Up Where We Belong

Chapter 35

Mutual

Hindi ko alam kung gaano ako katagal na napanganga. No word came out from my mouth.

Napakurap ako nang ilang beses. Maya't maya din ang paglunok ko habang nakikipagtitigan kay Gab na hawak ang magkabilang kong braso.

Hindi pa ako masyadong nakakarecover sa kaba ko sa pag-akyat at ito na naman ang panibagong kaba. Pero hindi katulad ng kanina, ngayon ay unti-unting umaahon ang pag-asa sa puso ko. There's this tiny light I could see at the other end. Like the stars above and the lights of the crowded city, this tiny light means so much to me.

"P-Paano nangyari iyon?" naisatinig ko sa kabila ng matinding kabog ng dibdib ko. Ang init din ng buong mukha ko at hindi na ako magtataka kung biglang umusok iyon.

At ang kaninang ingay ng ibang guests dito ay naglaho. May limang magkakabarkada na lamang ang narito at kumukuha ng pictures na hindi rin nagtagal at bumaba.

"I couldn't tell you exactly how it happened. Basta't natatagpuan ko lamang ang sariling ngumingiti kapag naalala kita, nakikita kita. Namimiss kita kapag nawawala ka sa paningin ko at kahit kasama kita, hindi ko maiwasang mangulila. Anong tawag dito? I couldn't find the exact words to describe how I feel but one thing is for sure, Tiffany, I had never imagined myself being happy... until you came into my life."

"G-Gab, I don't know what to say..."

"Wala kang kailangang sabihin, Tiffany. I waited for this day to confess to you, letting you know how I feel about you. I couldn't forever be bound by that deal we had. I was the first to break it. I told you to not form any emotional attachment with me, least of all, fall in love with me, but it turned out that I defied that very same thing so willingly."

"I-I also feel the same way about you, G-Gab," naisatinig ko.

"H-Huh?"

"I'm falling in love with you, too," sambit ko habang nakatitig sa kanyang mga mata.

Bahagyang dumilat ang kanyang mga mata. "A-Are you sure about it?"

Tumango ako habang nakangiti.

"Oh." Kinulong niya ang mukha ko sa kanyang mga palad. Nanatili akong kagat ang ibabang labi. "I thought you'd run away from me after I told you everything."

Hindi ko maintindihan ang ibig niyang sabihin. Napakurap ulit ako ng ilang beses bago ako nagsalita.

"What were you trying to say earlier? Na hindi mo na kayang magpretend?"

He softly bit his lower lip and sighed. "I don't think I can continue pretending to be your husband, Tiff. You deserve more than that."

I knotted my forehead. "Mas lalong lamang akong naguguluhan."

"I mean we can make this real. I want to be your real husband. But we're not going there yet. Let's enjoy this stage first. We're not rushing, are we? I'll wait until you finally say that you love me."

I laughed. "So ano tayo ngayon? Mag-jowa? Ganoon?"

He chuckled. "I'm fine with that. I couldn't ask for anything else. Atleast, jowa na nakakasama ko sa bahay."

"Live-in partners?" banat ko pa.

Mas lumakas pa ang tawa nito. "Mag-asawang nasa getting-to-know-each-other stage. Does it sound right?"

"We've been in that stage for so long."

"But it has progressed. See? We already knew how we feel for each other."

I nodded. "Right."

"We'll help each other work this out, okay?" Tila pagkumbinsi nito sa akin.

Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya na may munting takot akong nadarama pero pilit ko iyong iwinaksi. Ako pa ba ang mag-iinarte gayong pareho lang naman kami ng nadarama?