Now Playing: Stand By Me
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Kabanata 34
Dreaming
Doon na kami pinatulog nina Lala sa mansyon dahil medyo madilim na rin noong natapos ang pagkukwentuhan nila. I slept beside Lorenzo in his room at galit na galit naman sa'kin dahil ang aga ko raw matulog.
That was the longest sleep I've had since my crying sessions kaya pinagbigyan n'ya ako kahit pa medyo nagtatampo.
Ngayon palang nagsi-sink in sa'kin lahat ng nangyayari. It was a relief, wala akong pinagsisihan sa lahat ng kaganapan. Now, I couldn't wish or ask for more, masaya na akong kasama si Lorenzo.
"Good morning, baby..." I kept my eyes shut, still feeling sleepy. Hinila ko ang kumot pataas dahil medyo malamig pa rin.
"Gising na..." he tapped my shoulder again.
"Hmm..." I mumbled. Tinapik n'ya ulit ang balikat ko. "Five minutes..."
Ramdam ko naman na lumubog bahagya ang gilid ng kama. He laid beside me. Itinuloy ko ang tulog ko at lalo akong inantok because he was playing with my hair. Maya-maya pa ay malakas na tumunog ang alarm kaya napabalikwas ako.
"Pakshet!" napahawak ako sa dibdib ko. I saw Lorenzo stiffing his smile. "Ginulat mo'ko!" Malakas na sigaw ko.
"Sabi mo five minutes," inosenteng sabi n'ya.
"Ang aga aga pa," pupungay-pungay kong sabi. I glanced at his bed clock and saw that it's already ten in the morning.
"May pupuntahan ta'yo," he announced. I studied him and he's already dressed. Nakaligo na at bihis na bihis samantalang feel ko amoy laway pa rin ako dahil bagong gising.
"Ayoko," matigas kong sabi at bumalik sa pagkakahiga.
"Sige," he shortly said.
"Eto na, babangon na," I lazily stood up at mukha naman s'yang proud na proud sa sarili n'ya.
Inabutan n'ya ako ng paper bag na may lamang mga damit na galing kay Melissa dahil wala akong kahit isang dala. I tied my hair before brushing my teeth and doing my morning routine.
Melissa lended me three pairs of coordinates. I chose the white off shoulder with puffed long sleeves like the ones Jasmine wore. Then brown cargo pants and the shoes I wore yesterday. Naglagay ako ng tatlong extra spray ng pamango dahil baka yayain ako ni Lorenzo mag-date.
Priya lang maharot.
He cooked me a simple breakfast at kumain na kami bago umalis.
"Saan tayo pupunta?" medyo pabebe kong tanong. He answered me with a shrug. Ang suplado, pero gwapo pa rin.
I turned his car's speaker up and rolled around his songs on his phone. I admit, he's got a taste in music. Nakita ko pa ang wallpaper n'ya na picture ko kanina habang natutulog. Napairap nalang ako. Nanakit ang lalamunan ko sa pagkanta dahil feel na feel ko ang mga kanta n'ya. Ang sasakit sa damdamin kahit hindi naman ako brokenhearted.
Bumaba kami sa medyo malawak na lupain. He parked his car on the side. Meron doong daanan na hindi ko alam kung saan papunta at doon kami dumaan.
"Lorenzo, sana aware ka na mukha akong tanga dito," palinga-linga kasi s'ya habang ako naman ay nakatingin lang kung saan at sinusundan s'ya.
"Tara," he said and held my hand at napanguso nalang ako. We followed the stone path leading to who knows where at nang marating namin ang dulo ay saka ako nag-angat ng tingin.
Tinakasan ako ng kaluluwa ko. I didn't know how long I was able to stand like that. The scenery was at the back of my head, extremely familiar to me like all the strokes are from my very hands. And the fun part is, it was. It was drawn by me. And now I'm seeing it, standing in front of me.
What lies in the depth of my eyes is my dream house, the one I drew languidly and for fun. He made it real. Lorenzo made it real.
"Oh my God, Lorenzo! Ahh!" malakas akong umirit pero agad din akong napahiya nang makitang wala s'ya sa tabi ko.
"Iniwan pa talaga ako. Walang puso," I murmured at tatalon talon akong lumapit sa bahay. My imagination came to life. Totoo nga!
"Bahala ka, Lorenzo, uuna na'ko," sabi ko kahit pa hindi ko alam kung kaninong bahay ito. But it really looks like mine, imposible namang sa ibang tao 'to. But why would Lorenzo build my dream house?
I opened the front door at namangha ako sa nakita sa loob. Those were my furnitures inside! Sobrang lawak ng loob. Kung sa labas ay marami ng halaman, ganoon din sa loob. The color palette was dark wood, dirty white, caramel and some hints of rust and soft green. Kumpletonh kumpleto ang loob.
"Wait..." naalala ko bigla iyong akala namin ay nag-panic buying dahil sa sobrang daming biniling furnitures from few years ago. The buyer was anonymous, but he was our biggest buyer. Was that Lorenzo?
Pinahid ko ang pisngi ko nang may naglandas na luha.
"Lorenzo! Ano ba, naiiyak na'ko! Nakakainis ka!" I complained in joy. How ironic it is to feel euphoric amidst trembling with confusion.
Ipinalibot ko ang tingin ko sa kabuuan ng bahay. Sobrang liwanag kahit walang bukas na ilaw, dahil ng nga bubog. Sunod sunod na tumulo ang luha ko. It was everything I've been dreaming. Plano ko palang na ipatayo ito pero may nauna na sa'kin.
"Hoy, Lorenzo! Sinasabi–"
I heard strums from a guitar from afar. Followed by a voice.
