A Close Second

Thirty-Eighth

Hello LILIGGUKS!
I loved Stay. Dedicating this for you! 

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To say that I was shocked was an understatement.

They all looked at me expectantly and I don't even know how to process the entire thing in my head. I was frozen.

"Hey." Andrew starts. "You okay?"
"Happy Birthday, sweetheart." Tita Jodi says habang lumapit sa akin.

She gives me a warm hug while tears pooled under my eyes. Tuluyan na akong naiyak as I get engulfed in her arms. I put my face into my hands, unable to contain the waterworks.

"Awww, darling." Malambing na sabi ni Tita as she tightens her hug. "Don't cry."

I heard Andrew chuckle lightly habang nasa likod ko. Tumalikod ako kay Tita, and I get engulfed in another set of arms, the familiar musky but pleasant scent of Andrew making me cry even more.

"Don't cry." Natatawang sabi ni Tita. "Hala ka."
"She hates being put on the spot." I felt Andrew's hand run sa likod ko to calm me down. "Come on, Beatrice. It's your birthday, baby. Don't cry." He whispers.
"Kasalanan mo to, anak." Sabi ni Tita ng natatawa.
"How am I supposed to know that she'll cry? Akala ko nga sasampalin niya ako at mag wawalk out siya." Sagot ng anak nito.

Narinig kong nagtawanan ang paligid. Marahan namang nilayo ako ni Keith sa kanya and Tita Jodi tries to get my hand out of my face. She does so but I was still looking down, embarrassed.

"Sweetheart, don't cry. It's your birthday." She says in her motherly tone, taking me by the cheek and then pinunasan ang luha ko. "There she is."
"I didn't think anyone even remembered."
Natawa ito. "Oh, trust me. Someone remembered. Actually he never made us forget."

Parehas kaming tumingin sa direkson ng likod ko, where Andrew was a few feet away not even listening to our conversation anymore and instructing a maid on something.

I gave a small smile, shaking my head a bit before turning back to Tita Jodi, who was dabbing my eyes with soft tissue. I didn't know what to say actually as I looked around, finding my friends smiling at me, and Yaya and Conrad, who had come to join us as well.

I wondered how much time Andrew had spent making this party.

"It's the first time someone actually surprised me for my birthday." I tell her, giving her a watery smile. "Legit ba ito?" 
Natawa si Tita habang inakap ako ulit. "That guy over there said you didn't seem to have plans. So he told me he wanted to make you a birthday party—slash—graduation party na rin."

Tinignan ko si Andrew, who was now behind me. He smiles and I gave him a smile back bago ko siya niyakap ulit, whispering 'Thank you, Andrew' and earning a smile in return as he squeezes me by the side.

"Thank you po." I say to Tita before, biglang may umakap sa bewang ko, and I see Conrad burying his face in my stomach habang lumapit naman sa akin si Yaya Rosario. "Oh my gosh. What are you doing here? I thought you guys didn't remember."
Umiling si Conrad. "I can't forget your birthday." Sabi nito. "Nakipagsabwatan pa nga ako kay Kuya Drew para lang masurpresa ka eh." 
I kissed the top of his head. "Well, good job kid." Sabi ko, then looking up at Yaya. "Thank you po, Yaya." 
"Happy Birthday anak." Sabi naman nito saka hinalikan ako sa pisngi.

Nagpaalam muna sila Tita Jodi at sila Yaya na magaayos daw muna ng mga kubyertos at si Conrad naman sumama sa kanila. Andrew smirks at me when I look at him causing me to blush, and then hinila ko siya para pinuntahan sila Jake at Thea, who were ahead of everyone else.

The jerk was grinning like the idiot he was, habang nakadantay ang isang kamay sa bewang ng kasintahan niya. I punched him in the shoulder, but I gave him a sincere hug.