Take A Chance On Me | A Juan GDL Epistolary (Completed)

120

Juan took me to this beautiful veranda, overlooking the garden and fountain below us, surrounded by glistening fairy lights.

Talk about romantic.

"Sorry for how abuelo and abuela acted earlier. It's been a long while since I've introduced a girl to them. Kaya ganun na lang siguro sila nag-react."

He said his apologies for how his abuelo and abuela assumed I were already his girlfriend. It was kind of embarrassing in his part for denying the claim. But we just laughed it off.

"It's fine, Juan. No need to say sorry. They were the sweetest." I told him as we settled ourselves along the railings.

As the silence was just becoming awkward, he scooched a little bit closer to me and broke the ice.

"Crush mo pala ako dati?"

Nagulantang ako! What a way to break that uncomfortable silence, Juan! My heart raced as I tried to figure out what to say.

"Huh? Where did you get that from? Don't tell me it's from Javi."

Wala na talagang naidulot sa akin na maganda itong si Javi eh. Pahamak! 'Di bale, magtutuos din kami.

"So totoo?" He asked.

Well, I had to be honest about it 'cause there was no other choice. He had me cornered. But I can't even look at him straight in the eye. I can feel my face turning red from embarrassment. Ugh! Javi, you failed me.

"Oo, dati. Pero ang tagal na 'nun. Limot ko na nga eh kung 'di mo lang pinaalala."

I tried my best to make it sound like it's no big deal and ended with a slight laugh.

"Oh, how the tables have truly turned."

He heaved a heavy sigh as his gaze started to go soft at me. I can sense a change of atmosphere. Like something's about to happen. Something...

good.

"You remember that outreach program we did last summer for the PGH cancer kids? You covered the event." He asked.

"Yeah, didn't know you guys were there up until Javi approached me. What about it?" I wondered why.

"I wanna let you know...

that was the first time I saw you for who you truly are. Dati kasi I've only known you to be my childhood friend. 'Yung kababata kong lagi akong tinuturuan sa Math. 'Yung kababata kong matalino tsaka lagi naming pinapaiyak ni Joe. 'Yung kababata kong pikon tsaka-"

Before he could even add a ton of bad things onto that list, I cut him off.

"Oo na. Akala ko naman compliment ang sasabihin mo. Kainis. What's your point?"

Just when I thought my gut feel was wrong, the conversation went to a sharp turn.

"My point is...

on that day, I realized you were more than that. Heck. You were far more than that."

He glanced at the starry night sky above us before staring back at me, with piercing eyes looking deep into my soul.

"I saw your kind heart. It shone through you. How you kept smiling and cheering up the kids to take better pictures of them. How you listened to each of their stories and how you emphatized with their parents."

"Dati parang ang lapit mo lang sa akin. Halos abot kamay. But on that day, I saw you stray far away. You became this angel. Someone so out of my league."

"After the BLIA Cup, ikaw halos naging laman ng isip ko. I knew I had to make my move. Hanggang sa, heto na nga tayo ngayon, abot kamay na ulit kita. But still, you can't stop being an angel."

"Even after I learned of your past. Even with all your imperfections. The closer I came to you, the more you started to feel like home than anywhere I've been. And that makes me don't wanna stay away from you."

"Penny, can you see now? Malinaw na ba? How I'm so head over heels for you."

He stopped for a brief moment to hold my hand and went in to pop the question.

"Would you take a chance on me?"