Val's POV
I feel strong arms around my waist tighten as I stir awake, the person holding me in place burying their face deeper into my neck, muttering "5 more minutes, lalabs." into my locks.
I chuckle softly at them, tapping on their arms, signaling for them to loosen their grip on me. "Good morning rin sayo."
I feel their lips form a smile on my back, before they lift their head up, and I turn around from my position to face them.
"Hi."
"Hi." the woman moves her face closer to mine, and I meet her halfway, our lips almost touching.
I sat up quicker than I intended to, getting light-headed as the blood rushes down from my head.
I slowly open my eyes, registering the room I was in, the previous day's events running through my mind.
according to you Ms. Valle, you're all mine.
I bring my fingers up to my cheek, the ghost of her lips still lingering where it touched.
tangina valle, you're down bad. I groan in frustration into the pillow.
"Gising ka na pala." speak of the devil.
I avoid looking her way, knowing she just got out of the shower, and I've already had enough embarrassment for this trip. "Okay ka lang? Bat parang namumutla ka?"
I clear my throat and hum in response. "Mhm. Nabigla lang ng gising."
She comes into clear view as she reaches her bag, ang fresh niya lord
Reality is finally much better than my dreams. Kahit na muntikan na kami mag mwa-mwa sa panaginip ko.
"May sinasabi ka?" she asks, head tilting the way it does whenever she's confused.
Umiling ako at sabay tumayo. "Sabi ko maliligo na rin ako, baka pagtripan nanaman tayo ng mga volunteers kung ma-late tayo."
She laughs at that, recalling last night's events. I hit her lightly on the arm and she scoffs indignantly at me. "Aga-aga manakit ah, para san naman yun?"
"That's for yesterday, kaya sila nang-aasar eh."
"Pano ba naman, ang cute mo kaya ma-fluster." I feign offence at that, just to save myself from further embarrassment.
Lord, pati po ba kayo dinodogshow ako diyan?
I move to hit her again, but she blocks my arm, turns me around and lightly pushes me towards the bathroom, "Maligo ka na, ayaw mo maasar diba?"
Despite the chilly early morning breeze, I take a cold shower, having to shake off my thoughts from last night and the dream I had this morning.
What's alarming wasn't the dream itself, but of how frequently it happens. And it was always the same domestic morning of cuddles and warmth, until reality slaps back at me and tells me to wake up and face the truth.
Yet what do I know about the truth?
These feelings of mine have long been far more than infatuation. I've been falling for her for 4 years and no matter how hard I try, there's no way back.
So I've decided to just let myself. To let myself go and fall into the bliss that is her presence.
Because in the 4 years that we were apart, all I wanted was to come back to her, even when i caused the rift between us. Not because I'm a masochist, but because I've realized it's better to have her as a best friend, than not have her by my side at all.
So if keeping her as my best friend meant having to pretend that she doesn't make me go crazy every time she's near for a little while longer, then so be it.
We're the first ones at the lobby today, beating the other volunteers. Ikaw kaya maging kasama ng morning person sa room.
Aika was full of energy, a cup of coffee in hand as we waited for the others to gather. As soon as we were complete, we headed to our stops for the day.
The morning went by rather fast, an early sortie and a courtesy call to the city's mayor being the only events that we had to attend.
Then came lunch time or brunch for us, and we went to have a meal at a nearby beach, the same one that Aika had pointed out yesterday.
"Malapit lang dito yung last sortie natin mamaya diba?" One of them pointed out, as we nodded in affirmation.
"Tara inom after? Maraming bar dito oh, tsaka maganda sunset mamaya." she said, wiggling her eyebrows while looking around the table.
Various shouts of 'G!', 'Arat!', 'Basta sagot niyo!', 'Mukha ba kong may tinatagong 203B?' went around the table, as the group excitedly planned for the evening.
"Sama ka Miss Aiks?" one of the volunteers asked the woman beside me. She turned to look at me, putting a hand on my thigh before asking, "Iinom ka?"
And despite the layer of fabric that separated her hand from my bare thigh, the touch sent jolts of electricity throughout my body, and I can feel my cheeks heating up as the whole table turned to look at us. I cleared my throat before answering her the affirmative.
"Sige, count me in." she said, her hand moving back to the table as she gave us a wide grin. Cheers erupted from the group, someone from the end whispering, "Nagpaalam pa ata sa bebe", almost out of earshot but loud enough for me to hear.
"Ate Ally, mamaya pa inuman, bat namumula ka na dyan?"
"Ang dami niyong napapansin, kumain na nga lang tayo, malate pa tayo sa sortie sige." I retorted back with the shake of my head.
"Chill ka lang, kaya sila nang-aasar eh." Aika whispered in my ear, echoing my words to her earlier on. I glared at her and elbowed her side, to which she only chuckled at.
We continued our brunch with more kwentos and laughs, along with the occassional banter of the volunteers.
Aika's hand stayed on the table for the rest of the meal, but we were seated close enough that our thighs often brushed against each other, despite the amount of space on either of our sides.
