Forever With You

CHAPTER 32

PABLO's POV

I get to finish my solo schedule right after I told Bianca that I'll be going with her to visit her Dad at the cementery. Sumapit ang araw ng Sabado at sinundo ko siya sakanila. I brought flowers. One boquet of flowers for her and one for her Dad.

"Thank you... Ikaw ba bumili?" tumango ako kay Bianca bilang sagot. "It means may nakakita sa'yo."

"Ano naman." sabi ko at nagmaneho na paalis sa bahay nila. "Babe, let's just don't mind what people might say about us. Tao lang din naman ako, tayo, may nararamdaman tayong dapat na iniintindi natin."

"Sorry, medyo may worry pa rin talaga ako. Siguro hindi pa kasi ako sanay sa set-up natin ngayon." sabi niya.

Bumuntong hininga ako't nagsalita ulit. "Masanay ka na." sabi ko.

"Mainit, Pau, sasaglit lang tayo rito." sabi niya nang makarating na kami sa sementeryo. She brought an umbrella pero ako na ang nagpayong sa aming dalawa. Inilapag ko na rin yung bulaklak at siya naman ay nagsindi ng kandila. "Hi, Daddy. Nandito ulit ako pero kasama ko 'tong si Paulo ngayon." sabi niya, pagkatapos ay umayos na siya ng tayo at humawak sa braso ko. Ngumiti siya sakin tsaka bumaling ulit sa puntod ni Tito. "Boyfriend ko na siya, Daddy. Alam ko pong okay na okay ka po sakaniya. You've known him since then since we were still kids. I know you trust him and so do I."

I was just looking at her while she's talking to her Dad.

How can I not love her when she's like this? I just love her so much. Kahit na sabihin kong kami na nga ngayon. May parte pa rin sa akin na nagsisisi dahil hindi kaagad ako umamin sakaniya. That's my biggest question to myself.

Kung nasabi ko ba ang lahat noon, may magbabago ba?

Hindi sana siya nahiwalay sakin noon. Magiging mas malaya sana kami ngayon. Kung bakit ba naman kasi masyado akong torpe noon. Nakakainis.

I then cleared my throat so I could speak clearly. Inayos ko ang tayo ko tsaka tumingin sa puntod ng Daddy ni Bianca.

"Tito..." I uttered. "You may not be with Bianca now physically, alam ko pong binabantayan niyo naman po siya sa kung nasaan na kayo ngayon. I just wanted to say that your daughter is a strong and smart woman kaya wala po kayong dapat na ipag-alala. And besides, I'm also here to be with her at all times. Sasamahan ko po siya sa lahat. I will not break the trust that she have for me... Siguradong-sigurado po ako sakaniya noon pa, mamahalin ko po ang anak niyo ng buong puso hanggang sa huli." mahabang sambit ko. I felt Bianca's grip on my arm tightened a bit.

"Pau..." she uttered and when I looked at her, her eyes is starting to pool with tears.

I faced her properly. I gently wiped her tears using my hand.

"I just made my feelings and intentions clear to you and to your father. I know how close you are to him, Bianca. Ganitong-ganito lang din ang gagawin ko kung nandito pa siya't kasama natin." I explained.

"Mas lalo lang kitang minamahal... Hindi lang ako ang mahal mo kundi pati na rin yung mga mahal ko sa buhay."

"Ikaw din naman, ah?" ani ko. "Parehas lang tayo. Tsaka matagal na rin naman na tayong ganito. Kaya imposibleng magkahiwalay pa tayo sa ngayon. Hindi ako papayag. No one can separate us." I said firmly.

Wala na siyang sinabi at niyakap nalang ako kaya niyakap ko rin siya pabalik. She hugged me tight, then she looked again at her Dad's grave.

"Kita mo na, Daddy. Pang-habang buhay na po ito, kami. Alam ko pong masaya ka para sakin ngayon, 'wag po kayong mag-alala dahil masaya rin po ako... Sobra..."

Then she looked at me again with a genuine smile plastered on her face.

I stared at her before planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Mahal kita..." I whispered but enough for her to hear it.

"Mahal na mahal din kita."

Just like what Bianca said, saglit lang kami roon at agad din kaming nagpaalam sa Daddy niya. Pero pinauna na niya akong pumunta sa sasakyan at nagpaiwan siya ng ilang saglit. By that, I had a beautiful view of her from a distance. I took a stolen picture of her then posted it online.

"Where do you want to go next? Sa condo na ba tayo kaagad?" I asked her when we get into the car and when I started to drive.

"Sa labas muna tayo. Let's eat." she said. "Ay, Pau... Let's just have coffee? Tsaka sa condo mo nalang pala tayo. I've changed my mind."

Tumango nalang ako.

We went to a coffee shop. We bought coffee and some snacks for her.

We were both confident and Bianca's even holding into my arm. Nakikita at nararamdaman ko ang mga tingin ng ibang tao rito sa loob. I even heared some of them murmuring words I can't clearly understand.

Hanggang sa makabili na kami at palabas na rin sana kung hindi lang tumigil si Bianca sa paglalakad palabas sa pinto kaya napatigil din ako.

"Jeff?"

I automatically looked at her, and next to where she's looking at. At nakita ko rin ang dati niyang manliligaw sa isang table na may kasama. Nagulat ako sa nakita ko. Why is he with Ara?

"Ara? Anong ginagawa niyo rito? You two are friends now?" Bianca asked them confused while I remained silent and just looking at Jeff and Ara. At kapansin-pansin din ang kasama nilang batang babae na sa tingin ko ay tatlong taon palang.

Ara didn't bother to answer Bianca's question but Jeff suddenly stood up from his seat as he face us. Halatang-halata ang pagkabalisa niya nang makita niya kami. Bakit?

"A-Ah..." he uttered. He can't even look at us directly. "It's a—"

Jeff was just about to speak up but Ara also stood up on her seat then she grabbed the little girl's hand kaya napatayo rin ito. Seryoso at walang emosyon niya lang kaming tinignan.

"Excuse me. Kailangan na naming umalis." sabi niya tsaka kinarga ang bata at agad na dumaan sa harap namin.

I took a glance at Bianca beside me who's obviously shocked and confused at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Bianca, Paulo. We need to go." Jeff apologized at kagaya ni Ara at nung bata ay umalis din kaagad.

"Let's go. Let's just talk about this later at the condo." I told her as I assist her until we got out of the coffee shop.

Tahimik lang kami habang pauwi sa condo ko. Bianca's just taking a sip from time to time on her iced coffee while looking outside. I know she's wondering. Well, ako rin naman ay nagtataka kahit na wala naman akong pakialam doon sa dalawa. It's just curiousity, that's all.