Beyond the Beat

Chapter 17

“Welcome to Amigos Amigas, Maldita.” Eros said lively as we entered a big restaurant.

I just raised an eyebrow at him, giving a quiet look. Back to this lively and sunshine aura, Eros just laughed beside me and pinched my nose again.

“Ang ganda mo talaga, Maldita.” He said teasingly, his eyes sparkling as if seeing me for the first time all over again.

“Tss,” I replied, trying to hide the small smile tugging at my lips.

Just then, an old lady called out to Eros,

“Eros, anak!”

“Oh, nobya se detuyu nak?” The old lady asked with curious eyes, glancing warmly at me.

I just stared at her blankly, feeling a little shy but trying to keep my cool.

“Mang, dura pa eh, Kay Maldita.” Eros answered and scratched his head, his cheeks flushing slightly as if embarrassed but proud at the same time.

The old lady laughed softly, clearly amused by their exchange and the way Eros was acting.

I frowned slightly, unable to understand their conversation, but the warmth in the room was undeniable.

“Nak, De Manila ba se?” The old lady asked Eros curiously.

“Oo Mang, kaya Hindi se ta entende Chavacano.” Eros answered softly, still looking at me with a little nervousness.

Then the old lady turned to me, smiled kindly, and said, “Tss. Bunita gat bo eskuhi nak.” She reached out and gently held my hand.

I gave her my hand without hesitation, feeling unexpectedly comforted by this kind gesture.

“Ako pala si Lola Bani,” she said warmly, introducing herself. Eros’s grandmother.

I smiled back, wanting to make a good impression.

“Lumi po,” I said simply but sincerely.

“Kay gandang bata, mi Hermosa.” Lola Bani said warmly, making my cheeks flush at the sweet compliment, this gentle praise softened my usual reserved side.

“Maganda gat Mang.” Eros teased, grinning widely, making me blush even more, unable to hide how his words made my heart flutter.

“Oh siya, maiwan Kona kayo, marami pa akong gagawin." Lola Bani said with a knowing smile, standing up.

Eros had already ordered our food, and to my surprise, he called out for a bowl of “Lumi”, my nickname. My mind immediately scrambled in confusion.

“Lumi? What is Lumi?” I murmured quietly to myself, blinking in disbelief.

"Eros said masarap daw ‘yun.” Then in my head, I thought, So does that mean I’m delicious too? I chuckled to myself.

“The f**k, of course I am,” I laughed, feeling a rush of warmth.

“Hoy!” Eros snapped his fingers and flicked my forehead playfully.

“What?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“That hurts, Eros,” I said, pouting a little just to mess with him.

“Sorry, let me kiss it better,” he said without thinking. His eyes instantly grew wide at the words he just said.

“Ah, sorry Lumi, it’s just… ang ganda mo lang kasi,” he blurted out, his jaw tightening in that way that made my heart skip a beat.

“Tss,” I grumbled but could feel the hot blush spreading across my cheeks.

He had this way of making my nervousness bubble up like nothing else ever had. Damn, I wasn’t like this before, not with anyone.

“Lumi,” he called softly.

“What?” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Ganda mo,” he said, and leaned in to kiss my forehead.

My eyes widened in shock, my body suddenly stiff and frozen in the moment. What the hell was that?

“What the hell did you just do?” I managed to ask once my mind caught up with my feelings.

“Huh?” he said, blinking like he didn’t quite get what happened.

Thank goodness the food arrived right then, giving us both something else to focus on. The awkwardness settled for a moment as our attention turned to the plates in front of us.

Sitting there beside him, I felt unexpected warmth spreading inside me, easy and exciting at the same time. With Eros, I could just be myself. His teasing smile, his honest words, the way he looked at me. It all stirred something new, something I’d never felt before.

I realized, maybe this was what it meant to feel something real, something worth holding onto.The Lumi tastes amazing, a warm soup with tender pancit noodles, sweet carrots, crunchy repolyo, and a soft egg mix floating on top. We mixed it with soy sauce, a squeeze of calamansi, and a dash of pepper, creating the perfect blend of flavors.

“Masarap ba?” Eros asked eagerly, watching me closely for my reaction.

I just nodded and smiled at him, savoring the comforting taste.

He looked surprised again.

“What?” I asked curiously.

“Wala, ang ganda mo lang lalo,” he teased with a mischievous grin.

I rolled my eyes, half amused, half flustered. The heck with his nonstop compliments. But secretly, I felt my heart race just a little more at how effortlessly he made me smile. Being with Eros felt like discovering a new kind of warmth, one that wasn’t just from the soup.

“Lumi?” Eros called softly.

We stood facing each other by the gate of my house. The evening sky was painted with soft purple and orange colors, and the last light of the day made everything feel warm and calm. A gentle breeze moved the leaves, making the moment feel peaceful.

“Thank you for this day,” Eros said honestly, looking at me kindly.

I just nodded, feeling my heart beat a little faster, then went inside.

After that day, we became closer than ever. Eros was with me almost every day. Sometimes, his teasing was annoying, and he flirted a lot. But I liked having him around. Meeting him by chance was better than I thought.

Now, we sat on our favorite bench, the quiet place we always chose. It was far from the noise, a small safe spot just for us. I liked it here, and so did Eros. The evening was calm, with city lights starting to shine, and it felt like the perfect time for us to be together, simple, special, and just ours.

“LUMINA Maldita,” Eros grinned mischievously, locking eyes with me, “If you found me guilty beyond reasonable doubt of liking you, would you convict me?”

I crossed my arms, smirking. “Convict you? Hmm, let me think… If the evidence is as strong as your constant staring and cheesy compliments, then yeah, court’s in session and you’re definitely guilty.”

He raised an eyebrow, amused. “Oh? And what’s the punishment for a guy guilty of liking you?”

I leaned in, voice dripping with sass. “You’ll have to up your game. Because liking me isn’t enough. You’d better prove you can handle all my ‘Maldita’ moods.”

Eros chuckled, unafraid. “Challenge accepted. But just so you know, I’m ready for every twist and turn.”

I smirked wider. “Good. Because in this court, I always hold the final verdict.”