ANSWERED PRAYER

Oranges

As I opened my eyes, an orange light beamed that made me cover my eyes with my palms but as I adjusted to the view, I was astounded. It was the sunset and I see its citrus colors reflecting with ocean. My eyes are locked in the magnificent sight and I felt that my worn out heart warmed up once again. This is our scenery that only the two of us know. When I looked back, he was just playing the ukulele with a smile on his face. "Gosh, this is magnificent!" I praised. "You're an astrophile right? You're the first one that I thought of the first time I saw this sunset," he shared. I was deeply shocked with what he said. He remembered! "Aww. Really? That's so sweet!" He just chuckled and played a familiar tune on the ukulele.

"Wise men say, only fools rush in, but I can't help falling in love with you," he started. I sat beside him, freely admiring how he strum those four strings. This is what made me fall to him. It's the way he creates a good rhythm by playing his guitar. I love music but this is what made me committed to it.

"Shall I stay, would it be a sin? If I can't help falling in love with you," I joined him sing as we formed a different rhythm. This is our moment, this is our scenery, this is our place and it's only for the two of us. We were just singing it over and over again until the sun went down. Suddenly, the bells were ringing and he covered my ears. I took place of them so he covered his. Gosh, he's so sweet. Please be mine. When the ringing stopped, our heads were warped. We were laughing. "That's probably the biggest disadvantage from going here."

"Demi, I want to tell you something," John said. "Yeah? What is it?" I asked so lightly as if there's no issue between the two of us. "Meet me at the Café Bigaa, I'll see you there later. Is it okay?"

I just nodded with a smile on my face and he patted my head as he went down ahead of me from the bell tower. I just acted like a free spirit. I stood up and kept leaping on the ground controlling the happiness that I experienced. I feel like a little kid trapped in an adult body. It's crazy.

I went down cheerfully leaping on the street going to Crisologo and to Café Bigaa as where he mentioned. "Hello. Are you Ms. Demi Jade Vello?" a waitress asked. "I nodded. "Ma'am we have a table reserved for you by Ms. John Adam Kirov. Please wait for a while," she instructed. I whistled. This feels like a date on a classy restaurant.

As we reached the table I saw a candle stand and a flower vase. That's basically a date right? "If you need to order anything, just let us know," the waitress said before leaving. This is very gallant, I was thinking that I should be wearing my dress now. It's a good thing that I hanged my tomboyish tank top and jeans outfit into a pastel off-shoulder top, pairing it with my white jeggings. I changed it after dropping Clarisse and Rigel's bibingka.

"Hey, did you wait long?" John asked as he sat across me. He's wearing a sky blue polo shirt and his hair is brushed up. Oh my God! What's happening? He looks so good, I can't resist staring at him. He's always the type of person whom you could stare all day and not get bored by it. Gosh. "N-No, I strolled around first to get some souvenirs before going here."

He called up a waiter as he took our orders. I just ordered what he did because I'm already full with him sitting across me. He looks stressed. He was moving from here and there as if he has no sense of direction. When he looked up to me, he raised his eyebrow. "You're looking at me for a very long time," he teased. "Nothing, it's just that I'm not used to looking at you so fresh like that. Gosh, five years did change a lot of things. Your face got more refined and your jawline is already in shape. Your physique actually developed. Do you work out? Gosh, I've always admired your eyebrows and they never fail to amuse me, they're still on fleek," I subconsciously said out loud. "Pfft!" he burst in laughter as I actually realized the things that I've been saying. "Gosh, you're being quirky ever since the sunset. Are you okay? Did you get drunk?"

I was literally blushing in front of him knowing the embarrassment that I put myself in. "Keep doing that, it's making you cute," he acknowledged and it made more of my blood rise up to my face. I'm already feeling the butterflies in my stomach. No, it's probably the worm that I've been raising inside my stomach that's wriggling with passion.

Our orders came up and we were just talking about the past- something's weird. It's like he didn't confess and I didn't confess and wow, it's like nothing happened. We're very comfortable with each other during that time.

When I was narrating a story, he was just staring at me- his head resting on his palms. "Gosh, you're cute," he sputtered. "Excuse me, what?" I asked. He cleared his throat and sat up straight. "N-Nothing." Is that a hint of pink on his cheeks? I'm probably hallucinating, we actually drank like two glasses of red wine.

"By the way, what was it that you are going to say?"

He stopped drinking and placed down his cup gently. "A-About that... well... I don't know how to start but--- I just want to tell you that I stopped being a Theologian."

"Wh-What?" I was surprised over his statement. Didn't he just mentioned a couple of weeks ago that he really wanted to pursue priesthood? "I-I was thinking about it. I was bothered from my confession and how you actually walked out. I was actually talking to a priest for my enrolment for second semester when I saw you. Before all else, I prayed to God to give me a sign if priesthood is really for me then I saw you looking for your DSLR at the office. I never knew you visited Ilocos. It's a very uncommon place for us to meet coincidentally. That is why, overwhelmed from seeing you, I needed to follow you but I just couldn't tell you directly. You were feeling awkward around me. The signs just kept on coming. I never expected you to be coming here. I confessed these things to a priest and he said, 'It's all natural for a guy to fall for a girl. Let the Father's will be done.'

Everywhere I go, it's reminding me of you from cameras to long hairs and anything else. I actually called you for my last sign. It's either you are already home or you're still in Ilocos. That is why... I'm happy that I'm sitting across you right now. Demi---I-I—"

"Let's play!" He was cut off by a group of music players as they were going around singing a Spanish song. "Mira aqui! Kitam daytoy duwa nga aginay-ayat!" one trustee gentleman said as his friends actually pulled us from our seats leading us outside. I was so confused until they let me and John ride the kalesa. "What's happening?" I asked. "I don't know." He shrugged looking around. "Just relax lover birds and enjoy the ride," the carter assured. Assuming that it's a part of the show, we just sat and admired the places that are seen around. It feels like I'm being taken back to history. We were just silent as we admired Vigan at night. The flickering orange lights colouring the walls of the buildings is such a great sight to see setting up such a good mood to me.

I was taking pictures when I faced him. He was looking straight and the orange bokeh behind him were shaped into hearts. He's so handsome in any angles. He turned to me and I averted my gaze going back to the street.

"It's beautiful," I acknowledged. "Just like you," he suddenly mumbled and I stopped looking around and just met his eyes. He didn't avert his gazes this time. He was just looking at me- emphasizing his black orbs like the night with its sparkling stars that makes people get drawn into it. I was too captivated by his eyes that I had the courage to lock mine with his. "You're such an amazing person, you're cute, you're quirky, you're cheerful, you're bright, your voice is like a cradle that lets me sleep at night, you're everything I could think of for the last six years, you make me worry, you make me anxious, you make me confident and you make me better. You're my happy pill, you make me feel special and I-I seriously love you and I'm willing to take any risk just to be beside you. I know God wanted to do it and He lead me to you. I was destined to go to the seminary to meet you and be friends with you. Among all else, I choose you because I love you and you made me feel so sure by singing with me by the sunset on the bell tower," he confessed and suddenly the kalesa stopped. I was just looking at his eyes- his eyes that reflect the night and its stars. He looks very determined and dear Lord! I'm so lucky to have him.