The Geronimo household was fast asleep except for Sarah who busied herself in the kitchen like it wasn't 3AM in the morning and carried on with chopping and frying and boiling as if she knew exactly what she was doing.
She studied the meaty lasagna recipe the night before and she was confident that she could do it. But now that her sausage was burned and her vegetables looked like they barely survived a war, she wasn't so sure that she could pull it off anymore.
She bit her lip as she surveyed the mess. She wanted to surprise Matt so bad... Today was their monthsary and incidentally his last taping day also. She wanted to surprise him by driving there (Yes, she got her driver's license that week) and delighting him with the best pasta ever.
"Anak susunugin mo ba ang bahay natin?"
She almost jumped in surprise at the sound of his dad's voice.
"Pa! Ano kasi... Naisip ko lang magluto... Nagising ko ba kayo?" she said flustered, as her dad rushed in to rescue her lasagna.
"Anak naman minassacre mo naman yung pagkain... Tsaka balak mo ba gumawa ng uling?"
"Papa OK lang yan! Kaya ko na to. Tulog ka na ulit," Sarah tried to pull him away from taking over her cooking but he wouldn't be stopped.
Sarah swallowed her shame. She tip toed her way into the kitchen and tried her best to be as quiet as a mouse because she didn't want her parents to know that she was cooking for her boyfriend. She was especially embarassed that her dad had to see what a sorry job she was doing with the pasta
"Gusto mo bang lasunin si Matt?" Her father looked at her defiantly. Sarah couldn't argue anymore now that he gave her that look.
So Sarah had to re-do everything under the patient instruction of her dad. Nothing was said apart from what had to be done with the tomatoes, when to take out the noodles, and how hot the oven should be set. Both were shy to talk about who the dish was for, not wanting to acknowledge that Sarah wasn't exactly the little girl that he knew anymore.
"Tandaan mo, pag naghihiwa ng kamatis dapat may halong awa dahil ang gulay ay nilalang din ng Dyos!" Her dad said as he pulled out the finished product from the oven.
"Papa naman e..." Sarah laughed. He never failed to crack her up. "Hayaan mo tatandaan ko lahat ng turo mo kin tungkol sa pagiging maka-gulay."
"Practice na ba to anak?" Her dad asked casually after a while as they cleaned up and waited for the pasta to cool.
Sarah felt a blush creep up. "Di pa naman Pa. Naisip ko lang pagluto si Matt kasi last shooting day nya." She was too shy to say that it was their monthsary as well.
"Inaalagaan ka naman ba ng mabuti?" Her dad asked while he washed the pots and pans, he was too embarrassed to look at her.
"Oo naman po... Kagaya ng pangako nya sa inyo ni Mama," she said earnestly, probably less embarrassed than her dad, as she wiped the counter.
"Aba e dapat lang. Kundi makakatikim sya ng Fernardo Poe sa kin at Cynthia Luster sa mama mo..." Her dad joked, mimicking FPJ's moves.
"Wag kang magalala Pa. Hinding hindi ako sasaktan ni Matt," she laughingly and reassuringly said.
Sarah smiled as she smelled the delicious lasagna perched at the backseat. Traffic was very gentle on the first time driver and she sped along with no problem, having had plenty of practice with Rachelle before she went back to the UK. She was so excited to give Matt the shock of his life.
Then her phone rang. It was Kim calling.
"Good morning!" She greeted her brightly, wanting to pass on the positivity that she felt for that day.
"Sarah! Tara shopping tayo!" Kim said a little too enthusiastically.
"Kim, may plano kasi ka-"
"Punta ka na dito please???!" Kim begged, not letting her finish.
Sarah was confused. It was 6:30AM. Where was she? "San ka ba?"
"Dito sa shop ni Liz... Marami na ko nabili. Bagong tote, tatlong heels, isang cocktail dress..." Kim babbled on. Sarah sensed that there was something dreadfully wrong with her friend.
"Kim may lakad kami ni Matt ngayon e... Monthsary namin." Sarah gently tried to beg off from the invitation.
