Chapter 42

Kinikilig akong pumasok sa banyo at nag shower. Nakangiti lang yata ako habang nasa banyo, kung may nakakita lang sa akin na nakangiti habang nagsasabon malamang na-weirduhan na iyon sa akin.

"Hi, kumakain ako ulit" natawa nalang ako habang pinapanuod syang kumain, tumawag sya sa facetime.

Napatigil syang kumain, binaba ang kubyertos nya at nagtalumbaba. He flashed a wide smile before he grabbed his glass of water.

"I miss you already" napairap ako. "Hmm? Talaga? Agad agad?" Tumango sya ng mabilis.

"Yeah, so much. Balik kaya ako dyan?" He played with his keys.

"Gabi na, magkikita naman tayo bukas" pinilig ko ang ulo ko at naalalang sabado pala bukas.

"So that's a date then?" He smiled playfully, I nodded my head as a response.

Pumikit ako at niyakap ang unan ko, I squinted my eye para silipin sya, nakangiti syang pinapanuod ako.

"Matulog ka na, sisilip pa eh" natatawa nyang sabi. "You sleep too, its already midnight"

"Good night, baby girl. See you tomorrow" he whispered. "Good night, Coltrane. See you"

"Where are you taking me?" I asked while he's driving. He playfully kissed the back of my hand and winked.

"You'll love it" nanahimik nalang ako hanggang sa nakatulog. Nagising nalang ako dahil sa sinag ng araw at tunog ng alon.

"Really? Scuba diving?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kanya, nagpalipat lipat ang tingin ko sa kanya at sa mga divers na nagsusuot ng scuba diving wet suit.

"Yes, ayaw mo?" He asked.

"Anong ayaw? I love it! Let's go!" I held his hand and pull him to the room where they give gears and the wet suit for diving.

I'm so excited! I've never been this excited! Pakiramdam ko gustong kumawala ng puso ko sa ribcage ko dahil sa excitement na nararamdaman ko!

He's taking me to a whole 'nother level, and I like it!

"Ready?" I asked. "Yeah, don't be scared Azrielle, I got you" aniya, umiling ako, I'm not scared! I'm stoked!

After the briefing and the reminders heto na kami ngayon at nakasakay sa bangka kasama ang iba pang divers.

Nanginig ako nang nasa tubig na kami, Coltrane snaked his arms around my waist and smiled.

"Game?" Tumango ako. Sinecure ko ang mask ko at ang regulator. I'm at the fever pitch when he started counting, I found my self smiling when we dived under the water.

Magkahawak kamay kaming lumalangoy at pinapanuod ang mga iba't ibang klaseng isda, we even saw star fishes!

He's holding a gopro and taking photos of us under the water, I've never felt so happy and excited! Para akong nabigyan ng pagkakataong maging sirena like my favorite Disney character, Ariel!

After minutes of having fun, umahon na kami at bumalik. I had so much fun! This is one for the books!

"You enjoyed it?" Aniya pagkalabas ko ng banyo para magpalit. "Very! Thank you, Coltrane"

He pinched my cheeks and smiled at me "Always. For my queen" I flushed and felt shy, hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako sanay na malambing sya, na very vocal sya sa nararamdaman nya sa akin.

He's my bestfriend, he's the best kupal ever, ilang buwan na ba pero naninibago pa rin ako sa pang liligaw nya!

Halos araw araw ko na atang iniisip kung anong nararamdaman ko para sakaniya. He makes me happy, he's with me all the time, unaalalay, tumaba na nga ako dahil sa kanya, but I like it! Because I'm happy, I'm happy with him around me.

He likes to give me back rubs, butterfly kisses on my forehead and cheeks, he loves to play with my hair which I kinda love and hate at the same time.

He makes my heart flutter whenever he smiles at me, whenever he winks at me. I always get that dramatic heart beats whenever he tells me how much he loves me. Watching him now, playing with sands and the waves from the sea, smiling from ear to ear, a realization hit me.

I'm falling, hard. I sighed deeply. It was a sigh of relief. I'm finally admitting my feelings and at the same time, I felt scared.. I'm scared to be in a relationship with my bestfriend, because he might get tired of me and me being annoying.

Paano kapag hindi kami nag work? Dalawa ang mawawala sa akin, si Coltrane as my boyfriend at si Coltrane na best kupal in the world. Itataya ko ba yung pagkakaibigan namin? Papalalimin ko pa ba kung anong meron sa amin?

"Hmm, that's deep." Aniya pagkatapos kong bumuntong hininga, hindi ko na namalayang nasa tabi ko na pala sya.

"Hmm, so may pupuntahan pa ba tayo? Tara na para hindi tayo gabihin" aya ko sa kanya, pero hindi sya natinag.

"I badly want to—"he sighed heavily and crinkled his nose. "Nevermind, baby. Let's go"

Napatingin ako sa kamay naming magkahawak habang naglalakad pabalik sa car park. I swayed our hands, he looked at me and winked. Oh please, stop attacking me mister!

"Ice cream" pakanta kong sabi nang makakita ng ice cream shop, nag park sya at bumili ng paborito kong flavor. Dito nalang daw ako sa kotse dahil mainit sa labas.

"Here you go" abot nya sa akin ng tub ng ice cream, nakahanap kami ng preskong lugar na natatanaw ang dagat. Natawa pa ako dahil hanggang dito dala nya yung blanket na ginagamit namin sa bangin.

"What do you think of our adventure today?" I grabbed a spoon and scooped my ice cream.

"I had so much fun! Parang wow, I'm a mermaid" I tersed. Imwinestra ko sa kanya ang kutsarang may ice cream, tinitigan nya muna bago sya sumubo.

"Thank you, its a dream came true." He ruffled my hair and snickered. "You know I would do anything for you"

I purse my lips together but I can't contain my feelings, mas malakas ang kilig na nararamdaman ko kahit pa pigilan ko.

Parang naglulundag ang puso ko sa ribcage ko.

"You never had a girlfriend, why?" He cocked his head to the left. "Paano? Paano ako magmamahal ng iba kung nakuha mo na ako?" Sagot nya, I felt that. Napalunok ako at napa-iwas ng tingin para itago ang pamumula ng aking pisngi.

"I tried dating when you left, when I was in Spain, and when you said yes to Eros, Azrielle." He bit his lip. "I won't deny, I tried but I fail... miserably. How do I unlove you when I can't even stop thinking of you? How do I love someone else when I love you so much? Paano? Bakit? Hindi ko rin alam"

Kung ice cream lang ako, kanina pa ako natunaw! Kung bakit kasi nagtanong pa ako, at bakit ba gusto ko pa mag tanong? Damn it!

"Do you think it would fade?" He looked at me and placed strands of my hair behind my ear.

"No." He answered quickly. "If you'll ask me to stop, I won't and I can't. Not now that I know and I feel that you like me too"

"Wow, kupal." I rolled my eyes, he snickered. "Bakit? You still don't like me?" He asked seriously, I was caught off guard, his eyes were like talking to me.

He grinned and played with my hand. "No pressure, I know falling in love is a process" he winked.

"Still a messy eater huh" he stroked his thumb on the side of my lips, nag init ang pisngi ko ag napatingin sa labi nyang kagat kagat nya.

Alright, I'm done.

Shock was written all over his face when I kissed him, I kissed him! Kahit dalagang pilipina tayo minsan kaylangan nating gumalaw!

"You don't kiss someone you don't love, Azrielle. See? You love me"

"Shut up" I shut him up with my lips. Kupal, you got me.