Dinala ko lang ang iPad dahil na sa laptop lahat ni Carmella ng files namin. She's been the one in charge of compiling all of our finished reports at ibibigay na niya lamang ang kanyang flash drive.
I already checked all of our finished documents last weekend and she is really organized. I am organized with my things too but she is way way more extra.
I looked at the entrance again kahit alam kung maaga pa, sampung minuto palang ang lumipas mula ng umupo ako dito. But it's fine, I am just too damn excited to see her today.
Magsisinungaling na lang ako mamaya kung magtatanong siya kung anong oras ako dumating. I looked at the entrance again when a bunch of student cheerleaders came in. Biglang umingay ang tahimik na coffee shop sa pagpasok nila, there might be around 15 students came in and most of them were women.
Some of them greeted and flirtatiously smiled at me at wala akong magawa kung hindi ngumiti ng marahan. I knew some of them because...these were the times I wish I never entered in different relationships before, I do not want Carmella to see me this way. She might not feel jealous at all but it felt so wrong kahit na wala naman akong karelasyon na iba.
I breathed in deeply and looked at the door again. But my vision caught something on the side of the door making me stop breathing.
Carmella is near the door frame looking at me then her wrist watch.
Fuck. Am I busted?
She entered the coffee shop at mas lalo akong kinabahan. I looked at her from head to toe and she was still wearing her pyjamas and long sleeves. Nakabun ang alon alon niyang buhok at mukhang galing lang niya sa pagro-grocery.
I swallowed hard as she neared my table. Now, what should I reason about? Bakit ang aga-aga kung dumating?
I looked at her as she sat in front of me, her cold gaze met my trembling eyes.
Napilitan akong ngumiti. "Ummm...Good-"
"Why so early?" She asked me instead. Her cold gaze sent shivers down my spine.
"May...ginawa ako sa university?" Patanong kong sagot.
She raised her brows and I avoided her gaze.
"I do not like liars too." She straightforwardly responded at nanlaki ang nga mata ko.
"Hey! I am not lying!" I aggressively defended myself.
She raised her brows again and looked at the cheerleaders on the other tables. Some of them are looking at us and some are smiling at me suggestively...fuck!
I swallowed hard when her gaze found mine again.
I am not cheating! At hindi ako nambababae!
Her eyes looked at me critically and my sweat started forming on my forehead. Wala akong ginagawang masama pero pakiramdam ko nahuli niya ako sa isang krimen na hindi ko naman ginawa.
But...wait...is she jealous?
I automatically smile after thinking about it. She really is!
"What?" She asked again.
Nawala ang ngiti sa aking labi.
I cleared my throat to ease the tension in my chest. Well, it's better to say that I am just too damn excited to see her, rather than her thinking that I am from the university who just finished watching some cheerleaders.
"Uhmmm, I just came here early because I am just too damn excited to see you." I said seriously.
Slowly, her eyes went wide and avoided my eyes. I could feel my cheeks heating up too with her reaction at iniwas na rin ang tingin sa aking harapan.
We both couldn't look and speak each other hanggang sa naalala ko ang bouquet na binili ko.
She might have not seen it yet because I placed it on the chair beside me. Hinila ko ang upuan sa aking tabi at kinuha ang bouquet. My hands were shaking as I gathered my strength giving it to her.
"For you." I breathily said.
Napaawang ang mga labi niya habang nakatingin sa bulaklak. Akala ko malalagutan na ako ng hininga ng unti-unti ay kinuha niya ito sa akin.
We heard some gasped on the other table at mas lalo kung nakitaan ng pagkahiya sa kanyang mukha. I looked at them at kaagad nilang iniwas ang kanilang mga tingin.
Now take that, Carmella. I didn't cheat. Sayong-sayo lang ako.
She was so red as she looked at it. A warm smile appeared on my lips as I watched an amazed yet shy expression on her face. Never have I thought it could affect her this much, I should buy her another set of flowers in the future.
"Thank you..." Her voice is so small, I almost didn't hear it.
"What did you say?" I teased her.
She finally looked at my playful smile and her face became redder.
"Thank you." She said it louder this time but I want to tease her more.
