A Love to Last

ALTL: 12

          

Today is the day of my date with my boss.... Pagkatapos kong maligo ay binuksan ko ang closet ko. Hindi ko alam kung saan sa dalawa ang susuotin ko. The first dress is a simple dress, it falls a bit past on my knees and has a cute brown sleeves while the other one is a little shorter and tighter it's a classy black. But I never felt brave enough to wear it pero naisip ko if I'm not gonna wear it then when is the time I gonna wear it? So, maybe I should wear the black one and I also applied makeup. Paglabas ko sa kwarto ko ay nandun din si Nathan

"I look silly, don't I?"

"Roxanne, you look stunning and different"

"Thanks" and he wears a kind smile "I should go, bye!"

And with that I head out to the restaurant. When I arrived, He was already there, standing and waiting in the door.

"I...uh..wow!"

"Did you wait long?"

"No, not at all. I got a reservation"

Pakiramdam ko, seeing me all dressed up takes Vincent off guard. Pumasok na kami at pumunta sa table where Vincent has reserved. He pulled the chair which I think it's romantic. Matapos niya akong pinaghila ng upuan ay umupo rin siya sa tapat ko. It's then I noticed how he looks good tonight and he's also not wearing his glasses. And this time I got a chance to take a look at his eyes, so his eyes are kind and gentle and he's wearing a suit. It makes him a completely different person. Kung hindi ko lang siya kilala siguro kanina pa ako na intimidate sa kanya.

"You look handsome, Vincent"

"Thanks, and you, you look lovely" at iniwas niya ang mga mata niya and shakily smiles at me

"Hey, are you nervous?"

"Uh...."

"Hey, we are here to have fun, remember?"

"Right. But I---I can't help it" and he smiles to me apologetically

"Come on!  Let's pretend that we're uh... we're not coworkers, then"

"Hm? Not a bad idea. Okay" and he agrees with me

"So Miss, do you come here often?"

Napaka seryoso niya that I can't help myself to laugh and he laughs too.
Vincent and I order food and act like we don't know each other. It feels refreshing. Nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon to pretend someone else.

"What do you do for living Miss Roxanne?"

"Well, Akala ko editor ako sa isang kompanya but turns out that I am a servant of my boss. How about you?"

"Akala ko editor rin ako buut also turns out that I am a babysitter"

"Hindi ko ma imagine na napaka seryoso at strikto nang boss ko"

"At hindi rin ako makapaniwala how disorganized my partner is"

And we playfully jab at one another it seems weird but it's fun.  Hindi ko aakalain na ganito ang mangyayaring date sa amin. Àt nag usap lang kami na kung ano- ano hanggang sa matapos kaming kumain. He reaches for his wallet to pay the bill but I insist that we can split the bill.

But suddenly, his face becomes pale and I can see that his shocked.

"Vincent? May problema ba?"

Pero wala akong nakuhang sagot sa kanya.. He continue to stare something at the restaurant and I have a bad feeling about this. I follow his gaze and find a woman.....
And that woman is also staring at him at nagsimulang maglakad palapit sa amin.

"Samantha....." Vincent whispered

'Samantha? Iyan ba ang pangalan ng babae? Ka ano ano niya si Vincent? '

"I didn't expect to see you here" he said and she smirks. I noticed that she's beautiful but something tells me that she's cold and dark and she has that confident. I guess she's half American and half Filipino.

"This was OUR favorite restaurant, remember?" She said emphasizing the word "our" and looked at me.

"I thought you won't come back here....and since when did you arrive?"

I can feel the tension......

"Did you miss me Vincent?"

"Miss you?  Why would miss you?"

"Still can't tell the truth? Oh! Admit it....You still miss me and love me"

"That's not-------"

"How nice of you...sand who's this girl with you?"

"She's my-----"

"Knowing you, I bet you didn't dated anyone since I left" she said cutting Vincent off and I've had enough of this woman in front of me

"I am his girlfriend"

Samantha's brow furrows and Vincent looked at me, shocked.

"What? You? Wow, Vincent really doesn't have taste" and she laughs making some of the people looked at us. "You know what, coming back here in the Philippines and meeting you as her girlfriend makes me feel the best woman in the world because I am the best woman that he ever had"

"That's not-----"  Alam ko galit na ngayon si Vincent but he can't bring himself to say a word.

"Excuse me, but I'll have to let you know that Vincent is way better off without you because you know why?  Because you are mean and a selfish woman and let me tell you this that He is much happier without someone as rude as you because he deserve someone more than that"

And that leaves her speechless and I just grab Vincent arms and said "Let's go, dear. We don't want someone to interrupt OUR date" I emphasized the "our" and looked at her and he just nods. Pagkatapos naming magbayad ng bill ay umalis na kami sa restaurant and we managed to get in, in his car.

"I..uh... I am sorry for what happened in the restaurant"

"I will not say it's okay because it's definitely not okay"

"And I wanted to thank you for saving me back there"

"You're welcome."

"I'll drive you home Roxanne"

"Yeah, sure"

As he drove me home, we didn't say any word.

"Wait! May nakalimutan ako Rox"

"Ano yun?"

"Nakalimutan kong ibigay sa iyo ang mga manuscript at nasa bahay ko ngayon...I meant to give it to you"

At least he broke off the silence.

"Okay lang ba sayo Roxanne if we head back and pick it up?"

"Yeah, it's fine"

Moments after, He parked his car in front of his house and leads me inside.
As we walk inside his house...then, he leads me in his living room.

"Have a seat. I'll just get the manuscript" and he leaves the room. I can't help myself  but to wonder, He lives here all by himself? This is a huge house para sa isang tao. Tumayo ako sa kinauupuan ko at tumingin sa picture na nasa frames and I accidentally found a photo album. Nandito ang mga pictures niya simula baby siya. Ang cute cute niya! At may mga pictures rin sya dito noong bata pa siya. Bakit parang pamilyar ang mukha niya? As I flip para sa next page ay hindi ko inaasahan ang makikita ko. Litrato it ng isang batang lalake kasama ang batang babae. I flip into another page ay yun pa rin ang nakikita ko. Ang batang babae na kasama niya sa mga litrato ay ako. Sino ka nga ba Vincent?

Vincent walks back into the room with the pages.

"Ito na ang-------"

"Sino ka ba talaga Vincent?"