How To Be Yours, Forever

Chapter 4

Chapter Four
"HELLO, litz."
Napangiti si Suzanne ng marinig niya ang pagbati na iyon ni Ranzelle sa kanya sa kabilang linya. Kasasagot niya lang sa tawag nito. Nasa loob siya ng kanyang opisina ng hapon na iyon. Katatapos lang niyang i-approved ang mga designs ng team niya para sa christmas collection ng Metamorphosis Shoes Inc. sa taon na iyon. Isa kasi siya sa mga head designers.
"Hi, ngitz," kinikilig na sagot niya rito. Hindi niya na matandaan kung paanong iyon ang napagkasunduan nilang endearment sa isa't-isa. 'Litz' ang tawag nito sa kanya, short for makulit at 'ngitz' naman ang tawag niya rito, short for masungit.
"I missed you."
She giggled. "I missed you, my foot. Kahapon lang tayo huling nagkita."
Mahigit dalawang buwan na rin simula ng magdesisyon silang dalhin sa ibang lebel ang pagkakaibigan nila. Sa panahon na iyon ay wala itong ginawa kundi ang lambingin siya. Sa pakiwari niya ay ito ang gumagawa ng paraan para mapamahal siya rito. Ang nangyayari tuloy ay siya ang mas napapamahal dito imbes na ito ang napapamahal sa kanya. She always have to mentally make a note to herself that her job was to make him fall for her, not the other way around.
Umungol ito. "That's almost twenty-four hours already. I want to see you."
Pagkatapos kasi siya nitong sunduin kahapon ay hindi pa ulit sila nagkikita. Maaga siyang pumasok sa opisina kanina dahil may meeting siya. Hindi na siya nagpahatid dito. Hatid-sundo na kasi siya nito sa opisina niya simula ng magkaroon sila ng relasyon. Pero tumanggi siyang ihatid nito kanina dahil ayaw niyang gumising ito ng mas maaga. Alam niya kasing pagod ito. Hating-gabi na kasi noong makauwi ito sa bahay nito pagkatapos siya ihatid pauwi kagabi. Pagkatapos ay hindi rin sila nakapag-lunch kanina ng magkasama dahil ito naman ang may meeting.
"Malapit na tayo magkita. Susunduin mo naman ako, 'di ba?" paglalambing niya dito.
"Of course. I'm actually on my way."
"Are you driving?" she asked. She tried to listen to the background. It seemed he was on the road.
"Yes."
"I see. While you're at it, be careful and tell me your day."
"Okay. I spend every minute of my day while thinking of you and working at the same time. It was a torture, honey. I felt like I wanted the time to go faster so I could see you again. I think I'm going crazy about you. How can you do this to me?"
She giggled. Millions of mini butterflies are bustling inside her stomach. "You're such a cheesy sweet talker. I'm already in love with you. So, don't make me fall even deeper."
She heard a whistling sound and then his soothing voice came after. "Tell me your day."
Of course, he averted "that" topic again. He honestly told her that he was not still sure of his feelings for her. But one thing is for sure—she's a woman that he could not live without.
"The board loved my presentation. My team is working on it now. Nothing unusual happened."
"That's great. Hm... I think I'm still an hour away yet. So, uhm, why don't we play 'that' game again?"
Napangiti siya. Ang larong tinutukoy nito ay tinawag niyang 'Tell me what you like about me and I'll tell you what I like about you.' That's that. She can't remember since when they started playing that game.
"Okay. You go first."
"I like it when you raise your eyebrow at me. I don't know why. So don't ask me," he said. She imagined him smiling at that note.
"Okay. I like it when you draw infinite circles whenever you get nervous."
"I do?" he asked. He sounded like he was incredulous.
She didn't answer his question. He'll figure the answer when he did it, anyway. "Your turn."
He groaned. "Fine. I like the way you stumble whenever you wear flat shoes and then I'll catch you so you won't fall. I think that was kind of cute and out of the ordinary. I mean, why on flat shoes and never on high heels?" He followed it with a chuckle.
Nag-init ang pisngi niya. Ipinagpasalamat niya na hindi nito nakikita iyon. Ang totoo ay kapag nasa harap lang naman nito siya natitisod. Nagkakataon lang na flat shoes ang suot niya sa tuwing nangyayari iyon. Kapag naka-high heels kasi siya ay mas maingat siya sa paglalakad. In short, she's kinda reckless whenever she's wearing flat shoes and she's in front of him. But the main reason was really because of him. She couldn't help but to act stupid in front of him. But she would not let him know that, of course.
She ignored his question again and she continued the game. "I like it whenever you wear shorts. I admire your legs." Maputi kasi ang mga binti nito. Hindi rin ito mabalahibo. Sa palagay nga niya ay mas makinis pa ang legs nito kaysa sa kanya.
Natawa ito. "Not that. You're making me blush."
Siya naman ang natawa. "Bakit ka naman nahiya? Totoo naman."
"Shut up. I would like it if you shut up when I told you to. But I know you wouldn't. And I like you better because of that."
Muling nag-init ang pisngi niya. Madalas talaga na nangyayari iyon sa tuwing nilalaro nila ang larong iyon.
"N-nasaan ka na ba? Malayo ka pa ba?" pagbabago niya sa usapan. Baka mamaya ay hindi niya na mapigilan ang mapatili dahil sa sobrang kilig. Magulat pa ito sa kanya.
"Almost there."
"Great. Hihintayin—"
"I like you a lot. So much that I wished teleportation is possible so I could be at your side whenever I want to. I don't know how to say this. I don't know if you will believe me—"
Napakunot noo siya ng maputol ang tawag. Pero dagli iyong napalitan ng ngiti ng bumukas ang pinto sa opisina niya at iniluwa niyon si Ranzelle. Isang oras pa daw. Fifteen minutes pa lang ang nakakalipas pero nandito na ito.
Bumilis ang tibok ng puso niya. Gusto niya itong sugurin ng yakap. Ngunit hindi siya makakilos sa kinatatayuan niya. He was intently gazing at her. His eyes have full of emotions. But it read one thing. And she thought it was not possible.
"I think I'm in love with you, Suzy. You did it. You made me love you."
She saw love on his eyes. And that love—was for her?
"That is so impossible," she blurted, eyes wide.
"I knew you'd say that. But I have a plan to prove to you that it is possible."
Inilang hakbang lang siya nito. Sa isang iglap ay ikinulong nito ang mukha niya sa mga palad nito at banayad siyang siniil ng halik sa mga labi. Her instant reaction was to close her eyes and kissed him back.
She loves him and now he said that he loves her, too. Then they are kissing each other. It's official, they are 'really' a couple now. The word 'happy' can't even define her feelings right now.