"What?" I teasingly asked again.
Her piercing eyes looked at me this time and my playful smile automatically faded.
I cleared my throat. "You-You're welcome."
She breathed in deeply and started gathering her grocery bags.
"Stay here, aayusin ko lang itong mga pinamila ko at maliligo saglit."
"Can I come with you?" I hurriedly asked.
Pinanlisikan niya lalo ako ng mga mata.
"I'll be just outside your apartment." I negotiated but she remained the same.
"Outside the gate?" I negotiated again.
She remained silent at halos mapatayo ako ng tumango siya sa akin. "Okay."
She stood up at dali-dali na rin akong tumayo.
"Ako na dito. Just hold the bouquet." Inagaw ko sa kanya ang isang supot niyang groceries at ng kanyang payong.
She'd let me at nauna na akong naglakad para mapagbuksan siya. I opened the door for her at damang-dama ko ang mga matang nakatingin sa amin. I am sure the news and gossip will circulate in a damn minute.
But whatever, my only concern is Carmella. She doesn't really like taking the spotlight and I hope it doesn't affect how she sees our relationship. I will abide by all her rules and I will protect her at all costs.
I opened the umbrella for us. Tanghaling tapat kaya mainit, though the coffee shop is near her apartment.
We walked side by side. Overall, this is my first time doing all of these for a girl. It felt so unreal yet it satisfies me.
Nakarating kami sa may gate nila at doon na kami tumigil. Nakasimangot kong binigay sa kanya ang groceries niya at ang kanyang payong.
"Saglit lang ako. Dito ka lang." She looked at me seriously, not affected by my puppy eyes.
"Fine." I sadly responded.
She went it at hinayaan ako doon. Huminga ako ng malalim at sumilong sa waiting shed sa kabilang kalsada. I looked at her as she entered her apartment.
Her apartment is in the middle on the second floor. I looked at her balcony and noticed that she is the only one who's got plants. There were several pots of plants on her front.
That's probably the reason why she looked so amazed and happy with the bouquet. She loves flowers and now I know what to do with that information.
I could buy her a flower shop or better a flower farm! Or probably if we get married, I would let her plan her own flower landscape. I smirk at my own thoughts. Yeah, I could definitely do that. We will have kids and we will teach them to do some gardening too. Or I will play with them while she is busy---
My silly smile went off as soon as I realized what I was thinking. Marriage? Why am I thinking about marriage? And kids? Halos mapangiwi ako sa sariling iniisip. Isn't it too early to think about it?
My thoughts were stopped as she exited her apartment and locked it. I saw her take the stairs kaya dali-dali na rin akong tumawid ng kalsada. I saw her through their steel gate as she walked towards my direction.
My breathing hitched as soon as I saw her light blue floral dress with her long white sleeves on.
Marriage? Yes. I am serious with her but I never thought about it. But thinking about it now, I can't go through months without her again by my side. Hell! I can't even imagine going through it again. That's suicide for me.
I licked my lips as she faced me. She opened her umbrella, shielding me away from the sunlight.
Tumingala siya sa akin. "Let's go." She softly spoke.
I looked at her whole face and my eyes concentrated on her red lips. "Yeah...let's go..." I softly whispered too.
She cleared her throat, making me avert my gaze to her lips. I held the handle of the umbrella and she let me, nagtama pa ng kaunti ang mga daliri namin at ramdam na ramdam ko ang lalong pagkabog ng dibdib ko.
I was feeling light headed as we walked. Pakiramdam ko hindi pa rin totoo lahat ng nangyayari ngayon. She is really here with me and she let me court her! Heck, that was unbelievable but it is really happening now.
I suddenly stopped walking and so was she. Bumaling siya sa akin while I looked at her nervously.
"Wny?" She curiously asked.
Huminga ako ng malalim dahil ramdam ko ang panginginig ng dibdib ko at kalamnan.
"I-I am courting you, right?" I asked almost unbelievably.
Nakita ko ang pamumula ng kanyang mga pisngi at mahinang singhap. Fuck! Her expressions are really a sight for me.
I bite my lips, stopping myself from smiling widely.
