Avenues of the Diamond (University Series #4)

17

"You mean that?" 

I looked so hopeful while staring into his eyes, realizing how serious and sincere he was. His gaze never left mine while I felt his hands encircling my waist. His other hand went up to the back of my head, making me lean against his chest. He held me in silence for a moment, like we were connecting through our hearts. 

"I can hear your heartbeat," I told him while my ears were slightly placed against his chest. It was like he was purposely making me listen to his heart. 

I could also almost hear mine if I focused my attention on it. I wondered if he was hearing it or if he could feel it. This was the moment I had been waiting for. Him, confessing his feelings for me. 

For a moment, I remembered myself being so clueless about love. I defined it before with so many words like sacrifice, contentment, and pain, but now that I was already feeling it, I couldn't even describe it with a word. It was just there. It was longing to be felt. It existed without me knowing. 

It was so powerful that I was even scared to say it. I was afraid that after saying those words, I would experience the same pain my friends went through, and I didn't want that. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko tatanggapin ang masaktan din dito sa papasukin kong 'to but I would still choose to love. I will always choose to love despite the pain it will bring because that was me, the nature of Samantha Vera. 

"I love you," I whispered. 

I felt him stiffen a bit until he relaxed again and held me even tighter and closer to him like he was afraid I would run away... like he couldn't even let me go. There was something about just being with him that made me feel so at ease. 

"Let's go home." He kissed the top of my head before letting me go. 

I gave him a genuine smile when our eyes met again, and he gave back a small one, but his eyes were so full of admiration. Kinuha ko ang bag ko at lumabas ng kwarto. I glanced at Naomi's closed door for a moment before leaving. I couldn't explain how good I was feeling tonight because of everything that happened. Everything felt so good. I felt so afraid that tomorrow would feel different. 

While Clyden was driving home, I checked my phone and saw messages from my mom asking where I had gone. Ang sabi pa niya, dumating daw ang parents ni Clyden and I should go and greet them but we were already gone when it happened. 

"Your dad almost announced you as the heir of Ramirez Medical, but you were not around. It was a surprise," I told him when I read the last message from my mom. 

"I know. That's why I bailed," he simply answered like it wasn't a big deal when in fact, it would cost him so much. 

"Don't you want to inherit your family business? They chose you for a reason." 

I didn't want to butt in, but it was a big deal, and he was treating it as if he just rejected a candy offer. Kung tatanggihan niya, dapat tanggihan niya nang maayos because if he wouldn't say 'no' in his father's face and will just continue running away from it like what happened earlier, his dad will just force it onto him.