𝙲𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙺𝚂 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚃𝚂 | 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙿𝙻𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙳 ✓

chapter 5

Isabella's POV

Nasa library ako, nagre-review para sa upcoming exams, pero hindi ko maiwasang isipin si Alexander. Kahit na ilang araw pa lang ang lumipas mula nung huli kaming nagkita, miss ko na agad siya. I kept checking my phone, hoping for a message, pero alam kong pareho kaming busy ngayon.

Bigla kong naalala yung surprise na sinabi niya last time. Ano kaya iyon? I couldn’t help but feel excited and curious. Kahit anong gawin ko, siya at siya pa rin ang pumapasok sa isip ko.

Habang nagsusulat ako ng notes, napansin ko si Claire at Andrea na papalapit. "Hey, Isabella! You look deep in thought. Studying hard?" tanong ni Claire habang umupo sa tabi ko.

"Trying to," I smiled sheepishly. "But my mind’s a bit distracted."

Andrea grinned knowingly. "Alexander again?"

I blushed, not bothering to deny it. "Yeah... he mentioned he has a surprise for me this weekend."

"Oh, that’s exciting!" sabi ni Claire, obviously as curious as I was. "Any guesses?"

"Honestly, no idea. But knowing him, it’s probably something thoughtful," sagot ko, trying to push away the nervous excitement. "It’s just... I don’t know, I can’t help but feel like something’s changing."

"Changing how?" tanong ni Andrea, now a bit more serious.

"Like... things are getting more real between us. It’s not just online anymore. And that scares me a little," I admitted.

Claire placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It’s normal to feel that way, Isa. But remember, relationships are all about taking risks. And from what you’ve told us, Alexander seems like someone who’s worth it."

Napangiti ako sa sinabi niya. "Thanks, guys. I guess I just need to see where things go."

*****

Alexander's POV

Nasa photo studio ako, reviewing some shots for our latest project, but my mind kept drifting back to Isabella. Hindi ko maiwasang isipin kung paano niya tatanggapin yung surprise na hinanda ko. I wanted it to be perfect, something that would make her smile.

“Alex, you okay?” tanong ni Jake, who was also in the studio with me.

“Yeah, just thinking about something,” I replied, trying to focus back on work.

“Still planning that surprise for Isabella?” he asked, a teasing tone in his voice.

I nodded, a small smile on my lips. “Yeah. I just hope she likes it.”

Jake patted my back. “Trust me, man. Girls appreciate thoughtful gestures, and from what I know about you, this one’s gonna be special.”

“Thanks, Jake,” I said, feeling a bit more confident. “I just want everything to be perfect.”

Later that day, I decided to visit the park again. It’s where everything started, and it felt right to be there before giving her the surprise. While walking around, I spotted a beautiful spot by the lake, where the sun hit the water just right, creating a perfect reflection.

This is where I want to give her the photo, I thought to myself. It’s a place that’s already special to us, and I hope it becomes even more meaningful after this.

-----

Isabella’s POV

Finally, the weekend arrived, and I couldn’t contain my excitement. Alexander and I agreed to meet at the park, and while I was on my way, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Ano kaya ang hinanda niya para sa akin?

Pagdating ko sa park, nakita ko agad siya, standing by the lake. He looked up as soon as he saw me, and a warm smile spread across his face.

“Hey,” I greeted, trying to calm my racing heart.

“Hey,” he replied, his eyes softening as he looked at me. “I’m glad you could make it.”

“Of course,” I said, smiling back. “So, what’s this surprise you’ve been teasing me about?”

He chuckled, reaching into his bag. “Well, I’ve been thinking about our first meeting, and how much it meant to me. So, I wanted to give you something to remember it by.”

He pulled out a small, elegantly wrapped package and handed it to me. “Go ahead, open it.”

I carefully unwrapped the package, revealing a beautifully framed photo of me. It was taken during our walk in the park, and it perfectly captured the joy I felt in that moment.

“Oh, Alex... this is beautiful,” I whispered, touched by the gesture. “I didn’t even know you took this.”

“It was a candid shot,” he said, a little shyly. “But I thought it captured something special. I wanted you to have it as a reminder of that day.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at the photo. It wasn’t just the picture itself, but the thoughtfulness behind it that moved me.

“Thank you,” I said softly, looking up at him. “This means so much to me.”

He smiled, his eyes meeting mine. “I’m glad you like it. I just... I wanted to do something special for you.”

I reached out and took his hand, feeling a wave of emotions I couldn’t quite put into words. “You’re amazing, Alex.”

For a moment, we just stood there, holding hands and looking at each other. It was one of those rare moments where everything felt right, where words weren’t needed to express how we felt.

*****

Alexander’s POV

As we stood by the lake, hand in hand, I knew I made the right choice. The look in Isabella’s eyes told me everything I needed to know—she appreciated the gesture, but more importantly, she appreciated me.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the park, talking about everything and nothing. It was peaceful, just being in each other’s company, and it made me realize how much I wanted to keep creating memories with her.

Eventually, we found a quiet spot under a large tree and sat down. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close. It felt natural, like this was exactly where we were supposed to be.

“I’m really happy we met, Isabella,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Me too, Alex,” she replied, her voice equally soft. “You’ve become such an important part of my life.”

Hearing those words made my heart swell with happiness. I knew things were moving quickly between us, but it didn’t scare me anymore. In fact, it excited me. I was ready to see where this journey would take us, as long as we were together.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the park, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Whatever challenges lay ahead, I knew we could face them. We had each other, and that was enough.