Chapter 30
<Mia's POV>
I don't know what's gotten into him pero...
Ang saya ko!
Kumakain na kami ng sundae and siya, as usual, sundae rin.
And hindi ko rin alam kung anong meron pero...
Andami kong kumain. Sunod-sunod na yung subo ko and pag-angat ko ng tingin, nahuli ko si LJ na pinapanood ako.
I just smiled at him.
"Hmm...kunin mo na to oh." Sabi ni LJ habang nakangiti at inabot yung sundae niya sakin.
"Hindi na. Nakakahiya...sayo na yan." Sabi ko.
"No. Go on, take it. Sayo na to." Sabi niya.
"Eh, LJ naman eh-" Sabay subo naman sakin ni LJ ng sundae.
"Sweetheart, huwag ka nga makulit. Pag sinabi ko, sinabi ko." Sabi niya.
Sweetheart?
Kanina pa siya tawag ng tawag sakin niyan ah?
Anong meron?
Pinagtitinginan narin kami ng mga tao at pinipicturan din kami.
"Thank you..." Sabi ko sabay ngiti.
Maya-maya lang, tapos na kami kumain at nagulat nalang ako ng bigla akong dalhin ni LJ sa may playground.
Napangiti ako.
"Hindi pa rin nagbabago..." Sabi ko.
"Yeah. We have lots of good memories here..." Sabi niya- "And we'll make a new one. Tara na!" Sabi niya sabay hila sa akin.
"Huy ano ka ba!" Kinarga niya lang ako at umakyat siya sa may slide.
Malaki naman yung playground and kasya kami pareho ang kaso....
"Bagay sila ano?" Sabi ng isang babae sa kasama niya habang pinapanood kami.
"Oo!" Sabi ng isang babae.
Nakaakyat na kami sa may slide na pinakamahaba. Sa lahat yata ng McDo at lahat ng playground eto yung may slide na mula sa second floor pababa ng ground eh.
Pinatong ako ni LJ sa lap niya and automatically, I said...
"Mabigat ako....nakakahiya-"
"Shh.." He said and kissed my cheek sabay slide niya. Tili lang ako ng tili at nagulat nalang ako ng halikan ako ni LJ sa lips.
And I closed my eyes and savored the moment.
Ang laki ng pinagbago ni LJ...and bumalik siya ulit sakin ngayon...
The bestfriend na namiss ko ng sobra-sobra.
Bestfriend na mahal na mahal ko bukod pa sa pamilya ko.
First love ko, first crush ko, my first everything.
And he's back.
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<LJ's POV>
Pagdating namin sa reception, umupo na kami sa tabi nila Mommy, Daddy, Tita, Tito and ni Tatay. Katabi rin namin sila Ate at Kuya.
Maya-maya lang, napansin kong parang namumutla na si Mia.
Magsusubuan na kami ng cake ngayon and she just smiled at me.
"Now, let's see kung gaano kamahal ng bride at ni groom ang isa't-isa by the size of the cake they feed each other." Sabi ng host.
Her smile now faded and then smiled again but this time, mapait yung ngiti niya and halatang pinipilit niya lang. And her eyes, I can see sadness and dissapointment.
I smiled at her and then grabbed the plate and I held her hand. And together, we sliced the cake and I felt happy.
Then nauna siyang kumuha ng cake.
Okay lang naman yung kinuha niya. Sakto lang sa bibig ko pero hindi siya malaki.
"Kung pwede lang na isang buong cake, ganon kalaki yung isusubo ko sayo." Sabi niya habang nakangiti.
"Try me." Sabi ko at tumawa lang siya- "I'm serious. Lakihan mo pa." Sabi ko and ginawa naman niya.
"Wow naman! Ang taray ni Bride! Kayanin kaya ni Mister yan?" Sabi ng host at nagtawanan lang silang lahat.
Nilakihan ko yung buka ng bibig ko and sinubo niya yung cake.
Nakita ko namang natawa si Mia.
Alam ko na...
Kasi ang chubby tingnan ng cheeks ko.
Natawa rin ako pero hindi ko mabuka yung bibig ko kasi lalo silang matatawa sakin.
Then, nung turn ko na, yung tira ng cake, lahat iyon sinimot ko tapos sinubo ko kay Mia.
Ngumiti siya at nilakihan niya rin yung bibig niya. Natawa ako at sinubo ko na yung cake.
Then maya-maya lang tapos ng cake, bumalik na kami sa table for lunch. Then nakita ko ring kinuha niya yung food ni Tatay Virgilio. And said something that made her laugh and the caterers. Pinapakain niya na si Tatay when I saw her with her eyes closed and namumutla rin siya. Natural lang naman kasi yung make up niya kaya nahalata ko rin. Then biglang kinuha ni Tatay sakanya yung spoon at susubuan sana siya.
