Kanina pa nagpapalit-palit 'yong tingin namin sa limang babaeng 'to—kasama 'yong babaeng lumapit sa'kin at sinabing may sumusulot kay Chal Raed—tapos sa limang kabuteng 'to. Feel ko talaga may something wrong, eh.
"Monaaay!" parang nagbalik kaming lahat sa katotohana nang sumigaw si Rosas, "sabi na, eh, tagal pa umamin, gusto mo rin si, Fafs Chal Raed," nakangisi pang dagdag niya kaya agad ko siyang pinaningkitan ng mga mata.
"What are you guys doing here?" takang tanong naman ni Chal Raed.
Instead of answering, Third called the attention of these five women, "here is your 25K, thanks for showing your acting skills," nakangiti pang sabi niya.
Huta! So, pinlano nila 'to?! Sabi na, eh, parang konektado 'tong mga Chikabeb sa kanila. Haynako!
"Will you Guys please explain what's going on," muling usal ni Chal Raed.
"You know how we love to support your love story, Kuya," Spade said. "Kaya yesterday we're already here, monitoring the both of you. But, since there's no any progress in your story, we had decided to put an act and those Ladies were the actors," pagpapaliwanag pa niya. Pakana pala nila 'to! Buti na lang talaga at 'di kami umabot sa sampalan ng mga bayarang babaeng 'yon, charot!
"And, thanks to them, napaamin ka, Mon," sabi naman ni Third.
Nagkatinginan tuloy kami ni Chal Raed at nakaramdam ako ng awkwardness! Huta! Hindi ito maaari!!
"Oy, 'di na makatitig!" panunukso pa ni Joy. Sipain ko siya pabalik sa planeta niya, eh!
"Chal Raed, bago mapunit 'yang labi mo kakangiti at ikaw, Monay, na medyo naiilang sa mga nangyayari, maaari na ba naming malaman kung kayo na," excited talaga na sabi ni Clarice.
"Hoy, Bruha! Sinabi ko lang na gusto ko siya, hindi ibig sabihin no'n kami na. Umuo na ba ako, ha? Excited ka, eh," sagot ko naman.
"Calm down," natatawang sabi ni Chal Raed na hinawakan pa ang braso ko, at promise, mas lalo akong nailang! Huta! Ayoko na nito. "Wait, are you okay? Nilalamig ka yata."
"G-Giniginaw lang ako," sagot ko naman sabay iwas no'ng braso ko at salamat naman natanggal 'yong pagkakahawak niya ro'n.
"Kahit tirik na tirik ang araw?" nakangisi niyang tanong! Huta! Bakit parang bumabaliktad ang mundo?!
"O-Oo. M-Malamig naman talaga, k-kasi ang lamig ng hangin," pagsisinungaling ko pa.
"Sus! Nahihiya lang 'yan, Chal Raed, kasi napaamin ng wala sa oras ang Bruha," sabi pa ni Rosas. Lagot talaga kayo kapag tayo-tayo na lang ang natira, kayo ang ilulunod ko sa dagat! Pero alam niyo bang nawala bigla ang gutom ko? Huhuhu, kasalanan nila 'to!
"I couldn't believe this," nakangiti pang usal ni Chal Raed. Sus, if I know kinikilig lang siya.
"Huwag mo nang paniwalaan, isipin mo na lang na joke lang 'yong pag-amin ko, na joke lang ang lahat, okay? Kaya tawanan na lang natin, ha ha ha!" sabi ko pa at natawa nga siya. Pinagtatawanan niya yata ako! Bawiin ko 'yong sinabi kong gusto ko siya, eh. Joke! What done is done, it can never be undone. Sus, Maundy, sabihin mo na lang na ginusto mo ring gustuhin siya, tapos! May pa ilang-ilang ka pang nalalaman. Hay!
"Oh, alam naming gusto niyo ang isa't isa, pero tama na ang titigan at 'di tayo mabubusog diyan," pagpaparinig pa ni Rosas. Sorry naman, 'di ko napansing napatitig na kami sa isa't isa. Yiieee—ha! Iwness! Bakit parang tuwang-tuwa ako?! Mighad, ha.
"Let's eat?" niyayaya yata ako ni Chal Raed, pero bakit may paglahad ng kamay? "tara na, tumgots na all," aniya at kinuha na 'yong kamay ko. Nyeta, holding hands while walking napa sway-sway?! IWNESS! Hindi pa kami—HINDI KAMI, ba't may gan'to?!
Pero, ba't 'di ko inaalis 'yong pagkakahawak niya? Gusto kong subukan, pero parang ayoko rin. Huta, bahala na nga! Nauna na rin namang umalis ang lima kaya 'di nila kami makikitang gan'to.
