HOWEVER, CALEB still tried to deny it. Kelly laughed and gently tapped his Caleb's back.
"It's late. I'm going in now. " Pagsuko niya. Tumingkayad siya para maabot ang pisngi nito. Caleb remain standing and quiet.
Tumalikod na siya para pumasok na sa gate ngunit sumuko siya at napabuntung-hininga. She slowly glanced back at Caleb.
"When will you tell me about it?" She smiled, although not reaching her eyes.
"What?" He stepped back.
Ngumuso siya. "You like keeping things from me. Everyone knows but I don't. I'm your girlfriend but I'm always clueless with everything.. that involves you.. " Napatigil siya nang may dumaang sasakyan. The car lights brighten the road. It flashes.. enough for the both of them to clearly see each other for a while.
Kelly saw him off guard. Like he wanted to say something.. but decided not to. He was always like that. She smiled bitterly
"I'm sure I'm not the kindest girl you've met. You know how I look to people. You know that many are sick of my attitude. You know that I don't care with lots of things.. with other people.. what they feel and what they do.. I.. I don't care about it.. "
Right. She can become worst when she likes. She can hurt everyone around her with words. Her loved ones are not an exception. She can always be a witch in someone's story. And many can possibly see her as a villain.
Nasabi na niya ito noon. Some might already forgive her for the words she said.. but it will never be forgotten. Siya man o ang nasabihan niya.
"It's not true.. " Caleb made her went back to senses. "It isn't true that you don't care. You care a lot. You probably don't realize it. And what do you mean? That you need to give a damn care to everyone? Is that how you define someone as 'kind'?" Caleb held her hand. She tried to get away from it but his grip was too tight. Nanghina siya at hinayaan na lang tanda ng pagsuko.
"You're adorable, don't you know that?" He said softly. Napasinghap siya at unti-unting napaluha.
"I.. I curse a lot. Drinks a lot. Spend a lot. Is that being adorable?" Paglaban niya.
Kelly define adorable as someone who is worthy of adoration. What did she do to be worthy of that? Many might like her.. her fans. But that's because they simply like how she does her job. It wasn't because of her personality. If personality alone, majority of people probably hates her.
But because she's doing a good job.. fans still.. stay. They are fan of her work.. not of her as herself. That's the reality.
The fame, the name, the achievements.. hid one's self. It hid her.
"I'm the one who set my eyes on you so I know.. " he whispered.
Suminghot siya. "Liar.. "
Caleb chuckled. "It's true!" Tumingin ito sa kan'ya bago hawakan ng isang kamay ang bewang niya. His other hand reached her face to wipe her tears. "See? You're adorable. I remember your cupcakes in my bag before. You're so cute for putting lots of heart shapes in the card. " Humalakhak ito na ikinainis niya. How dare he reminisce about that?! It's so embarrassing! She doesn't even know if the cup cakes tastes good or just average!
"I'm sure one day, you'll wake up and realized that you're already sick of me.. " pagpilit pa niya.
"Hmm. Should we wait then? If I'll get sick of you?"
"Tingnan mo! Hindi ka pa sigurado!"
Caleb smiled and hugged her tight. "It's okay. It's okay to put too much time into thinking about how you view yourself. When time comes and you think negatively about yourself again, then I'll remind that you are not that bad as you think. But there's no need for me to prove that you're nice as you are… " Caleb kissed her forehead before leaning near her ear. "..I'm a good judge of character.. and I know how to choose the right one.. "
Her heart throbbed painfully. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit sa kabila ng magagandang inihayag nito, may parte parin sa pakiramdam niya ang nasasaktan.
I guess it's normal. We cry when we're happy. So it's also not impossible to feel pain when there's a happiness. Both are emotions felt by the heart. Both can be be excruciating if it's too much.
"You're still a liar.. " bulong niya.
"When did I lie? Can you tell me that?"
Ngumuso siya at nag-iwas ng tingin. "I guess it's not a lie since you didn't tell me words that is opposite of the truth. But still kept a secret. And for me.. it's not being honest in our relationship. "
Caleb nodded, trying to understand her.
Napaluha siya ulit at sumubsob sa dibdib ng lalaki. "You didn't tell me.. you didn't tell me that you need to leave! I waited for weeks for you to tell me but you didn't! Imagine my shock when Zadrick asked me if I'm going with you abroad! Alam nila lahat ako hindi!"
