He woke up feeling so good and excited. This day is gonna be the start of forever. He smiled just the thought of it. He hurriedly finished his breakfast and prepared himself. He communicated with his EA, Cha who's been leading the preparation for months now.
"Good morning, boss!" Cha greeted him enthusiastically.
"How's everything?" He asked.
"Everything's good, boss! Ready na po lahat. Matamis na oo nalang ni Atty. ang kulang." Cha giggled.
He smiled, "We'll hear it from her later."
Call ended.
After all the preparations he made, Bongbong went straight to the airport. He didn't wait long enough before he saw the love of his life.
"Babe!" She screamed as she ran towards him.
He smiled widely and returned the hug tightly, "I missed you so much."
She kissed his lips, "I missed you too."
They immediately went to their favorite restaurant where the surprise will be held. They took their orders and started to eat lunch.
"How are you, babe? How's your flight?" He asked.
"It was okay naman babe. Medyo jetlag lang but I'm fine." She answered. "Ikaw how are you? How's business?"
"Business is good. Medyo busy lang talaga because we're expanding, you know how it works." He told her.
She nodded, "How's tita meldy?"
"She's okay naman. She's enjoying her life with her friends." He smirked.
She chuckled, "Can't wait to see her again after a year."
"Naku! Pag nagkita kayo baka kulitan ka nya about having a child. Gusto na magkaapo eh." He hinted.
She just gave him a faint smile. She doesn't want to have kids right now. "In time."
He halted and look at her, "Don't pressure yourself, babe. Mom will surely understand." He smiled reassuringly.
She held his hand. "Thanks babe."
He nodded and continued eating. He knew all too well where she stand with regards to having kids, she doesn't want it yet. He wanted to have kids and settle down with her but he doesn't want to pressure her and just wanted to support her in everything she wanted to do. He's contended with the kind of relationship they have.
Hours later, Bongbong finally drove her into their house as Imelda demanded for dinner. He was the one who entered the first telling her that he has to inform his mom and siblings about their arrival, she agreed telling him she would be there in no time.
She was curious of why the lights outside and even the chandeliers aren't even turned on. She frowned but continued to walk forward.
"Babe? Why is everything turned off? Is there some—"
Her sentence got cut off the moment she entered the house. The lights went on and there are a lot of people standing in front of her. There she saw her Mom and Dad, her Tita Meldy, Bongbong's siblings—Imee, Irene, and Aimee, her other cousins, Bongbong's closest friends: Migz, Chiz, Win, and Grace, Bongbong's EA, Cha. And there she saw the love of his life, holding a bouquet of beautifully arranged flowers walking towards her. She was completely shocked of what was happening to her right now. She suddenly saw him holding a red box, her heart started to beat rapidly. She knew this.
"Babe, I know that you still have a lot of goals to achieve and I am very much willing to support you. I am proud of you alam mo yan. You are my life. You're my everything. I cannot imagine my life without you. I am so in love with you." He started. She started to cry after everything he said.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, babe. So please, please, Atty. Marie Louise Araneta, will you marry me?" Bongbong went down on one knee as he dropped the million dollar question.
There were silence. Everyone was looking at Liza as they wait for her answer. Minutes later and it never came. They became worried this time.
"Babe?" He asked her again.
She cried. She cannot do this right now. "I'm sorry, Bong."
Everyone gasped.
"I'm sorry, I cannot do this right now. I'm — I'm not ready yet— I still have to go to New York." Liza said, crying.
"Liza, I— I can wait for you—" he negotiated, his voice cracks.
"Don't, Bong." She cut him off. "Please, don't do this to yourself. I love you but I have my priorities. Please understand."
A tear fell from his eyes, probably the loneliest tear he would ever produce. "Whatever you want."
He started to walk away with a heavy heart. Liza cried harder.
---
One of her best friends, Risa dragged her out of her bed, out of her apartment. "You gotta dust yourself up and fight!" Risa exclaimed right in front of her face.
"Tignan mo nga yang sarili mo! One week ka ng ganyan, hindi ka naliligo at hindi ka na kumakain ng tama. Mamamatay ka sa ginagawa mo." Risa scolded her.
"Hayaan mo na ako, Ris." She went back to her bed.
"No!" Risa exclaimed. "Sasama ka saakin sa ayaw at sa gusto mo! Hala maligo ka na!"
"Saan tayo—"
"Maligo ka na sabi!" Risa pushed her towards the bathroom.
Hours later, they were all glammed up and waited for their grab driver. Apparently, they went to a bar. "Oh! God! What are we going to do here?! Baliw ka na ba?!"
"Maglilibang tayo! Meet new people para naman malimutan mo yang pinagdadaanan mo just for a while. You need distraction." Risa cheered and pull her inside the bar.
They went to a corner where they settled on a couch reserved under Risa's name. "Pina-reserve to ni Kit for us, wag ka nga!"
They started to drink and Risa seems she's enjoying the booze and the music so she want to the dance floor with her glass of tequila and dance to some random people. Meanwhile,she was just there sitting alone as the loud music blasted off from speakers and people are having fun drinking and dancing. She was just there wanting to cry feeling disappointed to herself. Hours later, tears are already falling from her eyes as she continued to drink her tequila. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened to her.
"I think I should join you because we're a bunch of lonely people seeking for distraction in a place like this." Someone suddenly interrupted Leni's moment. She quickly wiped her tears off.
