Chapter 35

"Ha-ha-ha! Ikaw talaga nagjojoke ka!" I held his hand and stuffed my mouth with food. "Kain na!" I said while eating whatever my hand could hold.

He shook his head and then sti back comfortably. How could he?! Ako nga super awkward dito tapos siya naman akala mo walang nangyari! 

I glared at him while finishing my food. Drake Palma talaga! Bakit ba sobrang confident niya sa sarili niya? Not in an absurd way, actually. It's just that... he never felt insecure, for me. He knew what he had and he's just damn confident about it. Seriously, nakakaloko!

Natapos na akong kumain and nakatitig pa rin siya sa akin.

"Stop staring."

"Can't help it."

I rolled my eyes inwardly. Ano na namang banat 'to, Drake? Give it to me, prepared na ako!

He seemed to have studied my face. "You're really thin."

Ugh! Ayaw niya pa ring tigilan yung topic na 'yun! Bakit ba mas concerned pa siya sa weight ko kaysa sa akin?

"Bakit ba mas concerned ka pa sa akin?"

"I'm concerned about everything about you. Your weight, your height, your dreams, your aspirations. Everything."

I stood up and walked away but he was still in my earshot. "You need not stress yourself, Drake. Malaki na ako and I could handle my own mess."

He was there still sitting and looking at me. I was comfortable with him looking at me. Para bang sanay na ako. Nung nasa high school pa kami, ganun naman na talaga siya. I used to call his stares scary kasi nakakatakot naman talaga siyang tumingin; para bang gusto mo na lang mapaupo sa sahig sa lakas ng intensity. Pero ngayon? It was like home. Drake staring at me was part of my normality.

"I'm sure you could but I still want to. It's part of loving, Alys. When you love someone, you'd want to help her in every way possible, to make things easier for her. That's what loving is. Seeing what you could give and not looking for what you could receive."

And that was so profound, I just got to smile. The years did him good. Drake had always been mature but he was much better now. 

"Fine, suit yourself," sabi ko and then iniwan ko siya at pumasok sa cr. 

As I was bathing myself, I couldn't help but wonder if he'd do as he said. Will he really take me back after all these mess? I still love him, that's for sure, pero hindi ko alam kung deserving ako sa lahat ng nakukuha kong pagmamahal at attention kay Drake. It was like it was all not meant for me. Sa lahat ng ginawa ko sa kanya, I didn't deserve any of his love, much more his devotion. 

Pero who was I kidding? He's Drake. Pag gusto niya, gusto niya. And when he wants something so bad, he'll get it. Walang exception to the rule. Lahat nakukuha niya. He was just like that. It was like everything he wants were bound to be his. 

Paglabas ko ng kwarto, everything was cleared. Si Drake? He was comfortably sleeping on the sofa. Seryoso nga siya na dun siya matutulog.

I smiled at the image of him sleeping and then tiptoed my way to him.

"Good night, Drake," I said as I kissed him good night.

--

"Good morning."

My eyes were still blinded from all the sleep kaya it took me seconds to adjust from the light.

"Morning," I mumbled as I stretched my body. "Ano yan?" I said as I saw a tray spread in front of me.

He handled me the utensils and poured orange juice on the glass. "Breakfast in bed."

I smiled at the gesture. "Parang bagong kasal lang, ah," I commented.

"Take this as practice."

"Huh. Confident!" I said while enjoying my breakfast! Kahit alam ko na inorder niya lang naman 'to, natutuwa pa rin ako. Gestures like these would never fail to make a girl smile. A timiless act, in fact.

He nodded. "You fell for me, and you'll fall for me. It's inevitable."

I shook my head while smiling. "Ewan ko sa'yo, Palma."

I tried to concentrate on my food when Drake suddenly got up and then put a small box in front of me.

"Ano yan?" I said with my brow arching up. The box was small and looked antique. Mukha siyang jewerly box, actually.

He opened it in front of me and I was in awe with the beauty of the jewelries!

"Oh, my god!" Nasabi ko na lang. 

Drake smirked at my reaction. He crossed his arms and then shook his head. "Girls and their jewelries."

I pouted at him. "Boys and their toys."

He shrugged. "These are all yours," he said and then nilapit niya sa akin yung box. Napanganga na lang ako. Was he for real?!

"Niloloko mo ba ako?!" I said, my face bewildered and excited at the same freaking time! Kung niloloko niya lang ako, babatukan ko talaga siya!

He shook his head. "I never kid," he said and then sinuot niya sa akin yung ring. He was smiling from ear to ear while he was doing that. Since when did little things start to please him?

