Love Me Instead

LMI# 34: THE LIST

Love Me Instead

Chapter 34: The List

Grayson

"WOW, THIS is a lot to take in. Are you sure you cooked all of this?" namamanghang tanong ni Red habang isa-isang tinitingnan ang laman ng tupperware na dala ko.

"Of course, I cooked all of it! Now it makes sense how perfect I am, don't you agree?"

She didn't seem to mind my remark and continued checking the food I brought inside the basket. Oh, well. Nothing good ever comes with lying anyway.

After picking her up, I brought her to our favorite meeting place. This is where she asked me to find her a perfect spot for stargazing. And now that I'm spending time with her here, suddenly makes the place more special to me than it was before.

"Actually... I wasn't the one who cooked the dishes. It was Nanay Alma," pag-amin ko.

Mabilis naman siyang napangiti nang mapang-asar kaya agad akong dumepensa bago pa man siya makapagsalita. "But of course, I helped her! And I was the one who made the sandwiches!"

"Good for you," nakangiting bulong niya bago kumuha ng sandwich. "Honestly... I didn't know you would bring me to a picnic for our first real date."

Katulad niya ay kumuha rin ako ng sandwich habang pinagmamasdan ang mukha niya.

"Is it... weird?" I asked in almost a whisper.

"No, of course not! Actually..." She stared at the sky as her hair sways to the side, covering half of her face. "...it makes me feel special somehow."

Umusog ako nang kaunti para mapalapit sa kanya. I tucked the strands of her hair at the back of her ear and watched her as she slowly turned her head to me.

"I think I love you..." I blurted out of the blue.

I noticed the sudden changes from her face that went from carefree to flustered look. Agad niyang inilagay sa bibig ko ang hawak niyang sandwich habang namumula ang mukhang umiwas ng tingin palayo sa akin.

"Kumain ka na nga lang diyan. Kung ano-ano na naman ang lumalabas diyan sa bibig mo, e."

I chuckled and took the sandwich away from her hand. I put it down and took the water bottle beside me. "Kailangan mo ng tubig?" tanong ko habang pinipigilan ang sariling mapangiti.

She glared at me before taking the bottle and drinking it in a hurry. After that, she took a deep breath and glanced over a piece of fried chicken from the paper plate I prepared a while ago. Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa fried chicken at sa akin na tila may nais sabihin.

"Let's... eat?" I asked.

I chuckled when she nodded her head, completely forgotten our little moment earlier.

Seems like Nanay Alma's cookings helped her light up her mood somehow. Kanina kasi, parang ang lungkot niyang tingnan habang pinagmamasdan niya 'yong kalangitan. Kaya nga siguro biglang lumabas sa bibig ko 'yong mga salitang nabanggit ko kanina ay dahil gusto kong pagaanin ang loob niya.

Magpaturo kaya ako kay Nanay Alma na magluto? Parang ang gaan kasi sa pakiramdam na makita si Red na masaya sa simpleng bagay tulad nito.

Tulad na lang kanina, kumikinang pa 'yong mga mata niya lalo na n'ong ilabas ko 'yong cheese cake na binili ni Vienne kagabi. Sana lang ay hindi niya mapansin na nawawala na ito sa ref kasi siguradong magagalit sa akin iyon. Nagpanic lang kasi ako kaya halos nadala ko na 'yong laman ng ref namin.