For The Love of Hargrove (ENG version was published on WN)

F

Chapter 12

3rd person's POV

Heavy rain drops fell into the ground with a loud splatter.

Electricity cuts off, and with just his luck, his phone's on dead batt.

Calev shivered in the cold feel of the air coming from the open window and the comfort of the thin linen wrapping his whole body like a burrito.

He always hated power cuts. Calev hates the dark.

He don't know what time it is. He can't see through the dark.

He curled up in a ball at the corner of the sofa he's currently sleeping. 'How is Amara doing? Is she cold too?' he thought.

"Calev." He jumped a little 'cause he saw Amara with the flashlight on her phone, turned on, and shining a light to her face just like a holy ghost.

She laughed a little and sat next to him. "Natakot ka?"

God, she's so lovely. He always felt like his self everytime they were together. It feels like he can always be his self and not to pretend like a serious and studious guy like what his mom and his sister wants him to be.

She grabbed Calev's arm and hang it on her shoulders while she snuggled closer and hugged him tight. Oh so comforting.

"What are you doing?" He whispered, trying to search for the presence of Amara's mother.

"Ano? Bawal ba? Wala si Mama, tulog na kanina pa. Hindi nagigising 'yon kahit mawalan ng power. Lumilindol na nga, hindi pa alam eh." She said and smiled at him.

Her tiny little dimple shows whenever she smiled, or laugh. He always find her cute for having that. He will do anything for her and for that smile.

Calev thought his eyes are now finally adjusting to the darkness of the night.

"Are you sure? I mean, she might get the wrong idea." He felt nervous.

She scoffed, "Ayaw mo ba?" And pouted. God, he hate seeing her pout her lips. He always resist the temptation to kiss.

"Of course not, I just...thought that you--"

"Come on! Yakap lang naman o. Para naman 'tong nakatira sa lumang panahon." She hugged him tighter.

He snaked his arms around her and cuddled with her that night. And when he heard her snore, he chuckled and hugged her tighter.

Amara's POV

Maaga akong gumising dahil naisip kong ipagluto si Calev ng agahan. Nakakahiya naman kung bisita sya tapos walang laman ang mesa pagkagising nya.

Hindi ko nga namalayan na nakatulog pala ako kagabi sa tabi nya. Bumaba talaga ako para sa kanya nung gabing iyon. Kasi syempre 'di ba, mayaman sila? Kaya malamang ay hindi siya sanay na matulog ng walang aircon, o kaya kapag brown out kasi syempre 'di ba kapag mayayaman, may mga naka-install na emergency lights sa bawat sulok ng bahay n'yan. Saka syempre yung iba may generator pa.

"Ang aga mo namang gumising." Nagulat ako kasi si Calev agad ang bumungad sa akin. Nagising na lang ako kanina sa kwarto ko at sa tingin ko ay binuhat niya ako paakyat roon.

"Naamoy ko kasi 'yang niluluto mo." Sabi nya saka lumapit sa akin. Napansin kong tinitignan niya ang puno ng kalat na lababo.

"Hala, sinangag lang 'to, friend." Tatawa-tawang sabi ko saka siya itinaboy paalis sa magulong kusina namin. "Doon ka na muna. Manood ka ng TV d'yan o ano."

"No, I'll help you. Don't mind me here." Sabi niya saka siya nagsimulang maghugas ng mga ginamit ko sa pagluluto tulad ng chopping board, kutsilyo, at pati na rin yung kalderong pinaglagyan ng kanin kanina. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako namumula. Tangna kinikilig ako!

Hinayaan kong malaglag ang buhok ko para tumakip sa mukha ko dahil di ko alam kung nahihiya ba ako dahil pati kaldero ay hinugasan nya, o kinikilig lang talaga ako. Napakagat ako sa labi ko para hindi makagawa ng anumang nakakaumay na ingay ng kilig.

Nang matapos na akong magluto ay isinalin ko na ang sinangag sa isang malaking mangkok. Inihain ko na rin ang ilang ulam na niluto ko tulad ng itlog, hotdog, at skinless longganisa.

Masaya kaming kumain nang umagang iyon.

****

Dumating ang umaga ng Sabado.

Narito kami ni Calev ngayon sa Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. Nagpa-reserve pala siya ng day tour for just the two of us. Nalaman kasi niyang mahilig ako sa mga ganitong lugar.

Alam naman ni Mama na kasama ko si Calev kaso ang alam niya ay kasama ko rin si Avery. Doon sa part na iyon ako nagsinungaling. Although pumayag naman si Avery to cover for me kapag naisipan ni Mama o ng kahit isa sa mga kaibigan naming magtanong.

"Nag-eenjoy ka ba?" He asked once na naghihintay na kami for our food to be served dito sa Hotel de Oriente.

"Oo naman! First time kong makapunta dito. Thank you ah." Nakakahiya, gumastos sya ng malaki tapos hindi ako mag-eenjoy? Magkano nga ulit ang ibinayad nya dito? Alam ko may membership access sya eh.

Ngumiti siya sa akin at inilabas ang phone niya. Natawa ako dahil itinapat nya sa akin yung camera. Nahihiya akong magpapicture!

"Teka lang! Nahihiya ako." Sabi ko sabay blush pa. Anak ng teteng.

"Come on, just one shot." He said smiling, his phone's camera still on my face.

I tried to calm my hyperventilating heart. Then I take a pose.

"You're beautiful." He said. Nagtwinkle yung mata nya pagkasabi nya non. [Author's Note: Umay! (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞]

I said thank you at nagsimula na kaming kumain.

Kinahapunan, bago kami umuwi, ay naglakad muna kami ni Calev sa tabing dagat. May kalakasan ang hangin at malamig kaya ipinasuot muna ni Calev sa akin ang jacket na suot nya.

"Aaminin ko sayo, I never ever courted someone in my whole life. Hell, I don't even tried to court Stella because she was the one who asked if I could be her boyfriend." Napalingon ako sa kanya at medyo natawa. Si Stella ang nanligaw?

"Okay. So bakit mo sinasabi sa akin yan?"

"Because I love you. And I want to ask if...maybe we can step things up? Would you like to be my girlfriend?" He looked at me straight in the eyes. His light brown eyes bore into mine. Seryoso?

"Seryoso ka?" I asked, shocked and I felt kilig all over my body.

"Of course." He smiled. Ganito pala yung feeling na para kang natutunaw. Pakshet, kinikilig talaga ako. "Will you?" Ulit nya sa tanong nya kanina.

"Oo naman." Mabilis kong sagot. Papatagalin pa ba yan?

"Yes!" Nagulat ako dahil bigla na lang niya akong binuhat at nagpaikot-ikot doon na akala mo eh, sinagot ko sya sa tanong na 'Will you marry me?'

"Oh my God, Calev! Stop." Nahihiyang sabi ko. Pinagtitinginan kami ng mga tao dito at may grupo ng mga foreigner na nagpapalakpakan doon sa may gilid.

"Congrats, young man. And to you too." Sabi nung lalaking foreigner na naglakad at nilagpasan kami ni Calev.

"Thanks!" Namumula na ang mukha ko. Hindi ako sanay na nasa akin ang atensyon ng mga tao.

Hinalikan ako sa pisngi ni Calev at niyakap nya ako ng mahigpit. "Thank you, Love. And I promise to love you until the day I die. I love you, Amara, you have my heart."