isay's innocent love

chapter 4: true love waits?

CHAPTER 4

            “I like your ring by the way.”

            Alyssa looked at David. Katabi niya ito ngayon dahil may tutorial session na naman sila. Actually, hindi naman siya nahihirapan sa ginagawa niya. May libre pang meryenda. Hindi na nga siguro tutor ang trabaho niya. Parang registered emotional companion lang. “thanks.”, she answered his statement that was out of their topic kani-kanina lang ay pinag-uusapan nila ang founders ng existentialism. She looked at her ring. It was made of white gold and it had a design of heart and a cross inside it. She removed the ring from her ringfinger and handed it to him. “my father gave that to me when I turned 13.”, she smiled as she remembered that certain moment of her life. “the word of god from 1 timothy chapter four, verse twelve. True love waits”, she said, then she showed david the writing embroidered at the inner portion of the ring.

            “true love waits. 1 timothy 4:12”, David read the script she showed him. “oh my god! You’re wearing a virginity ring!”, he exclamed as he realized the implication of the scripture. 

            Natatawang binawi ni Alyssa ang singsing from david’s hands. “sheez. You said that as if it was a bad thing.”, puna niya. Muli nyang sinuot ang singsing. “and besides I wouldn’t call this a virginity ring. I’d rather call this a chastity ring.”

            “whatever. The meaning is still the same.”, he said dismissing her opinion. “it’s a viginity ring! So did you took some sort of a viginity pledge where your dad and you go to a ball and you will sign a contract that you will abstain from sex until you sign another contract which is a marriage contract.”

            Alyssa laughed. “there’s no need for all that formality silly.” Alyssa said and tinampal niya ang braso ng binata. “this ring serves as a reminder for me that true love waits and I should keep my mind, spirit and body pure as it is God’s will. I don’t need some contract signing. I was raised in a very religious family and my faith is enough for me to stick on to my principles of delaying sex. Any form of it.”, she explained.

            David nodded. “yeah. All those contract signing is overrated. I even read on the internet that there were studies showing that taking the virginity pledge is ineffective. Teens just turn out getting involved in sex anyways.”, he recalled. “so why do you still have to wear that ring if your faith is enough?”, he asked.

            Alyssa smiled as she looked at her ring. “this was a gift from my dad. Syempre I want to show him that I honor the same principle he adheres to. Sabi niya, magsisilbing reminder daw ito sa mga magiging boyfriend ko na off limits ang masyado pagiging intimate. Pinayagan na nila akong tumanggap ng manliligaw when I turned 16 because they trust me. Ayon nga lang, si Mark pa lang ang pumapasa sa akin. Not that Mark needs this ring as a reminder. He respects me so much.”, Alyssa looked at david. “and besides. Hindi naman halatang chastity ring ito so mukha na rin itong accessory.”, she joked.

            David laughed. “off limits talaga. Are you one of those girls na katulad sa scary movie na may gate na may kuryenteng protection ang undies just so no one can enter?”, he teased.

            Alyssa blushed. “sheez! You have such a wild imagination!”, she pouted habang nagrereklamo. “hindi ko kailangan ng ganon! Wala akong papapasukin!”, she screamed. Napahawak na lang si david sa tenga nito dahil sa tinis ng boses ng dalaga. At he back of his mind he cant help but imagine her in her undies. He immediately shook that image off his mind. 

            “Mark…”, mahinang sambit ni Alyssa sa pangalan ng boyfriend niya. Her vision is clouding. Hindi niya alam ang sasabihin sa nakita. Hawak pa rin niya ang doorknob. Kukuha sana siya ng props na gagamitin sa role playing sa phil literature niya na subject kaya pumunta siya sa stockroom. And there they were- Mark (her boyfriend) and some girl in a very awkward postion. The girl’s blouse was already unbuttoned and her breasts were exposed.