"Hahahaha!!! Monthsary?!!! Kalokohan lang yang pag-ibig na yan! Hihintayin kita dito. Jessica talk to Sarah please."
"Good morning Maam," a strange voice took over. "This is Jessica of Moda. We'd really appreciate if you can um... assist Ms. Kim here. She's slightly um... upset I guess... She asked us to open the store 5AM today and she's... well-uh, she's bought quite a lot already."
Sarah was shocked. She has never heard Kim act and talk this way before. "Okay Jess. I'm on my way. Please wag mo papaalisin si Kim until I get there," she said, extremely worried for her friend but with much regret for the failed monthsary surprise.
Sarah got to the shop and found Kim rummaging through the dresses like a hurricane. Her nose was red and she had large sunglasses on. Obviously, she's been crying. She guessed that Kim just came off a fight with Xian.
Kim and Xian would always have their little quarrels. But Sarah could tell that this was big.
"Hi Kim! Eto na ko. Tapos ka na ba mamili?" She asked as she gently walked to her side.
"Sarah!!! Glad you came! Sukat mo nga to! Bagay yan sayo." Kim looked like she was out of her mind.
Sarah put down the dresses that Kim gave her to try on. "Hindi ok lang ako... Nako marami ka na yata nabili ah..." Sarah looked at all the filled paperbags on the floor. Her bill could've easily equalled the cost of a car. She had to stop her.
"Tara sa bahay! Tingnan natin yung mga nabili mo. Tapos breakfast tayo," she said, putting an arm around Kim.
"No... Konti pa lang yan Sars... Jess may stock pa kayo nito?"
Sarah looked at the price tag on the shoe that Kim was asking for and almost fainted.
"Wala na kayong stock nyan Jess no?" Sarah butted in. "Lika na Kimmy girl... Balik tayo after breakfast. Pagbalik natin may stock na sila."
"Mamaya may stock na? Ok... Babalik tayo ha?" She looked at Sarah like her life depended on getting those pumps.
"Oo babalik tayo Kim."
"Ok! I'll just pay for these."
"Ms. Kim, Sir Xian paid for these already." Jess said. She looked so harassed that Sarah couldn't help but feel bad for her.
"No..." Kim said through clenched teeth. "Use my card."
"Ms. Kim, we already charged your purchases to Mr. Lim's account. I'm sorry but we can't take it back."
"That asshole!!!!" Kim screamed. "Tell him he can take his stupid money back because I don't wanna have anything to do with him anymore."
"Lika na Kim... Thank you Jess..." Sarah tried to force her to get inside the car to stop her from lashing out at the helpless staff.
Sarah was pretty tired when she finally settled in the driver's seat, with Kim crying at the front seat and half a million worth of merchandise at the back.
"Xian cheated on me!!!" Kim suddenly cried out.
"Hay nako, patay tayo dyan..." Sarah thought.
"Halika nga dito..." She gathered Kim to her arms and tried to comfort the poor girl.
-------
After looking all over Xian's house, Matt found the lifeless figure of his friend floating face down at the swimming pool. The image paralyzed him for a second, turned his stomach, and formed a big lump on his throat. Without thinking, he took off his shoes and jumped to the pool.
He didn't think that today would end up like this. It was a special day for him and Sarah and he had so many plans. He just finished shooting the final sequence for his teleserye when he got the call from his girlfriend.
"Sweetie, pwedeng hanapin mo si Xian... Tingnan mo kung OK sya. Nandito sa bahay si Kim... Mukhang grabe ang away nila kagabi," Sarah reported. Matt could hear the faint sound of Kim sobbing in the background.
"Totoo ba yan hon?! Hindi naman nag-aaway yung dalawang yon e."
"Kaya nga... Kung si Kim nagkakaganito, pano na lang si Xian? Baka kung ano na ang ginawa non."
"Okay... Sige. I'll find him tapos balitaan kita agad," Matt said, with much concern for his friends. "Happy monthsary sweetie," he added.
"Happy monthsary Matt Matt ko..." she whispered. "Ayusin natin to tapos celebrate tayo. Ingat ka."
