Eight
Kinakabahan ako. Leche, para akong natatae... o nauutot? O nasusuka?
"Hoy! Ano ba? Para kang hindi mapaanak na pusa!"
Napatingin ako kay Kuya Yamyam na nakakunot ang noo na nakatitig sa akin habang nakawak sa cellphone nito. Oo! May cellphone na siya, at sosyal pa.
Pero hindi dapat iyon ang iniisip ko ngayon. Masaya ako para dito at sa mga magagandang nangyayari sa buhay nito, oo, pero ngayon, kinakabahan ako para sa sarili ko.
"Anong meron ba? Buntis ka ba?" Tanong ulit nito sa akin at unti-unting nag-iba ang paraan ng pagkakatitig nito sa akin. "Sinasabi ko sa'yo, Lou, kapag ikaw nabuntis ng wala sa oras tatadyakan kita."
Natawa ako sa likot ng imahinasyon nito. "Grabe ka kuya Yam! Buntis agad?" Sagot ko dito saka marahang hinampas ito. "Saka, paano?"
"Aba, malay ko? Hindi ako si Kuya na alam at nakikita lahat ng mga galaw mo o kayo ni André." Sabi nito sa akin.
Oo nga naman. "Pero mas madalas naman yata na ikaw ang kasama ko," irap ko dito. At iyon din ang totoo. Busy kasi si Doré at si Fumi sa tagalog lessons ng mga ito kaya madalas kami talaga ni Kuya Yam ang magkasama, kung hindi naman, kaming apat.
Wala namang kaso kasi masaya naman kami, pero iyon nga, walang pwedeng mangyari dahil madalang talaga kaming makapag-solo ni Doré.
Nagkibit lang si Kuya Yamyam ng balikat, dahilan para hampasin ko ulit siya. Tinawanan lang ako nito ng malakas at hinayaan akong hampas-hampasin siya. At bakit hindi? Eh inaasad niya ako kaya dapat lang na hayaan niya akong gawin ito.
Nasa ganoon kaming tagpo nang dumating sina Fumi at Doré na may dalang pagkain.
"Wow!" Nanlaki ang malalaking mata ni Kuya Yamyam saka napatayo pagkakita sa dala ng dalawa.
Nakita ko rin kung gaano nitong kabilis ibinulsa ang cellphone nito at naglakad para salubungin sila.
"Wow, Fumi, is this yours?" tanong nito sa spiritual brother nito saka kinuha ang ilang mga dala nito.
"Oo. Pero para sa lahat kasi hindi ko kaya kainin lahat." Despite the building anxiety inside me, I was able to smile. Si Fumi kasi, hindi na bulol. Konti na lang.
Kuya Yamyam and Fumi prepared the food on the table. Naisip kong tulungan sila pero bago pa ako makahakbang, hinuli ni André ang kamay ko.
"How are you?" He asks.
My heart flutters. He always does this, ask me how am I even if we have spend most of the time together. It makes me feel so special. So loved, so cared for.
"I'm good." I smiled at him. "Ikaw?"
He pulled me close to him. I am almost on the same height as him, he's a few inches taller. But screw the over romanticized tall guy and short girl kind of relationship. I can hear his heart beat even if we're feet away from each other.
"Tagalog is very hard." I can feel him pouting like the baby that he is around me. The baby that nobody sees. My baby.
I giggled. "It is." I agreed. Ako nga na Pilipino, nahihirapan din sa technicalities ng sarili kong wika eh.
"But what comes easy isn't worth it. Di ba?" I can feel him press a kiss on top of my head. "Parang ikaw. We've been through difficult times and it only made me even love you more. Make me appreciate what we have in another level."
I exhaled in contentment as I rest my face against his chest. My anxiety dissolves into thin air and the erratic beating of my heart is now caused the assurance of my assumption that his heart beats only for me.
A year ago, if someone had told me I will finally have a boyfriend of my own who loves me truly and respects my family, who treats me right even if sometimes I do not act like a proper lady, I'd laugh so hard on their faces. But now....
"You are more than what I asked God for." I told him embracing him tighter. How I love how his heartbeat feels on my face.
"You are more than who I prayed for," he replied, I felt him press a kiss on the side of my head before he spoke again. "I love you, mahal."
——
A/N
I'm so sorry if you've waited so long for my update. And how this is so short after all the waiting. Been really busy preparing for the university. Mentally, psychologically, financially and physically. But now I'm finally settled. I am not going to promise you that updates will come faster because I'm still adjusting since I am a freshman but one thing I'm sure of is that, updates will pop every now and then.
To everyone who stayed and waited, thank you very much. I appreciate all of you. I hope you stick around despite my slow updates.
Love you all.
Saoirse xx.