She looks up and there was a man standing in front of her handing her his handkerchiefs. She frowned. He smirked, "Kunin mo na. Marami pa akong ganyan sa bahay." Talking about the handkerchief he was offering.
She pursed her lips and shyly accepted his offer. She then quickly wiped her face using it. "Thank you." She almost whispered.
"So can I join you?" He asked.
She nodded.
He sat down beside her with the glass on his hand, "Mukhang mas malaki problema mo kesa saakin." He smirked as he observed the amount of tequila she has consumed.
"I failed the bar." She said and drank all the remaining booze on her glass.
"Ohh" he reacted, didn't know if it was for her failing the exam or how she just drank the liquid on her glass.
"Now you're speechless. Tingin mo na siguro saakin sobrang bobo ko." She fake a laugh.
"Nah!" He shook his head. "Everybody fails."
"But not me!" She almost exclaimed, too much alcohol intake can make her go crazy.
"Chill!" He hissed. "You're not God! Babagsak at babagsak ka at one point in your life. My god! Such a child!" He rolled his eyes.
"I'm not a child! I'm a grown up woman capable pf making grown up decisions!" She said with conviction.
He shook his head. "And this is what grown up decisions means?!" He said pointing at the bottles of tequila she has consumed and how she's handling herself.
"Whatever!" She rolled her eyes.
He smirked.
"How about you?" She asked after a while.
"What about me?" He asked, looking at her sideways.
"Sabi mo kanina we're a bunch of lonely people, what makes you lonely? Bumagsak ka din sa Bar?" She asked.
He rolled his eyes once again, "Life isn't about passing the bar, grown up woman!"
"Ano nga?! Masyado kang mayabang, Mr. Know it All!" She refuted.
He smirked, "Aba! Marunong sumagot ha! I'm starting to like you now."
She smirked, proud of herself.
"The love of my life turned down my marriage proposal." He uttered taking her attention.
"Oh my! That's—"
"Embarrassing?" He asked.
"Yeah. Well, I was gonna say heartbreaking sana but embarrassing will do." She said.
He laughed, he finds her so cute.
"Matagal na ba kayo?" She asked, curious of his story.
He nodded, "Five years."
"Oh! I'm sorry to hear that." She said.
"Hindi pa sya patay, ano ka ba!" He reacted.
"No! No! I mean, sorry to hear about the rejection. After all sobrang tagal nyo na pala. Bakit sya umayaw? If you don't mind." She asked.
He sighed, "She's not ready yet. She has a lot of things to do in New York, big career waiting for her there. Na-offeran kasi sya ng isang malaking law firm dun."
Her eyes bulged, "She's a lawyer?"
He nodded.
"Sana all!" She almost cried. "Tapos she's in New York pa! Sana all talaga! Kahit naman siguro ako hindi ako mag-aasawa muna."
He glared at her.
"Ay! Sorry!" She giggled.
"You're not helping!" He snarled at her.
"POV ko lang naman yun bakit ba?! Malay ko ba dyan sa girlfriend mo!" She defended. "Sige to make you feel better, isipin mo nalang mahal ka nun at balang araw papakasalan ka nya, magkakaroon kayo ng madaming anak and you'll live a happily ever after." She said dreamily.
He smiled at her.
"You wanna go out from here?" He said raising his voice louder for her to be heard despite the loud music.
"Take me anywhere, Mr. Know it All!" She responded.
He took her by the hand leaving their glasses on the table, "Let's go, Grown up Woman!"
---
They drove away from the city. She didn't even know where he's taking her, but she doesn't care. She wants to escape for a while. She wants to disappear. She doesn't want this lonely feeling.
He glanced at her and her eyes were closed but her lips were forming a small smile. It was enough for him. It made him feel good that he's doing something for other people especially making other people happy. "We're here!" He declared.
She felt the car stopped, she opened her eyes and saw the city lights below them. It suddenly makes her cry. She went down and observed her surroundings, they were the only people there. They were in a very high place that the air they breathe is much more cooler than they usually experience. She saw the tiny lights coming from the busy city, it gives her tranquility.
He held her hand and lead her at the back of his pick up. They decide to sit there in peace. She wrapped her arms around her. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her to ease the coldness.
She smiled, "Thanks!"
He nodded. "Are you happy?"
She looks at him, "Very much. Thank you for bringing me here. I needed this."
He smiled and once again they fell into silence.
"She should've said yes." She said after a while.
"Hmm?" He frowned.
She looked at him, "Kung ako sya, I would probably say yes to your proposal."
He gave her a sad smile, "Kaya lang hindi sya ikaw."
She nodded, "Kaya lang hindi sya ako."
They were silent again.
Hours later and they decided to go back to their lives in the city. He assisted her in going down the car, she nodded her thanks. He suddenly held her hand a bit tighter. She frowned.
"What if I asked you to marry me now?" He asked.
She laughed. "Baliw!"
"Hindi totoo nga! What if I asked you to marry me?" He insisted.
"Alam mo lasing ka na talag—" he suddenly kissed her lips. She suddenly felt herself responding to his hot kisses. Minutes later, he was able to carry her up to the back of his pick up. They took off their clothes and started making love under the starry night and the bustling city below.
He was thrusting so fast until he reached his climax. He just came inside her and whispered, "Marry me now and I'll court you forever."
To be continued...
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