were both hungry and we really missed the food here. We were both full when we finished eating kaya hindi agad kami nakatayo sa kinauupuan namin para umalis.
"It's amazing, right?" Aiah said. "Hindi nagbago 'yong taste ng food nila kahit na you know, nawala nga si Manang Sita."
"Parang feelings ko lang 'yan sa'yo, hindi magbabago." Kinindatan ko pa 'to. It sounds cringey in my own ears but well, love makes us do dumb things.
"Ewan ko sa'yo, Mikha. Gutom ka pa ba?" She rolled her eyes at me but I can see her face blushing.
"Sus, kinikilig ka naman eh." I teased her.
"Whatever."
After a few minutes, we decided to go to church before our final agenda for today. Naalala ko na naman tuloy 'yong nakita kong prenup photoshoot kanina.
I suddenly imagined our own wedding someday. Masyado akong advanced mag-isip but that's just it, I just couldn't imagine losing Aiah in my life.
"Lord, I will not pray for anything else for you are giving me more than enough. Sorry for all the sins I've done and will be doing. Thank you for those blessings you're giving me everyday, especially this girl beside me. All I wish for is her hands holding mine forever. I hope she won't get tired, I hope she will not give up because I know in myself that I will never ever do that. I also do hope that she could find all the answers to the questions and things she's seeking for. I wish her all the best. I love her as much as I love You, Lord." I prayed.
"Love," I called her while we were walking towards somewhere. The sun was already setting and it felt romantic while I was holding her hands.
"Yes?" She asked. She looked at me and smiled at me.
"I prayed for you," I told her and her tears started falling.