“Wag na po Tay sainyo po yan eh... Ubusin niyo na po.” Sabi ko. Umiling lang siya and as usual, nagtatampo na yan. Ngumiti lang si Mia chaka niya sinubo and naubos na rin ang pagkain ni Tatay.
“Ibabalik ko lang po Tay ah...” Tatayo na sana siya ng bigla siyang napapikit at napahawak sa upuan at napa-upo. And obviously, that happened in the past- I mean...whatever!
“Oh my god! Baby, okay ka lang?” Tanong nila Mommy, Daddy at ni Tatay.
"Mia, sweetheart, are you okay?" Tanong ko sakanya.
"Yeah. Na-out of balance lang naman ako eh." Sabi niya sakin at nakangiti pa.
“Are you sure? Eh kung umuwi nalang kaya kayo ni Lance?” Tanong ni Daddy.
“No. Okay lang po Dad. I'm perfectly fine...” She said with a smile. And obviously, worried pa rin sila Tita and Tito pati sila Mommy, isama mo na ako- “Sige po, ibabalik ko lang po to.” She said then binalik niya na nga yung pinagkainan ni Tatay.
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<Mia's POV>
Pagka-balik ko nung pinagkainan ni Tatay, pumunta ako sa stage at pina-off ko lahat ng ilaw except dun sa mga yellow na lights and yung spotlight.
I asked our old mentor sa choir to play the song that I would like to dedicate my husband. And I started singing.
There I was an empty piece of shell
I smile in my own world without even knowing
What love and life was all about
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The spotlight was directed to me and I focused my attention on LJ. The moment he looked at me, I regret all of my actions and wish na sana hindi ko nalang to ginawa. But still, gagawin at gagawin ko rin naman to para sa taong pinakamamahal ko.
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Then you came, you brought me out of the shell
You gave the world to me and before I knew
There I was so in love with you
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I smiled at him and the way his steely eyes looked at me, naiiyak na ako. Ayaw niya ba ng ginagawa ko? Kasi bababa na ako kung ayaw niya and babalik na ako sa upuan ko.
Then I saw how he rose from the chair and walk towards me. And he took a microphone and smiled at me. And together, we both sang...
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You gave me a reason for my being
And I love what I’m feeling
You gave me a meaning to my life
Yes, I’ve gone beyond existing
And it all began
When I met you…
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Then, he helped me down the stage and bowed in front of me, holding out his hand and when I took it, I thought nothing would make me even happier.
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I love the touch of your hand
When i look in your eyes i just want
I know I’m on to something good
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We swayed together, my arms around his neck and our eyes held.
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And I’m sure my love for you will endure
Your love will light up my world
And take all my fears
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I don't want this to end.... Sana lagi nalang kaming ganito...
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You taught me how to love
You showed me how tomorrow and today
My love is different from the yesterday i knew
You taught me how to love
And darling I will always cherish you
Today, tomorrow and forever
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He twirled me around and lifted me off my feet.
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And I’m sure when evening comes around
I know we’d be making love like never before
My love who could ask for more
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We danced hugging each other as if today will be the last.
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You gave me a reason for my being
And I love what I’m feeling
You gave new meaning to my life
Yes, I’ve gone beyond existing
And it all began
When I met you…
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And he let go of the microphone and so did I. He let the singers sing the lines that we both wanted to express to one another as we he lower his lips to mine and I felt how his hands roamed at my back.
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When I met you...
You gave me a reason for my being
And I love what I’m feeling
You gave new meaning to my life
Yes, I’ve gone beyond existing
And it all began
When I met you…
When I met you...
Right.
When I met you, my whole life changed.
All of this began when I met you...
If we haven't met, siguro hindi ako masasaktan....
If we haven't met, ibang tao ang mamahalin ko....or....siguro hindi narin ako magmamahal.
If you didn't show up in my life, kahit kailan, hindi ako magiging masaya at matututong magmahal.
You're the one who gave me a reason for my being.
You're the reason kung bakit ako nasasaktan and at the same time nagiging masaya.
"I love you..." And for a moment, I thought I was dreaming.
But when everyone cheered for us and gave us a round of applause, I woke up. And I knew that from this day, I still have the chance to make him fall in love with me.
He just laughed silently and whispered in my ears.
"Since sabay tayong nag-I love you, and I'm a gentleman, ako na ang magpapahuli. I love you too...sweetheart....my bestfriend, my first love...Mrs. Marian Cassandra Clara Cordova-De Guzman...Mia."
With the words he left to my ears, paulit-ulit nagreplay yun sa utak ko.
And it was made to remind me to never lose hope.
May pag-asa pa Mia.
And I knew that another wish had been granted by the Saint who also granted my mother's wish. And that was me. St. Clare granted another wish. And God heard my prayers.
Thank you...for everything...