Taped-Up Heart

XXXVII. Loved Everyday

Chapter Thirty Seven

Loved Everyday

The news spread like wildfire. The next day, almost everyone was congratulating me! I mean, girlfriend pa nga lang ako—what more pa kung ikakasal na kami, hindi ba? Grabe. Sabi nila ang swerte ko daw dahil ako ang first official girlfriend ng isa sa mga Tiu brothers. Never kasi nagkaroon ng girlfriend ang mga kapatid niya. Mga babae. Oo, marami pero never sila nagkaroon ng official girlfriend.

"Famous ka na ah," asar ni Yannie nang makarating ako sa room.

"Pati ba naman ikaw?" I asked.

"Official girlfriend. Sounds good, huh?" she teased further.

I hugged her from the side. "Someday, the right guy for you will come too," I said with a smile. I know she's still moving on from what happened with Adami Tiu. Kung noon, pinapagalitan ko siya... ngayon hindi ko na magawa. Kasi totoo nga pala na kapag nagmamahal ka, nagiging bulag ka.

Nagiging sarado ang tenga mo sa lahat ng mga sasabihin ng tao.

"I know," she said as she lightly tapped my head.

The whole day, I was just really happy. I've never been this happy in my life. Sobrang saya ko na nakakatakot... nakakatakot kasi baka mamaya bigla na lang bawiin sa akin ang kasiyahan na ito.

But who cares, right? What matters the most is that I'm happy. I'm with Achaia. That's what's important.

"Achaia," I called out when I saw him in the hallway.

He smiled before pulling me into a hug. One thing I've discovered about him—he's clingy!

And also super PDA!

"Ang PDA!" I hissed. Ramdam ko nanaman ang mga tingin sa amin ng tao pero unti-unti na rin akong nasasanay. Wala na akong pake kung nasa akin ang atensyon palagi. Ang mahalaga ay masaya kaming dalawa.

He laughed before releasing me from the hug. "How's your day?" he asked as we started walking. Siguro wala na siyang klase dahil pareho na kaming nasa daan papunta sa building ng condo naming dalawa.

"It's fine. Sumakit lang ulo ko sa Math," I said. "How about yours?"

He shrugged. "Same old, same old. We just painted still life."

Minsan nakakalimutan ko talaga na Fine Arts student siya kasi hindi bagay at hindi halata! Para ngang wala man lang siyang ginagawang drawing, e. Parang hindi nasstress, chill lang talaga siya sa buhay niya... to think na dalawang degree pa ang kinukuha niya? Wow, 'di ba? He's really amazing in all aspects.

"How come I've never seen you painting?" I asked.

Inakbayan niya na ako. "Don't worry. One day, I'll invite you over, and we'll paint."

"Sige ha, aasahan ko 'yan," I said.

He nodded. Nang makarating kami sa condo, sinabi niyang maliligo raw muna siya. Ganoon din naman ang ginawa ko. Nang matapos naman ako, saktong narinig ko ang katok niya sa pinto.

I opened it, and my jaw dropped when I saw him standing there with a bouquet of roses.

"What's the occasion? What's this for?" I asked him.

He smiled. Ang ngiting sa akin niya lang ibinibigay at ipinapakita. "Hindi naman kailangan ng okasyon para lang iparamdam ko sa'yo na mahalaga ka. I just want to make you feel that you are loved everyday."

Hindi ko na napigilan. Niyakap ko siya nang mahigpit at bahagyang maiyak. "Why are you doing this to me? Stop being so ideal and perfect," I said.

"Because I want you to fall for me everyday. I don't want you to stop falling for me. This may be my first relationship, but this is how it works, right? We keep giving each other reasons to keep going and make this last."