Haaay! Lambot ng kamay niya kahit maugat—oyy, maugat! Hahaha, nyeta, kung anu-ano na naman ang iniisip ko. Gan'to pala ako 'no kapag biglaang napaamin. Swerte naman ni Chal Raed, isang ubod sa ganda ang nagkagusto sa kanya. Kapag nagkataon ang ganda ng lahi namin—hala, nyeta! Pinag-iisip mo, Maundy?! May pa lahi-lahi na, 'di pa kayo—este, hindi kayo! Gumising ka nga!! Naloloka ka na, eh!
Chal Raed's POV
I didn't hear any complains coming from her when I held her hand, so I decided to hold it until we reached the resto where those silly people went. I let go of her hand as we're about to go inside, but I noticed that she suddenly stopped walking. I looked at her and it seems like she's spacing out again. "Maundy?" I called her, but it's no use, she's still out of herself. I guess she's thinking of something good because her smile is genuine and wide, or maybe she's thinking of stupidity? Haynako, babaeng 'to talaga. "Hey, Maundy?" I called her again while I am patting her arm, and finally, she was awaken.
She suddenly looked at her hand, "ah, bumitaw ka na pala," she uttered. Hindi ko alam kung natutuwa ba siya o nalungkot, eh.
While grinning I sais, "iyong kamay mo lang ang binitawan ko at hindi ikaw. Pero, if you want me to hold your hand forever, then let's start it now," I was about to grab her hand, but she immediately hides it.
"Forever ka riyan, naloloka ka na ba? Kung hahawakan mo 'yong kamay ko lagi, edi wala na 'tong silbi, hawak-hawak mo na, eh," reklamo pa niya.
"Your right hand will do everything you want, but the left one," and then I hold it, "is responsible for holding back my hand," I added, and that made her gets muted for a moment.
"P-Pauso ka rin, ha," she said, stammering. "T-Tara na nga, dami mong dama," she added, and hurriedly went inside the resto like she's almost running. Kinikilig ba 'yon? Is that how she shows her giddiness? So cute!
***
Until now, they're still teasing Maundy, who can't even look straight to my eyes because of embarrassment. I've been defending her, but she's avoiding me. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung matatawa ba ako o malulungkot, eh. I don't even know what is the reason why she's acting like this, but I find it cute.
"Tigilan niyo nga ako! Ba't ba binibig deal niyo 'yong pag-amin ko? Umamin na nga, 'di ba? Todo tukso pa rin kayo, mamaya bawiin ko na lang nang matahimik na kayo," inis niya talagang sabi.
"Yeah, Guys, she's right, stop it," natatawang sabi naman ni Spade.
"Tama na nga, baka mamaya pumutok pisngi niyan, oh, pulang-pula!" panunukso na naman ni Rose.
Maundy suddenly stood up and called the attention of her best friends, "mag-usap tayo, tara!" she commanded and the three were almost running while they're following her going through outside of the resto.
"They're so cute!" Third said while his tears were about to fall. Sobrang natutuwa talaga siya.
"So, Kuya, how's the feeling?" asked Spade whose smile is very wide.
"I'm indeed happy, happy, happy and totally in love," I answered with a smile on my lips, too.
"Yoooon!" both of them exclaimed in a chorus.
"Kuya, I pray that your happiness won't end," Spade said as he raises up his glass of water.
"And, I pray that Maundy Marice is meant for Chal Raed Alonzo, Jr. until the end!" said Third who also does what Spade did.
"I pray that your prayers will be granted!" then, we have tossed the glass of water we're holding.
No words can ever explain the feeling of knowing that the person you like likes you back. Haay! Being in love is one of the best feeling, indeed!
If ever I haven't met Maundy, I don't think I'll feel this kind of feeling. Palagay ko sa kanya ko lang kasi mararamdaman 'yong gan'to.
Maybe everything is fated, everything is part of his plan for me and Maundy. Maybe it's fated that I'll meet her, it's fated that I fall for her, it's fated that we're working on the same company, it's fated that she became my secretary, it's fated that we became closer, it's fated that she likes me back, and it's fated that soon she will love me just like how I love her.
And, if ever I finally heard her 'I love you, too', I might scream to the highest level! I might jump super duper high! At excited na akong mangyari 'yan.
So please, make the time fly so fast and bring us to the time that we're both deeply in love with each other. And, if that day comes, please make the tomorrows move slower—than your internet connection—so we can savor each and every day together. Just please, Father God.
Love,
Chal Raed, who loves Maundy, so much!