"Here's your coffee po! Enjoy!"
Namumungay pa din ang mga mata kong nakatingin kay Zyle. He wake up early in the morning just to buy a coffee in a new cafe shop near his condo. I can't believe him, he is so impossible! Nagawa pa niyang magwink sa nagserve.
"This is for you," he gave me the mug with a heart shape. "And this is for me."
"Really? Just really?" I said as I stir the coffee. Nawala na yung heart kaya napasimangot ito sa akin.
May pa heart heart pa siyang nalalaman.
"We did not take picture of it," he pouted.
"Hindi ko alam na ang anak pala ng Bise Presidente ay masyadong sentimental." I shrugged.
Tumaas ang kilay nito. "I'm really not, but... if it's you, I could treasure everything. Kahit yung ginamit mo pang tissue 'yan."
I almost puked because of that. How could he tell me that? Nasa harapan kami ng table paano na lang kung may sipon 'yon o dura!? Yuck! I slightly shiver by the thought of him keeping that, he'll freaking get a virus!
"Ang dugyot mo!" Nandidiri kong sabi at uminom ng kape.
"Bakit? Trip, trip lang, Lia!" he laughed and took a bite in his bread.
Sabay kaming napasandal sa upuan at parehong tinitigan ang mga tao at sasakyan na na dumadaan sa harap ng cafe. We sat outside the coffee shop, breathing the air of the city. The sun was also coming out, slowly reflecting the trees.
Hindi pa ako nakaligo at nakasuot lang ng paired white jacket and jogging pants. Nakatali pa ang buhok ko pataas dahil sa pagmamadali. I looked so pale, good thing, I had a chance to brush my teeth.
"Say ah, Selina." Itinapat nito ang tinapay sa bibig ko.
I rolled my eyes and eventually opened my mouth. "Ba't ganiyan 'yung lasa!?"
"What? It's good kaya." natatawa pa niyang saad.
"Ayoko na niyan!" I told him but still tried to chew the bread. This is my first time tasting it and it's so weird. "Pahinga na lang yung pink na bread."
Binigay niya 'yong isang plate sa akin. Natagalan pa kami roon dahil nawili kami sa view, ang lakas maka Italy vibes. One day, I hope I can go that country. It has the beauty that no one can have, the feeling of home that not any other country can give to me.
Inabot nila ang bills sa kaniya kaya dumukwang ako upang makita 'yon. My eyes immediately watered because of how expensive the bread and coffee is! Kung pwede lang magpunta na lang ako ng bakery shop tapos doon na bumili ay gagawin ko!
"Dito ka nga, baka mabangga ka pa diyan," pinagpalit ni Zyle ang pwesto namin habang naglalakad.
Sinimangutan ko lang siya. "Anong akala mo sa akin? Ipapahamak ko sarili ko? Duh!"
"Hindi mo nga ipapahamak sarili mo pero marami ng tarantado ngayon." pananalita niya.
"Parang 'yung nangyari yesterday?" I asked.
Namatay 'yung tao na 'yon habang naglalakad lang dahil sa driver na lasing. Hindi man niya 'yon sinasadya but he's at fault and the one to blame for taking a life he shouldn't did. We should really be careful in driving and in walking because this is not always depend on us but to the people around us.
"Yes." he nod as he held my hand to cross the street. "And as much as possible, I never want to take my eyes of you."
"B-bakit naman?" I slanted my hand and covered my eyes to see him because the sun was shining too much.
"I don't want to waste my time not seeing your beauty, not seeing the girl of my present and future.... I don't want to waste my time living without looking at you."
My heart skipped a beat and for the first time, I felt what it feels to be served and to be cared for. I felt like I'm the most luckiest person because a son of a very respected person of the country, liked me.... Zyle Kevin Villavieja liked me, he is pursuing me.
"Bakit ka naman magsasayang ng oras sa akin?" I asked without hesitation.
"Matagal ko na 'yan nasagot, " he stared at me. "Ikaw? Hindi mo pa ba alam ang sagot hanggang ngayon?"
"N-nasagot mo ba talaga?" Tanong ko. He pulled my hand and we then ran together on the other side of the road.
After reaching the very end of the pedestrian lane, marahan niya akong hinarap. Napakaraming tao ang dumadaan at nagsisibilisan papunta sa kabilang street na naman. He looked at me with his calmest face and slowly looked at our hands together.
"This might be fast, but I always believe that love has no time at all, titibok na lang ang puso mo. Walang bakit, paano, o kung sino, you just know that you're already falling inlove when your heart beats in the most calmest way, in the most safest way possible."
He gave me a hint of smile.
"Huh? Anong ibig mong sabihin?" I know what he means, but damn, I need a clear answer.
"I'm.... hindi na lang yata gusto..." he heaved a heavy sighed. "Mahal na yata kita."
May kung ano sa tiyan ko ang nagdiwang kaagad. The butterflies seems to be excited and was waiting to hear that for a while now. Hindi ko maitatanggi na kay sarap 'yon marinig, na kahit araw-araw hindi ako magsasawa.
Our eyes locked, staring at each others stars, each others color, each others mystery, each others life and each other's security. At kahit nasa gitna kami ng grupo ng mga tao, parang pakiramdam namin ay kami lang naroon.
We feel like we're the only one existing, that we're in some sort of fairy tale world.
