Whisper of the Heart (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER XIV

From there started that extraordinary friendship. Maymay has started to loosen herself up whenever Edward's around. She's back to her old self, high-spirited and carefree. She talks practically the whole time they are together Edward doesn't even know where her energy is coming from. For most, it could be tiring to just listen to her. But for Edward, he finds it amusing. She always had reasons to laugh at practically everything. She is the most appreciative person he ever met too. Just giving her a ride to Amy's condo would make her thank Edward like its the greatest gift she ever received in her life.

So when its time for Marco to leave for London, and Edward gave him a ride to the airport, Marco noticed a change in his friend.

"You don't look sad now, bro. "

"Really? "

"I'm jealous. " Marco teased. But he's more than happy. Their both 24 but Edward still gets sad whenever their about to part. Well, Marco does too. The difference is that, back in London there were friends waiting for him, and here Edward is back to being the introvert person that he is. Edward has friends of course, but he doesn't open himself up that much.

Well now, he has Maymay. And she's pretty much equivalent to the 20 friends he made in London.

"i like her, bro. " its Marco. It's just days but Marco can already tell Maymay is different.

"I do, too. "

They were not talking about liking Maymay in a romantic way. But as a person. But Edward smiled sheepishly as he said that.

Edward watched Marco disappeared in the crowd before he go.

Edward admits that Maymay doesn't own the prettiest face in town. Even Marco agrees. Especially when she always distorts her face. In fact, she simply doesn't care even if she looks weird. And that's probably one thing Edward is starting to like about her. In this society where almost every girl has gave in to vanity, there stands a girl who doesn't care at all. Well these days, even eleven-year-olds wear make up and trendy outfits. Its kind of refreshing to see someone different.

But don't think that Edward became well adjusted to Maymay's personality overnight. Their upbringing was totally different, like they were brought up in two different worlds. Imagine a city guy trying to fit in an off the grid place, or a 'probinsiyana' trying to fit in a city. It just doesn't happen overnight. There were times when Edward would wish the famous tagalog line, 'bumuka sana ang lupa at kainin ako', calming Maymay who suddenly became comically hysterical at the sight of a celebrity. She even had him take their picture that one time. In time, Edward gets used to it. But there is one thing Maymay unconsciously taught him in all those times.

Enjoy life.

That realization came when they went to an amusement park one weekend with Jeff and Ina, and Edward witnessed Maymay screaming her youthful heart out during rides. The moment they stepped into the park's very land, she already started screaming. And she was tugging on his shirt hard out of excitement to the point he thought his shirt would reap off already.

"Hala Maymay, behave yourself. It looks like you're going to rape me. " Edward said as he straightened his shirt. Even looking around as he noticed they were already attracting some people's attention. He felt embarrassed. While Maymay was far from it.

In fact,  she laughed all the more.

Jeff and Ina were more behaved than their ate. But they giggled as they watched her.

Buy Maymay did stop.

Only for like split second.

For when she saw the roller coaster from a distance, she started screaming again and they weren't riding the extreme ride yet. How much more when she's at the roller coaster. She could be screaming at the top of her lungs. This time, she, getting hold of Edward's hand and Jeff's, Jeff holding Ina's, and the four started running towards the spot.

Edward had been , of course, to amusement parks, but that particular time, it was a whole lot different. It felt like everything was in a slow mo, Maymay holding his hand, running like a child. And a realization started to dawn on him, that in fact, that was the very first time he ever run in excitement, his heart pounding against his chest, and a smile plastered in his lips, for a simple amusement park ride. He felt like he was awakening that child in him, which died long ago, from the time he started working for the company. Then he found himself laughing, and for the very first time, he became oblivious of what other people would think. If they think they were crazy, let them be. This park was built for children and for the young-at-hearts anyway.

And that was the time Edwards started to see Maymay's quirky ways in a different light. That whenever she behaves like a child, wherever they may be, Edward just looks at her, amusingly, wondering how could not people just be like her and enjoy life. Life is too short to be serious.

So he couldn't explain when one time, while looking at her, he started to realize that the more he looks at her, the more he finds her pretty. Genuinely pretty.

That, Amy noticed.

One night Maymay spends the night at Amy's condo. That's their kind of sleep over, ironically not sleeping at all. Just kidding. But they usually stay awake at night until as late as 2am just talking about everything under the sun. (And regret it in the morning when they have to wake up early). So it is nearly 1am when Amy opened up about Edward.

"Grabe bai. Did you see how Sir Edward looked at you earlier?" Amy's eyes sparkled in excitement. Maymay frowned.

"Oh. That was not even a "look". Its a 'stare.' Amy continued.

"Nabuang ka na naman uy. "

"No! Baket, nakita mo ba? Ako ang nakakita and i'm not imagining things. Kinikilig ako. " Amy giggled, burying her face on a pillow.

"Ikaw kakabasa mo ng mga romantic novels mo, pati ako dinadamay mo. Baka napatingin lang, binibigyan mo ng kulay."

"Hala siya! Iba nga!" Amy seats. " Alam mo yung tingin na may kasamang ngiti?"

Amy paused and let Maymay imagine what she is describing. But Amy is still the first to react. She would have let Maymay react first but she couldn't contain her kilig.

"Wahhhhh... Feeling ko May, may gusto siya sayo. Hala naiimagine ko para kayong modern fairy tale. The modern Cinderella and his Prince Charming. Hay, ang palad mo May, ha. mas maganda naman ako sayo. Nasaan ang hustisya!"

"Buang! Imposible naman yang sinasabi mo."

"Anong imposible? May kasabihan nga tayo diba. All is fare in love. And war."

"Alam mo Amy, nangyayari lang iyang sinasabi mo sa mga pelikula. Pero sa totoong buhay, walang ganon. Alam mo yung kanta? 'Walang ganon.. oooh,.. walang ganon'. Ang daming mga sosyal na kaibigan yang si Edward, bakit naman siya magkakagusto sa akin. Isa pa, sabi mo nga hindi naman ako kagandahan ano."

"Buang. Sinabi ko lang na mas maganda ako sayo, pero di ko sinabing pangit ka. Ganda mo kaya. Ikaw yung gandang hindi pangkaraniwan."

"Grabe bai, insulto ba yun?" Maymay laughed.

"hahhaha, hindi. Ang ibig kong sabihin, yung ganda mo yung tipong di muna mapapansin. Pero habang tinititigan, lalong gumaganda. Naks! "

"Hmp, ewan ko sayo."

"Totoo nga! At ganun si Sir Edward sayo kanina! Ah, basta, itaya ko man ang buhay ko. Grabe ka ha, buhay ko na itinataya ko."

"Imposible,  Amy. I am telling you. Napapaingles na tuloy ako sayo eh."

But what Maymay could be thinking at the moment? Let's delay revealing that. But lets take a peep in her eyes as she's laying there,  her back at Amy, staring at the darkened wall she's facing. Her eyes blank, which slowly closed long after Amy had fallen asleep.