Are You With Me? -Lorenzo B. [Taglish Version]

Chapter 38: Locket

Chapter 38: Locket

"It's almost five hundred steps and Astrid's blindfolded, do you think we can go up there in just five minutes? Goddamnit!" That's Aj.

Wait.. Aj got his mouth back already?

"Five hundred steps? Where the hell are you all taking me?"

"Up to the Astronomy tower, bestie. Isn't it obvious? We got a surprise for you, dumbass." Sarkastikong saad ni Aj at agad naman siyang sinuway ni Jayvi.

"Aj why did you spill it! Ayan wala na tuloy ang thrill!"

"Anong wala ng thrill? Pag-akyat sa hagdan ang thrill!"

"I've got a plan," Narinig kong saad ni Pansy.

"What?"

"Apparate,"

Nagulat ako nang bigla may humawak sa kamay ko at tuluyan akong lumutang sa ere at tila agad na nagbago ang aking paligid. Rinig ko pa ang pag-irit ng aking mga kasama nang mangyari iyon.

"Disapparate!"

"Astrid!"

Ilang segundo lamang ang itinatagal ng pangyayari na iyon ngunit feel kong matutumba ako sa kinalalagyan ko nang may sumalo agad sakin mula sa aking likuran.

"Happy birthday, Astrid." Rinig kong bulong sa akin ni Lorenzo.

Mabilis kong tinanggal ang blindfold at kinurap-kurap ang aking mga mata. Puro liwanag lamang ang nakikita ko noong una ngunit di nagtagal ay luminaw na rin ang paningin ko. It was full of lustrous lights hanging around every corner and I can hear a sort of romantic jazz music playing on a record player. Napatingin naman ako sa kamay na nakahawak sa aking braso at tinignan ko kung sino ang nasa likod noon at agad kong natagpuan ang mga mata ni Lorenzo. He looked at me with so much passion as he gently pushed and guide me so that I can stand up straight. Lalo ako napahawak sa kanyang braso nang tinulungan niya ako.

Tuluyan kaming napatingin sa harapan nang biglang may pumutok. Namula ako nang pinadulas ni Lorenzo ang kanyang kaliwang kamay sa akin at ipinagsalikop niya iyon. A big balloon exploded as a tarpaulin showed up with a caption saying 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' hanging on the both sides of the center corner. Lorenzo snapped his middle finger and the empty table on the middle was now full of foods that came out of nowhere.

"Perfect," Bulong ni Loreno sa gilid.

Napatingin naman ako sa aming likuran at nakitang wala nang tao roon kung kaya't sumulyap ako kay Lorenzo. I was just wearing a simple maroon square puff sleeve mid-calf dress and a pair of black boots while he's wearing a fucking light brown formal tuxedo. Now he looks just like the Lord Tewkesbury straight out from Enola's movie.

Naka-gel pa ang mokong!

"Where are the others?"

"They disapparated. Earlier than I expected," Ngumisi siya roon saka nilahad niya sa akin ang kanyang kaliwang kamay habang ang isa niyang kamay ay nasa kanyang likuran.

"Sweetheart, may I have your hand?" He politely asked.

"Of course, sweetheart." Ngumiti ako saka tinanggap ang kanyang kamay. Marahan niya naman akong hinila patungo sa pinakagitna at hinawakan niya ang baywang ko palapit sa kanya.

I suddenly felt a cold shiver down to my spine as he did that unexpected move that I almost felt some butterflies inside my stomach. Tila gustong makawala.

He then step forward as he followed the rhythm of the music and I did the same while our eyes are locked with each others. We were just slightly moving from one place to another when he asked me a question.