Chapter 16
1500 Words
“Bakit parang ang kulit niyong dalawa today?” Stine raised an eyebrow habang naka-cross arms, leaning by her condo door.
Ram grinned habang may hawak na dalawang milk tea. “Libre ‘to, oh. Tiger sugar pa. Alam naming bad mood ka today kaya pinuntahan ka.”
“Hmm,” she narrowed her eyes. “Hindi lang ‘to milk tea vibes. May something kayo.”
“Wala, grabe ka.” Theo rolled his eyes. “Pwede ba, Stine? First time lang naming maging sweet sa’yo, suspicious ka na agad.”
“Sobrang hindi kayo sweet. Kahit noong may sakit ako, wala kayong dinalang milk tea,” she deadpanned, kunwari seryoso pero unti-unting lumambot ang mukha.
“Exactly, ngayon lang. So sayangin mo pa ba?” sabat ni Ram.
Theo gave her a hopeful smile. “Samahan mo kami saglit sa unit. May ipapakita lang kami. Mabilis lang ‘to.”
Stine narrowed her eyes again. “Bakit sa unit mo? Pwede namang dito.”
“Kasi… surprise,” sagot ni Theo na parang bata. “Promise, wala kaming masamang balak. At hindi ‘to prank. For once, gusto lang namin makita kang ngumiti.”
“Ewan ko sa inyo,” she sighed, but took the milk tea. “Okay, five minutes. Pag hindi ko nagustuhan, lalabas ako agad.”
Theo and Ram exchanged the quickest, secretive glance — one that didn’t go unnoticed by her.
“Hmmm,” she hummed as she walked between them toward the neighboring unit. “Alam niyo, kung prank ‘to, lagot kayo.”
“Walang prank. Swear,” ani Ram habang pinagbubuksan siya ng pinto.
Pagpasok niya...
Natigilan siya.
A soft floral scent greeted her first — then the warm yellow lights.
Petals on the floor.
Candle flickers by the walls.
A table set for two.
Polaroid photos she didn’t even know existed.
Slow instrumental music playing in the background — familiar. Playlist niya. How?
“Ram…” bulong niya. “Theo…”
But before she could say more, she felt someone step out from the hallway, just behind the curtain divider.
Her breath caught.
Alaric.
Clean white shirt. No smug smile. Just bare emotion.
“Hi,” he said softly. “Can I talk to you?”
She didn’t answer.
She couldn’t.
Her heart was pounding too loudly.
Theo and Ram quietly slipped out, leaving her with the man who broke her heart… and maybe, just maybe, was here to heal it too.
Tahimik.
Nakatingin lang siya sa paligid. The candlelight. The photos. The playlist. The soft floral scent. Every little detail screamed her.
Lahat. Para sa kanya.
Then Alaric stepped forward, dahan-dahan, as if he was approaching something fragile.
“Stine…Baby...” his voice cracked. “I know I’m the last person you want to see… pero please… makinig ka lang muna.”
She didn’t speak. Her fingers clenched the cold milk tea cup she still held. Tumitibok pa rin nang mabilis ang puso niya. Pero hindi dahil kilig — kundi dahil sa kabang hindi niya maipaliwanag.
Alaric’s eyes were glassy, tired, sincere.
“I was stupid. Sobrang gago ko. I hurt you… and I hate myself for it every single day.”
Lumapit siya ng kaunti pa.
“I've never been in love before. Never knew what it meant… until you walked out. Until I felt what it was like to lose you.”
Stine’s eyes stung. She bit her lip.
“You were never just another girl. Never. You were the one I kept pushing away dahil takot ako. Takot na baka hindi mo ako piliin kapag nalaman mong seryoso na ako.”
Alaric took something from his pocket — a small white envelope.
He held it out.
“Nasa loob niyan ang deed of sale ng condo na ‘to. Naka-name sa’yo. Sa’yo na ‘to, Stine.”
Shock flickered in her eyes.
“Ayokong manatili ako sa nakaraan. This condo… this night… everything here — it’s my way of saying, ikaw ang tahanan ko.”
Then suddenly…
He dropped to his knees.
“Alaric—!”
Pero hindi siya tumingin.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around her legs, as if she was the only thing that could hold him up.
Yumakap siya nang mahigpit. Nang parang bata.
At doon na bumagsak ang mga luha niya.
“Please,” he whispered, voice shaking. “Please, Baby… I love you. I love you so damn much. I can’t breathe when I’m not near you. Hindi ako buo kapag wala ka.”
His tears soaked the fabric of her dress. His shoulders trembled.
“Huwag mo akong itulak. Kahit kaunting chance lang. Kahit galit ka pa. Kahit saktan mo pa ako ng paulit-ulit. Okay lang. Basta huwag mo akong iwan.”
Stine stood frozen. Her heart cracked. Her throat tightened.
