Never in a Haste (Tagalog)

Special Chapter 2

Yvo

When I saw the motherfucker touch Avery, all I could see was red. Avery was obviously trying to push him away but he still doesn’t want to give her the distance that she wants.

I clenched my fists on either of my sides and gritted my teeth. I am already waiting for the right time to strike because I know that if he continues this, I am ready for an all-out brawl.

Tumigil sila at nakita kong kumuyom ang kamao niya. Tumayo siya at dinuro si Avery kaya naman hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at sinugod ko na siya. Hindi niya puwedeng iduro-duro lang si Avery nang ganoon lang!

Agad na kumonekta ang kamao ko sa matigas niyang panga. Halos tumilapon siya sa kabilang booth dahil sa lakas ng suntok ko.

Pero wala akong pakialam doon. Sa halip ay kinuwelyuhan ko siya at galit na galit na tiningnan.

“You can’t f*****g do that to Avery. Do you understand?” mariin kong sinabi sa kanya.

Kitang-kita ang dugo sa gilid ng labi niya pero wala akong ibang gustong gawin kung hindi ang dagdagan at mas palakihin pa ang sugat na iyon.

Isang mas malakas na suntok ang pinakawalan ko bago ko maramdaman ang mga bouncer na nagpapalayo sa aming dalawa. Ilang sigaw ang narinig ko dahil ayaw kong bitawan ang isang ito. Ang akala ba niya ay mabubuhay pa siya pagkatapos niyang sigawan si Avery?!

“What the f**k, dude!” pag-aawat ni Hero sa akin. Ngayon ko lamang naalala na pumunta nga pala ako rito kasama ang isang ‘to.

Pilit niya akong hinila palayo pero pinilit kong higpitan ang hawak sa lalaking ito.

“Awat na!” halos galit na rin si Hero dahil sobrang lakas ng sigaw nito.

Muli kong sinuntok si Yuan kahit pa maraming nakapaligid sa aming dalawa. Wala na akong pakialam. Kailangan ko siyang saktan!

Hinawakan ng isang bouncer ang kamay ko kaya naman mabilis na nakalas ang hawak ko sa gagong ito.

“Alisin niyo!” sigaw ng bouncer nang matagumpay kaming napaghiwalay ng gagong ito.

“Siya ang paalisin niyo!” sigaw ko.

“Sir, tama na po,” ani ng bartended na tingin ko’y dumalo na rin para umawat.

“Don’t touch me!” sigaw ko sa mga taong nakahawak sa akin at marahas na hinawi ang mga kamay nila sa katawan ko.

Mukha ni Hero ang unang bumalandra sa paningin ko habang pilit na hinihila ng staff si Yuan. Matalim ang tingin ng matalik kong kaibigan at tila ba dismayado sa inasal ko.

“What the hell was that?!” galit na galit siya sa akin.

I rolled my eyes and looked for Avery. There I saw her with Brenna and her friends, looking so horrified at what just happened.

Agad nawala ang galit ko nang makita ko ang takot sa mukha niya.

Huminga ako nang malalim at naglakad patungo sa kanya. Tinitigan niya ako habang ako’y papalapit.

“I’m sorry.” Tumigil ako ilang hakbang ang layo sa kanya.

I really am sorry for scaring her like that. Damn. Just thinking about how I must have terrified her because of what I just did to her previous rebound made my heart constrict in pain. I don’t want her to think that I am a violent person.

But stupid f**k! I just can’t handle watching that guy pointing his fingers and yelling at her like she’s a f*****g kid who needs corporal punishment.

“Yeah, right. Whatever, dude,” dinig kong sambit ni Hero sa likuran ko pero hindi ko na inintindi pa ang mokong na iyon.

Inisip ko na ang mga maaaring rason kung bakit ako iiwan ni Avery. Pilit kong hinanda ang mahabang sasabihin kung sakaling magbago ang isip niya dahil sa ipinakita ko.

Pero hindi.

She walked closer to me and cupped my face. Her gaze is so soft and her lips parted for some f*****g reason. Her touch is my heaven. I never even imagined that someone would make me feel this way.

I feel like she could e*****e me with her touch. I’d follow everything she commands me to even if I had to move heavens or carry the weight of the whole world.

I’m trapped.

So f*****g trapped.

“Are you hurt?” mahinahong tanong niya sa akin.

She has this distinct look in her eyes that makes me melt.

I sighed in relief before shaking my head. “No.” Hindi ako kayang puruhan ng isang iyon. Ni hindi nga siya nakakonekta ng isang suntok!

“Are you sure?” Her voice sounded so worried. “Do you want to go home?”

I pursed my lips in a thin line. Go home? No, I don’t want to go home yet. I want to stay here or wherever she is because it’s what I have dreamed of for so long.

Hindi ko pipiliing umuwi kung ako ang masusunod.

“Gusto mo na bang umuwi?” tanong ko.

Nilingon ko ang relo ko at nakitang halos maghahating gabi na rin. Siguro ay inaantok na siya.

Avery pouted cutely right in front of me. She didn’t speak because Brenna was already laughing out loud. I glared at her and she just shrugged.

“You can take her home, Yvo. She’s always trying to sleep before midnight, you know…” Brenna teased.

Avery glared at her briefly before turning back at me. She held my hand and laced her fingers with mine. “I want to grab some coffee,” she told me sweetly.

