Chapter 34

"Drake..."

My voice sounded more like a plea and not a refusal. It was like a choice between heaven and hell. Pero I promised him I'll make his dream come true... But what if his dream would be my reality? All was complicated. Ang hirap na pala talaga.

He clenched his jaw but clasped my hand inside his.

"Are you?" he reiterated his question.

I shook my head. "Hindi." 

Living in abroad for almost five years, sleeping around has always been a freaking option. Most of my classmates did that pero ako? No way in hell. Few years back, I promised him myself. Stupid promise. Nagbreak na kami at lahat, nakatatak pa rin sa isip ko lahat ng sinabi niya sa akin, lahat ng pangako niya. It was like his memories would forever haunt me. 

He nodded and then hugged me. "Thank you."

"H-ha?"

I felt him kissing the side of my head. His breathing was heavy and his familiar musk intoxicated me. Mabuti na lang at yakap niya ako kung hindi, sigurado ako kanina pa ako napaupo sa sahig. Damn it's been freaking years yet the effect was still the same... intensified even. How could he do that to me?

"You... This... Everything," he said. 

I smiled. "Grabe ka naman!" I said, trying to lighten up the mood. "Ang sappy mo, Drake!"

He shook his head and then smiled at me. He breathed out one last time and then we started walking side by side.

The September wind was blowing so softly against us. Ang sarap sa feeling maglakad sa gabi sa ganitong panahon. The atmosphere was so serene and with Drake here, the silence wasn't so bad. It had always been like this. His silence, his stares, his words; it has always felt like home.

"Hindi pa ba tayo kakain?" I inquired. Sobrang gutom na ako.

"There's no food around."

I shook my head. "Tss. Grabe gugutumin mo lang pala ako."

He stayed silent as we continued to walk on. After half an hour, finally, nakarating na kami pabalik sa suite. Wala ring magawa! The cable was freaking useless, yung wifi may password at ayaw ibigay ang password! Nakakainis na talaga! Wala talaga akong choice kung hindi kausapin si Drake, matulog, o mabore.

"Haaay!" I said as I laid my body down. My feet were freaking sore from all the walking and my eyes felt so heavy. Nakakapagod mag adventure kasama si Drake! 

I was on the verge of sleeping when he suddenly poked me.

"Noob."

"Oh?" I said, half asleep. Pagod na talaga ako. I need sleep.

Gumulong ako sa kama palayo sa kanya kasi kanina niya pa ako niyuyugyog. The bed was spacious kaya hindi ako takot mahulog.

"Noob."

"Ano baaaa..." I said in prolonged tone. Drake, sorry pero mas matimbang ang antok ko sa'yo.

I felt him moving towards me. In just a split second, he flipped me over so I was staring at him looking at me.

"Ano ba!" I said, blushing. He was wearing a black sando? But that wasn't the point! Ugh! Ano ba namang view yan, Drake?! Ano ba ang ginawa mo habang wala ako? Tumira sa gym?! 

His face was unreadable. Naaamaze ba siya? Naiirita? Hindi ako makapag concentrate!

"Eat."

"Huh?"

He pointed the table using his hand and... oh, my god! May fiesta ba?!

"Ano yan?"

"Food," he simply said.

"Alam kong food yan, Drake! I mean, bakit ganyan kadami?!" I asked, my eyes still feasting from all the foods! Mas naramdaman ko yung gutom ko sa dami ng pagkain. Oh, gosh! Was it crispy pata?! Namiss ko yun!

He shrugged. "I'd never let you go hungry. There. Make yourself happy," sabi niya tapos hinatak niya ako patayo.

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako o ano! Why did he do this?! I was just kidding around! 

Namamangha pa rin yung mata ko sa dami ng pagkain nung hinatak ni Drake yung upuan para sa akin. Meron pang sparkling white wine! Oh, Drake. You really did overthink. May downside din pala ang pagiging genius mo!

"What do you want?" he asked.

The choices was vast. Ano ba ang kakainin ko?

"Surprise me," I said.

He put a portion of everything on my plate. Kanina, sabi niya magdate kami pero in the end, naligaw kami parehas. Ngayon, this felt more like a date. Mas masaya yung mga ganito kaysa sa kung pupunta pa kami in some high end place. Masyadong maraming tao. Here, it was just us. It felt more like a date.

"Ang dami naman!" I said.

"Fatten up."

"Ayoko nga!"

"Why?"

