Ikaw pa rin ang Pipiliin

Kabanata Lima

     "Umuwi na rin kayo pagkatapos niyo dyan ha?" sabi ko kanila Rachel at Kenneth.

  Nagpaalam na ako sa kanila at ganun din sila sa'kin. Pinindot ko 'yung arrow down button sa elevator at agad naman ako sumakay pagkabukas neto sa harap ko. Hindi na nag text or tumawag si Dominic pagkatapos ng paguusap namin sa canteen. Hindi ko na rin siya inisip masyado since I was busy at work. Buti na lang at wala ng mali 'yung mga reports na pinatrabah ulit ni sir sa'kin kaya maaga ako makakauwi ngayon.

  Bumaba na ako sa ground floor at naglakad na palabas ng building. I took a glanced at my watch. It was already 5:13 PM kaya marami pang available na Grab drivers. I quickly took my phone from my bag and opened my Grap app when someone suddenly covered my eyes with their hands.

     "Guess who's this?" asked by a very familiar sound.

     "You should've worn another cologne if ayaw mo magpakilala, mahal," I teased him.

     "Oo nga noh," he realized and removed his hands from my eyes. He turned me around ang gave the bouquet of flowers he was holding. "A bouquet of sunflowers for the beautiful woman who has been my sunshine."

     "You didn't have to, mahal," I told him as I accepted the bouquet. "But thank you. I appreciate your effort and your thought. I love you."

     "I love you, too, mahal," he replied and softly pecked my lips. He then just stared at me and sighed deeply. "I just love you so much, Kelsey. I'm so happy na dumating ka sa buhay ko."

     "Ang drama mo naman, mahal. As if ako 'yung first girlfriend mo," inasar ko siya.

     "True. You're not my first girlfriend. But you're my first and true love," he proudly said. "I was never a believer of love, Kelsey. But when you came, you made me worship it. You know how my childhood was, kung gaano ako ka traumatized sa pambubugbog ni papa samin ni mama pero hinahayaan lang ni mama. No matter how many times I told her na iwan na namin si papa, hindi niya ginawa kasi mahal niya si papa.

     "Kaya sabi ko sa sarili ko if this is what love is, then I never want to be in love. Kasi ayoko na masaktan, ayoko na umasa na maaayos pa, ayoko matulad kay papa. Kaya I never loved any of my girlfriends that way I love you, Kelsey. Iba ka eh. There's something in you that just made me believe in another meaning of love. The love that will go to all ends just to make their partner happy. The love that takes care of the other person. The love that understands and waits. Ikaw lang nagparamdam sa'kin nun, mahal. Kaya hinding hindi na kita papakawalan pa."

  My tears were nowhere to be found when I went out of the company building. But now, as I stand in front of the love of my life, they just came rushing in. I raised my arms up and he smiled as he knew what I wanted. A tight hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around my torso. We just hugged each other for a few moments before letting go.

     "Date tayo? Pambawi sa pagiging MIA ko nung Saturday at sa pag-indian ko sa'yo kahapon," he suggested.

     "Hmm, sige ba. I'm really hungry right now," I informed him.

     "Then tamang tama kasi sa Vikings tayo kakain," he told me as he wrapped his arm on my shoulder and pulled me close to him. "Or gusto mo sa Buffet 101? How about sa Samgyupsalamat? Or sa Shang-ri La?"

     "Wow sosyal naman ng Shang-ri La, mahal. Kaya ba sa budget?" asar ko sa kanya as we walk towards his car.

     "Hindi, mahal. Sinama ko lang sa choices kasi alam ko hindi naman 'yun pipiliin mo," he explained and laughed.

  Magsasalita na sana ako when his phone rang and cut me off. He excused himself for a moment kaya nakatayo lang ako dun, waiting for him to be back. I suddenly felt something in me saying na hindi kami matutuloy. I instantly crossed my fingers so that it won't be jinxed.