"What's so funny?" I asked.

Staring at my finger, he said, "It feels nice holding your hand and talking to you. You feel like home."

I was blushing too hard at his compliment. He was never this vocal about his feelings for me. Nakakapanibago lang but it felt freaking good! Having him made me thankful for breathing and waking up everyday.

"Thank you," I said. It was a due gratitude. "Pero para saan ba 'to?" I said, pointing at the jewelry box.

"These," he said, holding the box wide open, "were my gifts. Birthday gifts, anniversary gifts, monthsary gifts, sorry gifts, I love you gifts, thank you gifts. I don't know; just gifts because I'm so damn happy you're in my life."

The statement was...

Fudge. I grabbed him and kissed him.

"Damn you, Palma."

He smiled at me. "Yeah, damn me."

--

The days passed and before we knew it, patapos na yung week namin dito. I didn't want this week to end. It was like this was our escape from reality. The feeling was soothing and having him here made me believe that I did the right decision. 

Tripp was right. I still love Drake. I always did. I will always do.

Tama nga sila. No matter what happened, when you love a person, wala, e. Dun at dun din lang ang bagsak mo. It was like your destination was long decided. And in my case, Drake's my end game. Alam ko naman na hindi pa ito yung katapusan. We'll pass through many storms, we'll argue and fight, pero I trust us enough to make things work. I know we'll handle it well enough because we trust and love each other.

Kinuha niya yung gamit ko. I called my Mom and demanded na maayos na yung cars namin. True enough, pagkagising namin, okay na yung sasakyan. Good. Nadadaan naman pala siya sa pakiusap.

"Tara na?"

He nodded and we left the suite. Damn all these memories inside this very room.

We drove using different cars since dala namin pareho. Inside the car, tinawagan ko muna si Tripp, asking him to meet me. Sasabihin ko na sa kanya na kami na ni Drake. He asked for it. And I'm decent enough to inform him. That's what matured people do, confronting reality rather than running from it.

("Kailan?") he asked.

I looked at the time. I could still make it. "This afternoon?"

("Sige.")

"Thank you, Tripp."

I heard him sighing on the other line. ("Alys?")

"What?"

("Panindigan mo na 'yang desisyon mo. People are hurting already. Tama na. Last na 'to,") he said with such sadness.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Tripp."

("Magsorry ka in person, Perez. Tingin ko naman deserve ko 'yun.")

"Yeah. See you later, Tripp..." and then I ended the line.

Tripp was a part of my life. Sabi ko nga, best friend ko siya, soulmate even. Pero we can't be friends anymore. I just knew we can't.

While we were driving, biglang nagiba ng way si Drake. Akala ko sabay kaming pupunta sa bahay namin? He was the one who insisted na ipakilala ko siya sa parents ko!

I decided to follow him from a distance. I don't know but something felt odd... and I don't like odd.

After a while, nakarating kami sa isang hospital. He was walking really fast and his mind was somewhere far away kaya ni hindi niya napansin na sinusundan ko siya. I wonder what was he thinking?

He was at the nurse station and he was looking really derranged. Matapos niyang magtanong, umalis siya agad agad. Sobrang nagmamadali siya.

"Sinong hinahanap niya?" I asked the nurse.

"Marie Fier Sandoval."

Si Fier?

"Anong meron sa kanya?" I asked out of curiosity. May sakit ba siya kaya siya pinuntahan ni Drake?

"Kaano ano kayo ng pasyente?"

Ugh kahit magsinungaling na friends kami ni Fier, hindi ko magagawa. The thought was impossible. 

I smiled at the nurse and followed Drake instead. He was walking fast, really fast, para bang mamamatay na si Fier at siya yung huling hinahanap nito. The thought was silly but... what the hell. I could dream.

Huminto siya sa tapat ng isang room. There, Cristine was crying and punching Drake's body.

"Drake..." she was repeating and repeating. "Drake, I'm sorry..." she said, now crying.

Hindi ko alam pero natatakot ako sa sasabihin niya. I just got my happiness back... it was too early to ruin it.

I turned back and started to walk away. Wala akong pakielam kung sabihin na duwag ako. I just can't handle the truth now. Pwede bang magbulag bulagan muna ako? Pwede bang masaya muna ako kahit sandali lang?

But it was impossible to be happy. I know that after happiness comes sadness. And this was it.

"Si... buntis si Fier, Drake. Hindi na kayo pwede ni Alys... I'm so sorry, Drake..."