He made a great splash as he jumped into the water near where Xian was. He quickly waded close him and turned him over.
Thankfully he wasn't dead.
Xian straightened up and coughed out the water from his lungs. "Matt! Ginagawa mo dito pare?" He asked.
Matt looked at him with disbelief. "Ako ang dapat magtanong nyan. Di mo ba naririnig na tinatawag kita kanina pa? I thought you drowned, good God!"
"Well that was the plan, man..." Xian said, his face twisted as he let out a pathetic cry. "Break na kami ni Kim pare."
Matt tried to calm him down and pulled him out of the water.
--------
It took him a while before Matt could get the story out of the grief stricken Xian.
Apparently Kim walked in on him and her sister's bestfriend last night. The girl clung to him and kissed him not knowing that Kim just entered the room.
"Bea kissed me! I was just as surprised as Kim was," Xian explained, trying to clarify his side. "Kim wouldn't listen. Three years akong faithful sa kanya tapos ni hindi nya man lang ako pakinggan. She was so unfair."
Sarah on the other hand waited until Kim woke up. She was so tired from crying that she had to sleep after breakfast. She sat up on Sarah's bed and began to confide, "Yung bestfriend ni Monina matagal ng nilalandi si Xian. If I know, matagal na silang may ginagawa sa likod ko. Buti na lang I caught them in the act last night."
Tears began to stream down her face again. "Nakakainis na ganon na lang nya tinapon yung tiwala ko..."
"Baka naman matagal ng pinagseselosan ni Kim si Bea," Matt said. He guessed that maybe that was why she reacted that way.
"For my part, I've been completely honest with Kim. I was just trying to be nice kay Bea all this time dahil bestfriend siya ni Monina. My conscience is clean man!" Xian said.
Sarah thought that she would try to help Kim see things from Xian's perspective. "Palagay ko, hindi ka magagawang saktan ng ganon ni Xi. Mahal na mahal ka non e. Baka naman yung babae lang talaga ang lumalapit. Binigyan mo ba si Xian ng chance para mag-explain?"
"What more explanation do I need? I saw them with my own two eyes Sarah! I had to end it right then and there!"
"She wouldn't hear me out... I felt like a fool running after her tapos ayaw nya makinig... Then she broke up with me." Tears fell from Xian's eyes.
"And then what did you say?" Matt asked.
"I said Fine!!!" Xian said, again bursting in tears, and buried his face in his hands.
"Sabi nya, Fine!!!" Kim shouted through her tears. "Break kung break!!! He didn't go after me. He just went back to the house na parang wala lang."
"Sorry man, I think you should've fought her til she changed her mind," Matt carefully said. "We both know that you can't live without her. Just talk to her and fix this... Kaya mo yan. And when you do fix it, make sure na you tell her pag may lumalapit sayo na babae. So she doesn't get crazy ideas."
Matt thought that communication was important. If a girl starts throwing herself at him, he'll make sure that Sarah knows it. And if some guy was trying to get to Sarah, he'd appreciate if she tells him about it.
Meanwhile, Sarah sat next to Kim and let her cry on her shoulder. "Palagay ko Kimmy dapat pinakinggan mo din muna si Xian bago mo sya bin-reak. I'm sure nadala lang din sya kaya siya pumayag na makipaghiwalay yon. Alam ko sising-sisi na yon by now. Magiging OK din ang lahat..."
Sarah understood where Xian was coming from. He probably was just trying to be nice. He deserved the benefit of the doubt.
As soon as Kim calmed down, Sarah called Matt again.
------
It was already late when Matt and Xian reached the house. Matt walked behind his friend as he nervously made his way to Sarah's room. Matt may have succeeded in pushing Xian to get Kim back, but he could only hope for the best.
Matt knocked lightly on the door and Sarah opened it for them. They found Kim sitting up. Her eyes were the same as Xian's- red and puffy from crying.
"I'm sorry baby..." Xian knelt down beside Kim and wiped the tears off her eyes.
