TRADING INNOCENCE ✔️

Chapter Sixteen

 I feel like a teenager having a date for the first time. Dinala ko si Riley sa paborito kong restaurant para sa date namin. After what I confessed, I saw the assurance in Riley's eyes whenever she looked at me.

"What do you want to eat?" I asked as I read the menu.

"You order for me doctor. Alam mo naman na ata ang mga pagkain dito." Aniya. Ngumiti ako at tumango. Nasabi ko kasi sa kanya na favorite place ko to at siya ang unang babae na dinala ko dito. Oh, wait. We already had a dinner in this place a month ago. Noong unang gabi siyang tumira sa penthouse ko. I smiled when I remembered it. She's my first at everything.

"Alright." I said and called the waiter. I ordered my favorite seafood pasta and a medium well garlic steak and strawberry parfait for our dessert.

Habang inaantay ang order namin ay tinititigan ko lang si Riley. She looks pretty with her white dress. Kahit na nakalugay lang ang mahaba niyang buhok ay ang ganda pa din niya. Kahit siguro plastic lang ang suot niya ay napaka-ganda pa din niya. Damn, she's really beautiful in my eyes.

"I never thought that you'd like me Mico." Basag niya sa katahimikan, "I'm a prostitute. I was with different men before I met you. And here you are, virgin, innocent and no girlfriend since birth."

"Everything doesn't matter for me. Sinabi ko na yan sayo diba? Hindi naman ang nakaraan ang tinitignan ko dahil nasa present tayo. Yung ako at ikaw lang."

"Ayee! Kinikilig ako wag kang ganyan!" Mahinang tili niya na kinatawa ko. She's so cute with her cheeks blushing.

"Besides, it's my heart that beats for you. Not my eyes."

"Do you really like me?"

"Yes." I answered truthfully.

"How 'bout love me?" She said. Hindi naman ako naka-imik. I wanted to take things slowly for us. Isa pa, unang beses ko tong maramdaman kaya naman gusto kong i-enjoy araw-araw ang meron kami ni Riley. I want to discover more of my feelings for her and I know eventually I'll love her.

Bago pa ko makasagot ay dumating na ang order namin. Habang kumakain ay nagke-kwentuhan kami ng mga bagay na hindi pa namin alam sa isa't-isa. It was fun talking to her like we're the only people in this place.

"Saan tayo sunod na pupunta?" Tanong niya.

"Ikaw, saan mo ba gusto?"

"Sa penthouse." Sagot niya kaya kumunot ang noo ko, "I just want to cuddle with you all day Mico. Mag-movie marathon tayo doon at mag-lambingan."

"Okay. I like your idea." I smiled. Dumaan muna kami sa pizza parlor para bumili ng makakain tapos ay bumili din kami ng movies para mamaya.

Nang makauwi sa penthouse, agad kong inayos ang kwarto para sa movie marathon namin. I was smiling as I set up the television. I never thought that this day would come in my life. Having someone in your life to inspire you and make you happy is such a wonderful thing in this world. Para kong nakalutang sa saya nang ma-realize ko ang mga bagay na to.

I know I was hesitating to believe that Riley already means something in my life. I know I'm being in denial because I don't know how to handle this kind of feeling. Pero sa mga nangyari ng mga nakaraang araw, alam ko na sa sarili ko kung bakit ko to nararamdaman. And that's because I already like her.

I wanted to laugh at myself for being such an innocent jerk. I never tried falling in love when I was younger. I don't have time to court someone and date someone whom I know will just be temporary in my life. I never see myself kissing a girl and holding hands with someone in the street. But I guess there's a time for everything, right?