She cried. If might be a childish to someone but the feeling of not being told of something important.. something that she needs to know and something that she has the rights to know. For a while, she thought of not worthy to be trusted as he.. in simple words.. wasn't honest.
"How.. When did you.. " Caleb stopped talking. He groaned and pulled her for a tighter hug.
"Noong hinatid ako ni Zad sa Batangas. He suddenly asked. He thought I knew your plans. I just pretended that I know.. " She looked away when she remembered how stunned she is that time.
"I'm sorry. I didn't tell you because I don't have the plans to leave anyway.. " sabi nito. Nanlaki ang mata niya.
"Why.. it's a great opportunity and.."
"I can always find those opportunity here. "
Nanliit siya. "But you always wanted to build your own hotel in UAE. You want to go against the country with one of the most number of upcoming hotels. You want it to be large like the First World Hotel of Malaysia. "
"How did you know about that?" Gulat ito.
"Tss. I was your stalker, remember?" Sumimangot siya. He smirked.
"I already built a lot of hotels around the world. It's enough.. " he smiled.
No.. as long as you're living, the word enough is actually never enough.
"Well.. y-you can go. I-It won't take that long, I guess?"
"3-4 years or more. Depends on the square meters, the number of rooms and landscapes. "
Napasinghap siya. Wow.. that long.
Caleb saw her reaction. "If I went there, I'll be very busy. I can go back home from time to time but I can't stay long. So I don't want to built a hotel there.. " He crouched and caressed her hair. "I'm only waiting for the end of your contract. And once it end, I'll ask you to marry me. "
Nanlamig siya. Marriage.
"So no. I earn enough, anyway. Earning more will just means larger tax to pay. " Marahan itong tumawa.
Natahimik siya. She was silent all the time. Hanggang sa makapasok siya sa kwarto ay tahimik lang siya.
He'll ask me to marry, huh?
Oh my god. How could she react. That's too sudden. Well, hindi naman niya jinowa si Caleb para hiwalayan lang din kalaunan pero parang mabilis? Pero parang hindi rin ako naman. If it would happen once the contract ends, then well.. a year and some months? Kaya't hindi na rin masyadong mabilis kung iisipin?
Kumuha siya ng unan at itinago ang mukha roon. It's frustrating her! Sino ba dapat ang hingan niya ng advice? Si Freesia?
Kinuha niya ang cellphone at nag-umpisa nang magtipa ngunit itinigil niya nang may maalala.
"Freesia's not the right person to ask. That girl never experienced romance.. " bulong niya sa sarili at tumango-tango.
Kaya naman si Lily ang inabala niya.
Ako:
Hey! You busy? I heard you're not and just chilling on your shoot. I need to ask something. If you don't reply faster, I'll post lot of you're embarrassing pictures using my dummy account.
Hindi naman siya nabigo at agad naman itong nagreply.
Lily:
About what?
Lily:
And don't you dare post anything! You forgot that I have a compilation of your pictures from embarrassing to highly embarrassing!
She pouted.
Ako:
Okay, forget about my threat.
Ako:
I need to ask you about love life. I mean, you're not NBSB, right?
Lily:
You went to the wrong person. I'm very unlucky in that department. Go ask someone who's love life is in full bloom! Don't talk relationship to a single like me!
Ay, mali ba siya? Single pala 'to? Poor girl.
Ako:
Suggest someone. I don't want to think.
Lily:
Duh? Your sister-in-law?
Lily:
Anyway, bye. A single like me has a social life, too.
Should she ask Eli? That would very awkward, tho! Everytime she see Eli, her sister-in-law has always this housewife vibes. It's kind of intimidating, really.
Ayaw rin niyang abalahin si Agape dahil baka busy. Kaya si Eli na lang talaga choice niya!
Ako:
It's me, Kelly. Are you busy?
Napangiwi siya nang maisend iyon. Nakakahiya pero ayos lang 'yan. It's okay, Kelly Lane. There's always a phase like this. Being embarrassed is a part of life. It's not a crime.
Eli:
Yes? I'm not that busy. Is something bothering you?
Heto! Heto ang matino!
Ako:
Uh, well.. I just need to ask something very personal.
Eli:
What is it? You can tell me if it's okay with you.
Halos dasalan niya ang langit. May matino pa pala siyang makakausap.
Ako:
Someone just told me that he'll ask me for marriage! What do you think?