Kim jumped out of bed and put her arms around Xian. "I'm so sorry... It was my fault... I should've listened to you!"
"No baby, I should've told you the moment I felt that Bea was acting strangely. Para di ka na nagduda."
"I'm sorry for breaking up with you... I don't want to break up with you ever again!"
"Me too babe, I'd rather die than be without you..."
"Mukhang dapat lumabas muna tayo sweetie..." Sarah said and led Matt out of the room.
It was too late for a proper celebration when the reunited lovers left after giving their endless thanks to Sarah and Matt.
"Well there goes our reservation," Matt said, looking sadly at his watch. He booked the sweetest spot at an exclusive restaurant for them to celebrate that night. There was no way they could make it there now.
"Kim and Xian brought us together, diba. We owe them this much." Sarah said, putting an arm around his waist.
"Sayang, I really wanted to celebrate tonight." Matt looked wistfully at her, feeling bad for the little gift inside the backpocket of his jeans.
Sarah's eyes lighted up. "Mag-cecelebrate tayo! Teka lang." She went inside the house for a while. She was carrying a paper bag when she went back out.
"Tara!" She said, leading him to her car.
"Ako na lang magddrive," said Matt, not wanting to disturb Sarah's driver this late at the night.
"Ako ang magddrive!" Sarah said confidently.
"No way!" He said excitedly.
"Yes way!" Sarah said, taking the driver's seat.
Matt's heart swelled with pride as Sarah drove. He couldn't believe that she was finally doing it. He cheered for her from the time that she started the car until she parked. He was too happy to care where Sarah was taking him.
"Para kang sira!" Sarah laughed when they finally got off the vehicle.
"Ang galing galing ng sweetie ko!!! Nakaka-proud!" He hugged her tight and lifted her off the ground.
"Syempre champion race car driver ang boyfriend ko dapat lang marunong ako magmaneho no," she said. "Teka di mo ba napapansin kung san kita dinala."
Matt finally recognized the place. It was the community park where he took her the first time they went out. "Waaah... Nakakasenti naman to sweetie."
They carried Sarah's things to the exact place where they had dinner the first time. They laid out the blanket that Sarah brought, as well as the red wine and glasses, and the tray of lasagna that she prepared.
"Hay, ang sarap talaga ng buhay." Matt said, remembering what he said to her at that same spot where he nervously asked her to go out with him. Life has never stopped being good to him since that day. "And this has to be the best tasting pasta I've ever had."
Sarah giggled. "Buti naman... Kundi magagalit sayo si Papa!" She leaned her head against his chest and looked at the stars.
"Thank you for taking a chance with me that night, sweetie. Pano kaya ako kung di mo ginawa yon lahat?"
Matt smiled. He took out the little box from his pocket. "I believe that fate would still have brought us together somehow."
He took out a beautiful necklace that sparkled like her eyes. "I will never stop believing that I was made for you," he said as he put it on her neck, "and that you belong to me."
"Weh... Talaga? Sabi???!" Sarah joked, but her eyes were already starting to water. She lovingly stroked the pendant of her necklace with her fingers.
"Oo... Sabi ng puso ko na baliw na baliw sayo."
"Parehas pala ang sinasabi ng puso natin e..." Sarah said, smiling sweetly at him. "Wag na wag tayo magaaway na parang si Kim at Xian kanina ha," she said suddenly throwing her arms around him.
"Kung aabot man tayo sa ganon, I promise to always admit that I'm wrong even if I'm right. Cause I'd rather be wrong than lose you, pretty girl."
Sarah laughed. "Promise mo ha," she said, a tear escaping her eye.
"Promise," Matt said and kissed her on her forehead. "Iyakin ka na talaga ngayon ha."
"Parati mo kasi ko pinapaiyak e!" Sarah scolded, hitting him on the back with her hand as she wiped away her tears.
Matt had planned on something grand to celebrate their first month. He had the most expensive chef, the most expensive wine, and the best violinists in town to commemorate the event. But with her now, in the place where he first realized that he could never love anyone else other than the beautiful girl in his arms, he couldn't think of a better way to celebrate.