Chapter Ten
"I..."
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"Oh, andito ka na pala?" sabay baba ni Monaliza ng bag nito sa sofa.
Tumango siya rito bilang sagot, "eh, ikaw ba saan ka ba galing?" curious niyang tanong rito dahil nang dumating siya galing sa date nila ni Tristan naabutan niyang wala ito sa bahay.
"Ahm, diyan lang," tipid nitong sagot. "Eh, ikaw anong nangyari sa date ninyo ni Tri?"
"Uhm, well... pagkatapos naming magpunta sa exhibit, nag-diner kami tapos naglakad sa sea side–––"
"Wait!" putol nito sa kanya.
"What?"
"Sea side?" na sinagot lang niya ng tango. "So, may time pa kayong magpunta sa dagat, ha!"
"Oo naman, saka hindi naman gaanong hectic ang trabaho ko at ganoon din siya at saka ika-isang-daang araw na naming nag-da-date eh. Kaya especial samin ang araw na ito," paliwanag niya rito dahil mula nang makapagtapat na siya kay Tristan, nagsimula na silang mag-date at tatlong buwan at walong araw na silang nag-da-date. And that day is their first hundred days and they celebrated it after their work.
"So romantic naman!" kinikilig pa nitong hayag.
"Eh, ikaw ba kamusta naman ang date ninyo ni Erick?" deretsang tanong niya rito.
"Ha! Da-date namin ni––– ahhh! Bakit mo naman nasabing si Erick ang kasama ko?"
"Whoa! Over sa reaksiyon! Napaghahalata ka girl!"
"Weh! Ewan ko sayo!" sabay tayo mula sa pagkakaupo nito.
"Saan ka pupunta?"
"Sa kuwarto!" masungit nitong sagot saka agad na nagpunta sa kuwarto nito.
"Hah!" she brethed harshly then laughs out loud. "She's can't hide it!" she said and still couldn't hide her laugh.
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"Anong plano mo ngayon?"
Napalingon siya sa mula sa pintuan, "oh, andito ka na pala." Sagot niya rito saka itinigil ang pag-de-develop ng mga pictures niya.
"Yup!" sabay tabi nito sa kanya. "You're still developing her pictures?"
"Of course and besides, this is what I'm going to use to propose." He seriously answered.
Erick looks at him gladly. "Wow! Kailan mo naman balak na mag-propose sa kanya?"
"Uhm, that! I'm still looking for the right time."
"Hindi ba kaka-isang-daang araw pa lang ninyo kahapon," pahayag nito.
"Oo, bakit?"
"Well, mukhang pinapabilis mo na ang lahat sa inyo."
"Hindi mo naman ako masisisi, eh, sa tagal ba naman naming naghintay siyempre dapat na naming i-level up ang relationship namin." Paliwanag niya.
Erick smiles at him. "Happy for you!" He sincerily answered.
"Thanks, Tol!"
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"What is it now?" she asked Tristan when he came to pick her up from her shop.
"Basta sumama ka na lang akin, okay?"
"O... okay!" she answered with a smile.
After an hour of driving they ended up into a farm.
"Nasaan tayo?"
"Nasa Laguna," simpleng sagot nito.
"Alam ko, pero anong ginagawa natin rito?"
"You'll see if we go down first, okay?"
She sighs. "Okay!" sabay tango rito at sabay na bumaba ng sasakyan nito, tapos nilingon niya ang buong lugar.
"What do you think?" she heard him asked.
"Well, I like it. But who own this place?"
"Me."
"Ha? Sayo itong farm?" gulat niyang tanong rito.
"Oo naman, bakit hindi ba kapani-paniwala?"
"Ahm, wala naman akong sinabi, pero," she looks around. "Hindi ko alam na mahilig ka pala sa pagpa-farm?"
"Hindi ka naman nagtatanong eh," sagot nito
"Hindi ka rin naman nagkukuwento." Sagot naman niya rito.
Tristan laughs. "Okay! You were right about it, so," he handed his hand to her.
"What?" she asked innocently.
"Come on! Just hand me your hand," he said.
She smiles so sweetly. "Okay!" then she holds his hand and walks along side with him as they entered the farm.
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"I..."
"What?" he asked as Josephine pauses in surprised.
"Well, nabilib lang ako sayo."
"Woah! Now are you falling in love with me even more?" he teasingly said.
"Oh, come on!" She blushes that he loves to see.
"I really love seeing you blush." He suddenly spilled it out.
"Ay, don't look!" sabay takip ng mga kamay nito sa mukha.
Natawa siya naging reaksiyon nito, "okay! Tara!" sabay hila niya sa kamay nito.
"Saan tayo pupunta?" gulat na tanong nito.
"Basta malalaman mo rin!" sagot niya rito habang hawak-hawak ang kamay nito at saka ito hinila papunta sa likurang bahagi ng farm.
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Sobrang kaba ang nadarama niya habang papalapit sila sa isang studio type na nakatayo lang sa likurang bahagi ng farm nito. At halos hindi na siya makahinga dahil sa sobrang lakas ng kabog ng kanyang puso na animoy lalabas na mula sa kanyang dibdib dahilan para magtanong na siya rito para lang mabawasan ang nadarama niyang kaba.
"So, asan ang bahay mo rito?" basag niya sa katahimikan at para na rin sa kabang kanyang nadarama.
