No One Else

Kabanata 28

Kabanata 28

Reassurance

Napangiti si Belle nang makita niya si Sam pagkababa niya galing ng kaniyang kwarto. Niyaya siya ni Sam na lumabas ngayon dahil off din nito sa duty ngayong araw. At pumayag naman si Belle na makipag-date kay Sam ngayon.

Sam was just talking to Luisito and Margaret while waiting for Belle. At hindi na rin siya matagal na naghintay kay Belle dahil tapos na rin naman itong maghanda para sa lakad nilang dalawa. He also smiled when he saw her. And in his mind he thought to himself that Isabelle was still as beautiful as ever. She's even breathtaking to look at for him. Wala na siyang masabi pa. Para sa kaniya, Isabelle was just perfect in his eyes.

Ganoon siguro talaga kapag in love ka. Parang lahat sa paligid mo ay gumaganda sa paningin mo bukod lang sa taong mahal mo. Parang pati mga nakapaligid sa kaniya at sa inyo ay maganda...

"Hi," Isabelle greeted him with a cute smile on her pretty face.

And Sam returned her smile as his heart flutter...

Pagkatapos ay konting pag-uusap pa bago nagpaalam na rin sila kanila Luisito at Margaret. "Take care you two." nakangiti lang naman na bilin sa kanila ni Margaret.

At pareho rin na tumango sina Sam at Belle sa kaniyang tiyahin. And Luisito and Margaret just watched the two leaving the house for their date that day.

Buong araw ang naging date nina Belle at Sam. At naalala pa ni Belle ang mga lakad din nila ni Sam dati. It was just like this. At naisip na rin ni Belle sa sarili niya na masuwerte siya kay Sam kahit dati pa. Because he did nothing but to respect her and even supported her. For Isabelle he was a kind, honest, and an understanding man. Kaya siguro pagkatapos ng lahat ay wala na rin siyang iba pang lalaki na minahal. At tanging si Sam lang simula noon hanggang ngayon...

Namasyal lang sila sa buong umaga at kumain din ng lunch at meryenda habang nasa kanilang lakad. At pagkatapos kinagabihan ay kumain din sila ulit nang magkasama sa isang magandang restaurant at medyo labas na ito sa main city. Nasa isang mataas na lugar sila ngayon and the restaurant have an overlooking view of the city. At nagandahan din si Belle sa nakikita ng mga mata niya ngayong gabi. Ang mga ilaw sa baba nila ay parang mga bituin na nagkikislapan sa lupa...

The view could calm her heart. And it made her happy. Especially that she's also with Sam now to watch this pretty view. "It's so nice..." ani Belle.

"Hmm," Tumango rin naman si Sam sa sinabi niya bilang pag-agree.

"Nabusog ka ba sa dinner natin?" Sam asked her.

Bumaling naman sa kaniya si Belle. At ngumiti pa ito. "Oo naman. Ang totoo nga n'yan pakiramdam ko ay nabusog talaga ako ngayong araw. Thank you, Sam, for treating me out today..." she softly and heartfelt told him.

Gumaan naman lalo ang mga mata ni Sam na nakatingin din sa kaniya. At bahagya rin siyang umiling kay Belle. "No, you don't really have to thank me, and it's I who's thankful to you for agreeing to have this date today..."

Ngumiti lang naman si Belle sa sinabi ni Sam. At muli lang din niyang pinagmasdan ang city lights sa baba. And Sam just also turned to the night view as well.

It was calming. At tahimik lang din sila nang ilang minuto. The place and the wide terrace was also getting more quiet as the night fall. Habang nagtatagal ang gabi ay kumukonti na lang din ang mga tao roon lalo na sa terrace sa kung nasaan sila hanggang sa halos silang dalawa na lang din ang naroon...

"Isabelle... There were also nights like this for me before... And I thought that the dark night could only feel sad most of the time..."

