Chased by El Lewis Vesper Esquivel

Chapter 23

His hands encircled around my waist as I remained standing in front of him, in between his parted legs.

He looked at me gently and let out a bitter smile.

"I'm sorry for that...I have no intention of rushing you with this kind of thing…" Malumanay nitong panimula.

I slowly nodded at him. He then caressed my cheek with his warm palms.

"I am just quite afraid...you know…" Umiwas siya ng tingin sa akin. "I'll be doing my research and internship outside the country for these two school years...but I am still contemplating it for now...I do not want to leave you here alone."

Hindi ko maitago ang pagkabigla sa sinabi niya. He will study abroad? My mouth dropped open at his sudden revelation. At bakit hindi man lang niya ako sinabihan ng mas maaga?

"And it will be for two years...I'm just gonna come back here if ever, for my graduation." He added more. The regret in his voice was very visible and I can't help but feel more anxious.

"I've been contemplating this for months and I'm sorry for that...I do not want to leave you here without assurance if ever."

I tried to process his words. He will be studying abroad for two years...and he doesn't want to leave me here alone without assurance? At malapit ng magsimula ang school year namin.

"Or maybe...I am just afraid that you will fall in love with someone else after I leave you here. I am afraid and I won't deny it."

Tuluyan akong napalayo sa kanya. I looked at him unbelievably and his gentle eyes that were looking at me suddenly looked at me in fear and horror.

"Kaya gusto mo nang magpakasal?!" I asked him unbelievably.

"You think that I will fall in love with someone else?" I added more in horror.

He licked his and remained seated. Umiwas rin siya ng tingin sa akin.

"I know that I am thinking ridiculously...I won't force you on it." Iwas pa rin ang tingin niya sa akin.

Napahinga naman ako ng malalim at muling lumapit sa kanya. I held his jaw and caressed it softly. I didn't know that he is thinking like this.

"We will get married, El. At hinding-hindi ako magkakagusto sa iba." I assured him.

Still, he looked so lost and unconvinced with my words. Pero maya-maya pa ay tumango siya sa akin.

"I know...I just can't help but feel…"

I didn't let him finish his sentence and kissed him fully on the lips. We kissed for a moment until I was out of breath. I looked at him gently as we remained closed.

"El...I will never fall in love with someone else. I will never entertain anyone else...pangako, maghihintay ako."

He licked his lips as his eyes travelled into my lips. Then slowly, he nodded his head. We remained in that position until we calmed our feelings down.

Our night ended it that way. It was uncomfortable for me. Not because of his proposal but because he is genuinely bothered that he will leave me here, without us getting married. He wants us to get married.

Kinapa ko ang malakas na tibok ng puso ko. Just thinking about him made me like this. And surprisingly, I don't feel fear or what with his proposal. And if I say yes now, I know that I won't regret it. This feeling of mine is making me more bothered than what happened between us.

Our days continued the same, hanggang sa mag pasukan na nga. El will leave the country three months from now. He is one of the few agricultural engineering students who are chosen all over Asia to study abroad, and he shouldn't waste this opportunity. This is for his future, lalo na para sa kompanya nila.