We attended the rest of our sorties, and even made a stop to meet with another volunteer group that had requested to meet the eldest daughter.
The sky was still blue as our last sortie ended, and energy was still high as we headed back to the beach to catch the sunset.
One evidently excited woman was Aika Robredo, whose eyes shone the brightest when she realized we would be catching the sunset.
One thing about Aika was that she loved beautiful sceneries. She basked in the simplicity, calmness, and quiet of it all. She would always watch in awe as the sun sets or rises, a satisfied smile on her lips as she basked in the first and last rays of the sun.
"Sunsets signify the end, but sunrises signify a new beginning." she said as we watched the sun rise on a hill.
It was close to midterms, every professor giving out all their remaining tasks, as students juggled reviewing and finishing their backlogs.
We were clearly stressed from everything that they had dumped on us, our brains being overloaded with information and responsibilites to fulfill.
I had found this spot a few weeks back, when I went on a trip with some friends. I took a picture of it then and sent it to Aika, promising to bring her there some time soon.
I fulfilled my promise that morning, despite her initial hesitance, "I don't know Val, marami pa kong kailangan ireview oh."
"Pero wala ka nang naiintindihan. Come on, we need to clear our heads for a bit and I know just the place." I had said, pleading her to take a break. She sighed in defeat at the end, and we took the short trip to the hill.
We reached the spot, a few other people scattered around, but not quite as much because of how early it was. We were still clad in our pajamas, not having bothered to change out of them for a short trip out.
She watched with shining eyes as the first rays of the sun peeked through, the smile on her face radiating warmth and comfort. She breathed it all in, basking in the morning sun and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the breathtaking scene in front of me.
Oh how lucky I am to see her, to be with her like this.
I took my phone out and snapped a picture of her unknowingly, while she was still distracted by the orange skies.
"You were right. I needed that. Thank you." she said to me as we got back to her apartment an hour later, coupled with an embrace and a promise of going back.
I smiled at the memory that came up, warmth filling my body as I do so.
"Nakakatakot ka na ah, bigla bigla ka ngingiti dyan." Aika had nudged me, as she sat beside me in the car.
"Baka kasi iniisip ka Miss Aika." one volunteer said.
"True naman." I responded back, the other volunteers squealing and laughing in shock and amusement at my response.
"Iba din, hindi na dinedeny ni Ate Ally!"
"Kaya ikaw manok ko te"
Aika nudged my shoulder, "Sinong promotor ngayon?" she asked, throwing me an amused smile, but I could see the slight blush that made its way on her cheeks.
"What, it's true naman ah? May naalala lang ako." she raises her eyebrows at that, turning her body to face me, a silent gesture of telling me to go on.
"You remember the time bago mag-midterms? When I brought you to that hill and we watched the sunrise." She nodded as I recounted the memory to her, a look of recognition and something else passing her eyes as she remembers it too.
"Wala lang, I remembered it from how excited you are right now. Sarap mo ngang ibulsa eh." she hit my arm lightly at that as she feigned offence.
"You mean the one you promised to bring me back to but never did?" my mouth opened and closed at that, no comments to rebut it by. I had planned to take her there again before graduation, but unfortunately... things happened.
"Habang buhay may pag-asa naman diba? And I plan to keep my promises Ms. Robredo." she simply shaked her head at that, keeping silent the rest of the ride.
Our hands had continued to brush against each other, reminiscent of the night we reunited. Except this time, Aika took the leap, and intertwined our fingers together, playing with my hand in silence until we reached our destination.
The team had opted for an early dinner, wanting to witness the sunset by the beach. The owners, an old couple who had been in business for a few decades now, heard our plans on watching the sunset, and gave us advice on where the best place to watch it was.
"Diyan din siya umamin sakin na gusto niya ako. Kaya nga dito kami nagtayo ng kainan eh." the wife had told us, recalling their love story, a tilt in her voice the way older people usually had when telling stories.
We stayed a little longer, sharing stories with the wholesome couple. There was genuine love and joy in every story that they shared, the initial love for each other evidently not fading even after decades of marriage.
They shooed us after, telling us that we'd miss the sunset if we stayed any longer. We bid them goodbye and well wishes as we made our way towards a secluded part of the beach the couple had told us about, a 'hidden treasure' according to them.
The couple was right, ang ganda dito. It was at the more rocky side of the beach, but more than the view, the place gave a different feel of serenity. Away from the huts, the tourists, and the hustle of the restaurants, it was the perfect place to admire the beauty of the sea.
We all settled at our own places, patiently waiting for the sunset that was about to start soon. Aika and I sat beside each other on the shore, just a few inches apart. The others scattered in a similar fashion.
The sun started to set, the once blue skies turning a shade of pink. We all stared in wonder at the horizon, basking in the last glow of the sun.
A few minutes had past and the other volunteers scattered, getting up to take pictures, or excusing themselves to explore the beach. We set up a time and a rendezvous point for the planned drinks later on in the night.
Aika and I stayed in our positions, but I realized that her gaze wasn't on the sunset, rather, it was focused on me.
