To Love You Better | ✅

10: Calm

HOW DO YOU actually deal with it when someone you love dearly seemingly loves you back? Anong gagawin mo kung yung pakikitungo niya sayo dati ay bumalik na parang walang nangyari. Yun ang dilemma ni Lucy ngayon. Hindi niya magawang maging all out for Ace. She's still feeling so strange about this. Hindi dahil sa hindi niya mahal si Ace kundi dahil masyado niyang mahal si Ace kaya natatakot siyang pagkukuyari nanaman to.

"Flowers for the most beautiful girl in my eyes," nagulat na lang siya ng biglang ibigay sa kanya ni Ace ang isang malaking bouquet ng ecuadorian roses na favorite niya.

"Ace," she smiled and enjoyed the sight of the flowers in front of her. Gusto niyang bitawan lahat ng inhibitions and she wants to give Ace everything he's giving her. She wants to love him, give him everything. "They're beautiful."

"Wala ba akong reward for picking these pretty things?" He asked. Alam na niya ang gusto nito. He's been this man to her.

"Thank you," hinalikan niya si Ace sa labi. She loved how his lips curved to a smile as she parted her lips from his.

"The sweetest I've ever had. Gusto mo bang lumabas for dinner?"

"I cooked dinner, pero kung gusto mo we can go out and eat." Hindi niya mapigilan na titigan lang si Ace. Looking at his face there's this certain calmness in her heart. It feels like everything that's been wrong in her life was put into place. Bakit ba kasi natatakot pa siyang mahalin si Ace fully?

"You did?" He smiled like a little child. "Then let's eat. I'll get the plates."

"Sure ka? Baka may gusto kang kainin sa labas?" Hindi niya naman gusto na mapilitan lang ito.

"Akala ko wala pa tayong dinner," he said habang kumukuha ng plato. "Mas pipiliin ko ang luto ng misis ko syempre."

"Bolero as always," she smiled and went to the dining area.

Masaya silang nag-dinner dalawa. Nagkukwentuhan ng araw nila. They also did the dishes together. Since last week ay sobrang alaga na ni Ace sa kanya. He always goes the extra mile for her and treats her like his queen. Imbes ata na maging sobrang saya ay medyo nakokonsensya siya. She left him when he was treating her this way.

"I'm not forcing you to come back to me right away, na parang walang nangyari between us, na parang di tayo magkalayo for the past 6 years. Come back to me when you're ready." He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. Nagsusumigaw ang puso niya na yakapin ito at wag na isiping pakawalan ito pero may pumipigil pa sa kanya, nagtatalo pa ang utak niya at puso, nagkunwari na si Ace before what makes this time different?

"I'm crazy about you and you know that," she said. "Siguro kailangan ko lang sanayin uli yung sarili ko."

"I know at naiintindihan naman kita." He smiled and hugged her. They stayed silent for a little while habang nakatingin lang sa ilaw ng city na kita sa bahay nila.

"May meeting bukas sa Rizal, diba?" Sabi ni Lucy kay Ace. "Ako yung nag-ayos ng lunch bukas."

"Sa masarap ba yan?" He asked.

"Dun sa Maderazzo, sure ako dun kasi kina Mama yun. Gusto mo ba dun?" Wala naman kasi siyang ibang alam na lugar kaya doon siya nagpareserve for their lunch. Parte kasi ng trabaho niya iyon.

"Matagal na din akong di kumakain dun." He smiled. "Miss ko na ang pagkain."

"Okay lang sayo dun? Pwede pa akong magpareserve ng ibang restaurant if di mo gusto dun." Ayaw niyang i-compromise ang gusto nito just because it was convenient for her to book Casa Maderazzo. Dun unang nag-meet ang mga magulang nila. Their friendship all started there.