Always Have Been, Always Will Be | ✓

Epilogue

[ ◉¯]

Epilogue

Always

"Still nervous?" I asked in a gentle tone as I was maneuvering the steering wheel.

I looked over to my sweetheart and found him fidgeting with the fingers on his lap, focusing straight ahead on the road while wearing an uneasy expression.

I stretched the sides of my lips before redirecting my eyes back in front again, then putting my vacant hand on top of his. He flinched a bit, as if I just brought him back to his senses. He loosened the tension in his fingers, prompting me to intertwine mine with his.

"It's going to be okay, Elize. Your Tita is going to accept you regardless. Trust me," I assured him.

I felt his eyes on me.

"How...are you so sure about that?" Tanong niya, may bahid na paninigurado sa kaniyang boses.

I shot him a quick glance so he could see my sweet and genuine smile. "I just am, Elize. I've known Tita Nara ever since I was a kid, and she was always so nice."

"Hindi ka ba kinakabahan?" Aniya.

Ibinalik ko ang paningin sa harap 'tsaka umiling. "Not at all. Why would I be? It's not like I'll let anyone take you from me if ever the outcome is not what we want."

He reluctantly brought his eyes back on the road and rested his back against the passenger's seat. He blew a deep sigh, rubbing the back of my palm with his thumb.

I could tell how hard he was trying to calm himself down too.

Tumikhim siya. "Talaga lang. Isusumbong talaga kita kay Thaianara kapag iiwan mo 'ko."

I chuckled. That's never going to happen, sweetheart.

I lied when I told him I wasn't nervous. The truth? Nanginginig ang kaloob-looban ko. Kung hindi lang ako naka-upo ngayon sa driver's seat ay baka kanina pa bumigay ang mga tuhod ko sa sobrang kaba.

Tita Nara would most definitely accept Elize coming out to her, but what I was shaking about was the possibility that she maybe wouldn't want me to be her nephew's suitor. Hindi pa nga ako sinasagot ng nililigawan ko, basted na kaagad sa tita. Sana kainin na lang ako ng lupa. Puwede rin ni Elize.

Elize was nice. Sometimes. And he always has been proper and well put together in terms of ambitions, goals, and history. Me? I was a fucking play boy. There was no doubt Tita Nara didn't know of that. I knew her daughter was talkative.

But I didn't blame her, I was quite ashamed of what I've done in the past. If I could go back and change it all, I wouldn't be in the present right now.

"Good afternoon, Thai," I greeted his cousin as soon as she opened the door for us.

"Hello, Kuya Sauyer," bati niya pabalik at tipid na ngumiti sa akin.

Pumunta sa likuran ko ang kaniyang mga mata kung saan ang kaniyang pinsan humahalukipkip, inaatake pa rin ng kaba. Nginuso niya si Elize saka ako binalingan, nagtatanong gamit ang kaniyang mga mata.

I chuckled and pulled Elize by his waist to bring him beside me. Marahan kong hinaplos ang kaniyang beywang nang kumalma siya.

"He's a little nervous," I stated the obvious.

Thaianara nodded and dropped her eyes down to Elize. "Hoy. Bakit ka kinakabahan?"

Elize managed to sneer at her amidst his trembling system. "Ewan ko ba. Baka natakot sa pagmumukha mo."