"Kahapon ka pa excited mapanood yung sunset tapos ikaw rin tong hindi nakatingin ngayon." I said, my gaze never leaving the horizon.
"May mas maganda kasing titigan eh."
"Corny mo" I hear her chuckle beside me, and I don't dare look over, in fear that my blushing mess of a face would be too obvious, even under the glow of the pink skies.
"Namiss ko to. Watching the sunsets with you." from my peripheral, I see her look back to the horizon, a small smile gracing her lips.
I turn to look at her then, and the memories of that day once again filled my mind. And it's like falling in love with her all over for the first time.
Her eyes were following something, until they landed on me, and the smile on her face grew. A lone white butterfly had landed on my shoulder.
Laging nagpaparamdam ang asawa ko sa paraan ng butterfly.
That was what Tita VP had said when a butterfly had made its presence known in one of her rallies.
"Ganyan ka lang, I'll take a pic." she instructed, taking out her phone to snap a picture of the scene in front of her.
I glanced at my shoulder where the butterfly had landed.
Good afternoon po Mayor Pogi. I'm Alona Valle po, a friend of your daughter's. Your family has given this country renewed hope for our future sir. I'm sure you're proud of all of them.
Aika told me a lot about you during our time in Harvard. How it was your dream for her to follow in your footsteps. How you would send her letters every time you were away for official business, even when she didn't know how to read. Grabe po kayo sir, you raised the standard for dads and partners alike.
I love her sir. Mahal ko po ang anak niyo. Sa inyo na po ako humihingi ng patawad dahil sa pag-iwan ko sa kaniya sa ere dati. Ang kulit niya po kasi eh, di tinatanggap yung sorry ko.
She's stubborn isn't she? But she's also committed, she knows what she wants.
Ang bilin niyo po sa kaniya, is to take care of Tita VP, and her sisters. And she's done an exceptional job no Sir?
And if she would allow me, I hope I could take care of her too. Even if it's as her best friend, I'd like to remind her everyday that she doesn't have to shoulder everything alone.
Like how you've become the north star of the family, she's become mine. The one constant that I could depend on in a fast-paced world like the one we live in.
At pilit ko mang subukang baguhin ang nararamdaman ko para sa kaniya, siya at siya parin po talaga sa huli. Wala na po akong balak na iwan siya sir. And I hope that's okay with you.
The butterfly left my shoulder, landing then on the tip of my nose, and I took that as his permission for me to stay by his daughter's side, as long as she'll have me for.
Thank you sir. I'll visit you soon in Naga.
The butterfly flew away, and I followed it until it was out of my line of sight."What?" I asked the woman beside me when I caught her staring. She shrugged in response, "Kinausap mo siya?" I nodded my head at her. I told him I love you.
"Sinumbong kita sa kaniya. Sabi ko, Sir Jesse tong panganay mo puro pang-ddogshow lang ginagawa oh." I humor her, and she glares at me, pouting ever so slightly.
I close the distance between us, moving closer to her and resting my head on her shoulder. I closed my eyes as I feel her arm wrap around my back.
"Thank you for coming back." she says just above a whisper, the non-existent space between us the only reason I caught what she said.
We stayed in that position for a few minutes that felt like hours, the crashing of the waves, chirping of the birds, and our even breathing, being the only sounds that could be heard.
The sun has fully set by now, darkness enveloping the beach, the only lights coming from the businesses open a couple of feet away from the shore.
We head towards the bar that we agreed on earlier, a few of the others beating us there.
Nakapagorder na sila ng pulutan and drinks, so we took our seats, joining into the conversations.
Drinks were being handed all around, but I paced myself, not wanting another repeat of my drunken adventures.
Aika had taken a few shots as well, but declined most of the shots, opting to look out for the rest of the team.
We were sat side by side, as always, and just like earlier today, our shoulders would bump, thighs brushing up against each other's as the night went on.
We talked about our own personal lives outside the campaign, sharing various anecdotes and even advice with each other.
One thing led to another, and we started a game of truth or drink.
Revelations were made, others admitting they only volunteered beacuse their crushes did too, but rushed to say they ended up falling for the campaign itself as well, sometimes it would even get emotional as they recalled what they would miss the most about the campaign season.
Evidently, the alcohol was starting to get to everyone, their words slurring and eyes drooping.
Aika would check in on me regularly, even as she was conversing with the others, a hand on my back, or a tap on my fingers as a silent question. She would slide a chaser into my hands, telling me to drink up in between shots.
"Ate Ally! Ikaw naman! Craziest thing you did while drunk?"
I turned my attention to them, thinking the question over. No harm in being honest right?
"I kissed someone I probably shouldn't have."
"People kiss strangers all the time ate! okay lang yun!"
"Unfortunately, hindi siya stranger eh." I said in a whisper, as they moved on to the next person.
I could feel the stare of the woman beside me, this being the only time I brought up our kiss since the day we reunited.
The memories of that day came flashing back, as I downed another shot, hoping that tonight would be a different story.
The game circled once more as it landed on me once again.
"Have you ever been in love?"
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