"Nasa harapan," simple nitong sagot.
"Ibig sabihin nasa likod na bahagi tayo ng farm?" tumango lang ito bilang sagot. "Then, ano itong studio type na ito?"
"Well, you'll know it soon." Then he suddenly stops that surprised her.
"Woah! You surprised me!" Tristan laughs then he stares at her intently. "Wh-what?!" she asked nervously.
"Close your eyes."
"Ha? Wh-why?"
"Just close it and you don't have to worry, I'll hold your hands tightly so that you won't fall. I promise." He sincerily answered that made her heart sway.
"O-okay..." she answered as she breathed deeply before closing her eyes.
Afterwards she felt that they entering the studio and as they went inside her heart can't stop pounding that made her feel anxious. Then she suddenly felt the warm from Tristan hands, he was holding her so tightly as if making her to calm down a bit.
"Are your fine now?" He asked worriedly.
Nagpakawala na muna siya ng hangin bago sumagot rito. "Oo, ayos na ako."
"Okay, then, open your eyes." He said that she followed.
Slowly Josephine opens her eyes and as the light comes in, she tried to cope by blinking her eyes then as her eyes settled a surprise showed up to her front that made her heart skips a beat.
"What," she turned around to him. "This is..." tears starts to show. "A mosaic..." she paused as her tears starts to flow.
Tristan smiles at her wholeheartedly. "A mosaic of you." He stated. "Alam mo bang ito sana ang gusto kong ipakita sayo nung last exhibit ko pero hindi ko na nagawa dahil nawalan ako ng lakas ng loob para sabihin sayo ang tungkol rito."
"Why?"
"Well, natakot ako nang makita kong magkausap kayo ng ex mo." Amin nito na ikinagulat niya.
"Na-naroon ka? Nakita mo kami?" tumango lang ito. "Ah, nakakainis ka naman! Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi at saka bakit hindi ka man lang nagpakita sakin?!" inis niyang hayag rito kahit pa nga basa na ng luha ang kanyang pisngi.
Napakamot ito sa ulo. "Natakot nga ako," cute nitong sagot ngunit agad din itong sumeryoso. "So, now, what can you say about the mosaic?"
"Well," she tried to stop crying. "I love it! At hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang nakuha mong lahat ng mga larawang iyan?!"
Tristan laughs. "Sa taong tunay na nagmamahal, magagawa ang lahat para sa taong mahal niya at ganoon kita kamahal," seryoso nitong hayag na umabot sa kanyang puso. "At kahit na nga nang malaman kong nagka-boyfriend ka noon, umasa pa rin ako kahit alam kong wala nang patutunguhan iyon. Na balang araw magiging tayo rin, na magkakaroon rin tayo ng isang larawang magkasama tayo. At nang magkaroon naman ako ng pag-asa, noon ko naman pinangarap na hindi lamang sa larawan tayo magkasama kundi pang-habang buhay. Kahit na alam nating may katapusan ang lahat, para sakin ang pagmamahal ko sayo, walang hanggan. And I'm saying it only by words, I also expressing it with my actions." He honestly and sincerily stated that made her to cry for more.
"So... wh-what if..." she breathed deeply then releases it. "Just if... I am married? What would you do?"
"If that is the case..." He smiles at her. "Then, I'll still wait." He seriously and straightly answered.
"Ay, ano ka ba! Eh, di tatandang binata ka naman, nun!"
"If that is the case..." then he shrugs.
"Ah, seriously! Ano ngang gagawin mo kung nakapag-asawa na ako–––" bigla nitong inilagay ang dalawa nitong daliri sa kanyang mga labi na nagpatigil sa kanya sa pagsasalita.
"I..." He smiles. "I'm still be waiting and waiting and besides, your mine now. So, kung ano man iyang nasa utak mo, wala nang halaga ang mga iyan dahil ang mahalaga ay ang ngayon. Tayo. So, will you be a part of my picture forever?" He asked so seriously and before she could say a word he handed a camera keychain with something clinging on it.
"What..." she looks at it before she figures it out. "Tri! This–––" she was speechless that her words to say had lost.
"So, will you accept it or not?" He jokingly asked her.
"Oh, come on! Umiiyak na nga ako, nakakapagbiro ka pa!" inis niyang sita rito na tinawanan lang nito. "But seriously, sa keychain talaga kailangang ilagay ang sing-sing?" Tristan just smiled shamely. "But I love how you make a proposal." She added with a shy smile.
"So, is that a yes?" He nervously asked that she likes to see. "What?! Papatayin mo ako sa nerbiyos?!" bigla nitong sita nang natagalan siya sa pagsagot.
"Bakit ginawa mo rin naman sakin iyon, ah!" Reklamo niya rito.
"Ay, okay..." He breaths deeply then, "I'm going to ask you once more," he said. "Will you–––" she stops him by giving him a quick kiss.
"You know what, sa totoo lang naiinis ako sayo noon dahil sa paraan ng pagpapansin mo sakin. Lagi mo na lang ako inaasar pero, yung galit na iyon sa hindi ko malamang kadahilanan naging love. That made me to hate myself but at the same time that mades me to love you more. And now that, it became a romance," she smiles at him. "Yes." She simply answered and before she could say another word, Tristan already sealed her lips with a deep and passionate kiss.
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The end.
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