ONE
*****
"Will you marry me?"
He asked me out of the blue. And of all the things I could ever say, I just mouthed 'what?'. I saw my reflection in his eyes and all of the thinking stopped.
But I guess he must have understood me.
"Alithea, be my wife, please." A moment he was proud and confident. However, as my mouth refuse to respond, he became hopeful.
Most of the woman dreamt of this one romantic scene being asked to marry the man they love. Yes, I love the man kneeling before me. I couldn't ask for more. He is my sunlight and dawn. Sometimes It makes me wonder what have I done to deserve someone like him?
"Giov..." He looks at me with all the love and admiration in his eyes. I can't stand this feeling of pain seeing him hurt. I love him and there's no doubt about it. We were together since we were kids. He courted me when I was 16, and it took me two years to say the magical yes. For the love of God, everything is perfect until now. In this stadium wearing our graduation hood, academic dress and the ever-significant cap completes our college graduation. The cacophony of accomplishment filled the air yet I couldn't hear a thing. I was taken aback from what Giovanni said. He was just smiling at me waiting for that affirmation.
"I love you Alithea. Hey, baby? Are you okay?" He looked so worried.
"Giov, I love you too. But--" I couldn't continue my speech and he kissed me passionately not caring about the sea of people around us. Oh, I just love this man. I imagined our life with four kids. Well, maybe two will do. I am an education graduate and as much as I hate to admit it, It's not a profession that will make you crawl with money. Giovanni finished architecture and I believe we can make a fine living out of it. So two children maybe just enough. I see myself waking up beside him. Cooking breakfast, cuddling with each other and celebrating holidays together with our children. He is the man I see in my future self as a wife.
But we just graduated. I am not yet ready to settle down. We're just 21 and we have much time to explore the world yet. I ended the kiss.
"Giovanni, I am always sure of you. You know that when you ask me to marry you, I will always say yes. No doubt. But, we just graduated and we have a lot of things to explore." I bravely muttered. "And I bid, lalo ka na. Malawak ang mundong ginagalawan mo."He looked confused.
"You are not marrying me?" with full of conviction he asked.
"No baby." I cupped his face. "I will marry you pero hindi pa sa ngayon. I want us to see the world after our world" Yes. Since high school up until college, we are caged in each others arms. "You will follow your dreams--"
"but you are my dream." I shook my head biting my lips to scratch away tears. I smiled to him
"I am just a part of your dream. Magsisimula pa lang tayo. You will raise your firm and I will finish my Master's degree and I will be a secondary teacher in the best University in town. We have to at last give back to our families. After that, I will be your wife. You may not understand this by now, but I want us to do our best in our own field without holding back because of marriage responsibility." I pray to God na sana maintindihan niya ang punto ko.
"Can't we do it while married?" He almost cry.
"Baby, we got each other. As long as we trust each other...even without a ring, or a contract, we will end up in each other's arms." I poured my heart with that statement. Thankfully, he nodded. I sighed a glance of relief.
