RAY OF LIGHT

CHAPTER 28

Hiro's words made me stuck on my place.

Did Hiro just complimented me? For real?

Well... nang una kaming magkasama napakasama ng tabas ng dila nito but when we talk the last dinner we had, I realized that he was nice too. Hindi lang siya basta engot. Engot na may sense.

"Uhm... Thanks?" hindi siguradong sambit ko. Dahil baka mamaya, nagbibiro lang ito.

He chuckled and shook his head.

"Woah! You look handsome babe!" matinis na sigaw ni Hillary na kakalabas ng bahay.

Nagkapalit na ito.

Medyo vulgar pa rin ang damit na. Her cleavage and shoulders were still showing but not her tummy anymore. It was still a fitted off shoulder. It was red this time and still short, her long legs were exposed too. But it more decent to look than the other earlier, that was just my opinion though.

Tumabi ako nang mag-umpisa siyang maglakad palapit kay Hiro.

Should I go inside and look for Glade? Or watch this too being so clingy to each other again?

And I ended up watching the two.

I looked away when Hillary tiptoed to kiss Hiro in the lips.

"Gosh! Nakakaakit ka on your tux babe."

"You too. You are the most beautiful girl I saw on red dress. You look so hot babe." Parang gusto ko nalang masuka sa sinabi niya.

Kanina sinabihan niya akong perfect ngayon iba namang panglalandi ang sinasabi niya kay Hills.

W-wait! Did I just said nilalandi ako ni Hiro?

No way! Yuck!

Habang kung ano-ano ang iniisip ko, napasinghap ako nang may humapit sa bewang ko at naramdaman ang hininga nito sa aking tainga.

"Even your back turns me on love," he said it seductively which made me widened my eyes.

I turned around to face him while his hands stays on my waist.

I raised my brows. "Since when did you learn to flirt like that, huh?"

Napakamot siya sa ulo at napangiti. "I was just kidding love."

Napailing na lamang ako.

"It's your fault," bigla nitong sabi.

"Paano naman?"

"You keep on being beautiful love. You know how weak I am when it comes to your beauty love. You're incomparable love," he said which made my heart flutter.

Then someone cleared her throat.

"Baka lang nakakalimutan niyong may tao dito?" Hillary said so, I turned to them feeling embarrassed knowing that they are starring at us.

"Umalis na tayo bago pa tayo lamunin ng mga langgam dito," she said then clung to Hiro's arms making their way to his car.

"She's just jealous," Glade said then rolled his eyes. That doesn't fit him though, he looks gay on doing that look.

"I think she just don't want to see us like that. In fact they kissed earlier. It was so awkward for me to witnessed that," pagku-kwento ko dito na ikinatigil niya.

"They kissed?" nanlalaki ang mga matang tanong niya.

"Yeah. With my eyes open," naiiling na sabi ko.

Bigla siya nakabawi sa pagkabigla at ngumisi. "You want too?"

"Glade?" hindi makapaniwalang binalingan ko siya.

"Kidding aside," bawi nito saka pinagsiklop ang mga kamay namin. "We better go love."

Sumang-ayon naman ako at nagtungo na sa kanyang sasakyan.

"My gosh! We all looked classy tonight and yet dito lang pala sa loob ng subdivision mag-di-dinner, bakit hindi nalang sa bahay hindi ba? Nahiya pa kayo," iritableng tugon ni Hillary nang makababa sa kotse.

"Sa sobrang tagal mo kasing mag-ayos hindi na tayo makakauwi ng 8:30. If we will go outside the subdivision it will take us an hour to reach a romantic place for our dinner," sabi ni Glade na nasa tabi ko.

Actually nandito palang kami sa parking lot ng restaurant na pinuntahan namin.

"Kaninong idea ito?" pagmamaldita ni Hills.

"Your boyfriend," agad sagot ni Glade kaya bumaling kami kay Hiro.

"Seriously babe?"

"Well, I just calculate our time. Glade was right. Don't worry I know the owner of this restaurant and they serve good food too," he said and smiled at her. "I prepared a surprise for you babe don't be so grumpy," paglalambing nito na agad namang ikinangiti ni Hills. She even jumped to hug and kiss Hiro's cheeks.

"Gosh! You're really the best babe!" kinikilig nitong tugon at agad ring kumalas kay Hiro.

"Actually, it's for both of you girls. Glade and I arranged it," muli nitong sabi at palipat-lipat ang tingin sa'min ni Hills.

"Love, what is it?" agad kong baling kay Glade.

