Cliche (Candy Stories #5)

Chapter 25 part 2

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We went to a resto near Mall of Asia. Habang nasa daan papunta ro'n, Maxwell and I could only do small talks. Madalas siyang tumikhim. Madalas akong mapalunok. Pero mahigpit naming hawak ang kamay ng isa't isa.

Hanggang sa pag-upo sa table malapit sa glass wall ng resto at sa pag-order ng pagkain, hindi niya ako binitiwan. I looked outside and watched the slow traffic to calm my heartbeat. His presence overwhelmed me and I think he knew. I think he's not initiating full conversations to help me get used to our hands clasped together and his eyes on me.

When I braved to look at him, he's already staring and I couldn't look away anymore. Kahit kumurap, hindi ko kaya.

Hu-hu. Nag-mental practice naman ako for today but it's still hard to be casual.

"W-why?" I asked. Is there something wrong with my face? But I held my tongue because it's just the insecurity asking. He already told me he wouldn't look at me to find something wrong.

"Na-miss kita," sabi niya at maamong ngumiti.

Nahigit ko ang hininga ko. My cheeks flushed and before I could stop myself, I already whined. "H-hey! W-why would you say that so suddenly? I'm still trying to calm down and-and-and . . ." I stopped because he's smiling like he's enjoying watching me, and I pouted.

"Sorry. Akala ko, kalmado ka na," kaswal na sabi niya at pinisil ang kamay ko.

"I'm not pa." How could I easily calm down? No'ng crush ko pa nga lang siya, nauutal na ako, pa'no pa ngayon?

"You need more time?" aniya.

Mariin akong pumikit at huminga nang malalim at tumingin uli sa kanya. "Sorry. I didn't mean to whine."

Nag-lean siya sa table at nangalumbaba. "Whine ka pa."

"W-what?"

"Whine ka lang . . . if you want."

He's propped like he's ready to just watch me whine or do whatever. Hu-hu. Ganito ba siya talaga? Magiging ganito ba siya lagi?

"Hindi na. Tapos na . . ." sabi ko at tumingin sa labas.

"Aurora . . ."

I looked at him.

"Sa 'kin ka na lang muna tumingin."

I froze, wide-eyed. Ngumiti siya.

"Are you breathing?" he asked.

Umiling ako.

"You have to breathe."

I gasped like an idiot. Hu-hu.

Inilahad niya ang isa pa niyang kamay sa table. Ibinigay ko naman ang kamay ko nang hindi nag-iisip. Then he held both of my hands and kissed the back of my palm. Lalo akong nanghina.

"Hindi muna ako magsasalita uli," he said.

Pero napatitig ako. Dati ko pang alam na laging gentle si Maxwell. But today, for the first time, I was seeing something transparent in his eyes—love and fondness for me. Ganito ba siya lagi tumingin sa 'kin? Kahit dati pa? Kaya akala nina Chef sa The Valentine before ay item kami?

The Maxwell today is still a prince in my fairy tale, but he's real. I could clearly see his tired eyes and the shadow of stubbles on his chin. Pinisil ko ang kamay niya.

"Nakatulog ka ba sa plane?" I asked. "You looked tired." Baka mas need niya ang matulog kaysa kumain kasama ako.

Maamo ang ngiti niya. "Hindi masyado. Excited akong umuwi eh."