Gwen's Point Of View
"Wow." Jarred was just looking at me as I went down the stairs . I'm wearing a simple black silk dress, highlighting my flat stomach, thin waist, and my hips. I paired it with my black Chanel classic flap bag and a pair of black block sandals.
I rolled my eyes at him at dumiretso sa kusina para uminom ng tubig. Tumitig ako sa kaniya habang umiinom ng tubig. He's wearing a black plain longsleeves paired with his black slacks, a belt, and black Salvatorre Ferragamo loafers. Ang gwapo!
Mabilis akong umiwas ng tingin at ibinaba ang baso ng makita ko na bahagya siyang napangiti. He saw me checking him out!
"So?" He asked, I rolled my eyes at tinalikuran na siya.
"You look so stunning, love." Salita niya galing sa likuran habang humahawak sa baywang ko. Hinarap ko siya at ngumiti. Ang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko at ramdam ko kung paano uminit ang mga pisngi ko. Good thing I'm wearing make up so he won't notice it.
"Thank you. You look handsome." He smiled so widely and kissed my forehead and his lips just stayed there for a while.
"Should we just stay here?" Biro niya. Napatawa ako at bahagya siyang hinampas sa braso.
"Ano ka ba! Hinihintay tayo ng parents natin!" We'll have our dinner with our parents as a graduation celebration. We just graduated earlier and we had lunch already but they still want to have dinner.
We'll celebrate with our friends tomorrow. Nasa kanya-kanyang pamilya kasi kami ngayon.
"I'm just wondering, love..." Napatingin ako ng magsalita si Jarred habang nasa loob kami ng sasakyan.
"Hmm?" I asked, sumulyap siya sa akin bago ibinalik kaagad ang tingin sa daan.
"Should we start planning our wedding?" Tanong niya gamit ang mahinang boses. Napangiti ako dahil doon.
"Should we? Nagbigay naman ako ng heads up kay Ms. Aira na babalikan ko siya once we graduate so we can plan our wedding." Ms. Aira is a my cousin's friend and she's a very good wedding organizer.
Mabilis na napatingin sakin si Jarred dahil doon. Napakunot ako ng noo.
"I'm so relieved, baby. May balak ka pa rin pala talagang pakasalan ako." He said after sighing. Napatawa na ako.
"Malamang! Alangan naman mag-bahay-bahayan tayo habambuhay, Jarred?" Napangisi naman siya sa sinabi ko at mabilis na hinalikan ang kaliwang kamay ko. Napaiwas ako ng tingin dahil ayokong mahalata niyang apektado ako dahil sa halik na'yon.
"Maybe we should schedule a meeting with her, then? I want to start preparing for our wedding." Excited na salita ni Jarred. Akala mo maglalaro lang!
"Okay, I'll text her tomorrow."
"Thank you, love." He answered, smiling. I just smiled back and decided to play a music.
Tahanan by Adie played inside the car and I immediately looked at him because of the lyrics. Kasabay noon ang pagtingin niya rin sa akin bago humigpit ang pagkakahaway niya sa kaliwang kamag ko. Isinandal ko ang aking likod sa upuan at mahinang sumabay sa kanta katulad ng ginagawa ni Jarred.
That very moment, I know that Jarred is, and will always be my home. My tahanan.
Funny how I thought I wouldn't learn how to love him. I really thought that I will just see him as my friend, a companion, for the rest of my life, I didn't know that I was slowly letting myself love him as a man, and not just my friend.
Natatakot ako dahil alam ko na mahal lang ako ni Jarred bilang kaibigan niya. But, there are times when it's so satisfying to assume that he likes me too. Ang sarap isipin na magkatulad kami ng nararamdaman para sa isa't isa, but in the end, nagigising ako sa katotohanan na hindi talaga at hindi kailanman dahil alam ko naman na umpisa pa lang, may iba na siyang gusto at minamahal, ako lang naman itong pilit nakikisali sa relasyon nilang dalawa.
I know that Jarred still loves Leslie, I see how he looks at her every time. Nakikita ko ang panghihinayang sa mga mata niya tuwing nakikita niya ito. And even when Leslie is already pregnant with her first baby, I don't think Jarred minds, not that he should.
"Are you okay, love?" My thoughts were interrupted when Jarred held my hand under the table. I didn't realize that I was already spacing out while we're eating dinner with our family.
"Yes." Medyo nalilitong sagot ko. Masyadong lumalim ang mga iniisip ko kaya naman sinubukan ko nalang na ngumiti kay Jarred at bumalik sa pagkain ko.
