Jeric
“Yes,” she mumbled while looking at the ground. She’s being her usual shy self again.
“What did you say?” I asked lifting her face by her chin.
“Yes,” she said while smiling shyly. Her face is turning pink.
“Yes?” I asked as it dawned me.
She nodded and smiled at me. A huge smile slowly crept to my face. She’s said yes! She’s my girl! I couldn’t contain my happiness, I grabbed her into my arms.
“THAAAAAANKKK YOUU LORD! Best graduation gift ever! Wooooooohhhooooo!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. I move a little away from her, only to face her.
“Thank you baby. I love you so much.” I said to her. She smiled in amusement of what I am doing.
“Shhh. Jeric, tama na yan,” she said while giggling.
“I won’t stop. You just made me the happiest man on Earth!” I said, still full of energy.
“You’re not the only lucky person in here Jeric.” She said in her usual sweet voice without removing her smile.
It made me stop from all the hyper movements. I looked her in the eyes and cupped her face.
“My ever humble Anna. Thank you for letting me love you,” I smiled and give her a quick kiss on her forehead.
“I love you Jeric.” she answered. My eyes grew larger. That was actually the first time she ever said that! I am utterly blessed. This amazing girl loves me. I couldn’t suppress my smile.
“Yes baby, believe it. I love you and thank you for loving me too,” She held up her hand and touched my face. I took her hand and kissed it.
“Ahia! Congrats!” I heard Jeron snickered from my back. I looked back and saw my family and some close friends watching me and Anna.
“Shoti, she said yes!” I shouted to my younger brother. Then everybody, including my parents, siblings and old teammates, cheered from the background.
I grabbed Anna and hug her as tightly as I could. She hugged me back while giggling.
“Uhh, Jec, I can’t breathe na,” She said. Oops!
“Sorry babe. I’m just so excited. You said yes,” I said to her again. She giggled again.
“Yes Jec, I said yes,” She warmly assured me. I think I heard the angels sing from the heavens.
Then there she goes with her beautiful smile again. I could watch her smile for the rest of my life.
“Ahia! Okay ka na?! Pakainin mo na yang girlfriend mo! Pati kami gutom na rin!” Jeron shouted from the back. I just raised my hand and waved them away. I focused my attention to the girl I love whose in front of me.
“Nak! Let’s eat na! Baka gutom na si Anna,” I heard Mom said. Basag trip naman tong mga to eh.
“Let’s go na Jec. They’re waiting for us oh. We have all the time in the world to be together. But first, let’s celebrate your graduation,” she said. I’m a lucky man.
I had no choice but to follow her. Boss’ orders. Hehe. When we entered our dining room, everybody’s starting to eat. Of course, my old tigers were huddling over the buffet table. Tsk. This is one thing I will definitely miss in college.
By the way, today’s my graduation day and Tata’s (Clark) too. We just finished college and of course goodbye collegiate basketball and hello pro basketball for me. Another door has closed in my life but another one’s opening. Well not one, but two. Door to PBA and Door to life with Anna.
I met her on a basketball clinic when I was in my second year in college. She definitely caught my eye. She was with her little cousin who was trying to learn basketball and I was one of the trainers. We became friends but I didn’t make a move until it was my graduating year.
Fortunately I was forced by Coach Pido to do help on a fund raising event for the team. Aside from helping the team, the event also had another beneficiary. Luckily, it was an orphanage which Anna supports. Since we’re already friends, we became closer during the whole duration of the event. There, I was able to gather up all my courage to confess that I like her and I want to know more about her. She let me pursue her and here we are now after eight long months of winning her. I finally won.
Really, I am the lucky one. Anna is very smart, very beautiful and very kind. And I am very fortunate to have her. She said yes. I know, paulit-ulit na!
“Jec? Babe? Everything alright?” I heard Anna say beside me. I looked at her confusingly.
“You spaced out,” she said while smiling. “What are you thinking?” she asked.
“You. I’m just reminiscing the day that I met you and all the hardships I’ve gone through to hear you say yes,” I said to tease her.