"M-mahal mo ako?" paninigurado ko.
He smiled. "Yes and I will love you even in the future."
"P-pero-" he put his index finger on my mouth, stopping me from saying anything.
"It's quite surprising but yes baby, I will pursue you until you'll decide to choose and love me back." he tuck my loosened hair on the back of my ear.
"Maghihintay ka?" I raised a brow.
"Oo naman. Naghintay na nga ako ng 24 years, ngayong nandito ka na, ngayon pa ba ako susuko?"
I actually didn't understand him, but I just smiled at him. He snake his arm around my shoulder as we walk by to his condo. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit wala 'yung mga bodyguard niya, pero feel ko nasa malayo lang sila.
And just like my old routine, I took a bath, eat and then lay down on bed. Pagkalabas ko ng kwarto ay nakita ko si Zyle na busy-ing busy sa pakikipag-usap. Nang mapansin ako ay nagpaalam ito sa kausap at may dinahilan pa. He walked towards me and looked at my body. Nakapanglabas kasi ako.
"May lakad ka?" he asked.
"Wala na akong damit. Bibili lang ako." I said.
"Then, let's go," sabi niya at hinila na ako palabas. "Where do you want to buy? We should go in Homme et Femme! Or Moressi?"
"Ha? Saan ba 'yon? Hindi ko pa 'yon narinig." Saad ko.
"Sa may Shangri-la, kilala ko 'yong may-ari no'n!" he proudly said as we enter the elevator.
Sumakay kaming dalawa sa Fortuner niya. Sumunod naman 'yung mga alipores niya, he just told them to be far away from us. Pagkadating namin doon ay sumalubong kaagad ang isang sales lady nila. Inunan naming puntahan ang sinasabi niyang Moressis. Inilibot ko ang tingin ko at nakita ang magagandang damit roon.
"This way po," the saleslady said.
Inilahad niya ang mga dresses. Agad na nasiyahan ang kaloob-looban ko nang may makitang maganda na disenyo. I was about to hold it when I saw the price, my eyes widened triple the price of it.
"Z-zyle, ginagago mo ba ako?" pagalit na bulong ko.
He looked at me, shocked. "Huh? Bakit naman?"
"Tignan mo 'yung price! Sa tingin mo may pera akong ganiyan!?" gigil kong tanong. Agad din akong ngumiti sa saleslady ng makita itong nakatingin sa amin.
"We have money, you can buy anything." he casually said that made me look at him suspiciously. "Oh what? Hindi pera ng gobyerno 'yan. I have my business, my job so I have money, we have money."
Parang nabasa niya ang sasabihin ko. Well, kahit na pera niya hindi ko 'yon gagamitin! Ano siya sugar daddy!?
"Kahit na." Ani. "Gusto kong pera ko ang gagamitin ko. Kaya ko namang magbayad..." I crossed my arms. "Basta sa mura."
He laughed at my reaction and pulled me jn the waist. Hinalikan niya ang balikat ko at bumulong.
"Saan ba gusto mo? We can go there after you choose something here."
"Sa ukay-ukay," simpleng sabi ko.
Kumunot ang noo niya. "Ukay-ukay?"
"Oo, 'yong mga shops na mura. Mga 20 pesos or 50 pesos mga damit nila! Ang gaganda pa!" I exclaimed.
"Oh.... okay we will go to that shop," Kunot-noo niyang sabi.
We went around the shop at halos nakaanim na dress ako. Si Zyle yung pumili noon tapos ang mahal mahal pa, pumayag na lang din ako dahil hindi niya ako papayagan sa ukay-ukay kapag wala kaming nabili.
"Ma'am bagay na bagay po ito sa inyo. Lalo na at fit na fit ka." the saleslady said, flowery.
Mukhang nagustuhan na naman 'yon ni Zyle kaya kinuha niya sa kamay ng babae.
"Ang ganda nga. You can use this on rallies." nakangiti niyang sabi.
"Try niyo pong suotin," aniya ng babae at inilahad ang fitting room. "Dito po."
"Zyle!" reklamo ko.
"Just try this one. Last baby, last." he told me.
I stepped inside the fitting room and removed my clothes. Nang suotin ko na ang dress na mag zipper sa likod ay doon ako nagkaproblema. I can't zipped it till the top. That's when I realize, I need Zyle's help.
"Zyle," sumilip ako sa may kurtina. Nakasandal naman ito sa may pader habang nagbrobrowse sa phone niya.
"Are you done?" napaayos ito ng tayo.
"Need ko help mo." mahinang sabi ko. "Hindi ko maabot yung zipper."
Hinawi niya ang kurtina kaya tumabi ako para makapasok siya. I stared at him until he signaled me to turn around. Napahinga ako ng malalim at tumingin na lang sa may sahig. I bit my lower lip when I felt his hand on my skin, may kakaibang kuryente ang dumaloy sa katawan ko.
I slowly looked at the mirror when I heard him coughed. He put his tongue in the inside of his cheek while staring at my back.
"Thank you!" I said as he finished zipping it. "Okay na ba 'to?"
Nakita ko ang paglunok niya pagkaharap ko. Nakita ko din ang namumula niyang tainga at leeg.
"Yeah, we should get that and leave this fitting room immediately," he said in a monotone. "I might not get enough of you."