Carrying the Real Trophy ✓

Chapter XIII

XIII: Real

"You pick a song, Eden."

I hummed softly while considering what song we should play while he drives around the entire village. 

Malaki ang village na ito at kahit ikut-ikutin namin ay hindi kami mababagot gawa ng mga magagandang bahay na madadaanan. Limang minuto na rin nang magsimula siyang nagmamaneho. Ito lang din kasi ang naisip naming gawin.

"Ano ba'ng mga magagandang kanta? There is nothing I know, but I honestly enjoy Korean and Tagalog songs. Hindi ako mahilig sa western. . . kaya hindi ko alam kung magugustuhan mo ang suggestions ko," I said, truthfully.

"Go. . ." he pushed through, smirking at me. "Try suggesting one. Malay mo naman at alam ko pala ang kantang sasabihin mo."

"Nakakahiya. . ."

I just know that we don't share the same tastes in music because of the song that was played for his birthday, especially the birthday sex song!

"Please. . . suggest," he pleaded softly.

"A-Any song of APO Hiking Society will do! Let me search." I quickly tried to find a song by them on his car's stereo. 

Natataranta pa ako!

But then, the moment I heard him. . . singing. . . I stopped what I was doing.

"Pangalangin ko sa habang buhay. . . makapiling ka, makasama ka, 'yan ang pangalangin ko. . ." He looked at me, giving me an enticing wink. "At hindi papayag ang pusong ito. . . mawala ka sa 'king piling. Mahal ko iyong dinggin. . ."

I delicately opened the car window as he was singing, and the wind brushed against my skin. Dahil sa lakas ng hangin, ang buhok ko ay pumagaspas sa loob ng kotse. Mas lalong gumaan ang pakiramdam ko lalo na nang maipikit ko ang aking mga mata.

"Wala nang iba pang mas mahalaga, sa tamis na dulot ng pag-ibig. . . nating dal'wa." After singing the lyrics, he chuckled and softly cursed.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya. "Why are you cursing?"

"Ang ganda mo," aniya.

Namula kaagad ang pisngi ko.

"At sana nama'y makikinig ka. . . kapag aking sasabihing minamahal kita. . ." tuloy nito sa pagkanta.

Ah, it feels nice on Thursday night. Whenever we get together like this, it's usually Thursday. Thursdays are now my favorite day of the week.

"Your taste in music is good," si Rafael pagkatapos niyang kumanta.

Nangunot ang noo ko. "Thank you, but don't you also listen to them? You seem fond of their songs."

"Nope." Umiling siya. "Hindi. . . noong hindi pa kita kilala."

"Why? How did you?" I asked further.

"I noticed that you always shared APO Hiking Society's songs on Facebook, so I listened to them and learned every song by memory."

"You stalked me on Facebook?!"

He shrugged. "Just in case. . ."

Napanganga ako at napahawak saaking dibdib. I can't stand this; my heart is thumping so fast! Baka maatake na ako sa puso nito maya-maya kung hindi pa siya titigil sa kakaganiyan!

"I saved your old photos, too. I didn't know you were freaking adorable when you were little," dagdag niya pa.

"Tumigil ka n-na nga. . ." I rolled my eyes as a means of masking my real emotions.

Tumingin siya saakin at natawa. "Kinikilig ka lang, umamin ka na."

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are."