AshMatt

#ASHERtifiedGUIDICELLI

•••***•••

" how 'bout coffee??" I asked Sarah. She's busy browsing the photos she took from the places we went nearby. We're having our snacks and rest too , right after that four nonstop walking along parks.

" ok lang. . More cream lang sa akin please" she answered without separating her eyes from the camera. Sinabi ko naman sa waiter ang request nito, at umorder na din ako ng iba pang breads and pastries na babagay sa espresso namin.

After saying thanks to the waiter, muli kong itinuon ang aking tingin kay Sarah. She's on full concentration over the camera that she's not aware of how i look at her.

This is by far the greatest dream come true for me. She's here. Finally, she's breathing the same air as i do, with the place my Papa and my grandparents have lived their life before settling down in the Philippines..

And boy, i can stare at Sarah's face forever. The only beauty i intend to look at to for lifetime..

" bakit ka nakatingin sa akin ng ganyan?" Sarah asked me without even taking off her eyes on the camera.

" how'd you know im looking at you??"

" gut feel? Chos lang! " and finally nagtaas na ito ng tingin. " sabi ko na, nakatingin ka talaga sa akin. Crush mo ko nuh?" And the playful Sarah starts now.

" yes. I crush you." Sagot ko.

" sus.. pero love, ang ganda talaga ng views dito nuh. How is it being an Italian? "

" it was good. I thank Papa for his genes . And just imagine that we used to go here when we were kids, and Nono would tour us around, telling everyone that i and Giorgia are his apo and that were half filipino. . And nana would cooked pasta and for us. And they will just let us run and run on fields. Kaya siguro kami nahilig sa pagtakbo ni Ging. "

" andami nyo palang memories dito."

" tuwing bakasyon namin sa school, dinadala kami ni Papa dito para naman makilala namin ang relatives nya. Nona owned a small farm somewhere north, and its the most beautiful ive ever seen.. "

" talaga?? "

" yes. . Sabi ko pa kay Nono when he was still with us, i'll bring my crush there, her name is Sarah and he would laugh at me. I think, mahal na kita bago pa man kita niligawan.. pwede ba akong manligaw sayo Sarah?" I asked her. Tinapon nito ang tissue sa akin na kinatawa ko.

" liligawan mo ako? Kaya mo bang harapin ang parents ko. Package deal ako, di lang ako ang liligawan mo, kasama ang mga magulang ko. " nakangising sagot naman nito sa akin.

This were actually our conversations 5 years and 6 months ago. Me and Sarah on their garden, me staring at Sarah with her snobbish look!

I still can't believe we're here- five and a half years after.

And just like that, my answer on her questions' still the same. But now, there's certainty and The Intensity to keep it till my last breath.

" im more than a hundred percent sure. Liligawan kita. Pag sinagot mo na ako, wala nang bawian. Magiging akin ka hanggang sa pagtanda natin. Im keeping you. . I love you before, in betweens, now and the days to come" . I sincerely told her. Nakatingin lang ito sa akin, at di ko mawari kung anong naiisip nito.

Kinuha ko ang kaliwa nitong kamay, and i played with her engagement ring. And slowly i pulled her hand for a kiss.. " habang tumatagal, mas lalo na ata kitang mahal" . I told her, but she just giggled at what i just told her!