Art of Serendipity

34

Tinanggal ko ang yakap niya sa akin at mukhang nagulat siya. Tumatawa akong humarap sa kaniya. Tumaas ang kilay niya sa pagtataka at paghihinayang.

"Ikaw, ah. You are so clingy. Hindi pa naman kita boyfriend, ah?"

He looked at me with amused stare. "Hindi pa..." he emphasized. "So, I have a chance Well, for you to know. I am now courting you."

"Ha!" mahinang singhal ko. "Since when? You asked? Hindi ko alam 'yan, huh? You never told me."

"Yeah, girlfriend na rin kita. Hindi mo nga lang alam." His side lips tugged upward.

At talagang proud pa siya na siya lang ang may alam na girlfriend niya ako? Anong eksena ito, Velez? You are something unbelievable!

I crossed my arms over my chest. "You even made me your imaginary girlfriend, huh?"

"Ayaw mo? Sige..." Levi smirked. "You are now my girlfriend then. Not imaginary but for a reality, and just take note, I am not kidding."

Nawawalang pag-asa ko siyang tinignan sa mga mata. It was not a question, it's a fr*aking statement!

"I demand for my choice. That was so easy for you, huh? Oo nga pala, sanay kang ikaw ang niluluhuran ng mga babae mo, maging boyfriend ka lang," I buffered sarcastically.

He groaned. "Wala akong babae, Aya. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"You had a lot!" pagpupumilit ko.

"I already explained it to you. I was a flirt but now, I'm not. I am a man with one word. Once I said that I won't do that again, I will never gonna do that again but I won't ask you to trust me. Tsaka ikaw din, ah? You had a lot of suitors...but I won't bug that anymore pero kung ayaw mo akong maging boyfriend, then you'll stay as my imaginary girlfriend," he explained.

Ngumuso ako. "Wala naman akong sinabing ayaw ko..."

He bit his lower lip. "So, gusto mo pala...?"

I pursed my lips. Kapag ba um-oo ako, easy to get na ako? Kapag ba pumayag ako, marupok na ako?

D*mn it! Ni hindi ko man lang maisip na i-reject siya! Parang patay na patay ako sa kaniya pakinggan!

"Ako? How about me? Do you like me?" he suddenly added.

Patay kang bata ka. I did not expect him that he will ask me this. I am not ready!

Lalo kong kinagat ang labi ko, to prevent me from saying uncontrolled things but my silence just can't solve this!

"I... uhm... well..." I stuttered! Nangangapa ako ng sasabihin pero wala akong mahanap ngayon.

"Hmm?" Humalukipkip din siya. He shifted his weight to his left side and tilted his head while slowly tapping his feet on the floor. Na para bang atat na atat siyang marinig ang sasabihin ko.

"Tsk!" I confidently stood erect and sighed heavily. "Yes, I like you. I like...you."

I like you...because I don't know! Hindi ko alam angg idudugtong ko kaya hindi ko na inabala pa ang sarili kong i-explain iyon sa kaniya.

He looks satisfied with my answer though. His mouth twitched, parang pinipigilang ngumiti ng malaki. Nang hindi na niya napigilan ay pumunta siya sa harap ko at hinawakang muli ang baywang ko. Ako naman, inihawak ang dalawang kamay sa batok niya. That is my automatic reaction to him.

He kissed my forehead. "Yes, Love. I'll court you forever so don't bother yourself answering me anymore."

Love.

Napapikit ako ng marahan. It's like a music to my ears. For other people, it might be sounded corny. Alam ko dahil ganoon ako dati, kapag may naririnig akong ganoon ang tawagan, I feel so bitter pero ngayong ako ang tinatawag na ganoon, kung hindi lang ako nakayapos sa kaniya ay baka nahimatay na ako.

"Kaso...you know me. You once said that I'm grumpy. Hindi rin ako sweet so you might not like me although, I can change that," I softly said.

Umiling siya. "I will never ask you to change for me because I love you just the way you are... and yes, I know about your perception about your suitors but I'm here to assure you that I am not like that. You may be the heiress of La Vegas but I'm not interested, okay?"

Napakurap-kurap ako. "So, you love me?"

He blinked rapidly too. Mukhang hindi niya rin na-realize na nasabi niya 'yon o nagtataka siya na sa dami ng sinabi niya ay iyon lamang ang napansin ko. Well, as for those, never namang naging ganoon ang tingin ko sa kaniya. I never compared him to my past suitors. Nagustuhan ko nga siya, e. That is very rare.

"You love me?" tanong ko ulit.

