"Are you cold?" He asked before sitting beside me.
"No, I'm good," I said and smiled.
Kahit sinabi kong hindi ako nilalamig ay hinubad niya pa rin ang jacket niya at iniyakap sa mga balikat ko. Leaving himself with a white basic shirt that hugged his body well, tucked inside his black pants partnered with his black and white sneakers.
"I told you I wasn't cold." I laughed. He's so thoughtful as ever. He was like this for like seven years and I couldn't ask for more. I couldn't demand for more.
"How's your day?" He asked and let me rest my head on his shoulder. It felt home. All I could see was the beach with its calm waves, the moon, the darkness that made the stars shine, and... him.
"It was okay, same old thing. Nakakainis pa rin 'yong professor kong matanda! Nilalabas niya ang galit niya sa'min! Hindi namin kasalanang tumanda siyang dalaga!" Naiinis kong kwento kaya napatayo tuloy ako nang maayos. Para akong batang nag susumbong sa kaniya.
He laughed. "Calm down, baby," he said and made me rest my head on his shoulder again.
"Ikaw? How's your day?" I asked.
"It wasn't special." He held my hand and intertwined our hands. "But it is now," he added.
Natawa ako sa narinig pero ganoon na lamang ang tibok ng puso ko. Mabilis pa sa cheetah! Kahit seven years na kami, he never really failed to make me special. He never failed to make me feel like I was the luckiest girl alive.
"I have to tell you something," he said. Napatingin ako sa kaniya ngunit hindi pa rin ako umaalis sa pwesto namin. "I-"
He was interrupted when my phone rang. Nat's name flashed on the screen. Tumingin muna ako sa kaniya and he nodded at me, saying that I should answer it.
"Girl, nasa date ako," I whispered. Naramdaman kong tumawa nang mahina si Rhen sa tabi kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.
"Tanungin mo si Rhen kung nasaan siya noong 6pm."
"Why? Ang alam ko nasa byahe na siya noon papunta rito sa beach." Tumingin ako kay Rhen at nakita kong nakatingin din siya sa'kin, probably waiting for me.
"Basta tanungin mo," Nat insisted.
"Nasaan ka noong 6pm?" I asked Rhen. He was shocked at couldn't answer immediately. I had to move my cellphone away so Nat couldn't hear us talk. "Rhen?"
"I... was on my way here. Why?" Umiling lang ako sa kaniya at ibinalik sa tenga ko ang cellphone.
"I told you, he was on his way here," I whispered. I was looking at Rhen and he probably didn't hear it because he looked confused.
"Girl, may i-sesend akong picture," she said. "Ikaw na ang bahala."
She ended the call after that and I was so confused! Anong trip nitong babaeng 'to?
I opened my messenger and saw the photo she sent. I clicked it and zoomed, trying to confirm if I was seeing it right.
"What's that?" he asked and leaned over to see what's on my screen. He paused for a moment after he saw it. I blinked twice... thrice... but the picture didn't changed. It was him... and Tiffany. I was sure. They were talking infront of a jewelry store.
I looked at him weakly, waiting for his words. But he just looked back at me. I couldn't read his eyes. He looked... puzzled?
"Rhen!" Our intense eye contact was interrupted when someone shouted from a distance. A girl holding her heels and was swaying from left to right as if she was drank was unsteadily running towards us.
It was Tiffany.
We immediately stood up when Tiffany almost tripped. When she reached us, she immediately hugged Rhen.
"I miss you!" she said.
Rhen looked at me, trying to explain with his eyes that it wasn't what I think it is.
"Let go." Marahan niyang itinulak si Tiffany palayo at umiwas. "What are you doing here?"
"I am here to... say sorry! Oh my god, I know it's not girly to ask sorry and beg you to take me back but... I have to!" she started crying. "I miss you everyday, and I still love you. Mahal pa rin kita, Rhen. Please, bumalik ka na sa'kin."
"Are you crazy?" Inis nitong inilayo ang sarili kay Tiffany. Rhen held my hand and made me looked at him. "It's not what you think it is, baby, okay? The picture... it was because..."
"Because?" I asked, afraid of his answers.
"It was because I love you. I love every inch of you, I love the way you talk, you walk, you rant, you laugh, you cry, everything. And I couldn't ask for more. I wouldn't ask for more except one thing."
I was puzzled, confused, and speechless.
"You are the only one that keeps me feel alive, that keeps reminding me that the world is still beautiful, that I have to remain breathing. You are the most fragile woman I want to protect for the rest of my life. You're the only woman that I loved. You're the only woman I am loving. And you're the only woman I will love."
I was so confused, but it doubled when I saw him on his knees. Tiffany gave him a small box and my tears started to approached when I realized what was happening.
"Ally, my moon, will you... marry me?"
I couldn't answer immediately for I was crying so hard. Nakakainis! I wasn't prepared! I really thought he hurt me. I thought he realized that I wasn't the one for him. I was so scared.
"Yes," I said, with my voice almost cracking from crying.
His eyes twinkled and stood up to hugged me so tight.
"Congratulations!" Sigaw ni Nat. Lalo akong umiyak nang makita siyang may hawak na camera at naluluha rin sa nakikita. Tumabi sa kaniya si Tiffany na nakangiti at maayos na ang istura ngayon.
"Congratulations," she said simply.
I looked at Rhen and he gave me a peck of kiss. That kiss is enough for me to feel that I am in love, and definitely loved.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you."