Alaric looked up — eyes red, face helpless, full of love.
“I’m not asking you to love me back right now. Just let me love you.”
Tumigil ang mundo ni Stine sa harap ng nakaluhod na Alaric — umiiyak, nakayakap sa mga binti niya, nagmamakaawa.
Hindi niya inakalang makikita niya ang Alaric Ybañez sa ganitong estado — hindi ang playboy, hindi ang mayabang, kundi isang lalaking basang-basa ng luha, nakaalalay lang sa isang pag-asa.
“Tumayo ka nga,” mahina niyang bulong.
Pero hindi gumalaw si Alaric. Kaya hinawakan niya ang magkabilang braso nito at marahang hinila paakyat.
Nang makatayo na ito, tiningnan niya sa mata. Red. Namamaga. Basang-basang pisngi. Nanginginig pa ang dibdib.
Dahan-dahan niyang iniangat ang kamay at pinunasan ang mga luha nito.
“Alaric…” bulong niya, nanginginig na rin ang boses.
“Stine, I—”
Hindi na siya pinatapos.
Hinalikan niya ito.
Walang babala. Walang segundong pag-iisip.
Basta nalang niya hinaplos ang pisngi nito at isinara ang pagitan nila.
Ang labi niya sa labi ni Alaric.
Una’y marahan. Nag-aalangan. Parang sumusubok.
Hanggang sa naging mas malalim.
Hanggang sa naging mainit.
Hanggang sa naging totoo.
Matagal silang naghalikan. Hindi alintana ang mga luhang tumutulo pa sa pisngi ni Alaric. Hindi alintana ang mundo sa labas ng mga dingding ng condo.
Sa sandaling ‘yon — sila lang. Sapat na.
Pagkabitiw nila sa isa’t isa, parehong hinihingal, parehong nakapikit pa, parehong tinatandaan ang lasa ng pagbabalik.
Pagdilat nila, nagtama ang kanilang mga mata.
At sabay silang tumawa.
Tahimik muna. Tapos tumawa ulit.
Hindi yung pilit.
Hindi yung sarcastic.
Kundi yung masayang-masaya na tawa.
Na parang sinasabi ng mga mata nila:
“Finally.”
After that long kiss… after the laughter… after all the tears, parang biglang gumaan ang paligid.
Parang bumaba ang mga ulap sa pagitan nila.
They sat across each other sa small round table na inayos nina Ram at Theo. Candles still flickering, petals still scattered, and the soft music still playing in the background.
Stine took a deep breath, staring at the steaming bowls of pasta sa harap nila.
Alaric placed a serving on her plate with gentle hands.
“Okay ka lang?” tanong nito.
She nodded slowly. “Mas okay na.”
Nagkatinginan sila ulit.
This time, walang kirot. Walang galit. Walang takot.
Alaric smiled, soft and genuine. “Gusto mo ako na magsubo sa’yo?”
Napataas ang kilay niya. “Excuse me?”
“Ng pagkain. Hindi ng feelings,” sabay kindat nito.
She rolled her eyes, half-amused. “Ikaw talaga.”
“Come on,” he chuckled. “Let me do this.”
Kumuha ito ng maliit na forkful ng pasta, saka iniangat.
“Ahhh,” he teased.
Hindi niya mapigilang matawa. “Alaric…”
“Please. One boyfriend duty lang, please lang.” Nagpuppy eyes pa ito.
She sighed, kunwari napipilitan, then opened her mouth.
“Fine.”
Sinubuan siya nito, maingat, parang batang pinapakain.
Nang matanggal na ang fork, tumingin si Alaric sa labi niya.
“Oops. May konti dito.” He leaned forward, kinuha ang table napkin, at mahinhing pinunasan ang gilid ng labi niya.
It was such a small act. Pero sa puso niya, parang isang buhos ng ulan sa matagal nang tigang na damdamin.
"Thanks," she whispered.
Alaric smiled, halos hindi matanggal ang tingin sa kanya.
She put her fork down and met his gaze.
“Alaric…”
“Yeah?”
“I forgive you.”
Nag-freeze ito sandali.
Tumingin siya nang diretso sa mga mata nito.
“But,” she continued softly, “we start from scratch.”
He blinked. “Scratch?”
“Yup. As in, no kissing unless I say so. No touching unless invited. No dirty flirting. Wala munang ‘baby’ or ‘babe’ unless gusto ko. Courtship stage tayo ulit.”
“Deal,” he said without hesitation.
“Okay din lang sa’yo?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.
Alaric reached for her hand. “If that’s what it takes to have you again, kahit magsimula tayo sa ‘Hi, I’m Alaric,’ ulit—handa ako.”
She chuckled. “Okay, Alaric. I’m Stine.”
They both laughed again.
And this time, no pain. Just peace
- Writer