From there, hinapit niya pa ako papalapit sa kaniya hanggang sa maglapat ang tungki ng ilong namin. Sobrang lapit. Nag-aalala na ako sa mga taong nakakita sa amin but it seems like he doesn't care.

He bit his lower lip. "Mahal kita. I'm crazy for liking you. That's out of my plan but hell, I fell so hard. I'm crazy but I love you... so much."

My knees got weaker while he is invading my senses. He pulled me again and claimed my lips. My heart skipped a beat as he slowly hypnotized my mind. Hindi ko alam kung kinakabahan ako o mabilis lang talaga ang t***k ng puso ko but he puts his hand on the back of my head and strokes my hair to ease my nervousness, it is very effective.

Hinayaan ko siya sa kung saan niya dadalhin ang mundo ko. This is my first time so literally, I don't how to kiss although, I've read and watched some but it's not enough to know all of this.

He tilted his head and crouched for more until he stopped. Namumungay ang mga mata naming nagmulat. Hinihingal kong ibinaba ang tingin sa kaniyang pulang labi tsaka binalik ang tingin sa mata niyang namumungay.

"That was... my first kiss," I whispered.

He giggled. "Love, I'm your first kiss but that was not our first kiss."

Naguguluhan akong tumitig sa kaniya. "Huh? What do you mean?"

He giggled again and kissed the bridge of my nose. "I'm sorry. I already kissed you then-"

"What?!" hindi makapaniwalang bulong ko. Kailan niya ako hinalikan?! Bakit hindi ko alam?!

"I'll explain, okay?" He chuckled but I glared so he stopped, tumigil naman siya pero natatawa pa rin.

"You stole my first kiss, Velez?" kunwaring pagalit kong tanong.

"Well, not just the first kiss but... the second and the third too-"

"And now you have my fourth! You... argh! kailan 'yon?" mahinang asik ko sa kaniya.

What the hell? I had my first kiss and I didn't know?! That's a very important event of every girls' life!

"Remember when you got drunk? Noong malasing ka, hindi mo ako kilala. You even tried to ask my name because you didn't know me and you wanted to flirt with me. No'ng sinakay kita sa kotse ko at ihahatid na sana kita pauwi kaso ayaw mo naman. You said that you wanted to do something embarrassing because surely, you won't remember it by tomorrow. Hindi kita pinayagan but you were so stubborn. You wanted to do something ridiculous and that something includes your first kiss! Gusto mo magka-first kiss habang lasing ka," kwento niya, in details pa.

My jaw dropped. Hindi ko na nga maalala 'yan. D*mn! Did I really... You were so crazy and reckless, Aya!

It's your first godd*mn kiss and yet, you weren't in your senses when that happened! Hindi ka nakakatuwa, Ayannah Miles!

"Para matigil ka, I kissed you but... to make sure that you won't find for more. I kissed you thrice."

"Sure ka na para 'yon hindi ako maghanap ng iba pang kiss?" I asked suspiciously. Nanliit ang mata ko.

"Well...I also liked it so I initiated..." He pursed his lips. "But don't give me back that! You know what, hindi mo ako pinatulog ng gabing 'yon!"

I suddenly remembered the day after that night. Mukhang hindi nga nakatulog si Levi nang tinawagan ko siya. Iyon naman pala ang dahilan! Akala ko dahil kung anong oras na kami nakauwi! Hell!

"Sus, kunwari ka pang galit, gusto mo rin naman." I giggled. "You know, since it's already done. Hayaan mo na. Atleast, you're my first kiss. No regrets."

"Yes, I am pero mo alam mo ba 'yong hindi nakapagpatulog sa akin noong gabing 'yon? The thought of you kissing other men if I'm not the one who's with you that night! Paano kung hindi ako iyon? Baka kung ano na nangyari sa 'yo."

My eyes puffied. "I know, I'm sorry and thank you."

"So, as your boyfriend. You are not going to go clubbing again if you're just going to repeat that stupid act of yours! Kung iinom ka, isama mo ako. I will do the same."

"Boyfriend na kita?" I asked teasingly.

"Yes, I am," he said in finality.

Wow ah, parang ako pa ang nanligaw sa 'ming dalawa, ah?

Umiling na lang ako habang natatawa. "Where are we going now?"

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at pinagsalikop iyon pagkatapos ay hinila niya ako. Habang naglalakad ay hindi ko maiwasang tumingin sa magkasalikop naming kamay. Hinigpitan ko pa lalo iyon.

Who would have imagine that I would have a boyfriend right at this time? Ayaw ko ng bumitaw pa.

"Here we are," he announced to me.

~~~