Tease Me, Bella Beatrice

20:

Sa wakas ay nanahimik na rin si Bella nang marinig niya ang sinabi ko. I had the chance to drive in peace for minutes because she was still silent. It must have shock her a little. Hindi niya siguro inaasahang diretso ko iyong sasabihin sa kaniya. Though I don't want to tell the news to her yet, I have no other choice but to shut her up. Isa pa, it should warn her to stop messing up with my love life. Sinusulyapan ko siya paminsan-minsan dahil sobrang tahimik niya. She's even looking away for an entire minute before she finally looked at me. Smiling as if nothing happened.

"So, you're proposing to her." She said. I can see excitement and disappointment on her eyes. "Wow. Congratulations, Pierce. Ilang taon na mga ulit kayong nasa relasyon?"

"Why? Is the length of the relationship something-"

"No. Curious lang ako bigla, e. You're proposing to her so that means you are sure enough that she's the one you're going to marry and spend your whole life with. Probably have kids, travel together, and some sort of things, right?"

"A year and three months."

"Oh. A year?" Tumatango-tango niyang tanong sa akin. "So, siguradong-sigurado ka na talaga. You're ready for her."

Tumango naman ako bilang sagot. She gone silent again and I wonder why. I have a lot of things in mind, and I am sure it can be the exact thought she have right now. The length of my relationship with Gigi and how excited I am to wife her up. Na handang-handa na akong magkapamilya kasama si Gigi. It is a lot of commitment and effort to be married and she is probably having a lot of thoughts right now. Knowing her, she is surely comparing herself to Gigi.

"Wow. A year lang tapos handa ka na agad pakasalan siya? Isn't that too fast?"

"No."

"We were in a three-year relationship, and I haven't felt like you wanted to propose to me. And now, Gigi, for a year okay na okay ka. Wow." She said. "Hindi naman sa hinuhusgahan ko ang mga desisyon mo and not being bitter about it but I think it is too fast and-"

"Nothing is too fast nor too risky kapag nasa tamang tao ka na, Bella." I said when I cut her off.

Her reaction is neutral. Nakakunot ang noo lamang at nakatingin sa akin. Siguro ay tinitingnan ang bawat detalye ng mga salitang binibitawan ko ngayon at tama nga ang hinala kong kinukumpara na niya ang naging relasyon naming dalawa sa relasyon namin ni Gigi. It is true that we were in a three-year relationship before we ended it. Ups and down nandoon na pero halos lahat iyon, sa down ay siya ang problema. I would be lying if I will tell myself she is not. Hanggang ngayon nga ay hindi ko lubos maisip kung paano ko siya nahandle nang ganoon katagal. And thankfully, I am not under that same situation right now.

"Sa totoo lang, a year and three months is way too long for me to decide. Matagal ko nang balak magpropose yet she doesn’t want me to. Kaya ayon, here I am this time, sa ayaw niya at sa gusto niya, I will put a ring on her finger."

"Imbitado ba ako sa kasal?"

"As abay?"

"No. As your bride."

She is dead serious when she said that, so I laughed it out.