Bumaling si Belle kay Sam nang magsalitang muli ito.

"But now that I'm here with you, I think I just learned to love... and appreciate the darkness of the night if it's like this that I have someone like you by my side..." Sam smiled contentedly when he looked at her.

While Belle's eyes shined, at parang may kung ano rin na dumaang sakit o lungkot, pero may init din ang nadama niya sa kaniyang puso habang nakatingin din siya ngayon sa pares ng mga mata ni Sam. At naisip niya na pareho lang siguro sila na may madilim din na mga pinagdaanan noon. Especially their childhood. They may not have had the happiest childhood, but maybe it was just that it's also necessary for them to realize the feeling of happiness now...and right on this very moment that they're together...

Paano mo nga ba naman mararamdaman ang pagkatuwa o saya kung ni minsan ay hindi ka nakaramdam ng sakit at pangungulila?

Most of the time people long for some things... And things like love and reassurance...

And sometimes we just have to as well experience and feel the very opposite of what we longed for, so that when it's finally given to us, we can feel it more.

Parang kagaya lang para kanila Belle at Sam ngayong gabi. They've already experienced those lonely nights before in the past, that this evening felt more special for the both of them now...

"I love being here with you, Isabelle..." Sam told her wholeheartedly...

Marahang umihip ang panggabing hangin. At inihip din nito nang kaonti ang buhok ni Sam at nanatili lang din ang tingin ni Belle sa kaniya at sa guwapo at maamo niyang mukha... And that she couldn't help herself but to smile contentedly just by watching him...

And then she nodded her head. "Me, too. I love being here with you, Major Edward Samuel Puentevella..." She smiled as she felt some moist that was already forming in the sides of her eyes...

Isabelle just couldn't help it but to still feel her emotions as well. Because it was overwhelming for her, too. Nag-iinit na rin ang kaniyang mata kasabay ng pag-iinit din ng kaniyang puso.

Dahil hanggang ngayon ay halos hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala na nandito pa rin sila ngayong dalawa ni Sam. Nagkita na sila noong mga bata pa lang sila, na halos nakalimutan na nga rin niya dahil sa dami ng mga pangayayari sa buhay nila. But Samuel never did once forget about their first meeting...

And the realization just saddened her to think that Sam probably loved her more, and all this time. But she will prove it to him now that she can also love him equally...

At iyon ay dahil gusto lang din ni Belle to somehow give Sam back all the love that he has for her, and the love that he deserves.

"I love you, Isabelle. I have always loved you." He told her habang medyo sumasakit din ang kaniyang puso dahil sa mga emosyon. She was his only light in those darkest days of his life. He learned to have hope and to still dream for the future of him, and with Isabelle...

At pagkatapos ng lahat ay ibinigay din sa kaniya ang tanging pinakaninais niya. Belle's lips opened to also say the words to him now. "I love you, too, Sam..." she said softly that it was almost a gentle whisper but just enough for Sam to heat it clearly.

Isabelle also had learned to love her own self after feeling unloved all those years because of what her family went through, and she learned that because Sam had loved her first... He taught her how to love even herself...

Sam's lips parted a bit. And then he saw Isabelle's tears falling one by one... And he promptly but carefully brought her in his arms and hugged her...

May konting luha na rin ang tumulo sa mata niya. At nang muli nilang hinarap ang mukha ng isa't isa dahil pinunasan niya rin ang luha sa pisngi ni Belle, hanggang sa magkatinginan silang dalawa sa mga mata ng isa't isa. And their evening concluded with a warm kiss that's full of reassurance and love...

(The Wattpad version ends here. Chapters 29-30 and Epilogue/Wakas is available exclusively in my Patreon creator page and/or my Facebook VIP group. You can download the Patreon app or go to their website and just search for creator Rej Martinez. To join VIP group, just kindly message me directly on my Facebook account Rej Martinez or Facebook page Rej Martinez's Stories. Thank you so much for your support!)