Eli:
Uhm.. don't you think that is something that you need to ask yourself? I'd like to help but I don't know the guy so my opinion will not matter.
Eli:
Since you're talking about marriage here, and you're part of that marriage if you'll say yes, you need to just think about what you feel. You need to know if you are ready in all aspects. I mean, what do you really want your life to be in the next years? Find an answer to that and you'll see.
Ah. Wala akong maintindihan.
Naiiyak na siya! Bwesit na Caleb 'yun! Nanggugulo ng utak!
But also.. agreeing on that means she's fine of Caleb not pursuing his goals.
Pero hindi siya okay doon. Kelly really wanted Caleb to finish his long time goal.
She can't push away Caleb just for him to go there because it would just hurt him. Sasaktan lang din niya ang sarili niya.
Napasabunot siya sa buhok at nagtaklob ng kumot. How can she sleep? She can't still process everything.
And indeed, she's wide awake all night.
Mugto ang mata niya kinaumagahan. Kelly thought about lot of things last night. Halos dumikit tuloy sa pader si Dana nang malakas niyang buksan ang pinto.
"M-Ma'am..g-good morning!"
"Morning.. " she weakly answered. "Prepare my coffee, please. And it should be sugar free and organic, you understand?"
"Sige po, ma'am!"
"What happened? You look.. " Gulat na tanong ng kapatid. Nandito pala 'to Pinasadahan siya nito ng tingin. A trash. Pagdudugtong niya sa isip.
"Tss. Don't mind me. "
"Eli asked me to check on you. Why? Someone dumped you?"
Kelly glared at brother. He laughed.
"Shut up. Go home now because I'm fine. "
Kelly dressed up neatly. She wore a plain brown trouser and an ivory top. Nang makilala siya ng guard ay agad siyang pinapasok.
"Girlfriend ni sir.. " Rinig pa niyang sabi ng guard sa kasama nang tanungin kung bakit hindi na chineck identification niya.
"Manang, girlfriend ni sir Caleb 'yan.. " sabi ng isang kasambahay nang marating niya ang entrada. Pinayungan pa siya ng ilang kasambahay.
"Ganoon ba?" Tiningnan siya ng babaeng may edad na tinawag na manang. Eto yata ang mayordoma. Ngumiti ito. "Pasok ka, hija. Si Caleb nasa kwarto nito. Puntahan mo na lang siya doon. " Nagsenyas ito ng isang kasambahay para ihatid siya.
"Pasok na lang kayo, Miss. "
Tumango siya at nagpasalamat. Huminga siya ng malalim at unti-unting hinawakan ang door know. She successfully opened it.
"I was about to go to your place.. " Gulat siyang tiningnan ni Caleb.
She chuckled. "Well, nauna ako. "
"Right. You always surprised me.. "
She bit her lip. "I.. I wil go back abroad later. " Nautal siya.
He nodded. "I'll go with you then. "
Agad siyang umiling. Umawang ang bibig ni Caleb sa ginawa niyang pagtanggi.
"I want to focus on my job now. This will be my last 2 years doing this job so I want to do my best 'til the end. "
Si Caleb naman ang napailing ngayon. "I know were this is going.. "
"I also want to marry you.. " pag-amin niya. Gumuhit ang gulat kay Caleb. "But then, I don't want you leaving the goal you realized you wanted to achieve even before loving me. It will make me very guilty, Caleb. "
Napapikit ito pero hinayaan siyang magsalita.
"It's beautiful.. " she smiled. "I asked my father and he shared some of your plans. It was amazing and beautiful. You already started planning it, right? Before we enter a relationship, you already started it. " Her lips quivered for suppressing her tears.
"You suddenly wanted not to do it. Ang ganda noon, Caleb. To see a hotel like that in the future will be a great wonder.. " Her sobse became more clear. She felt Caleb resting his heard on her neck.
"I'll wait. I can wait. So do what you really wanted to do. And go back to me.. " Naramdaman niyang may basa sa leeg niya. Napasinghap siya at mas hinigpitan ang pagyakap sa lalaki.
"And if you'll see me after years, smile at me if it's not me anymore.. " she said.
"And if it's still me you wanted to marry.. " She caressed his hair. "Kiss me, madly.. "
—
Sorry, couldn't update yesterday. Our f2f class will start in Monday so we're kind of busy with simulation and all.
Last chapter next then epilogue.