May pupuntahan daw kami ni Arrow. When I asked him where, sabi niya, "it's a surprise, panget." Knowing him, kahit mag-tumbling at mag-exhibition ako dito sa harap niya, he'll never care. Not in a negative way, though. He is more calculated. That's how admiring Arrow and his patience.
Yes, patience. Hindi halata pero pasensyoso talaga siyang tao. Actually, maraming katangian si Arrow na magugulat ka na mayroon pala siya. One, of course, is his determination... to keep things and secrets. A man of honor. Respectable as he is, sa akin lang talaga siya naging gago. Whenever I hear stories of how this man helped some people in his own little ways, I can't help but feel proud and amaze that he is mine.
Ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na ang gagong ito ay akin na ngayon. Then I wonder, did I do the right thing to make him wait? Habang patagal ng patagal, naiisip ko, if I didn't do such things, I will never know how passionate and warm this man can be. Kung hindi ko siguro pinatagal ng husto ang pagsagot kay Arrow, hindi ko maa-appreciate kung nasaan na kami ngayon. Because surely, I will never know that this man is capable of caring.
One day, we hated each other. The next day, everything changes. Nagbago ba talaga siya? Nah. Baka nga ito talaga si Arrow. Ito ang totoong Arrow at facade niya lang ang pagiging gago. Well, di naman siya gago sa ibang tao. Sa akin lang talaga.
Bwisit! Pero mas nakakabwisit na kahit ang daming pwedeng ipagmalaki ng isang Arrow Nikolas Daez ay minamaliit pa rin siya ng ibang tao. Seriously, why can't they see that he is deserving sa lahat ng achievements na nakamit niya? Are they really narrow-minded or are they jealous because someone who is as young as Arrow is capable of achieving something more than they can even reach until their last days?
I've seen how his seniors look down on him. Kahit anong galing ni Arrow, hindi nila ina-acknowledge. Last year, for example, when we were hostage. Aaminin ko, nasaktan ako na mas pinili niya mag-proceed sa operation ng kriminal kaysa iligtas ako. That was one selfish thought of me, as a doctor, pero hindi niyo rin naman ako masisisi kasi buhay ko ang nakataya. Watching Arrow move with elegance... hindi bagay yung adjective but seeing him there, inside the operating room, everyone is in awe. Who wouldn't? At the end of the day, he remain calm and truthful to his oaths. Kahit sino ka; mayaman o mahirap, matanda o bata, kriminal o biktima... he will save you. That night, even though I chose to block him and not talk to him for a month, I think was the night I fell in love with Arrow Daez.
"Mahal, we're here." nagulat ako at napatingin sa paligid. Nasaan kami? Ganoon ba ako ka-absorb sa naiisip ko at hindi ko namalayan na nakarating na kami sa pupuntahan namin?
"Where are we?" tanong ko. "Basta. Kasalanan mo yan. Kinakausap kita ang lalim ng iniisip mo. Hindi mo ko pinapansin. Edi pinabayaan na din kita."
Bumaba siya ng sasakyan at umikot papunta sa tabi ko para ipagbukas ako ng pinto. He swiftly removed my seatbelt and I was caught off guard, seeing his face up close, I was breathless.
"Huy-" naaamoy ko yung hininga niya. Ang fresh! Kailan siya nag-toothbrush? "Ang lapit mo!"
"Next time, hindi ka na aalis na hindi ako kasama."
"Anong ka-OA-yan yan, ha?" sinabayan ko pa ng pag-irap. Kinakabahan ako, baka mahalata ni Arrow na sobrang bilis ng kabog ng dibdib ko. "Possessive ka na ngayon?"
"Possessive talaga ako." inalalayan niya pa ko pagbaba. Ang gentleman, Ma. Yung mamanugangin mo, oh. Rumurupok pa naman na ako. "pero hindi dahil possessive ako kaya hindi ka na pwedeng sumama sa iba."
"Eh ano?"
"Nakakahiya. Baka isipin nila may sira ka sa ulo. Psychiatrist ka pa naman, panget. Tapos ikaw mismo nag-space out?"