“Hardships talaga ha,” She said as she pinched my arm.
“Hirap mo kayang ligawan. Usually kasi hindi na ako nahihirapan eh,” She raised her eyebrow at me.
“Eh di dun ka na lang sa madaling ligawan,” she said as she playfully roll her eyes on me. I gently grab her by her waist so we’re face to face.
“Eto naman, hindi mabiro. Of course, you’re worth everything. I won’t trade you with anyone else,” I sweetly said to her.
She didn’t answer. She just looked me in the eyes and smiled like she’s contented with life.
“I will give up anything just to see you like that every single day of my life,” I said which made her smile.
She didn’t answer. She reached for my face and caressed it with all her love. Yeah I don’t need words. I just need her. Period.
“Sweet nemen eh! Wala girlfriend ko dito kap! Dahan-dahan na man sa tamis diyan!” My ever noisy teammate, Kevin, said.
“Oo Kap! Alam na namin na girlfriend mo na si Anna. Obvious na obvious na,” Paolo added.
“Pa-inject na ng insulin Kap nang hindi kayo madiabetes!”Aljon butted in.
“Pasalamat kayo at graduate na ako. Kung hindi triple training kayo sakin!” I said to them giving them my captain looks.
“Buti na lang pala talaga!” Kevin said which made everybody laugh.
“Kumain na lang kaya kayo dun,” I ordered them.
“Nanonood pa kami ng romantic movie. Mamaya na Kap,” Kevin said while grinning.
“Mamaya na ulit yung second round?” Jeron joined in. “Eh kumain na kayo kanina eh.”
“Sorry mga PG talaga tong mga tigreng to,” Tata said to Jeron.
“Uhhh what’s PG?” Jeron asked. All the tigers facepalmed.
“Basta Lozol talaga.” Kevin said in his very conyo way. Kevin laid his arms around Jeron’s shoulders. “Ang ibig sabihin ng PG, patay gutom.”
“Yun lang naman pala eh,” Jeron said with a triumphant smile on his face.
“Uh-haaa. Sosyal talaga ng mga taga-lozol,” Kevin continued to tease Jeron.
“Ewan ko sa’yo!” Jeron jokingly punched Kevin’s arm.
Don’t get them wrong, they’re usually like that. Ganyan talaga magkulitan yang mga yan. I turned to Anna and she is amused with what my brothers are doing.
“I like to see you happy. One of the best gift of God to humanity. You being happy,” I said to her which made her smile.
“You’re spoiling me. And speaking of gifts, I have one for you,” I looked at her.
“I thought you are my gift,” I said to her.
“Pssshhh. I’ll get it.” She tried to break free from me arms but I didn’t let her go.
“Can you get it later? Stay with me.” I said with matching pouting and pacute-ing.
“No, I have to get it now, Jec,” she smiled and offered her hand. “You can always come with me.”
I gladly took her hand like a four-year-old. We left the dining room and went to her car. She didn’t let me pick her up earlier this morning. She said she wanted me to relax. And she used her pretty please face. I can’t say no that.
She took a rectangular box from the backseat and it’s wrapped in yellow. She handed me the box with a beam.
“Happy graduation, Jeric. I hope you like them.” I smiled at her.
I slowly unwrapped the box and it showed tiny cookie letters which says “I love you. Congratulations”. I looked at her and smirked. She raised an eyebrow at me.
“What?” She asked innocently.
“You have this all along. So you really are planning to say the magic words even if I didn’t ask you?” I teased.
“Nope. I was going to remove the I Love You if you didn’t ask but you did. So I didn’t bother,” she teased back.
I faked a disappointed look which made her smile.
“Di bagay Jec.” She said, pinching my nose. “Bottom-line is I love you,” she smiled so dearly that my heart melted. I gently grabbed her with one hand while the other is holding the box.
“Thank you! I love your gift,” I whispered to her ears.
