Beneath the Stars (UNDER REVISION)

15

"Woah, my brother finally proposed, I see..."

Dumalaw kasi sa amin ang magkakapatid na Castuarez nang makalipat na kami sa bahay.

"Singsing nalang kasi talaga ang kulang," sabat ni Thiarra, "Natagalan siguro 'yan sa pagpili, ano?" she jokingly said.

"Actually, I bought it six years ago." Leandro snaked his arm around my waist. We looked at each other and he smiled.

"When I learned that her second name is Estrella, I immediately thought of giving her a ring with a star design. Sabi ko, kapag nakita ko siya ulit ay papakasalan ko siya ay ibibigay ko 'yon sa kaniya as an engagement ring."

Itinaas niya bigla ang isang kamay niya sa ere, ipinakita niya sa akin ang singsing niyang palaging suot. I always thought that it was just an accessory or someone gave it to him.

It's somehow similar to mine, ipinagtiklop ko ang aming mga kamay at napansing halos parehas nga ng design... may accent lang talaga na panglalaki ang sa kaniya.

"Oh, how sweet." I heard Thiarra say. "May ganyang side ka pala, Thad?" She chuckled.

"It was customized, may naka-engrave diyan sa band." bulong niya sa akin.

I looked at his, 'Always yours, Estrella.'

My cheeks heated up.

I looked at mine, 'Forever yours, Leandro'

Napangiti ako habang pinagmamasdan ang singsing naming dalawa. This man and his ways...

"Ah, I feel bad." si Thiago, nakadekwatro siya ng upo sa couch. "Six years ago, I told Dad that you robbed a jewelry store just to give your girlfriend a ring."

"That's why I got grounded for a month?!" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Leandro.

Thiago's eyes widened, nagtago naman siya sa likuran ni Thalysia na mukhang unbothered lang sa lahat. Akala niya siguro'y aatakihin siya ni Leandro.

Thiarra laughed. "Kung ako sa'yo, Kuya, kanina ko na 'yan sinapak." panunulsol pa nito kaya binatukan siya ni Thiago.

Napailing nalang ako.

"So, why didn't you give her the ring immediately after you knew that both of you are engaged?" tanong ni Thalysia.

"Ayoko pa. Galit siya sa akin, e... ayaw niya pa akong pakasalan," He chuckled. I felt a pang of guilt inside me. I was really harsh to him back then.

"Ang sabi ko sa kaniya, ayaw ko 'yung kasal na kontra gusto... 'yung parents lang namin ang nagdedesisyon. I don't want a love-less marriage with her. Tsaka ko na ibibigay kung gusto niya na talaga akong pakasalan and then we got to know each other and here we are. I proposed to her last last night."

"Congratulations to you both!" Thiarra hugged us. "I'm expecting a baby after a year, okay?!"

Natawa ako. "Pagkatapos pa ng graduation ko ang kasal, Thiarra."

"Still!" She pouted. "Gusto ko na kaagad ng pamangkin..."

"We'll think about it."