When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
Mula sa kinatatayuan ko ay lumabas si Lorenzo. He was holding a karaoke microphone na may speaker na kasama. Nginitian n'ya ako ng nakakaloko habang kumakanta.
"Walang hiya ka..." nagpigil ako ng ngiti habang naluluha.
No I won't be afraid
Oh, I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
Truth be told, he wasn't that good in singing but he was in rhythm and he made it sound like he's the best singer in the world. Damang dama n'ya lahat ng binibigkas n'yang salita.
So darling, darling
Stand by me, oh stand by me
Oh stand, stand by me
Stand by me
He was tapping his foot while swaying his body a bit, doing Tito moves. Sobrang laki ng ngiti n'ya at sinalubong ko iyon ng buong puso.
His hair was effortlessly disheveled and the scene made him look more lovely. He was the damaging type of handsome, with the right amount of his mischievous grin. Bagay na bagay talaga kaming dalawa. Wala ng pwedeng kumontra.
If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
Or the mountain should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry
No, I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
I've never seen him like this. Ako ang nahihiya para sa kanya. He used to be so quiet tapos ngayon kumakanta s'ya sa harap ko na nakamic pa talaga. He really knows the way to my heart.
Mas lumakas naman ang pagkanta kaya napatingin ako sa paligid.
"Oh my God!" I gasped upon seeing familiar faces. Lumabas doon ang buong angkan ng mga Agustin sa pangunguna ni Isidro at Melissa. Maximus was scratching his head, totally embarrassed. Si Magnus naman ang tumutugtog ng gitara.
So darling, darling
Stand by me, oh stand by me
Oh stand, stand by me
Stand by me
Lala was holding Yñigo. Naroon din si Nat na nakikikanta. Ade and Dim are present at si Ade ay iyak lang ng iyak. Some of my workers are also in line. Lahat sila ay may hawak na pulang rosas at nakaputing damit.
Ang tanging kulang nalang ay ang pamilya ko.
I covered my face with both of my hands. Lumapit naman sa'kin si Lorenzo.
"Hi..." he began.
"Anong pakulo naman 'to, Lorenzo?" I punched him in his chest when I couldn't hold my tears back. Para akong batang umiiyak habang nakayakap sa kanya.
"I built your dream house." Doon bumuhos ang luha ko na parang talon. Hindi ako makapaniwala.
"Bakit ka umiiyak? Ayaw mo ba?" he asked worriedly nang makitang taas baba ang balikat ko sa pag-iyak.
"Lagi mo nalang akong pinapaiyak," hindi ko maiwasang sabi.
"Ito na ang huling beses na iiyak ka," he chuckled at iniangat ang mukha ko para magkapantay kami.
"Hindi pala ito ang huli, dahil papakasalan pa kita."
With that, he grabbed something in his pocket. Nag-iritan naman lahat ng nandoon at pinakanangibabaw ang kay Adelaide. He knelt with one knee and looked at me, lovingly. My eyes went wide in an instant.
"Ang dami nating pinagdaanan, Priya. At sa bawat araw lalo kitang minahal. I love you, baby. Mahal na mahal..." hee opened the small velvet box that's he's holding at lalo akong naiyak.
"Lorenzo..." muli kong pinahid ang luha ko.
"Will you stand by me and marry me, my Priya?"
Sunod sunod ang pagtango at paghikbi ko. I can see his hands trembling and he was sweating hard.
"Yes! Yes, Lorenzo!" I happily said. Muntik pang 'I do' ang masabi ko, buti nalang napigilan ko ang sarili ko.
The little crowd that Lorenzo gathered cheered at may kung sino pang nagpaputok ng confetti. He inserted the ring in my finger, it was a simple ring with a tiny diamond, my birthstone.
"I love you..." he said before kissing me senselessly, owning my lips thoroughly. I kissed him back with the same ferocity, unaware of the eyes watching us.
"I love you, most..." I told him, with all my heart.
"Damn, you're my fiance," hindi makapaniwala n'yang sabi. He's still hugging me na parang ayaw na akong bitawan.
Noong araw din na iyon ay ipina-bless namin ang bahay. Nagkaroon ng kaunting salo-salo at ako na yata ang pinakamasayang babae sa buong mundo.
With Lorenzo, standing by me, I couldn't ask for more. He was enough, a billion times enough.
Sumilip ako sa isa sa mga bintana at tinanaw ang langit. Maliwanag ang kalangitan but I know the stars are still there, hindi sila umaalis.
"Hi Mama, Papa, Kael..." I silently raised my hand with my ring on it. "Engaged na po ang architect n'yo... Sana nandito kayo..."
Hindi na yata ako naubusan ng luha. Lorenzo came to me at itinaas rin ang kamay at kumaway sa langit. I giggled at him.
"Nagpaalam ako sa kanila, 'wag kang mag-alala," he said.
"Talaga?" I glanced at him and he nodded. Damn, I've got the sweetest man and he's soon to be my husband.
Kilig na kilig naman ako sa pagsasabi ng husband. Grabe, sobrang layo ng nilakbay ko tapos sa kan'ya rin pala ako uuwi. I remembered my first time seeing him, binihag n'ya agad ako at wala akong kawala. Gagawa ako ng paraan para magkita kami, kahit nakakahiya.
Lorenzo was the only risk I'm willing to take, over and over again. Without getting tired, even if I had to shed buckets of tears, even if it results to a broken heart. Sa kanya ko lang nakikita ang sarili kong ganito kasaya.
Everything was so surreal that I thought I was dreaming. But if I was, I don't want to be awake. I want to stay stuck in that dream, with Lorenzo, until the morning comes again.
Ikaw lang Lorenzo, habangbuhay.