A Kiss to Life

Chapter 15: Always

It was already 6:30 pm when Noah and I decided to go home. We left the museum at 5 pm and had our early dinner at the nearest fast-food restaurant before we headed home.

Nasa Marikina na kami ngayon, Noah's driving in silent because I was silent, too. Busy ako sa pag titingin ng mga pictures namin, pero tinatanong ko naman siya kung okay o maganda ang mga kuha namin at sumasagot naman siya.

"How about this one?" I asked him, showing him our picture from the museum, the one the couple took for us.

"I like that," he answered.

"I like this, too," I agree. "I will post this on i********:," I said and opened the application.

"Do you have an i********: account?" I asked after doing some adjustments on the picture like the brightness and such.

Noah shook his head but handed me his phone. "Pwede mo kong igawa ng account ngayon, tapos pag-aaralan ko kung paano gamitin mamaya," he said.

I agreed and took his phone and unlocked it through fingerprint. Noah registered my fingerprint on his phone the same night he gave me his password. In return, I registered his face on my phone’s face I.D, as well.

"I'll just create you an account using your f*******:, okay? So, when you need to log in to another device one day, you can just log in via f*******:," I told him and he just said 'okay'.

"Username? What do you want for your username?" I asked him after.

"What is your username?" He asked instead.

"@amaris.clvr," I answered.

"Edi, @noah.dlmnzn sa akin," he said and I immediately snorted.

"Gaya-gaya," I said, imitating his own words.

"Couple things," he said and I knew he was teasing me!

"Ewan ko sayo, Noah," I replied, grinning, but proceeded on setting up his account. I put his full name and set his icon. I checked his pictures from his phone but I chose none.

Apparently, my boyfriend isn't fond of selfies. Luckily, I took solo pictures of him from the museum and I decided to use that instead.

It was a side view photo of him, but still, he looks undeniably handsome. Iba rin ang side profile ng isang ‘to. Ang gwapo parin kahit nakatagilid.

"It's done," I said and showed him his i********: profile.

Noah Alexander Del Manzano

@noah.dlmnzn

"Follow mo na yung account mo,"he said and I did it immediately.

We are now following each other. After that, I went back to posting our picture on my own account. I tagged him on it and captioned it with a blue heart emoji.

I clicked on my camera after that and snapped a picture of Noah while driving. I posted it on my IG story, too and captioned it with Mi amore. I tagged him on it as well.

Oh, so hot! I commented to myself while checking it. His left hand is on the steering wheel while his right one is on the gear stick. He was looking so serious while looking straight on the road.

His phone beeped from that notification. He glanced at it, so I showed him my phone.

“I posted you on my IG stories,” I explained.

Biting his lips and smirking after, Noah said, “You’re taking advantage of your defenseless boyfriend, huh?”

I shrugged and replied. “You look so hot and I cannot help it.”

“Nakakarami ka na ngayon araw, mismam. Baka ‘di na ako makatulog mamaya n’yan kakaisip sa araw na ‘to,” he said, licking his lower lip before biting it again.

I chuckled and replied. “Is it wrong to admire my boyfriend?”

He nodded. “Oo, lalo na kung nag da-drive ako.”

“Why?” I asked, still chuckling.

Noah glanced at me with a smirked and said, “Hindi kita mahahalikan.”

“What?” I said, giggling now, he just shrugged and reached for my hand, he kissed the back of it.

“I love you,” he said after.

“I love you, too, baby.” I said, equalling his smile. "Oh, can I use your f*******:?" I asked when I remembered something I wanted to do.

"Sige," he just said, glancing at me.

I grinned at him and said, "Thank you."

I opened his phone again and opened his f*******: application. I clicked on his profile and pressed on the edit profile button.

I edited his relationship status from In a Relationship to In a Relationship with Amatis Romana.

I returned his phone after that without telling him what I did.

We arrived home around 7:30 pm and Dad was the first one we saw upon entering our house.

“Dad.” I walked to him and kissed his cheek.

“Good evening, Sir.” Noag greeted him.

“Good evening,” Dad greeted back, arching his brow. “You bought a helmet?” He asked then, pointing at the box Noah’s holding.

“Yes, Sir, Para po kay Amaris, kung papayag po kayong umangkas siya sa motor minsan,” Noah answered.

“Sayo ba ‘yung ADV sa garahe?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Gaano ka na katagal nag da-drive ng motor?”

“Limang buwan palang po, Sir.”

“Sanay ka na bang mag angkas? Hindi ba delikado yan?”

“Sanay naman na po, Sir. Nag practice po kami ni Orrin.”

“Orrin?” Dad asked, nodding. He then sighed. “Siguraduhin mo lang na hindi kayo made-disgrasya. Ayokong mababalitaan na isusugod kayong dalawa sa ospital dahil na disgrasya kayo sa pag mo-motor,” he added.

“Dad,” I called, because why would he think of that? He knew how good Noah was as a driver.

Dad just glanced at me with a brow arched, “Remember what happened to your mom when you were five? I don’t want to be put in that same situation again, Amaris.”

Of course, I remember that. I was the reason mom and Mason almost died 21 years ago.

“Huwag po kayong mag alala, Sir. Mag-iingat po ako sa pag da-drive. Iingatan ko po si Amaris,” Noah answered.

“That’s all I want to hear,” Dad said. “The dinner’s almost ready, sumunod na kayo sa dining hall. Kasama ka, Noah,” he added before turning his back, heading to our dinning.

“We already ate, Dad,” I said immediately.

“7:30 palang, magugutom lang kayo mamaya kung hindi niyo dadagdagan ang kinain niyo,” he said.

