Chapter 97

Artemis’ POV

We ended up going out the house. Nasa garden na kami ngayon. Isinuot niya sa akin ang cardigan na kinuha sa loob at ibinigay ang gatas na aming tinimpla.

“Thank you…” mahinang sambit ko bago napanguso.

“You are welcome…” he said before sitting beside me. I just watch him sip on his glass of milk before talking.

“What’s the thing that was upsetting you?” tanong ko habang sinasalubong na ang kaniyang mga mata ngayon. Napanguso siya at napasimangot pa sa akin ngayon.

“Ano ba tayo, Artemis? Aren’t we together yet? Am I assuming too much?” he asked. Napalabi pa siya habang nakatingin sa akin ngayon. Unti-unti ring napaawang ang aking labi roon bago ako napanguso.

“Is it because of Juan Cloud’s question? I’m sorry. I wanted to talk to you about it first. I don’t want to assume things and decide on my own. To begin with, we are the ones who will be in a relationship together…”

“Alright. I had fault there too. I thought you knew when I said that I’m in love with you.” Pinigilan ko lang ang mangiti.

“That’s why I wanted to talk to you. I don’t want to just say that we are when you aren’t comfortable going back to me yet,” ani ko.

“I always want to run back to you…”

“And so I am…” Mariin kong kinagat ang aking labi bago ko siya tinitigan. “So are we back together?”

“We are. Kanina pa sana,” he said kaya hindi ko na napigilan pang sakupin ang kaniyang labi. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang mga paru-paro sa aking tiyan.

“Damn, I’m madly in love with you, Artemis. You got me in your trap. So bad…” bulong niya nang maghiwalay ang labi naming dalawa. I whisper how much I love him too before looking at his eyes.

“I’m sorry if I upset you with my answer. Don’t worry if someone will ask, I’ll immediately tell the world that you are my husband,” nakangisi ko pang saad sa kaniya. Para bang sobrang gaan ng puso sa tuwang nararamdaman. Mariin kong kinagat ang aking labi roon.

“What about my baby’s problem? What made you turn cold to me earlier?” malambing niyang saad habang nakasandal na ako sa kaniyang bisig ngayon. Tila ba unti-unting nawala sa aking isipan ang tungkol doon. Just his assurance that we are together makes my worry fade away. I just knew that when we are together. He won’t mke me feel insecure and overthink about things. That’s the Zelo I know.

“Tell me so I can work on the thing that I did to upset you, Baby...” malambing niyang saad.

“It’s nothing. I was just overthinking about things,” ani ko kaya naningkit ang mata niya.

“I would like to hear what’s making you overthink,” he said bago niya inilagay ang takas ma buhok sa aking tainga.

“It’s just about what Ms. Brown said earlier. You spending the night with her,” ani ko na napakagat sa aking labi.

“Hmm, so is it about me helping her and her team when we are trying to make a campaign? Wait, what—Don’t tell me you think that we are—That never happened,” seryosong sambit niya. As if he was taking my worry seriously. Napanguso ako roon.

“How can I fuck someone when I’m in love with you even when we are trying to heal separately, Artemis?” he asked. Napanguso ako roon.

“Yes, you like me but that doesn’t mean that you can’t hook up with someone else just because you have feelings for me.”

“I’m sorry but even though I love you, I don’t think I can think that it’s normal. If you feel like having sex with someone, I hope you make things clear with me first, Zelo. I can run or chase after you for I don’t care how long however I can’t do it if there’s already something like this involve. I love you, Zelo but you also taught me how to love myself for all the time that we are together…” ani ko.

“You can easily touch other without feeling something for them except lust,” sambit ko na mariin lang na kinagat ang aking labi. He looks like he was offended by that.

“That’s not how I love, Artemis. When I love, my body and soul are already just for that person. The world of love is deep. When you love, you wouldn’t dare to hurt the person. You are right. Love and lust are two separate things but if you can’t throw away lust for other people, you can’t say you love your significant other. Therefore, I wouldn’t dare say it to you if that’s the case. I’m in love with you, Artemis. And when I say it, I’m committed to making you feel really loved, secure, and at peace. Hurting you is the least I would want,” aniya kaya unti-unti akong napanguso. See? He can easily sway all those worries away. He can easily make me feel loved.

He just stare at me kaya unti-unti akong napayakap. I felt wanted. Laging umaapaw ang pagmamahal niya. His word of affirmation can easily shut up those negativities.

“I’m glad that you learn how you love yourself through years, Artemis…” bulong niya habang hinahaplos ang aking buhok. Napangiti na lang din ako bago ko siya nilingon.

“We grow up beautifully, My Zelo… I’m proud that we did… I’m just happy that I can love you in ways that I didn’t know I can…” Ngumiti sita sa akin habang nakatitig pa rin sa aking mata.

“I don’t know if I said my sorry to you… But I would like to apologize for breaking your heart many times…” bulong ko sa kaniya habang hinahaplos na ang kaniyang pisngi ngayon.

“No, I understand where you coming for. We are not healed and we will just hurt each other but hearing you not even missing me feels like you don’t even care for all those days we aren’t together. Na para bang ayos lang talaga sa ‘yo na wala ako. I missed you every day… I miss everything about you to the point that if you just ask how I was doing, I’ll come begging you to take me again,” he said before pouting kaya hindi ko maiwasan ang matawa bago ko siya hinalikan sa pisngi.

“That’s not true. If you just knew how much I wanted to tell you I miss you whenever you are here. If you just knew how hard it is for me to let go. I just want to love you in a more beautiful way. I want to love you when I’m finally whole and I’m now… The two of us started in a disastrous way the reason why I wanted this love to be something that will last until my last breath. I always want you… I wanted to hug you whenever you are here… I wanted to come running to you immediately but I wanted to heal. I want us to heal and now we did…” bulong ko sa kaniya.

“We did, Baby… And now, there’s no letting go, My Artemis… No running away now…” he said before kissing my forehead.

“No chasing anymore.” He kissed my nose.

“Starting for now, we are going to run towards each other…” Kasabay niyon ang pagsalubong ng aming mga labi.