Look of Love

Chapter 31

"Is it true? Inimbita mo talaga siya ngayong birthday mo?"

Tumango ako.

"Hinamon? What do you mean by that?"

I chuckled with that. "Wala. Gusto ko lang mag-sorry muna siya kay Mom bago sa'kin."

He pursed his lips.

Ang mainit niyang palad ay hinahaplos ang hubad kong likod. Nakalusot iyon habang namamahinga ang coat niya sa balikat ko. He would ran his fingertips on my spine, and I'm not sure if the shivers I'm feeling is because of the wind or because of his touch. He kept feeling my bare skin.

Wala na syang kadugtong na tanong. Maybe because he saw how it overwhelmed me. I was continuously crying earlier, after all. Like an unspoken rule, I knew that we both think that we can talk about this matter much deeper... some other time. Ngayon, parang gusto na lang muna niyang manatili sa tabi ko.

Tinaas ko ang kamao sa ere, umaktong nanalo.

"I overcome that ridiculous norm."

He chuckled on my ear and nods his head proudly.

All I could hear is the sound of the leaves rustling, and his breath. When I look up, I caught the moon lying above us. Malayang binibiyayaan kami ng angkin nitong liwanag. Kaming dalawa lang ang nandito dahil nasa loob ang lahat ng tao.

Aside from his gaze, all I can think about was the sound of the fireflies on our backyard.

"Happy birthday, my brave baby."

Natigilan ako. He called me brave.

Is it already midnight?

I smiled to myself. Sinundan niya ng tingin ang mukha ko.

"How are you feeling now?"

Ngumuso ako at nagkibit balikat. "Weird."

"Why?"

"Nananaginip yata ako."

Sinundot niya ang tagiliran ko. Napaigtad ako sa gulat at sinuway agad ang kamay niya.

"Right. I felt that. This isn't a dream."

He gave me peck of kiss on the top of my head. Butterflies. Natuod ako sa upuan at kinagat ang pang-ibabang labi.

"You look so pretty. I was so lost when I saw you showed up earlier. You feel like a daydream..." he said while tracing my hair.

I tilted my head and pointed myself. Smiles. Sparkly soft eyes.

"Thank you," I said, smiling.

He turned red, and a smile made its way on his lips. For the nth time. I feel like I'm falling from cloud nine. Mahika. Nabura niya 'yung bigat na naramdaman ko kanina.

Sa aliwalas ng mga mata at ngiti niya, aakalain kong siya ang birthday celebrant.

May kinuha siya sa kaniyang bulsa na kahon. Pinanood ko siya. He then opened the box only to reveal a elegant bracelet inside.

"Birthday gift," he whispered.

Marahan niyang hinawakan ang palapulsuhan ko. His brows knotted and reached for my left wrist instead.

"Since you paint with your right hand, you should wear this on your left. So that it won't bother you."

Napangiti ako. I found a letter... with a little red rose attached to it.

"Primo?"

"Yes, baby?"

I blushed. "Oh, I was talking about the initial..."