I smiled weakly and pulled her closer to me. “All right, then. Let’s get you some coffee…”

~*~

“Where are you?” malambing na tanong ni Avery mula sa kabilang linya.

It has been exactly three months when we started dating exclusively and I would say that I have never been happier in my whole life.

Sa tatlong buwan na iyon ay dalawang beses na kaming nakaalis ng bansa. Noong una ay ayaw pa niya akong pasamahin sa kanya dahil hindi pa naman daw matagal ang relasyon namin.

That’s absolutely ridiculous though. I already have seen her in Bali. We’ve gone on an out-of-the-country trip before so what’s the deal now?

“In the office,” I told her.

I am reading some reports regarding the meeting with a new business partner. Si Kuya Val ang dumalo roon kaya naman wala akong ideya sa nangyari sa meeting.

“Matagal ka pa?” I could her sighing and could imagine her pouting. Damn, how I wish I could see that face of hers.

“Hmmm…” I paused. “Why? Do you already miss me?”

She huffed. “I’m hungry.”

I chuckled and closed the folder in front of me. I could only imagine how limitless her stomach capacity is. She could eat really well and that’s already tried and tested.

“But…I can go alone,” she said. “Kakain lang naman ako sa labas.”

Now, I’m laughing hard. I know what she’s doing. She’s acting cutesy because she knows that I could never say no to her cute charm.

I stood up and grabbed my coat hanging on the back rest of my swivel. “I’m coming to you.”

She gasped. “Really?” She sounded so surprised and I rolled my eyes because I know that it is staged. “But how’s your work?” she asked in a small voice.

I chuckled and shook my head. “My, my! My girlfriend is so cute.” I teased.

I heard her whine from the other line which only made me laugh even more. “I hate you!” she yelled from the other line before hanging up.

I looked at my screen and chortled. God, I love this woman so much.

I immediately went to my car and drove to the nearest pizza parlor because I know that only pizza could make her tantrums go away.

I knocked on her door with two full pizza boxes on my hand. I could hear a faint “Wait!” from the inside before hearing the knob unlock.

My eyes widened and my world seemed to have stopped when Avery opened the door. I looked at her from head to foot. Base sa nakikita ko ay isa lamang oversize na T-shirt and suot niya. Ni hindi ko nga kita kung may suot ba siyang shorts o wala.

“You’re here!” maligayang sigaw niya bago niya ako inatake ng yakap.

I was caught off guard so I almost fell backwards.

Avery giggled as she broke the hug and saw the pizza I am holding. She immediately grabbed them and ran to the kitchen like a kid.

I grinned and shook my head as I went inside and locked the door. I followed her to the dining area and saw her standing in front of the table while trying to unbox the pizza.

I immediately hugged her from behind. “Hmm…I miss you,” I said as I planted a kiss on her shoulder.

She looked at me. “Really?” she asked with a raised brow before taking a bite on the pizza slice.

Natawa ako sa hitsura niya dahil may sauce na naiwan sa gilid ng labi niya.

She blinked. “What?” she asked while her mouth was still full.

I leaned my face closer and kissed the side of her lips with the excess sauce. Her eyes widened and I can’t do anything but chuckle at her cute reaction.

“There, all clean now…” sabi ko bago iangat ang kamay niyang may hawak na pizza at kumagat doon. Tumango tango ako habang ngumunguya. “It’s good…”

Kita ko ang paghinga ni Avery ng malalim habang tinititigan pa rin ako ng walang kahit anong sinasabi.

Ngumisi ako sa kanya. “What?”

She blinked thrice. “I love you.”

Halos walang maramdaman ang katawan ko nang marinig ko iyon sa kanya. I was stoned and frozen, totally surprised to hear it from her.

What did she just say?

Kinalas niya ang pagkakayakap ko sa baywang niya at hinarap ako. Seryoso ang mukha habang mariing nakatitig sa mga mata ko.

“Mahal kita, Yvo.” Mas may lakas na ngayon ang pagkakasabi niya.

Shit!

Sa tatlong buwan naming dalawa ay hindi ko iyon narinig sa kanya ni minsan. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba hindi namin napag-uusapan o dahil ba hindi naman talaga mahalaga ang mga salita.

Sa pinagdaanan naming dalawa sa mga nakaraang relasyon namin, iyon siguro ang pinakanatutunan namin. Words don’t mean anything without actions. Kahit ilang beses pa niyang sabihing mahal ka niya, kung hindi naman niya ipinapakita, walang halaga ang mga katagang iyon.

And that’s the reason why I would rather show her how I feel for her. And she does the same thing to me.

But there’s exactly something fulfilling upon hearing those words from her. It’s as if my world is moving in a different direction because of her confession.

“I know I don’t say it often but I love you. And I am thankful for the day that you found me stupid drunk over my ex.”

Shit. Tama na, Avery.

She smiled at me as I could see her eyes getting clouded by tears. “You are my savior, Yvo. You are the person who saved me when I was drowning. You are the person who found me when I was lost. You are my savior.”

She slowly lifted her hands to caress my cheeks. She smiled at me sweetly while her eyes showed me her soul.

I swallowed a forming lump in my throat. “I love you more, Avery.”

She chuckled weakly as she leaned closer to me.

“You have no idea how far I’d go just to make you happy. I’d give up everything for you…because you are the woman who answered all of my questions about love,” I leaned my forehead against hers. “You are my new beginning, Avery. You are my sunrise.”

She smiled widely and I leaned down to reach her lips and give her the most passionate kiss I could give.