"And with that, I just want to inform you that there's this seminar that I want you to attend, anak." I heard tito talked to Jarred, lahat naman kami ay napatingin sa kaniya.
"What is it about, dad?" Tito proceeded on explaining what the seminar is about. It is a good one since they will also have a hands on training for new business owners, and as per Jarred, a future leader of a very big company. That will surely help him to be more effective in his career.
Ipinatong ni Jarred ang kaliwang braso niya sa sandalan ng upuan ko at mas inilapit ang sarili niya sa akin. I just smiled at him as we continue listening to his dad.
"I like it, dad. Saan po ba ito gaganapin?" He asked while tracing circles in my right palm using his fingers. Napapangiti ang mga magulang namin nang mapatingin sa ayos naming dalawa. I just shrugged it off and just smiled at them.
"It's in Singapore, a week from now." Mabilis na napatingin sa akin si Jarred.
"And how long will it take, dad?" Nagugulat at mukhang kinakabahan na tanong niya.
"A month or two." I sighed kaya naman napatitig na sa akin si Jarred. Ang tagal naman noon, pero gusto kong tumuloy siya dahil malaki ang maitutulong ng seminar sa kaniya.
"Dad, I can't go. Gwen and I are already planning to start our wedding preparation. I don't want to leave Gwen here." Napatango tango naman si tito at daddy sa isinagot ni Jarred.
"Please come with me, love. I don't want to leave you here." Patuloy ni Jarred. Hinawakan ko naman ang kamay niya bago sumagot. It's better for Jarred to go so that we'll have some time apart, mas makakapag-isip pa siya kung talaga bang gusto niyang magpakasal sa akin. But I won't tell him that, kaya naman eenganyuhin ko na lang siya na umalis at um-attend sa seminar sa Singapore.
"Okay lang naman ako dito, mabilis lang ang araw. Hindi natin mamamalayan, nakabalik ka na." I smiled reassuringly. Agad siyang napa-iling.
"Okay, I'm not going. I'm sorry, dad." Gulat kaming napatingin sa kaniya. Mas inilapit niya pa ang sarili niya sa akin, ayun ay kung may mas ilalapit pa nga ba siya.
"I'll stay here, we'll plan our wedding." Malambing na saad niya bago hinalikan ang ulo ko. Mabilis akong napalayo sa kaniya at tinitigan ang mga mata niyang nagpakita ng sakit dahil sa ginawa kong paglayo, pero hindi naman ako sigurado, baka sadyang assuming lang ako.
"Jarred, you should go. You will benefit a lot from it. Ayaw mo ba noon? Marami kang makikilalang businessmen and you will learn a lot from all the lectures and trainings that you will have." Lumayo naman siya dahil sa sinabi ko.
"So, you will choose for me to leave alone instead of going with me? Ayos lang sayo na matagal tayong hindi magkikita at magkakasama?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. Mabilis akong tumango.
"Ayos lang sa akin, para sayo naman ang gagawin natin. At kaya hindi ako sasama dahil marami rin akong kailangan simulan na gawin para sa kompanya namin. If you want, I can also start planning for our wedding, hmm?" Malambing ko nang sagot sa kanya. Tiningnan ko ang mga magulang namin na parang hindi makapaniwala na ganito kami mag-usap ni Jarred. Napa-iling at napa-pikit na mariin si Jarred, halatang naiinis dahil sa isinagot ko.
"Can we just give our answer, maybe the day after tomorrow, tito? Para po mapag-usapan muna namin ni Jarred." Mabilis namang tumango si tito.
"Of course, anak. Let's continue eating, I'm sorry for spoiling the mood." Mabilis naman kaming umiling at sinabing ayos lang ang lahat. Agad na nakabawi ang mga magulang namin sa kwentuhan pero kami ni Jarred ay nanatiling tahimik. Ramdam ko ang paulit ulit na pagtitig niya sakin pero laking pasasalamat ko na hindi na siya masyadong lumalapit, kung hindi ay manghihina lang ako at paniguradong sasabihin nalang kay Jarred na huwag na siyang umalis.
Dahil sa totoo lang, hindi ko kailanman gugustuhij na mapalayo sa kaniya, pero sadyang tadhana na ang gumagawa ng paraan para bigyan kami ng oras nang magkalayo sa isa't isa. We need to think things through. Masakit man, pero I really want him to leave so he can train and also clear his mind.
