Moving Into My Brother's House

Chapter 36

"H-ha?" Parang tanga kong itinanong kay AJ. I'm sure that I have heard him correctly but I just couldn't bring myself to believe what he just said. Pakiramdam ko quasi parang panaginip lang ang lahat.

Can someone just wake me up right now? Or maybe not.

"Well, you heard me. Lauryn, can you be my girlfriend?" AJ asked again. Instead of giving him an answer, I did the most unexpected thing. I slapped myself in front of him.

"Woah. Chill, Lauryn. Ano 'yang ginagawa mo?" AJ said as he tried to stop me from slapping myself any further. He had that shocked and amused expression on his face and it makes me want to slap myself more.

Oh god. What on earth is happening to me?

"This is not a joke right? I mean, you're not messing with me. Right?" I asked AJ even if it may seem stupid. AJ then moved closer towards me and hugged me tight.

"Lauryn, how many times do I have to tell you that this is not another prank? I wouldn't dare to break the trust that your parents and your brother gave me and I don't want to waste the chance that you have given me. You are far more precious than any gem in the world."

"Pssh. Bolero." I told him which made him laugh. I then pushed him lightly away from me.

"I told you. Love makes us do crazy things."

"Like choosing me?"

"Nope. Choosing you was the only sane thing that I have done in my life."

"Was there a manual that you read para mambola ng babae? If you did, I have to say that it's working." I told him and he smiled widely at me.

"So is that a yes?"

"Hmm. Yes?"

"Was that a question or an answer?"

"It's up to you. Come on, I want to rest na. Ibalik mo na ako sa hotel." I said, trying to change the topic. Hindi pa rin nagrereact si AJ sa naging sagot ko and it's kind of making me nervous. Dapat ba diniretso ko na lang yung sagot ko sa kanya? Mali ba na nagpakipot pa ako? Ang dating tanning na gumugulo sa utan ko but hawala and lahat ng 'yon nung hinawakan ni AJ yung kamay ko.

"Can I just keep you forever?" AJ asked out of the blue.

"Ano ang tingin mo sa akin? Keychain?" I asked him back and it made him laugh out loud. Hinigpitan lalo ni AJ yung pagkakahawak niya sa kamay ko saka siya nagsalita ulit.

"You're really something Lauryn and it makes me fall in love with you more. I'm so glad to have you as my girlfriend."

"Wait. I'm your girlfriend?" Tanong ko sa kanya. I'm trying to mess with him for the sole reason na wala man lang siyang reaksyon nung nag-yes ako sa kanya. What if I had said no? Would he still be as relaxed as he is right now?

I'm not trying to be pabebe here kaso this was not how I imagine things would go. The heck. Our little moment at Victoria Peak was even better than this. Jusko. Sana pala doon niya na lang ako tinanong kung gusto ko bang maging girlfriend niya. At least, kung doon, mas memorable. Ano na lang ang sasabihin ko sa iba? "Ay guys, sa loob ng sasakyan ko sinagot yung boyfriend ko. Nagtanong siya. Sumagot ako. End of story. Ang romantic di ba?" Jusme. Ang diyahe lang.

Sa susunod nga, bababaan ko na lang yung standards at expectations ko para hindi na ganito!

"Uhh. Yes?" AJ answered back. It's as if hindi rin siya sigurado sa sagot niya. He must have felt that I was unsure with whatever's happening between us right now. If that is the case, then good. Kahit papaano pala ay nakakaramdam pa siya.

"Okay. Whatever. Tara na nga." Pagyaya ko sa kanya. Akala ko uuwi na talaga kaming dalawa na para bang walang nangyari pero nagulat ako nung biglang bumaba si AJ sa sasakyan tapos binuksan niya yung pinto sa side ko.

Tinignan ko lang si AJ the whole time that he was acting like he wasn't sure on what's about to happen to us. He doesn't look pissed off but he really looks confused. Yung tipong hindi siya makapagdesisyon kung itutuloy pa ba niya yung gusto niyang sabihin o gawin.

"Damn it." AJ muttered under his breath.

"Is there a problem?" I dumbly asked. Alam ko naman na may misunderstanding between us (agad-agad?!) but I can't help but pretend that there is nothing wrong.

"Look, I'm sorry. I know this should be a special moment for is but I ruined everything didn't I?"

"AJ..."

"No, Lauryn. I know I messed up big time. I am your first boyfriend then I didn't even do something worth remembering to celebrate this moment."

"AJ, stop. Yes, I admit na disappointed ako sa nangyari but it's done. Wala naman na tayong magagawa di ba?"

"Well, we could create new memories right?"

"What do you mean?" I asked him and he just gave me a smile as a response. After which, he removed my seat belt and laid out his hand in front of me. At first, I was hesitant to accept his hand but I realized that nothing would happen good if I would keep on being a coward.

So at that moment, I took a deep breath and grabbed AJ's hand. I took that leap of faith that scares me like hell. But upon realizing that I have AJ beside me, things started to make sense. It's not the surroundings or the material things that makes an event special. It's the people that you are with that gives moments special meaning. And at that time, it was AJ that makes simple moments special. I was just too dumb to realize it agad.

Hinatak ako ni AJ palabas ng sasakyan. Nung nakababa na ako, isinara niya agad yung pinto tapos ni-lock niya ito. He then pulled me towards somewhere. Wala akong idea kung saan ba niya ako dadalhin pero hinayaan ko lang siya na hatakin ako. I wanted to trust him on this one kaya hindi na lang ako nagsalita.

After a couple of minutes, biglang huminto si AJ sa tapat ng mall. He looked at me and smiled when he saw "CONFUSION" written all over my face. Ano ba talaga kasi ang binabalak niyang gawin?

"Let's go?" Tanong niya sa akin.

"What are we doing here?" Tanong ko naman pabalik sa kanya.

"I may not seem the type to be cheesy but to be honest, I have listed down some things that I wanted to do and give you when the time comes that you will be my girlfriend. Since that time has come, I must cross out some items from that list now." Oh, okay. So ito pala yung plano niya. I have to say that I'm kind of excited to find out kung ano yung nasa listahan niyang 'yon. Wait. Scrap that. Excited na talaga ako! Why does AJ have to be like this? Naguguilty na tuloy ako sa pagiinarte ko kanina!

"So what's the first on your list?" I asked, trying to hide the excitement that I am feeling.

"You'll know it when you see it. Let's go." AJ said then he led the way inside the mall.

Pagpasok namin sa mall, wala pa rin akong idea sa kung ano ba yung gustong mangyari ni AJ. It would be too late for us to watch a movie knowing that we have a curfew sa fieldtrip namin and all. Hindi rin naman kami siguro kakain dito since kakakain lang naming dalawa. Ano ba talaga kasi yung plano niya?

More questions filled my brain when AJ stopped in front of a jewelry shop. I mean, what on earth are we doing here? Isn't it too early to buy something from a store like this? Ano ba yung gustong bilhin ni AJ? And so on. Ang daming tanong na bumabagabag sa akin and all of those were erased when AJ started to explain.

"I'm not sure if you're up for this but I wanted to buy something that would say that I am yours and you are mine. But I'm willing to take that risk that's why I brought you here. So, how does a couple ring sound to you?"

WAIT. WHAT?!