I was about to reason out but Noah stopped me and said ‘sumunod na lang tayo’. So, instead, I said, “Okay po.”

Nagpalit lang muna kami bago sumunod sa dining para mag dinner. Noah’s already waiting for me at the stairs when I went out. He changed to knee-length shorts and plain white shirts, while I, on the other hand, was just wearing a racerback top and a mid-length shorts, like usual.

“Let’s go?” I asked him and he nodded. Hahawakan ko sana ang kamay niya kaso naalala ko ang sinabi ni dad nung nakaraan–”No PDA inside our, Amaris.”

“Settle yourself,” Dad said when we arrived at the dining hall. Nandun na silang lahat, my mom and my brothers.

“Kuya Noah!” Elias immediately called, seeing us come.

“Eli,” Noah acknowledged.

I sat beside Mason and I called Noah to sit beside me, while mom and Elias were seated in front of us. Dad’s in the center end of the table, mom’s in his right and Mason the left.

“Let’s eat,” Mom announced and started putting rice on Eli’s plate.

“Let’s eat,” I echoed, telling Noah. He nodded and smiled. I also helped him put food on his plate.

“Okay na ‘yan. Busog pa ako,” he whispered to me and I stopped.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Sa akin mo pinaubos pagkain mo kanina,” he said and I immediately chuckled.

“Right. Sorry,” I said. I started putting on mine now and like his, I only get enough since I’m still full.

“How’s your date?” Mom asked. Dad was busy eating but I knew he was listening.

“It was fun, mom,” I answered shortly.

“Where did you go?”

“SM North then we went to Cubao for Art in Island.”

“Oh, did you watch a movie in SM?”

I shook my head. “No. We just ate there, strolled, and bought something.”

“How’s Art in Island, Ate?” Mason butted in.

“It was nice there. I mean, Noah and I really enjoyed our visit there.”

“How much would you recommend?”

“Ten out of ten,” I answered and my brother nodded.

“Noah,” Dad called that made me and Mason silent.

“Yes, Sir?” Noah answered.

“Have you thought of what I suggest to you?” Dad asked and I already knew what he was talking about.

I slipped my hand to Noah’s hand and squeezed it. Noah glanced at me and smiled, telling he can handle the situation.

“Yes, Sir, I have.”

“What’s your decision?” Dad.

“I will apply to it, Sir,” he answered. I tried to butt in but Noah stopped me. He squeezed my hand.

“That’s good. You will learn a lot from there,” Dad said, looking satisfied.

“What are you two talking about?” Mom asked.

“It’s about his internship, love. I suggested that he send an application for Internship at N. E. Builders,” Dad answered.

“Oh, really?” Mom said before turning to Noah. “That’s a good decision, hijo. They will be a good mentor for you.” she added.

Noah said his thanks and after that, the dinner continued with a different topic.

“I thought you don’t want it?” I asked Noah over a video call. We’re already in our own rooms now.

Noah smiled, the one he also does when he knew he did something bad and knew he couldn't do anything to change it. “Nahiya ako, e.”

“Noah, I told you, you can always refuse. Dad would understand it if you tell him you have another company you want to apply to,” I told him.

“Okay lang naman. Five months lang naman ang internship, pag graduate na lang siguro ako run mag a-apply. Saka, sabi rin ng mommy na matutulungan ako run na mag improve pa. Okay na ‘yun,” he said.

“But it would be easier for you to get into your dream company if you start doing your internship there, right?”

He nodded. “Pero hayaan mo na, ang importante, matuto ako. At isa pa, nandun din si Orrin. Hindi na rin ako kakabahan ng sobra.”

“Just tell me when you need me, okay?” all I could say because I knew we both can’t do anything against it now. I will just support him.

“Hala!” he suddenly blurted. He was already lying when he suddenly sat up.

“What’s wrong?” I asked and sat up as well.

“Bakit? Paano? Hala…”

“What is it, Noah?” I asked, ready to leave my room to go to him.

“Yung relationship status ko!” He said, his expression is a mixture of confusion and excitement.

“Jesus!” I muttered, sighing in relief.

“In a Relationship with Amaris Romana. Hindi ko naman ‘to ginawa?”

“I did that,” I admitted. “I changed it earlier.”

“You did?” he asked, amazed this time.

I nodded. “Hindi ba pwede?”

“Pwede, syempre!” He replied immediately. “Nagulat lang ako,” he added.

Biting my lips, I said, “I tagged myself so your classmates would stop pairing you to anyone… to that Michelle”

I said the last words in a low voice but he still heard it. Noah grinned, “Ang selosa talaga ng baby ko. Wala naman siyang dapat pag selosan,” he said.

I rolled my eyes and responded, “It’s better to let them know that you’re already taken by me.”

“Alam naman na nila ‘yun.”

“But they still tried to pair you up with that Michelle,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t understand why they still have to do that.”

“Mga bata pa kasi sila,” he said.

“23 isn’t bata pa, Noah. They already know that it’s disrespectful to tease someone who’s already in a relationship with someone else,” I told him.

“Hindi mo naman kailangan mag-alala. Hindi naman ako madadaan sa tukso at pang-aasar,” he assured me.

“I know. But still, they should know you’re already mine,” I said and that made him giggle.

“Ang dami mo nang puntos para ngayong araw, huh, mismam,” he said and I just shook my head.

I was about to say something when a notification from i********: popped on my notification bar. It was a post from Noah’s account. Excited and curious, I opened it. My face heated up after seeing what he posted.

They were pictures of me… all stolen shots from when we were in the mall until the museum. But what he captioned it really warmed my heart.

‘My always, in all ways.’