Hindi sigurado si Paige kung nananaginip ba siya o ano. Pero parang binuhat yata siya ng isang prinsepe. Alam mo yung buhat ng mga bidang lalaki sa mga bidang babae. It felt so good. It gave her comfort and sanity as if everything was okay. It felt surreal. It felt like a mixture of fantasy and real. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming and it felt like reality or it was real, and it felt like a dream.
Pagkatapos ay naramdaman niya na lumapat ang likod niya sa malambot na kama. She smelled Charles scent. Napangiti siya.
"I'm sorry for giving you so much pain, Paige."
Charles? Hanggang sa panaginip ba naman ay humihingi pa rin ng sorry ito?
She felt his hand touched her face. Bumilis na naman ang tibok ng kanyang puso. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit kahit masakit o nakakainis ay masaya pa rin siya sa piling nito.
Her heart clenches. Naalala niya ang sinabi ng daddy niya. "Gusto na kong bumalik ni Daddy. May problema daw sa project na hinahawakan ko at hindi masolusyonan ng mga kasama ko. Pinapauwi na niya ako bukas." Parang may luhang tumulo mula sa mga mata niya. "I don't want to go home."
"Then, don't…" pinahid nito ang mga luha niya.
Huwag kang humiling ng ganyan at baka pumayag ako.
Wala siyang narinig mula dito pero nandoon pa rin ito sa tabi niya. Tinititigan ba siya ng malalim nito? Iyong titig na mamemermorya nito ang mukha niya? Na kahit na matagal silang di magkita nito ay hindi nito makakalimutan ang mukha niya.
"I don't wanna lie but there is no way now that I could tell you the truth. Pero hindi ako masamang tao. Nagsinungaling man ako sa ibang bagay ay naging totoo ako sa ibang mga sinabi ko. Ayokong mapahamak ka. Ayokong magalit ka sa akin. But after this, if you'll knew who I really am. I know you will hate me. Maiintindihan ko. But being with you is worth all this lying. I felt so happy. I've never been this happy and contented my whole life." Muling hinaplos nito ang mukha niya. She felt how intense and emotional the way he stares at her. "No one ever cared for me the way you did." He kissed her forehed. "This might not be the right moment for us. But promise me, you'll wait for me. I'll come back for you. I don't know when but I will." He ought those words with full sincerity.
And her heart believes her. Ngumiti siya kahit na may bahagyang kumikirot sa puso niya dahil sa mga sinasabi nito.
"Silly woman," he pinched her nose. "Why you making me do things I don't do? Bakit ba kinakausap kita ng tulog ka? Sigurado ay hindi mo na maaalala lahat ng sinabi ko paggising mo."
Humikab siya.
"And why your lips tempting me—"
Without any hesitation, he reached for her lips.
She woke up but she still chose to close her eyes. It muddled her. The kiss was as gentle af but it was the kind of kiss she has been dreaming. It was her first kiss and yet she responded the way she should be. It became possessive as she clung her hands over his neck. She has been waiting for that moment. He could blow her mind with every movement of his lips. At that moment, she knew she was in love with him. She wanted to be with him not just at that moment but every moment of her life. Ayaw na niyang mawala ito sa tabi niya.
Kahit na hindi ka pa rin sigurado kung sino talaga siya?
Napahinto siya.
"Paige?" pagsusumamo ni Charles. He looked at her as if he was longing for her lips already.
"I don't know you."
Umiwas ito ng tingin. "I want you to trust me." Muling tumingin ito sa kanya. At sinasabi nga ng mga mata nito na wala siyang dapat gawin kundi ang pagkatiwalaan ito.
Bakit parang ang dali para sa kanya na magtiwala dito? Ayaw kumontra ng kahit na anong parte ng pagkatao niya. Ganoon na ba kalalim ang pagmamahal niya dito?
"I want to be with you. Please, don't go yet. Magstay ka muna dito kahit isang linggo lang habang nandito pa ako. After that, let's go back to our normal life." Pagmamakaawa nito.
"Charles?" He didn't tell her he loves her but that's what she felt. Na mahal na din siya nito at may balakid lang. It was a barrier that might be the reason why he couldn't say those words yet. Pero sapat na para sa kanya na maramdaman na mahal siya nito. It was better feeling it than always telling her but never made her feel it. Pero bakit one-week lang ang hinihiling nito? Hindi ba sila pwedeng magkita pag-alis nilang pareho doon? Hindi ba nila pwedeng sundan ang isa't-isa pagkatapos niyon?
Lumayo ito ng konti sa kanya. "Pero ayokong pilitin ka. Buhay mo iyan at marami ka ng bagay na naiwanan. At ayokong i-force ka na kalimutan mo ang mga iyon. Forget what I said. Just do what you need to do—"
Mabilis niyang hinila ang suot nitong t-shirt at hinalikan ng buong alab ang mga labi nito. Dahil hindi na kailangang humiling nito dahil kanina pa ay iyon na ang desisyon niya. At kahit alam ng puso niya na maari siyang masaktan pagkatapos ng one-week na sinasabi nito. All she needs now was him and nothing else and she needs to grab that opportunity, whether it will hurt her or tear her into pieces.
Bahala na si Batman!