Tumawa ito. "Gelo is not here and he doesn't know our plan. No clues for you right now love," he said.

Inirapan ko naman siya.

"Let's go inside," anyaya ni Hiro sa amin kaya naman lumakad na kami papasok.

"You were late with your set time Hiro," a short blondy girl approached us immediately when we enter the building.

Agad nitong nilapitan ni Hiro at nakipagbeso, napatingin naman ako kay Hillary expecting that she will be mad by it but no, she was actually smiling. She even kiss the girl too.

Who is she.

"Don't tell me, natagalan na naman kayo because of Hillary," natatawa nitong sabi.

"Well, you got it girl," sambit naman ni Hillary at nagtawanan na lamang silang dalawa.

Kami naman ni Glade ay clueless kung sino at babaeng nasa harapan namin. Hindi man siya matangkad, hindi rin naman nagpapatalo ang kagandahan niya. I can say that she was a goddess. Kahit nakajeans at t-shirt lang ito, napakaganda pa rin niya. Singkit ito, bilog ang mukha at maputi.

"By the way, this is my cousin, ate Honeyleigh," pagpapakilala nito sa'kin, inabot nito ang kamay niya na agad kong tinanggapat nginitian siya. "And this is her fiance, Glade." Nakipagkamay din ito kay Glade.

Bigla itong ngumisi, didn't know if it has a meaning or it was really her thing. "I bet, this is an exciting night, right Hiro?" baling nito kay Hiro na agad naman nitong tiningnan ng masama kaya natawa ang isa.

"Glade, ate, this is Fionie, Roni's friend," pagpapakilala niya sa babae.

"Hi," magkasunod namin bati ni Glade.

"I'll lead you the way to your reserved place," nakangiti nitong sabi at may kung sinong sinenyasan bago magpatuloy.

She take us to a place with full of lights. Parang ito ang likuran ng restaurant wherein there's a turf grasses na.

At the center of the area was two set of tables that was arranged so romantic.

Habang abala kami ni Hillary na pinagmamasadan kung gaano kaganda ang paligid, a sound of violin starts to play at sinundan pa ng iba pang tunog ng mga instrumento. When we looked at our back, the two man was holding a bouquet of flowers, it was both tulips.

Wait, rose is Hillary's favorite so why does Hiro giving her a tulip flowers?

Siguro nag-iba na siya ng gusto.

Sabay silang lumapit at binigag ang bulaklak na hawak nila.

"For my lady," he said.

Hindi ko maiwasang mapatingin sa dalawa.

"Babe, why tulips? This is not my favorite," kunot noong damit ni Hills.

"But I love the meaning of this flowers. Yellow because the first time I saw you, I was able to happiness in you. Red because I'm deeply inlove with you... babe," rinig kong sambit nito.

"I love you," rinig kong sabi ni Glade kaya tiningnan ko siya, and he's staring at me intently.

"I know," sabi ko getting conscious with people around us. "And, uhm, I love you too."

Upon hearing what I said, he smiled widely and cupped my face then he lean forward to me. I stopped myself from pushing him away because we know that there are people who are watching. I wanted to push him because of the shyness I'm feeling because of the people who's here with us tonight.

And so I closed my eyes when his face was just centimeters away from mine already. After a moment, I felt his warm lips on my forhead.

I opened my eyes and I was able to see the glint on his eyes, and the intensity of his love for me was so vivid. And I couldn't stop myself from smiling genuinely because of that.

"I'm so lucky to have you," he whispered.

"Either I," I said back.

"Okay na? Are you done with some love talks there?" agad kaming napabaling kay Hills nang marinig namin siyang magsalit.

Natatawa naman akong hinapit ni Glade sa bewang upang makaharap na ang dalawa.

"You're getting everyone's attention," nguso nito sa loob ng restaurant.

Naramdaman kong uminit ang aking pisngi ng makita ngang maraming nakadungaw dito sa amin.

At tinawanan lang ulit ito ni Glade.

"Okay, okay. Let's eat," Glade said and guided me towards our chair.

Separate ang mesa namin nila Hills. Sa likod ko ay ang upuan ni Hillary at kaharap niya si Hiro, and ofcourse si Glade ang kaharap ko.

"Did you love it?" nakangiting tanong ni Glade habang kumakain kami.

"I like it Glade. I appreciate everything. Thank you," I said wholeheartedly.

"Anything for my lady," he said.

"Oh, by the way," agad siya nagpunas ng bibig at may sinenyasan.

