Falling Stars in Hourglass (Arranged Series #1)

forty

"Happy 3rd Anniversary Love!" bati namin sa isa't isa at pinag-untog ang aming wine glass.

Naka-upo kami ngayon sa may dalampasigan sa harapan ng beach house nila Gian sa Coron para icelebrate ang 3rd year anniversary namin. This spot is our favorite spot because this is the exact place where I first say yes to him. Also, this is somehow a tradition of us; we decided to celebrate our anniversaries on the place that we first ended up together.

Gian suddenly put his arms around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him, "It's been three years and I still can't believe that I'm married with my first love."

Inangat ko ang tingin ko sa kanya para makita ang magaganda niyang ngiti at kumikislap na matang nakatingin sa papalubog na araw. I smiled upon seeing his genuine smile.

"Me too, I can't believe that I marry my first love..." I said while looking on the sunset now.

Naramdaman ko naman ang pagluwag ng akbay sa akin ni Gian, kaya naman hinarap ko siya at sinalubong ako ng nagtataka niyang ekspresyon.

"I'm not your first love," he bitterly said.

Mahina akong tumawa, "Ayun rin ang akala ko eh, I thought you're not my first love."

I thought Prince is my first love.

"But?" kunot-noo niyang tanong.

"Before, I thought my feelings for Prince is what they called 'love'," panimula ko.

Napansin ko naman ang pag-pait ng ekspresyon sa mukha ni Gian nang banggitin ko ang panggalan ni Prince.

"... but when I got to know you and when my feelings grow for you, I realized that my feelings for him is just overrated. I never felt so happy and loved like this when I was with him. You make me feel like I'm the most beautiful girl in the world, without you even trying or saying anything. Unlike Prince who always praises and compliments me, but the way you make me feel is more than enough to make me feel like I'm so worth it... I was traumatized by what happened to him and I, but I still survived. Pero if sa atin mangyari 'yun at ibang babae ang papakasalan mo, alam kong hindi lang trauma ang aabutin ko. Alam kong kahit kailan ay hindi na ako magmamahal pa, hindi dahil sa natatakot akong masaktan ulit, kundi dahil gusto kong ikaw lang ang mamahalin ko panghabang buhay."

I can't help but to feel emotional and I just let my tears of joy fall down to my face. I also saw Gian's teary eyed and trying his best not to cry, and it makes me happier to see that he saw my sincerity.

He smiled and then he embraced me.

"Sobrang ganda ng sinabi mo, it sounds like a vow to me..." then, he silently laughed.

Kumalas na kami sa pagkakayakap, "I feel like na kailangan kong maglitanya ng mala-wedding vows na message tuwing anniversary natin kasi hindi ko nasabi ang gusto kong vows para sa'yo noong kinasal tayo."