"Pinaghirapan ko kaya yung figure ko!" I defended. It was jog, jog, and jog! Pwede naman akong kumain ng kahit anong gusto ko but I had to jog every other day... and yoga.

He pursed his lips and continued putting something on my plate. Beef jerky! Gosh, Drake! Ano bang food choices, ang random!

"You honestly look like a stick."

"What?!"

"I could draw you using stick figures."

"Ang sama ng ugali mo!"

He shrugged. "Come on, eat."

Kinuha ko yung chicken leg and chewed it while shooting daggers at Drake. This mean man! Bumalik na naman siya sa pag iinsulto sa akin!

Napatingin naman ako sa braso ko. Okay naman, a! He shouldn've seen VS models! Yun ang mga stick figures! Obese pa nga ako kung itatabi sa kanila. Tss!

"Drink," he said then inabutan ako ng four seasons drink. 

"Tss," sabi ko pagkaabot ko.

Kumain lang ako ng kumain habang tinitignan niya akong kumain. Spell awkward! 

"Stop looking at me."

He just shrugged.

"Seriously, Sebastian, hindi ako tatakbo. Eat," I said and motioned for him to eat. "Eat!" I said kasi hindi pa rin siya gumagalaw.

He shook his head. "Just shut up and eat, Alys. I'm fine."

"Hindi ako makakain ng nakatingin ka!"

"Then close your eyes and eat."

"What?!"

"Shut up and eat."

"Ugh! Mean!"

He smiled irritatingly. Nakakainis! "Thank you."

Kumuha naman ako ng shrimp puffs at dinip sa mayo. Ang sarap ng food! Kung ganito ng ganito, mataba na ako pagdating ko pabalik sa Manila. For sure papagalitan ako ni mommy.

"Drake," I said in between bites. "I won't run. Chill. Kain ka rin."

He shook his head. "You always say you won't run but I always find myself chasing after you because you always know how to break your words."

I sighed and then put down the shrimp. "Drake," I said, looking at him. "I won't run. Not now, not tomorrow. I'm all yours for this week."

"And then what?"

I was torn to lie and to say to him about me giving him a chance. I promised myself na si Tripp na pero I also did promise Tripp na susubukan kong bigyan kami ng Drake ng chance. Siguro whatever will happen shall happen na lang. I'll give us this week. If after this week I'd find myself in love--no, I'd always been in love with this guy--be able to trust him not to lie to me again, then maybe it's the sign for us to start over again. It was all I was asking for: trust. I'm a big girl; I'm sure I could handle the truth.

It was what destroyed us: him lying to me. Makakaya ko naman if only he told me the truth. Siguro by now we would have been married. When we were together, Drake has always made me feel like he'll be my future. Ewan ko but he has that effect. Siguro kaya rin ang dami kong kaagaw siya kanya before and today. Girls and women are all attracted to this damn, young man. 

"Stop thinking and let it happen," I said. "Just enjoy the chase and then accept the result. Drake, happy endings aren't always the best part of the story. The chase, the memories, the fun... Those are the things that make endings happy."

He started talking. "I'd rather suffer during the chase as long as the end game includes you barefoot and naked inside my kitchen."

"Drake!" I said, my face flushed scarlet red!

He chuckled. "If we didn't break up, Noob, I'd have you pregnant by now."

Muntik na akong mabulunan sa iniinom ko. 

He continued assaulting my innocent mind. "I know I promised 28 but it was just damn too long. I plan to have you pregnant and then let your dad beat the hell out of me. That was the dream."

"Drake!" I said, again. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang irereact ko sa mga naririnig ko sa kanya! Had the years apart made him perverted?! No, I knew he's a perv but now he's a super perv!

"Alys," he said, seriously. "Did you ever consider marrying me?"

I stayed silent. Yes, Drake. It was the thought that used to make me stay up all night. Marrying you was the best dream... until you lied to me. That was the game changer, you know.

But I chose not to lie. "Yes, that was an option."

"Was?"

"Fine, is."

He nodded. "Did Tripp ever propose to you?"

I shot it right away. "Hindi. He didn't ask me." Sure he did pero lahat naman yun ay biro lang para sa kanya. Did he even consider marrying me? We've been together for years already. Siguro naman... kahit minsan, di ba?

"He's an ass for not asking."

I smiled at his comment. "Yes, he is."

"But I should thank him. Marrying you is my plan, my dream, my obligation, my reason for living," he said and then looked at me. "Alys, I can't let you return to your reality. Give me this week and I'll make you remember why you loved me so madly when we were young."