She swallowed hard then bravely looked into my eyes. "Yes. You are courting me now." Her voice is almost breathy as she said it.
I closed my eyes and my lips smiled widely. Her voice repeatedly replayed in my head. This is really all true, huh? I am really courting her now.
I opened my eyes and was greeted by her soft looking eyes. "Yeah...I am courting you now."
I smiled at her lovingly. "Let's go."
We continued walking and I never knew I would feel lighter more after our simple conversation.
Nakarating kami sa harap ng coffee shop at pinagbuksan ko ulit siya. Nabungaran ulit namin ang mga varsity cheerleaders na hindi pa umaalis. They looked at us again like we were in a damn show.
I let her choose our seat at sa dati ring kunauupuan namin ang napili niya. I looked at her if she felt uneasy or uncomfortable with the stares we are receiving and she really is.
She looked at me like I committed a mistake again. "What?" I asked curiously.
"Do you have an ex-girlfriend, fling or what to that group?" May halong inis ang boses niya.
Kaagad akong umiling. "Some flirted pero hindi ko pinansin. I swear, Carmella!"
She felt relieved after my statement. "Do you want to rent a private room for us?" I bravely asked, but please say 'yes', Carmella!
She looked at the group and then looked at me again. Huminga siya ng malalim. "Yes"
I excitedly went to the cashier at kumuha ng isang pribadong study room para sa amin. I paid all of it at kaagad na bumalik sa lamesa namin. Lumala ang titig nila ng umalis na kami sa kinauupuan namin.
A staff guide us in our room at pinag buksan kami ng pinto. There were probably five private room inside the shop para sa mga gustong magsolo at ayaw ng maingay.
"Thank you." I thanked the staff before closing our door.
Kaagad akong bumaling kay Carmella na kaagad ring pumwesto sa foam floor. There is a lower table for it para patungan ng gamit at foam back rest. There are also shelves of books on the wall and a t.v . There is a normal chair and table but she chose to sit here kaya dito na rin ako. I removed my shoes and placed them beside her sandals.
I wanted to sit next to her but she might slap me, 'cause I know I can't stop myself from touching her. Kaya mas mabuti na lang na sa tapat niya ako.
"Did you eat your lunch?" My voice was laced with concern.
Nanatili ang tingin niya sa kanyang laptop. "Uhmmm, late akong kumain ng breakfast."
And so, I ordered sausage and beef pata for us. Magmemeryenda na lang kami mamaya kung sakali.
After ordering our lunch, we started summarizing our outputs. Madali lang naman dahil summarization na lang, but we still need to make an effort for it, especially that we are both grade conscious.
We divided the months between us bahala na kaming gumawa. We just have to follow our set format for it.
Dumating ang orders namin kalaunan at inaayos ko muna ang sa kanya.
"Drink water first please before drinking your iced tea." I reminded her as we started summarizing again and eating our food too.
Tanging ang tunog lang ng laptop niya ang maririnig sa kwarto namin, o kaya naman ay ang tunog lamang ng kutsara kapag kakain naman kami.
After two hours of summarizing tapos na kami. Ramdam ko ulit ang gutom kaya muli kaming nag order ng meryenda, we need to eat before we start polishing it more and combine both of our works.
I went out to order our food. Mas maraming tao kapag hapon kaya medyo may pila, mabuti na lang at kumuha rin kami ng kwarto dahil mas umingay ang coffee shop.
I went back with our orders in a tray when I found her already lying on the foam floor. I settled the tray on the other table and slowly peeked at her sleeping face. I then slowly removed my shoes and then carefully transferred our things in our table to the other one.
Matapos kung matanggal lahat ng gamit namin sa lamesa ay paunti-unti ko itong binuhat at tinabi sa may gilid, leaving a huge space just enough for me.
Then, I carefully laid down my body facing her with just enough space between us. I am so tempted to cuddle her right now but I might get out of this coffee shop not breathing. I smirked on my own though as I looked at her face. Now I could clearly see how peaceful she is.
I carefully tucked in her hair to get a clearer view of her face when she suddenly opened her eyes. She still looks so sleepy kaya hindi ko maiawasang mapangiti. She is adorable in this state. Parang hindi nananampal.