This Thing Called Love

Chapter 20

Gabbie was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that Luke just told her he’s in love with her, when he leaned in and kissed her again. This time his lips were more insistent, demanding more from her. She put her arms around his neck, kissing him back with an equal passion. Luke’s hand went to her hips and he pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss.

Tumigil sila nang halos hindi na sila makahinga pareho.

“Is this… still part of… your attempts at spontaneity?” she asked, breathless.

He chuckled. “No, silly.” He tipped her face with one finger so she was looking up at him. He planted a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Seryoso ako, bie. Mahal kita.”

The gleam on his eyes when he said those words melted her heart. She’s been waiting for this day since she find out she’s falling in love with him – ang sabihin ni Luke ang mga salitang “I love you” sa kanya. Now that it’s finally here, she cursed herself for being speechless.

She buried her face in his chest, her eyes shut, and wrapped her arms around his torso.

Luke gently stroked her hair at sandali silang natahimik pareho.

His warm body and his masculine smell felt so reassuring; she’d live there - locked up in his arms – forever if she could.

“I’ve been thinking…” narinig nyang sabi ni Luke habang hinihimas pa rin ang buhok nya. That gesture too, felt comforting. Hinigpitan nya ang yakap nya kay Luke. “About what your father said yesterday... Gabbie, let’s make it official.”

“Official? What do you mean, official?” tanong nya.

Tumigil si Luke sa paghimas sa buhok nya. Hinawakan nito ang dalawa nyang balikat then pushed her from so they were face-to-face again. Hinawi ni Luke ang bangs nya then he cupped her face.

“I said I love you,” simula ni Luke, and the butterflies began fluttering again. “I’ve never felt this way to anyone before, bie… I love talking to you. I love holding you like this. I love being with you. I love kissing you...” They both smiled at that.

“And that’s why I’m asking you today… Gabbie, will you be my girlfriend? Will you be mine?”

Will I?

Inilapit ni Gabbie ang mukha nya kay Luke. She brushed her lips on his, at gaya ng ginawa nito sa kanya kanina she murmured over his lips. “I’d love to.”

She pulled back to see his face at natuwa sya when she saw him stiffened.

He grinned, grabbed her by the arm and took possession of her lips again.

Gabbie groaned when her alarm clock went off, waking her. Pikit-mata nyang kinapa ang orasan na nakapatong sa bedside table nya at pinatay iyon. She slumped back on her pillow as images of yesterday’s events flood her brain. Bigla syang napamulat, kinapa nya sa kama nya ang cellphone nya. She found it under her pillow. In-unlock nya ang phone nya and launched her messaging app.

Galing kay Luke ang unang message sa inbox nya.

U made this day special, Bie. I love u.

Inulit-ulit nyang basahin ang mensaheng iyon hanggang sa makumbinsi syang totoo at hindi sya nananaginip na boyfriend na nya si Luke. She dropped her head on her pillow, grinning stupidly. Kinuha nya ang teddy bear na bigay ni Luke, katabi nya uli iyon nang matulog sya kagabi, at niyakap iyon ng mahigpit.

“Gan’to pala ma-in love,” sabi nya na kinakausap ang teddy bear. “Over the top ‘yung kilig. Parang ang OA, pero hindi pa ako naging ganito kasaya so this has to be a good thing, right?”