May lumapit na waiter na may hawak na maliit na paper bag. Nagpasalamat si Glade nang makuha ito bago niya ito inabot sa'kin.

"What's this?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

"A gift love," he said.

Ilang segundo ko itong tinitigan. I was hesitant to open it because I'm sure it was kind of expensive one again.

Nang makita ko ang laman ng paper bag, palipat-lipat nalang ako ng tingin doon at kay Glade na sobrang laki ng ngiti.

And when I finally get to see what's inside the red box, I literally felt confused when I saw a gold bracelet but at the same time there a litte cute screw beside it too.

Glade stood up and made his way to my chair. He bend down and get off the bracelet from the box and gave it to me.

"Check it love. The first letter of our names were ingrave on it," excited niyan sabi.

And it's true. "H.G" Iyon ang nakalagay sa loob nito.

He then put it on my wrist and he used the screw to lock it.

Ah, so that's the purpose of it.

"I'll keep this," he said, referring to the little gold screw that he's holding. "Without me, you'll not be able to remove that bracelet."

"So give it to me Glade," sabi ko.

"Nope. I'm keeping this."

"And why?" naguguluhang tanong ko.

"So that, you must not leave me love," seryoso nitong sabi.

"A-and why would I leave you?"

Ngumiti naman ito bigla at muling bumalik sa kanyang upuan ako naman ay nakahinga ng maluwag.

"I know you'll never do that but just informing you love," natatawa nitong sabi. "Baka takbuhan mo ako bigla."

Napailing ako. "You're crazy."

"But did you like it?" tanong niya.

"Ofcourse! There's no reason for me not to like it Glade. It's so pretty."

It has a minimal style but I love it. Not minding the price because I know forsure that it worth big amount. Just by thinking of it, I wanted to return it to Glade, so let's not think about the price thing anymore.

"I'll just use restroom," paalam ko at agad na nagtungo sa loob para magbanyo.

I was busy checking my phone to text Gogi and check up on my baby boy when a young girl bumped to me causing her to fall onto the floor.

Nabigla ako pero agad rin nakabawi at dinaluhan ang bata habang ito'y busy sa pagpulot ng mga librong hawak niya.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked the moment we finished getting all her stuff.

She didn't answer me back pero nakatitig lang ito sa akin.

"Uhm... Are you alright? Ayos ka lang?" muli kong tanong pero hindi pa rin ito sumasagot.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Hindi ko sinasadyang mabangga ka," sabi ko at hindi pa rin talaga ito kumikibo, nakatingin lang ito sa akin.

"Sige, pasensya na ulit. I gotta go," sabi ko at agad ng umalis pero agad rin na napahinto ng tinawag niya ako.

"Is that you? Ate Hillary Parker?" napalingon ako sa kanyang muli.

"You know me?"

Sumilay ang ngiti nito bigla at tumango. "Isa po ako sa mga bata sa Quipar foundation na dating pag-aari at pinopondohan ni mama Leigh," sabi nito and I was touched because there's this someone who remembers my mom, my family.

"Really? Ang laki mo na. What's your name?"

"Chloe po," magalang nitong sagot.

I tried to recall her but no luck. Siguro, dahil na rin sa dami nilang mga bata noon sa orphanage hindi ko na sila maalala isa-isa. But I'm glad that I got to know one of them makalipas ang ilang taon.

"Oh, hi Chloe. Nice to meet you again. Ano na pinagkakaabalahan mo ngayon? Nasa orphanage ka pa ba?" tanong ko.

Sad to say na nawalan talaga kami ng balita ni tita sa mga nangyayari sa orphanage.

Biglang kumunot ang noo ng dalaga. I bet she's 10 years old already or maybe, eleven, or twelve. Well, I don't know.

"Po? Matagal na pong nagsars ang orphanage ate. Matapos po naibalita 'yong... pagkamatay nila mama Leigh, ilang buwan o wala pa po atang isang buwan noon ay naipasara na ito. Ang bali-balita po noon ay ipinagbili po ito sa dating may-ari," kwento niya na ikinagulat ko.

"What? Binenta? Nagsara ang Quipar Foundation? Why?"

"Dahil nga po nawala na ang founder which is 'yong mama niyo po, nawalan po ng pakpak ang orphanage. Hanggang sa ipinaalam nalang po nila sa'min na kailangan na naming pumunta sa dswd para doon po maalagaan kasi nga po ipapasara na nila iyon dahil ibebenta na."

Anong nangyari sa Quipar Foundation? Paanong nagsara? Sino nagbenta?