Cascading Waters

Chapter XIV

True to his words, Axel did try his best to avoid any physical contact habang hindi ko pa siya sinasagot. He would push me away a bit kapag napapatitig ako sa labi niya kaya natatawa ako. Teasing him seems fun these days dahil sa pag pipigil niya.

It's been a few weeks after he said he'd court me. 

"Ma, Pa, Tita.. I would like to formally tell you that i'm courting Wave. Tita, if that's fine with you?" sambit ni Axel habang nasa hapag kami. Muntik nang mabulunan si Tita Grace at napa ubo ito.

Tuwang tuwa naman si Tito at tumayo, tinatapik ang balikat ni Axel. Hiyang hiya ako pero ngiting ngiti lang si Lexa at kinindatan ako. Napabaling ang tingin ko kay Mama. First time niya atang narinig sa manliligaw ko na sinasabi talaga ito sa kaniya. 

Aside kay Tyler na binibiro lang si Mama at Papa dahil komportable na, may ibang manliligaw naman ako sa Switzerland ngunit hindi na ito humihingi ng pahintulot galing sa kanila. 

Nakabawi na si Tita Grace at nakangiting tiningnan naman si Mama. Hindi pa rin nagsalita si Mama kaya naramdaman ko ang pagiging kabado ni Axel ngunit seryoso lang ang ekspresiyon nito habang nakatingin kay Mama.

Natahimik kami ng seryosong tumikhik si Mama at tinitigan si Axel bago nagsalita, seryoso rin ang tono. 

"And if I don't?" nanantyang tanong nito kay Axel.

"Then i'll respect your decision, Tita Helen. I will wait and continue proving my worth until I become worth it for your daughter. After all, I won't go anywhere and I won't let her go either so..." he trailed of, nilipat sa akin ang tingin at ngumiti. "I have the rest of my life to prove her and the rest of you how much I love her. Even from the start." 

Natahimik kami at kung mabilis na ang tibok ng puso ko noong sinabi niya sa akin ang nararamdaman niyang pagka gusto sa akin, mas may inilakas pa ito at ngayon iyon. Axel has never been this expressive in front of his family but today he was. 

Marahang napapalakpak si Lexa, nakaawang ang bibig at manghang nakatingin sa kapatid. Sinipat ni Tita si Lexa dahil hinihintay pa rin niya ang sagot ni Mama. Mama then chuckled and looked at Tito Alex. 

"Alex, he really is your son. Persistent and very serious like how you were when you courted Grace." sambit ni Mama kaya naisban ang katahimikan at marahang natawa si Tito at Tita. "This is the first time someone courted my Waverly formally hijo at sino ba naman ako para pigilan ka? Just make sure you don't hurt my princess and of course, her answer will always be the most important." 

Naiiyak ako sa drama ni Mama so I hugged her and she kissed my forehead. Nilingon ko naman ang nakangiting si Axel na nakatitig na sa akin, pansin ko ang pamumungay ng mga mata niya. I smiled back and he turned his gaze off me para tingnan si Mama with utmost formality. 

"I will never, Tita. Thank you." 

That night, Lexa went to my room at nakipag kwentuhan. Kinilig siya at tumili sabay marahang hinampas ako. 

"Damn, I never thought Kuya had that romantic side!" mangha niya paring wika. "Grabe! He just set the standards high! He's the reason pa naman why I never really took boys seriously kasi playboy siya so I grew up thinking ganoon lahat ng kaedad natin. Starting now, i'll act like you so I can find myself a guy like Kuya!" excited na sabi niya at tumili ulit.

Natawa nalang ako at nagkwentuhan pa kami. Lexa's pretty so she doesn't need to act like me kasi I know someday someone will accept every part of her being and love her as much as Axel loves me. 

Akala ko ay doon na natapos ang pangyayari sa araw na iyon but then, always expect the unexpected. Papa called that night, narinig siguro kay Mama ang pakulo ni Axel kanina. It was around one am when he called, patulog na sana ako. Buti nalang at hindi pa naman ako masyadong inaantok.