Anna is not the materialistic kind of girl and it is one of the reasons why I love her. Despite of her background she remained humble. She always think about what to give a person. She considers what the person likes or not and she always give a touch of her own on her gifts. And that is what makes it special.
“Let go inside. I’ll introduce you to some people,” I said as I pull away from her. She gave me a quizzing look.
“I know everybody inside Jec. Your family and the tigers,” she said.
“Basta,” I took her hand and pull her inside.
“Mom, Dad, Achi, Shobe, Shoti, meet Anna.” I said to my family.
Anna and I were standing in front of my family. I took them all to my dad’s study to introduce her formally.
“Ahia naman eh, ano to lokohan? We already know Ate Anna and we already love her.” Almira complained.
“Oo nga Jec. I know them naman.” Anna said, confused. “And I love you too Mira,” she said to Almira.
“Pwede makinig ka muna Shob. Huwag kang panira.” I said to my not so little sister. I felt Anna forcefully nudge me. I smiled again and cleared my throat. “Meet my girlfriend.”
“I know you already know her but I want you to know her as my girlfriend,” I said to them which made my parents smile and my siblings snicker.
“Ayun naman pala. Ikaw talaga.” Alyssa added.
My mom was all smiles, so proud of her boy. “Welcome to the family, Anna.”
She approached us and opened her arms to Anna. Anna gladly reciprocated my mom’s action.
“Thank you, Tita.” She said after breaking the hug. “Ikaw talaga Jeric, ang dami mong alam.”
“Burn Ahia!” Jeron teased. “But seriously Ate, welcome to the family.”
Jeron was the next one to approach us. He gave Anna a quick hug and tapped me on the shoulder. The next one was my giggling sister, Almira.
“Next to Ahia, I’m the happiest in this family! You’re going to be my sisterrrr! I love your taste in fashion Ate. I hope you could shop with me and go to shows. I am so excited!” Almira squealed. I looked at her sharply but she just rolled her eyes to me.
“Shobe, she’s my girlfriend, not yours. She’s going out on dates with me, not with you,” I said.
“Ahia naman! Pa-share! You can’t be with her every single time.” Almira protested.
“I would if I could.” I said and look at Anna dearly.
Achi Alyssa joined us and hugged as all, including Almira.
“Welcome Anna. I’m happy having you as my sister.” Anna smiled at her and said her thank you.
Dad was the last one to approach us. He stood in front of us and laid his hand on my shoulders. “Nak, don’t forget everything that your Mom and I have taught you. Take care of Anna and love her as much as you could. And as much as possible, avoid hurting her. Congratulations anak, for your graduation and for the two of you.” Dad said. Anna and I smiled and thanked him.
“Maybe we should go back. The tigers must’ve destroyed our kitchen already,” Achi said which made us all laugh.
“Sige Achi, susunod kami,” I said to them and they all went back to the kitchen.
“Alam mo ang corny mo,” Anna said while smiling.
I slowly pulled her closer and wrapped my arms around her waist. “Corny na kung corny. I just want to get all the formalities done so we could get to the real business,” I smiled at her teasingly as I pull her closer.
“Jeric!” She protested.
I continued to pull her towards me. She’s trying to break free but I am too strong for her. Our faces are inches away and she shut her eyes, involuntarily. I smiled and quickly kissed her nose. She opened her eyes.
“Jeric!” She said which made me giggle.
“You would know if I’m about to kiss you,” I said and looked at her directly into her eyes. She unconsciously smiled at me, her perfect sweet smile. “I love you”
“I love you Jeric,” she responded.
I moved closer and I saw her smile. She knew. I smiled back at her. She closed her eyes, slowly now. Then our lips met. It was a heavenly feeling. I definitely love this girl. She responded to my kiss. And we kissed passionately.
“Hindi ka pala dapat ginugulat,” I said teasingly after the tender but passionate kiss.
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Author's Note
First Chapter for A Story of Love!. Thanks for all the support and love. I'm open for suggestions and ideas. Enjoy!
I would like to give credits to the photos and videos that I will be using in this story to the owners.
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