Limerence (Dauntless Series #2)

Chapter 33

Nagtagal ang tingin ko sa painting na nasa aking harapan. Iyon ang painting na binigay ko kay Marceu noong birthday niya three years ago. Tumayo ako at lumapit doon para mas mapagmasdan ito nang mabuti. It was a portrait of him smiling. Ginaya ko lamang iyon mula sa candid photo niya na palihim kong kinuhanan when he learned that he topped the Physician Licensure Exam. It was the first time I've seen him so happy that I can still remember it vividly.

Napalingon ako sa likuran ko nang naradaman kong may yumakap sa likuran ko. I closed my eyes as I inhaled his scent.

"Ang aga mo. Susunduin sana kita..." he mumbled. His face is buried on my neck. Agad ko siyang hinarap nang maramdaman ko ang kaniyang mga labi na sinadya niyang idampi sa leeg ko.

"Just excited to see you." I giggled. Marceu looked stunned. He couldn't contain his smile that almost reached his eyes. He's just so adorable and I can't help but hug him. I shut my eyes tightly when I felt his warm body embraced me. It brings me comfort all the time.

I would love us to stay that way for the rest of the day but I know we can't. Nang humiwalay ako sa kaniya ay nagtungo na kami sa dining area para mag-almusal. Pinaupo ako ni Marceu dahil siya na raw ang bahalang maghanda ng mga kakainin namin. Magrereklamo sana ako na gusto kong tumulong ngunit wala na akong nagawa nang maglapag siya ng teacup sa tapat ko. Bumaba ang tingin ko roon bago ibinalik sa kaniya ang mga mata ko. I pouted but that seems to not move him. Napabuntong hininga ako.

"How's your art business?" He placed the bagels on the table. Abala ako sa pagkain ng strawberry nang nagtama ang aming mga mata. Unti-unting sumilay ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi na agad ring nawala, hindi ko alam kung bakit. Inubos ko muna ang kinakain bago sagutin ang tanong niya.

"It's good. Minsan natatambakan sa dami ng commission pero hindi pa naman ako gaanong naiistress. Baka kasi magalit ang doktor ko, mahirap na..." Pagbibiro ko. Humalakhak siya dahil doon at napailing na lamang. Inabot niya sa akin ang bagel na katatapos niya lang lagyan ng cream cheese. "Besides, I love what I'm doing so I don't really complain on my work. Mas mabuti na ito kesa wala."

"Good thing my patient knows her responsibility. Keep it up." Lumapit siya sa akin para guluhin ang buhok ko. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin dahil doon.

"Mukha ba akong bata, Kuya Marceu?"

It was now his turn to get annoyed. I realized that I haven't called him that since I was what? 7 years old? I haven't admitted to myself then that Marceu is making my heart flutter, that's why I can freely call him Kuya without getting uncomfortable. But as I got older and got exposed to the real world and obtained knowledge about this so-called love, I had a hard time interacting with him because his actions always have a double meaning to me. My head is full of what ifs.

'What if one day, Marceu will become my boyfriend?' I always ask that to myself before. And it still feels surreal knowing that I can hold him now, that he's mine, Marceu is my boyfriend now. I  thought that will only remain as one of my wildest dreams.

I guess when you badly want something to happen, it will come true as long as you put your faith in it.

"Stop it, Saoirse." His voice sounds dismissing. Tumawa ako ngunit hindi na dinagdagan pa ang pang-aasar sa kaniya.

Mabilis din kaming natapos sa pagkain. Ayon sa kaniya, papunta na raw sa airport ang mga kasamahan namin. Tinulungan ko na siya sa paghuhugas ng pinggan dahil kung mag-isa niya lang iyong gagawin ay baka mas lalo kaming matagalan. Hindi na siya nakipagtalo sa akin dahil alam niyang hindi rin siya mananalo.

Inaantok na naman ako kaya nakatulog ako sa buong byahe namin patungo sa airport. Malapit lang naman iyon kung tutuusin dahil galing lang kaming Alabang ngunit dahil sa traffic ay medyo natagalan kami. Nang maalimpungatan ako ay nasa domestic road na kami.